Day 56

     How do you thank a teenage girl who gave such a selfless, gracious, generous, thoughtful and perfect gift to sweet Katie...I don't know how to show our appreciation, but THANK YOU ASHLYN!  Thank you also to the other generous donors, for helping add to this wonderful gift for Katie.
     Katie slept through the night last night...too bad I had insomnia!!! =)  Katie is doing good right now.  There are still a lot of things she can't do, but she is getting around pretty well - which is so nice for both of us!  I have been trying to make special "mommy time" for everyone (even Nathan - and Scott).  Things seem kind of "normal" right now.  Back into a routine.  I am at home during the day to care for Katie & Conner and thankfully, Scott is still on light duty, and is home every night and weekend.  Conner is a handful, as fast as I clean up, he makes a mess.  He is definitely a four year old boy!...But as sweet as could be! (Tonight he broke the lid off of the toilet - how he managed that, I don't know).  As for Katie, she has had a cough for a month now, which keeps me worried.  She is still on a daily chemo pill, the only side effects I notice are that she gets frequent stomach aches (which make her sad or grumpy), and she doesn't always want to eat.  She has another week before she has to go in for her next treatment.  So, for now, we will just enjoy - now.
     Yesterday, in the quote by President Uchtdorf, he quoted the Apostle Paul.  So, today I was thinking about Paul and remembered I had recently read some accounts about Paul in a book ("What the Scriptures Teach Us about Adversity" by S. Michael Wilcox). The author says: 
"I think it evidence of God's wisdom that the greatest and most often repeated lessons come from those who have experienced the deepest opposition to their happiness and well-being...One such was the Apostle Paul.  Next to the Savior himself, I can think of no other individual in the New Testament who faced greater adversity and trial than Paul...
"We do have some idea of Paul's sufferings... for he wrote of his experiences to the Corinthian Saints, describing the hardships of his life in the following brief passage:
"In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness' (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)
"I think we can conclude without equivocation that Paul knew something of suffering and adversity... Here is a man who knew pain and had also seen the future glory in store for the faithful.  With his grasp of those opposing realities, Paul still affirmed that we cannot compare the two:  The glory surpasses the pain."  (Paul is the author of the amazing scriptures in Romans 8:18, 8:28, 8:35-39 - I have already quoted these scriptures without realizing they were written by Paul and without understanding there full scope and meaning.  These scriptures take on added meaning when you consider the author and his life experiences). (I am learning line upon line, precept upon precept).
     In an Epistle to the Romans, Paul teaches the way God can change our negatives to positives. Romans 5:1-5 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
"by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:  knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
"And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
     I have come to understand that it is in adversity that we gain experience, and through that experience we gain character - hopefully to increase our gifts of patience, mercy, compassion, long suffering and kindness.  "Paul knew this and gloried in the assurance that the difficult trials of his life were making him, through his patience, a better man - a refined tool in the hands of the Lord...As our character continues to be refined through our tribulations and our patience, the hope that we are accepted of God becomes firmer and firmer, and we sense the Lord's approval and love." (S. Michael Wilcox)
     Today I am glad to be reassured that good will come from adversity (as long as I remain humble, grateful and faithful).  I am so grateful for the example of Paul.  I am strengthened by his faith, words and testimony!