Living in Plan B

Plan B. Not our first choice. Not where we hoped to be or really want to be. But what do we do when Plan A is no longer available? This. This has been my latest struggle. Letting go of the person I was before January 2016. Accepting the fact that my life will be touched by cancer as long as I'm on this earth. I am now a cancer survivor. (Did you know that one is considered a cancer survivor from the moment of diagnosis through the rest of their life?) This is a title I never wished for. Well, who does? Who longs for any of those less than desirable titles? We all will have areas in our lives where we need to accept that Plan A is simply not available. We have the opportunity to choose to accept....and even embrace Plan B. My friend, Mike, has lived his Plan B with strength and persistence and faith for the past 30+ years since a motorcycle accident left him paralyzed. He has turned his Plan B into a life of ministry and adventure and blessing. What an encouragement you are to me, dear friend!

This truth was brought home to me when I read parts of a commencement speech given by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. This is a great article and worth the time to read it Sheryl Sandberg Berkeley speech Her husband passed away suddenly at a young age. When she was lamenting that she wanted her husband to be present for a Father-Son event, a friend said, "Option A is no longer available. So let's kick the shit out of Option B." Ok, I would not word it that way exactly...but these words have given me a push, encouragement to live this life that I've been given. I don't want to spend more time than needed in self-pity or wishing for the past. 

God has given each of us this day. This good day. I am celebrating life and peace and the cool summer breeze that's blowing through my house. I am so grateful that God has put cancer survivors Melanie and Deni, into my life to be examples to me of how to navigate this new journey. I am thankful for dinner with friends and graduation parties and babysitting the grands. Sheryl Sandberg also stated, "Finding gratitude and appreciation is a key to resilience." I want to be resilient! To go with the flow and TRUST that God is with me, carrying me,  loving me. Does this mean that I will not be shedding more tears? Goodness, no. But I will continue to start each day kneeling before my God and King, asking Him to use me for His honor. I will continue to end each day with praise and a list of the blessings of the day. I will continue to trust that "All will be well".

Are you living in Plan B....or maybe even Plan C? What a comfort to know that God is with us. His Presence is what can carry us through the times of doubt and fear. Times when we long to return to before the diagnosis or accident or hurtful relationship. My life is in His hands....and there's no place I'd rather, rather be. And so, with the things of this world changing and our temporal bodies faced with unwelcome challenges, we can grasp tightly to His Word:

God is personally present, a Living Spirit! There is nothing between me and God, my face shining with the brightness of His face. And so, I am being transfigured much like the Messiah.

My life is gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters my life and I become like Him.

Thanks be to God who always leads me in triumph in Christ and manifests through me the sweet aroma of the knowledge of HIM in every place.

(2 Cor. 2 & 3 portions, MSG)