1st September

I can’t believe it’s already September! Where has this year gone?

Oh yes it was stolen from me by cancer and chemo, all my hopes and dreams, all I planned to do when I moved, new adventures, possibilities, travel and maybe even some romance!

Don’t I deserve it?

Well life is never fair and I am far too much of an optimist to be bitter.

There were times when I wasn’t so positive, after my initial diagnosis I pondered how my life could be curtailed early and all I would miss and leave behind. Especially when I was feeling so ill I almost wished it was the end.

But since chemo started, with each one ticked off my hope began to expand like air filling a balloon, breath by breath.

And now chemo is over, there’s no picc line sticking out of my arm – yipppeee!

Then last week I saw the consultant and he had my scan results – everything clear, I’m cancer free!

To be honest it was a bit of an anti-climax, it was after all what I expected. The operation got rid of all the nasty stuff, chemo was belt and braces.

So now September arrives full of new possibilities and beginnings as it always has. New things are always stirring as the autumn leaves start swirling on the wind, kids prepare to go back to school, or in my case now back to uni and this is finally MY time! 

A time of change as you can see in the garden with some plants wilting and dying in the heat of summerdays

Meanwhile my clematis has new flowers, 

the fuscia is still adorned with jewel coloured flowers and I've spotted new buds on the geranium.

It might feel like some time has been taken from me but perhaps there is a purpose, I’ve had time to consider what sort of volunteering I want to be involved in now I've moved, to really consider my options rather than rushing headlong into something.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am called to write, I need to make time for that, it has to be a priority. No more excuses and hopefully not too many distractions.

I want to travel and I would like some romance…. But I’ll consider that another day.

God has promised “I, the Lord your God will make up for the losses caused by those swarms and swarms of locusts.” Joel 2:25

I translate that as the first swarm taking my husband and second swarm part of my bowel!

I found this prayer  today from Mandy Hale, who goes by the name of The single Woman on Facebook. I guess mostly she is thinking about new relationships beginning and ditching the old ones but I think it can apply to so much more.

I'm making this my September prayer... as I positively step forward into a cancer and chemo free life.