Female in Motion

The Shepherd by the uber-talented Danice Sweet The Shepherd was meant to be a gift for my 50th birthday, but it ended up being so much more. I found the painting while visiting a friend in our new local hospital. They have a small gallery of local artists' work. When I rounded a corner and saw it for the first time, I was mesmerized. A small flock of sheep were led down a tree-lined path by their shepherd, while a sneaky fox peeked out from behind a nearby tree. Never leaving my memory for long, I contemplated the painting and its meaning. I even dreamt of walking down that tree-lined pathway. The price was very dear, so I knew it was not meant for me to own this beautiful work of art. When February 2012 came, I had my usual well-woman exam and mammogram. However, the breast exam showed abnormalities, so I had to have a follow-up needle biopsy. Being diagnosed with breast cancer on my 50th birthday was a bit of a cruel joke. Honestly, I can't remember much about the r...

I was nominated to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by my bestie, Danice Sweet. Her mother, Gloria Clover, passed away from Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). My uncle Dale Ballew also died from ALS, so I was happy to participate. Just because I took the Ice Bucket Challenge, don't think I chose not to donate to this worthy cause. I did and you can, too, right here . Now comes the fun part! I want all my readers to participate, too. Either donate to ALS or do the Ice Bucket Challenge, or both. I want to hear about it, so email me your video, or post it to Facebook or Twitter and tag me. Don't forget to use the hash tags #ALSIceBucketChallenge, #FemaleinMotion, or #encourageher. Thanks, friends! God bless you!

 While running errands today, I stopped to talk to an acquaintance. She heard I had breast cancer, and wanted to tell me I was in her prayers. We spoke for a few moments, and when we parted, she remarked, "I love how positive you are!" Then there are the others--you know them. The folks who say, "What are you doing out?" They have these pained expressions and say, "How are you... really ?" Like I'm going to burst into flames at any moment. I made a decision to find a little spot of joy in every day. Something to make me smile. The Hubster and I laugh a lot. Cancer can be a humbling experience; there are lots of awkward situations involved. You have to have a sharp sense of humor. People with cancer don't lay in bed all day, eating bonbons and watching TV. We go to work, grocery shop, go out to eat and even clean our toilets. Our church held a revival last week. The evangelist, Dr. Fred Johnson, of Calvary Boys Ranch in Eufaula, OK, w...