For those of you who read the untitled post from Sunday well, here is the rest of the story. Somehow, the partial not ready to be made public post, and not to be confused with a parcel post, got published. So please, give it one more read, and thank you for being on this journey with us.
If history teaches us anything, it is how much our lives and at times our very existence are determined by how we as individuals, and as communities, define our world. It is as fundamental as the age old question, is the glass half empty, half full, or as George Carlin would say, the glass is too big. It is also, on a much larger scale, what creates a world at war, or a world at peace or a world of fear that at any moment we might annihilate each other with the push of a button.
Do we trust or do we doubt. Do we see there is good in everything because it is all a gift from a loving God, or do we see evil as having the upper hand and we are just victims of a world ruled by darkness.
Yesterday, I fell into doubt and darkness. It wasn’t a deep hole; it was more like a pot hole. The tell tale signs are words like unfair, asking questions like why is this happening and concluding what is the point, evil keeps coming out on top… I hate it when that happens.
Here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right… It’s a new day dawning. I am sitting in the Anasa Salon in Temecula. It is owned by our friends Helen and George. They are raising money for Child Help, to help with the fight against child abuse. All of their stylists including Glenna are cutting hair for $10.00 which goes to Child Help. They are giving up six hours of their Sunday and all the money they raise to help others. I’m guessing there are close to eighty people in here right now. It is amazing. Serve others. Battle won.
Last week a visiting Pastor from Texas talked about giving. We need to be a river with our treasures, not a reservoir. Later, I watched a guy who chose to live for a higher purpose, win $10,000 on the Food Network show Chopped and he immediately gave it all to his fellow competitor so she could see her ill grandmother. Be a river. Battle won.
It is now Tuesday. I had to move from my prime spot at the salon and ran out of battery power. Finding time to write can be difficult and I am now cruising at a mere 520 knots at an altitude of 38,000ft destination, Chicago
The Pastor who spoke on giving was admittedly one of those people who is chosen to take on special duties, he has a special purpose. His ministry is not only to teach giving, but to live giving. He and his wife once gave away everything they owned. Their house, cars, money, everything. He then mentioned to God that he believed with that bit of generosity he had finally out given Him. Five minutes later the phone rang and the gentleman on the other end explained how he was giving the Pastor a jet to be used whenever he needed with all expenses, fuel, storage, maintenance, pilot, paid in full. Its not that God was trying to out give the Pastor, He just wanted to be sure that someone who understood giving that well, had a means to get around to teach others how to do it. Know your purpose. Battle won.
Glenna too, knows her purpose, and takes on special duties. We all get special duties, orders from God especially for us, but many choose not to accept them. Some just say no while others don’t even open the envelope. Glenna usually checks in each morning for updates on the battle plan for the day. It can and often does change from day to day. A recent change was her dear friend Judy being diagnosed with bone cancer. The enemy opened a new front which will require a lot of resources being funneled that way. It is hard to imagine after everything that has occurred so far this year, that another close friend is dealing with cancer. It pains us deeply but as we know all too well, war is hell and the enemy never sleeps. Be a part of the plan. Battle won.
The tough times, the bad days, the trials of life here in a broken world, they don’t build our character, they reveal it. I am blessed and held to a higher standard because I am married to an amazing woman who stands for much and falls for nothing. Like Jesus himself who asked his Father why have You forsaken me, when he was dying on the cross, Glenna has had a few of those moments. They usually are not related to her situation, but to the pain others are feeling and the frustration that comes when you know what they are facing. That moment for Jesus was a reminder He was truly human. It also reminds us we are allowed, as humans, to have those moments. But, if this blog is anything at all, it is a testimate to how few and far between those moments are for Glenna. By trusting and being connected to our Heavenly Father, Glenna has pushed through each and every trial and tribulation put in her path with courage, strength, perseverance, and grace. Find your strength in Him. Battle won.
Last night we had dinner with friends and client Marie and her husband Jim. Marie started her battle with breast cancer back in 2000. Her story mirrors Glenna’s in many ways and thankfully, she was with us, cancer free. As we were departing, we were discussing how much darkness we see in the world these days. Jim noted the following; if you turn on a light in a room full of darkness, the darkness is pushed back by the light. But try as you might, you cannot put darkness back into a room that is full of light. The only way the darkness can return is by removing the light. Be a Light. Battle won.
That is what these battles are all about. The darkness wants to snuff out the light because just by being present, the light pushes out the darkness. Even on her toughest days, Glenna lights up a room. Visit her salon, come by the house, wherever she goes, she shines the light. Me, I just try and keep up and on those days when I find myself at the bottom of a pot hole looking up, I crawl back out, find my Angel, and quickly find myself glowing once again. I think I get a little tan too. Share the Light. Battle won.
So why does it matter that Glenna, and those she touches work so hard and battle so tirelessly to keep their light shining? Why on those days when she looks at herself without hair, without eyelashes and eyebrows, and at the scars of four surgeries does she head out the door rather than head to bed? Because, it is about the light, not the looks. It matters for this one simple truth; if everyone became a light, there would be no darkness and on that day there will be no more sorrow, there will be no more pain, and every tear will be wiped away….Light up the World….and the war is ended.
This is Post 100. It seems like a lot and yet there is still so much more to do. There are so many battles still to fight. I find comfort in the knowledge that each time a battle is won, it is one more light pushing back the darkness. That is why we must battle on! We like to think that Glenna’s Cab, a rest stop on her journey through cancer is a place for everyone to stop and rest and find comfort and reassurance in this battle weary world. Thank you for thoughts, your prayers and for walking with us. We look forward to Post 200 and like the commercial says, we’ll leave the Light on for you….have hope…..battle won.
John 8:12, Matt 5:14, 15, 16
Great blog! I am so proud of my sweet little sister, Glenna, who for many years has been a river and not a reservoir. I remember her cutting hair for abused women, cleaning out her closet to give items to the church, giving away furniture and other useful items to people in need, adopting families for Christmas, angel trees in her salon, and I seem to recall that many years ago she also walked in some march in Newport Beach for what I can’t remember. And now she has dedicated her salon to cancer awareness. Way to go, Glenna. You are a great example of what God wants us to be.
Fond fair gorgeous warrior Glenna:
Wonderful sentiment fair Sherry – and true to the words
“It is as fundemental as the age old question, is the glass half empty, half full, or as George Carlin would say, the glass is too big.” Wrote fair Glenna > >
The optimist will tell you the glass is half full and the pessimist will tell you the glass is half empty. Your Polar Bear tells us that there should be a bigger glass (of milk) with many more cookies on the plate
“Yesterday, I fell into doubt and darkness. It wasn’t a deep hole, it was more like a pot hole. I know when this happens because I start using words like unfair, asking questions like why is this happening and concluding what is the point, evil keeps coming out on top” Wrote warrior Glenna >> Insightful, profound and a huge help to your viewers girlfriend.
When I am lured into the dark and dreary shadows I add the “what if’s” to the “unfair’s”, the “why’s” and the “what is the point’s”. What if I hadn’t recognized Jan’s crisis for what it was? What if my attending RN hadn’t been alert to a cardiac arrhythmia that I threw following donating my upper right lung lobe to the VA in LaJolla ? What if my *$’s closed ?
I realized during some crisis long past how powerful thoughts are and like you pair, I determinedly avoid negative pessimistic feelings and lead with optimism and humor.
You pair lead as in the age old army axiom “Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way!”
Echoing fair Sherry’s sentiment – Way to go! Lead on gorgeous, lead on
Quidado en la Calle Love X X X O O O Yoda / PRECIOUS
PS; Actual church bulletin: “A songfest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday”
“The tough times, the bad days, the trials of life here in a broken world, they dont build character, they reveal it.”
I wrote this down in my prayer journal- a diamond of good advise. Uncle David, you and Aunt Glenna are an amazing example of this. I thank God that he gave you eachother. You are meant for more than loving eachother, you are living examples of what He wants us to be. You are my inspiration. I love you so much. Thank you for creating this blog and sharing with us. Congratulations on 100 posts. I look forward to many, many more.
I Love You Nicki. Thank-you for the wonderful “snail mail” note. As a young Mother and woman your eyes are open to so much. I have learned that when you have your heart open to The Lord’s plan, that when you understand that His ways are not our ways, and that your mind and spirit are willing to follow, that you will feel His presence and blessings. Use your life wisely, and don’t let “the locusts” steal one more day from you. I get up now every morning in pain that I never dreamed I would have. But as I start moving through the morning, I realize how very fragile my life is down here on earth. I Thank The Lord for even giving me one more day to make a difference in some way …in this very tilted world. And when I ask Him to help me to not waste my day on things that arent going to make a difference in His Kingdom, all of a sudden, my day went from ordinary to extraordinary. He only uses the ones that ask to be used. He knows that it takes brave , and sometimes not so brave but willing solders. We only need to ask ” Use me Lord”. That is Your Uncle David’s and my prayer daily. “Bless us so that we may bless others” Use us for your kingdom. It’s a bold prayer, sometimes He plucks you off one road ans puts you on another, it’s the willingness and joyful heart that is hard sometimes because we are in such a broken world, fallen world. But you forge ahead knowing that as Christ carried His own cross miles to His ultimate nailing on the cross, He knew that every step He took was bringing another person to Him in the crowd thatn was watching, up until this very moment that we live. He is still making a difference but it is the christians that now carry a ceretain cross a burden that we bear and people are still watching those steps. As David said, we are now the light in a very dark world.
When we start living for Christ instead of living for things, this world has so much greater meaning. And so much more light.
I love you. Have a Blessed and joy filled day. Polar Bear writes me a note daily and says that to me. So That is what I say to you. oxoxo
Bless you heart. I remember Great Grandma Cooney saying that all the time. I can just hear her sweet little voice. Thank you for everything Aunt Glenna.
*your
Dear Glenna, I have been thinking of you a lot lately and decided to look you and your salon up. I was terribly sad to read the ‘news’, as well as that of your mother and friends. You may not remember me, but I used to live in Tustin and so loved coming to your salon…being pampered in your chair, hearing stories of your life. When we ended up moving to Temecula in 2007, you were tops on what I missed about leaving Tustin. You truly light up a place with your energy and smile! No one else can do multi colors (reds/coppers) and thin out my thick short hair like you! And no one else shares their life with such passion. What a joy it was for me to enter your beautiful salon and spend a couple hours with you every 4-5 weeks!
My heart and prayers go out to you and your family. You have endured so much but continue to give. You are a true inspiration to all. And I am so very happy you have found David. You sound perfect for each other!
I have subscribed to your feed so that I can read about your journey to what I believe will be perfect health. I wish you much joy. Sharon Gehrin xoxo
p.s. One of my favorite affirmations I’d like to share here: “I will see it when I believe it.”, or “As you have believed, so let it be” (Matthew 9:29)
Sharon … great to hear from you. I do remember you very much and miss your beautiful hair face and loving ways. I am doing great. Oh I have my days, but the Lord keeps me moving just fast enough that I dont get caught up in my own stuff. Come see us sometime. You would love the new salon. Thank-you for commenting. It means the world.
love you Glenna
The Light expresses pure Love. As Love Light increases, the darkness recedes in the World. Until one day: …The Power of Love overcomes the love of power, and the World knows Peace. adapted from Jimi Hendrix lyrics.
Your Love Light blesses us all.