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Wednesday, April 26, 2006

 

Treatments end & feeding the hunger

Well, today’s the day to wear PURPLE. I have my purple wrist band on as well as a White/Navy & Purple stripped shirt on. Are you wearing purple? If so, tell us so we know!

At 7:34 this morning, Amy was escorted into radiation to receive her last treatment. I watched Amy as she came back out about 15 minutes later, the smile on her face revealed her sense of accomplishment and made her face glow like I hadn’t seen in quite some time. She has made it through and she is done! Amy wanted me to tell all of you that as of last night, her appetite has officially returned and she told me today that she feels almost ravenous as if she can not get enough. I STRONGLY cautioned my wife against submitting to this urge and to take it slowly. She still tires easily, but her radiological oncologist told her that she should rebound from that quickly.

John 6: 1-13 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages” would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

This passage has amazed me since I was a small boy and still does to this day. Here we have 5000 people following Jesus around because they either saw first hand or had heard about Jesus healing many sick, lame & blind people. Some of them probably wanted to know who this Jesus was, but I’d venture a guess that most of them wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle with their own eyes. After all, you’d be a little more than curious if you saw your neighbor, who had been paralyzed from the waist down for the past 10 years, walking & jumping around! So, it gets to the point where Jesus & the disciples are getting hungry and always having the servants heart, Jesus asks ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ First, as Philip pointed out, they didn’t have the money to buy enough bread to feed 5000 people, they probably barely had enough to buy bread for themselves. However, have you ever thought even if they did have the money, where would one go to buy enough bread for 5000 people? They didn’t have bread factories, so my guess is if they went back into town, the most they probably could get from a handful of bakeries is 60 or so loaves; still a far cry from getting even a bite to each person. With that in mind, what is found is a boy with his lunch of 5 small loaves and two similarly sized fish. If 60 or so loaves couldn’t even provide a single bite to each person, this small lunch didn’t stand a chance! But see what happens next, He asked the crowed to sit down, He gave thanks and then passed out the bread & fish to each person…and get this, not just a bite, but ‘..distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.’ They filled themselves…5000 people filled themselves with what started out to be a boy lunch. When all was said and done, Jesus had his disciples gather that which wasn’t eaten and the leftovers filled twelve baskets! I wonder how many of those 5000 realized that the miracle they came to see with their own eyes had just been served to them?

This is Amy's story as seen and told by me - V

Comments:
Dear Amy & Family,
I counted at least 50 people wearing purple at South today. Excuse the crude attempt at poetry but I was inspired:

"Everywhere I look at South,
purple is what I see.
We all have the same good thought:
We did it for AMY!

Purple dresses, purple skirts,
a purple sweater there.
Purple socks and purple shirts.
(Yes, purple underwear.)

We’re wearing purple today
to show how much we care.
We’re sending good thoughts your way
and keeping you in our prayers."

Your courage and grace are an inspiration. May God continue to bless your family and guide you through the next part of your journey.
Pat S.
 
Dear Amy
How amazing I had so much on my mind this week. Thought about telling the kids at school about wearing purple on Wednesday. We had 6 kids wearing your favorite color. I explained that a good friend of mine who used to teach here was receiving her final treatment today. And for her today we wear purple. I wear my purple band always and when I get down about things going on in my world the band reminds me of you and others who need our prayers. Thanks for helping me keep life in prespective. You have no idea how much reading this blog helps me. You are always in my prayers. Jodi
 
Dear Amy & Family, I just wanted to let you know that I wore purple today and YES, that includes purple underwear = )

Please know that you're in my thoughts and prayers daily. What an inspiration you are!!

Love, Chelby
 
Amy and Vince,
Sar and i had on out purple. Sara said that both of her teachers at south had it on and a bumch more.
At my school we had a few kids in purple and a few adults as well. WE drove by Walnut Hill aroung 6:15p.m. and I saw a hsndful of people coming and going and they too had purple to show.
Well on to the the next step, please know that we are praying that the c-scan will show no tumor at all That God in his goodness has just gotten rid of it. Nothing is to big for our God.
Teri U.
 
Dear Amy and family,
Rose and I had purple on our fingers and our toes. Yes, you got it. We painted our fingernails and toenails to show our solidarity and support for you. Now, we don't paint our toes for just anybody-but for you baby-You got it all! We love you and pray for you daily.
dc and family
P.S. We won't mention where Dave wore purple. I think the world can live without that information. lol.:)
 
Dear Amy, Vince and Family,

Purple was in our wardrobe today and our thoughts were with you. We were glad to hear you have completed your treatment and your appetite is good. We hope and pray the next phase will go smoothly for you. I lit a vigil light for you last Sunday at church. Thank you Vince and Amy for keeping us informed through the blog. Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you. Amy, you are inspiration for all of us. You have a great attitude and determination. Take care.

Love and God Bless,
Ray and Jean
 
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