SAY THE “C” WORD…AND EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKING ABOUT.

So, let me get this cleared up first since I have family members and some very dear friends who read my blog (I think):  I DO NOT HAVE CANCER (at least as far as I know).  I do have an exam every three years because some irregular cells have been found, but I would do it every year if necessary.  I have lost a grandmother (lymph nodes)  and a mother to cancer (rare form of lung cancer…and no, she didn’t never smoked).  I would be willing to wager (if I was a betting man) that every one of us have been touched by cancer in some way.  In my almost 40 years of ministry, I have seen various forms of cancer strike all kinds of people.  Nothing hits me harder than children though.

Several weeks ago after a Building Team meeting, a man (Doug) and I were talking.  He talked about his brother (Dirk), sister-in-law (Sherry), and nephew (Zach), and their cancer ordeal.  On Zach’s 8th birthday he had his first brain tumor surgery.  Ten months later, Zach went to heaven.  As Doug told me scant details, he mentioned a book Sherry has written.  I asked how I could get a copy.  Less than a week later he brought it to my office.  Two days ago I mentioned in this post that I was reading a book I was going to review.   This is that review.

Every parent’s worst nightmare is having something happen to their child: kidnapped, missing, or in this case, get cancer.  Their journey began with an MRI revealing a Glioblastoma Multiforme tumor (GBM) on the right side of his brain.  Surgery was only able to take part of it.  This book is the story of their 10 month “nightmare” into pediatric cancer.  The book is called Unfinished Love by Sherry Tucker.   God has blessed Jo & me with two healthy girls as they grew up.  But I now have a 5 year old grandson and a son-in-law who had leukemia as a teen.  So the reality of this journey hit me hard.  I kept thinking “what if.”

There is a scene in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers that has always struck me.  It is at the funeral of Theodred, the only son of King Theoden.  After the funeral Theoden was talking to Gandalf and said, “No father should ever have to bury his son.”   That scene kept running through my head as I read Sherry’s account of the countless trips, surgeries, medicines, hopes, fears, up-and-down roller coaster ride they all road.

Through it all was their faith.  By her own admission, their faith had become something “convenient” for them.  But WOW! did it change and grow.  I found myself shedding tears as I read of Dirk’s new-found love for God and prayer.  I wept with Sherry as she was fortified and then devastated, weeping buckets of tears from crying out to God for hope and strength, and then praising Him for any tidbit of good news to hang onto.  I admit I longed to take Lexi (Age 11) into my arms and hold her as she struggled with her brother’s illness and the change it brought to her life.  My “praise” for her raised notches as Zach neared the end of his life and she curled up next to him.

This is not a downer book.  Not really.  It is only because Zach lost his battle after fighting for 10 months.  I won’t lie by saying I didn’t cry.  One evening I finally had to put the book down and work on a puzzle.  I was getting too emotionally overwhelmed.  But I rejoiced that Zach went to heaven, that he is skipping and doing all the crazy stuff he was unable to do for much of those 10 months.  I can’t wait to meet the Tuckers when they come to visit.  Hopefully we can work it out so they can speak at the church I pastor.  I don’t know how I can recommend this book enough. Every pastor ought to read it and have a copy or two of it.  Every person needs to read this.  I could write more, but this has already gone on long enough.  Buy the book.  🙂

For more information you can visit the site Sherry set up here for helping families facing pediatric cancer.   She also has her own site here.   If you would like to order a book, you can order it through either of the sites or contact me.  At my request, the grandparents (Gib & Phyllis Tucker) have given me four copies to give away.  If you would like to be considered, comment here and/or do the fb & Twitter thing.  (I will have to take your word for it since I am not on either).  One entry for each one.  I will have my secretary choose names out of the hat.  Real modern approach right?  🙂  Deadline will be Sunday, February 12th.