MARCH 29:
      In my previous message, I was getting ready to mail out Valentines. Now Easter is over -- or not -- as our pastor says, "Every Sunday is Easter Sunday and every day is Easter."
      Seven years ago this month I learned that I had breast cancer. Then I learned that it had gone into my lymph nodes. I spent that year going through chemotherapy and radiation, and wondering if I was going to make it or not.
      So far, all is well. That is surely something to celebrate this Spring. At the same time, I am saddened by the many friends and acquaintances, neighbors and even people I never met, but heard about through mutual friends, succumb to some form of cancer.
      All of them were loved. All received countless prayers. I have stopped wondering why prayer seems to work for some and not others. Even Jesus' prayer on the cross, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" didn't keep him from dying.
      So I have to believe that God does hear our prayers, but in His wisdom, knows that NOT answering as we wish it, but answering as He wills it, fulfills some larger plan that we cannot see -- or even begin to imagine.
      I think everyone in our New Beginnings group has a similar outlook. We pray for those who are ill. We mourn their passing. And we go on.
      Back to Renew, I am still a little short of my target weight, but hopeful that I will continue to slowly lose those few extra pounds. Watching fat grams has become a way of life, although I refuse to feel guilty if I "splurge" once in awhile. I continue to exercise and walk when I can.
      With the warmer weather, we have resumed sitting on the deck in the late afternoon and watching the birds. We had to get a new bird bath this week, as the old one broke over the winter. The sparrows, jays, cardinals and doves are looking at it suspiciously, but I'm sure one brave bird will try it and the others will follow.
      Speaking of birds, I found the chicken's nest. "If you want an egg, there are over a dozen behind that tree," I told Jim after tracking her down. Trouble is, she is almost always within sight of her eggs and we don't want to scare her and have her move to a new, secret location. Maybe early some morning when she is at the far end of the garden ...
      Stay well.

Sandy