I had this post planned before I remembered that September was National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Don't the words "childhood cancer" just make your stomach turn and heart feel heavy? That's how I feel. A couple of weeks ago, I got together with a few friends to work on Craft Hope's Project 9, which was making pillowcases to donate to children with cancer, with the organization ConKerr. My mom had already made a bunch of these as the quilt store where she works is a drop-off location, so she was a great teacher.
We put together several brightly-colored pillowcases that will replace the standard white hospital versions for a few special kids.
We had a great time sewing together for a good cause!
While we're talking about childhood cancer, I wanted to give a shout-out and prayer request for sweet Daisy Love Merrick. She is a 6-yr old fighting cancer, and the daughter of a California pastor and author, Britt Merrick.
In college, a group of friends and I would sometimes drive down to Carpenteria from San Luis Obispo on Friday nights to hear Britt preach, back when he was the pastor of a college group called Reality. Now Reality has become a family of six churches.
Daisy has a form of cancer called Wilm's Tumor. She seems like such a vibrant little girl, a real fighter. I pray that God would continue to be glorified in Daisy's story and for His continued healing for her and other little cancer-fighters.
If you want to know more, you can watch this video. Bring kleenex. Seeing her with her long blond hair, reminiscent of my daughter's, and then later with her bald little head just breaks my heart. The beautiful song on the video is also available for download.
Reminding myself that Jesus is the one who brings beauty from ashes, and can bring good out of something as tragic as childhood cancer.
A 7 month journey...