Everybody reacts differently to the diagnosis of cancer or any other life-threatening condition. Your reaction or your loved one’s reaction and mine probably had many things in common, but no doubt there were differences as well. You might have feared this illness for years because other relatives already had been …
Category: peace
May 31
Are You Wearing Out or Falling Apart?
O, Mr. Tentmaker (Author unknown) It was nice living in this tent when it was strong and secure and the sun was shining and the air was warm. But Mr. Tentmaker, it’s scary now. You see, my tent is acting like it’s not going to hold together; the poles seem weak and they …
May 17
How to Fly into (and out of!) a Hurricane
The more I talk with my cousin Jim about his days of flying with an Air Force weather reconnaissance team, the more I believe that the trials of life—cancer included—are a lot like flying into a hurricane…both require an inordinate amount of trusting. Jim agrees with my observation and says …
May 03
“Some days you’re the pigeon & some days you’re the statue!”
I appreciate that many of you have told me you really like the quotes I used as introductions to each chapter in my new book Peace in the Face of Cancer. I spent many, many hours researching fitting quotes and trying to find firsthand sources to confirm their attributions. But there …
Apr 19
“Give Peace a Chance”
So if you’re too young to remember this John Lennon hit from 1969, I will tell you that it’s another one of those wonderful Beatle tunes with not-so-wonderful theology. The haunting refrain of “give peace a chance” was later explained by Lennon: “It wasn’t like ‘You have to have peace!’ Just give …
Apr 05
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at My Not-So-Peaceful Life
My new book Peace in the Face of Cancer officially released yesterday and I thought I’d share a little behind-the-scenes look at my life—just in case you have any misconception I have it all together! Last week I had three online podcast interviews. The first two were on Skype, which I …
Mar 22
A Sneak Peek at My First Chapter!
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do it with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. MAYA ANGELOU I remember going in for my five-year cancer checkup and gleefully announcing to my oncologist, Dr. Marc Hirsh, that I wouldn’t …
Mar 15
Is Heaven on Your Mind?
How much do you think about Heaven? A lot? A little? Not at all? Whether your earthly life is close to it’s end or you have many decades still in front of you, I hope your thoughts turn often to Heaven because that eternal perspective lifts the weariness we all face. One …
Mar 08
A Boy, a Dad and Some Pizza
My 4-year-old grandson Benjamin may look more like his mother, but he is a total Daddy’s boy—as in, the best time of day is when Daddy comes home and the worst time is when he leaves. So it wasn’t surprising when we were all at a local pizza buffet restaurant recently …
Feb 22
How to Handle Stupid Remarks
“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” Attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt “Oh, my grandmother had that kind of cancer—she didn’t last long.” “Just stay positive and you’ll be fine.” “My neighbor had that—he was in a lot of pain.” “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle!” Heard any of …