Connie

[Rich Z]

Guess I might as well mention this, because it might impact the amount of time and effort I can put into this site for a while.

Connie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had surgery 04-28-2022 (I think, my brain really isn't working all that well lately). And she had her first chemo treatment on 05-11-2022.

So I am putting all my effort into helping and supporting her to the absolute best of my ability. If that means the websites go away, then so be it. Not much happening here anyway, but at least I have a couple of people who stop in here now and again and make their presence known.

Personally, my world has been turned completely upside down. I am praying she pulls through this, because quite honestly, if she doesn't I really don't know what I will do without her.

[85vette]

So sorry to hear this. I can only imagine what the two of you are going through. You are in our prayers my friend.

[Rich Z]

Yeah, this made EVERYTHING else far down on the priority list now.

[donzee]

Wow Rich, I just saw this post, hoping for a full recovery for Connie.

[Rich Z]

Thank you.

Hoping for the best. Praying a lot too.

Second chemo treatment will be on 06-01. Since she only got one of the three drugs that first time, I think this one might be much harder on her. She didn't have much in the way of side effects at all from that first one, so maybe she will be one of the lucky ones that doesn't suffer much from the side effects of chemo. Certainly got my fingers crossed hoping for that one.

At least she is healing up well from the surgery. It would have been really bad had that first chemo treatment hit her hard while she was still trying to recover from the surgery.

But I am here for her, no matter what. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to help her.

[Rich Z]

BTW, if anyone is interested, I post more about this on my main website.

https://www.faunaclassifieds.com/for...d.php?t=785785

I can't see any reason to post the details everywhere.

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by 85vette

It's just a reminder that everything on God's Green Earth will pass eventually. Everything living was created to die. Just another page to be turned.

With Connie having cancer, this is something my mind just cannot absorb right now. I suppose when people marry and take the vow "until death do us part" no one really stops and thinks what that really and truly means.

[85vette]

Very true Rich. None of us give much thought to dying it seems. We're all too busy living. And I still wonder who that old guy is looking back at me in the mirror in the mornings. I do know that it happened a lot faster than I expected it to. And I don't expect to get out of this world alive.

My best friend from my Navy days died two years ago at the age of 62. Another Sailor that I know just lost his wife. She was 60. A guy I worked with in the 80's passed away in 2019 at 59. I'm not liking this either my friend.

I will say, we better be right with our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope that you two are believers. The other option is not good.

[Rich Z]

Well, definitely getting off topic about rain, but what the heck. Not like it is going to make much difference in this forum.

A few months after Connie's diagnosis, I was walking from one of the buildings towards the carport, trying to talk to God. I was angry and distraught. Why Connie? The world will be a much darker and colder place without her in it. Of all the people in the world, SHE definitely does not deserve to have this happen to her. I was nearly to the carport when suddenly I heard a voice. It was like no voice I have ever heard before, and I can't even recreate that voice in my mind again. I was every voice I have ever heard rolled up into one. And that voice said to me as clear as a bell, "Trust me, Rich." I just stopped dead in my tracks, wondering if I actually heard what I heard or was really losing my mind.

Not long afterwards Connie and I were taking a walk up the road and a pastor for the church on Zion Hill Rd. was outside cleaning up the area. We stopped and talked with him for a while, and eventually he took us into the church to show us around. While we were standing in there, the front door to the church suddenly swung open. Now there wasn't any sort of breeze, and even so, none of the other doors or windows were open. The pastor's eyes widened a bit when I said "Come on in, God." We talked about Connie's situation, and he asked if he could pray for us. I have to admit that I had a lot of tears in my eyes then.....

So, signs or just my imagination making something out of nothing?

Oh yeah, right after Connie's diagnosis I really, REALLY prayed to God to help her. I told him I would give from myself whatever it takes to give health back to her. What EVER it takes, I would give. So when I had my heart attack, I thought he took me seriously. Matter of fact, on the way to the hospital in the ambulance, I did say to him, "You didn't waste any time taking me up on my offer, now did you?" Had a lot of people tell me I should have died that day. So God extending a hand to me again?

Interestingly enough, I actually did have God step in to give me a helping hand a long while back. I had just gotten my driver's license and had my Mom's Bonneville out for a drive. I was making a left hand turn into another road, going a little faster than I should, when I heard someone beep their horn. Like an idiot, I thought someone was beeping at me, so I looked around to see if I could tell who it was. When I turned my attention back to where the car I was driving was heading, all I saw in front of me was the back end of a parked car. I had swung too wide and was headed for a collision. No way I could avoid it, and I didn't even hit the brake or try to swerve left or right. I just clenched the steering wheel as tight as I could, closed my eyes and thought "Mom is going to KILL me!" And then, nothing. I eventually opened my eyes and I was just drifting on the road I had turned onto, well past that parked car. I had to pull over to the side of the road I was shaking so badly. I did not understand what had just happened. There is no way possible I could have avoided hitting that parked car, so *someone* stepped in and plucked me out of what was going to happen.

So of course, I have to ask the question, "Why me?" I am no one special. Why would God be looking out for me? Why would God tell me to trust him in reference to Connie? Well, I do believe Connie is special and perhaps that I why God has stepped in a few times in my life. I am supposed to be here for her.

So as to being "believers", not sure what that actually means. Sure, I believe in God, and I know Connie does too. When I told her about God speaking to me, she looked at me in awe. She doesn't doubt for an instant that it actually took place. But for the life of me I cannot understand why would be special in his eyes, when there are so many other people who have died, or lost everything, and surely they prayed to God just as hard, perhaps MUCH harder, than we have for his help. So where my belief falters, is in trying to understand why God would have his hand on my shoulder when I can't see where I would be worthy of that much attention.

[85vette]

I know He has a plan for each of us, those who believe. And when I say believe, I'm talking about God's Word, The Holy Bible. Many people believe there is a God. Some believe there are more than one God.

But I am a Christian and I believe that Jesus was sent to earth as a man to die on the cross for our sins. And that He arose from the grave and ascended to Heaven with the promise that He would return and take those that believe in Him to Heaven.

It says in the Bible in John 14:6 that, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

This is what many have an issue with. So many, while they claim to believe in God, take issue with the part that tells us to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Many deny that He lives. And some other religions would have you believe that He was just a man. Whereas in reality, He was part of the Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

The bottom line is that if you don't believe in Christ Jesus, you don't go to Heaven.

The Bible tells us that God loves each and every one of us, despite our shortcomings. Why some die and some are spared, only He knows. Many have said they don't believe in God just for this reason. They don't know how a loving God could let bad things happen to good people. But our thoughts are not His thoughts. Perhaps one day we will know why things have happened the way they have.

I have had discussions about this. And I have to say that this is God's battle. Not mine. It is His word that tells of this. Not mine. I do not understand all of the Holy Bible. But I do believe it.

I'm not called to preach, but as a Christian, I am obligated to tell the good news. Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9,10