Dear Faithful Praying Family & Friends,
I had my second chemo round on Monday, 09.19.09. Dr. Carroll made some adjustments to avoid the problems I had with Round One. These adjustments seem to be working but please continue to pray because Days 1-3 are usually easier than Days 4-6!
Stephen & I went swimming tonight and it was lovely. Last week, I swam 1.2 miles [42 laps] in about 45 minutes. Tonight I swam 32 laps in about 34 minutes. So far, I have not missed 7 days of swimming since I started chemo; most weeks I have kept up with my goal of swimming two times per week.
This will be brief: I won’t be able to stay awake long enough to reply to your comments but be assured that I appreciate every one of you! The prayers of all of you who read this blog give me the strength to continue in this “long obedience in the same direction.”
Coram Deo,
Margo
Margot’s Corner 
Margo
Thank you so much for including me by sharing your blog. What a neat thing to do because we who know you care and it is comforting to have an online communion of believers sharing with each other.
I have you in my Prayer Journal (almost sounds like a threat) and there you will stay!
Love-Susan
Dear Susan,
Thank you for reading, commenting, and praying! I am honored to be in your Prayer Journal. I’ll be needing prayer for a long time!
Coram Deo,
Margo
It came to me this morning when I came here to pray for you that you, whenever we have interacted, your blogposts, your lovely loving friends and their prayers, have all been a kind of spiritual chemotherapy for me…counteracting the assaults of the evil one, the temptations of the flesh, etc. that the Bible and prayer book talk about. Jesus shines from, pours from, imparts Himself from all His born-again Spirit-following, obedient, penitent (not perfectly, but continually) children.
Thank you for sharing this hard journey with us, dear Margo.
Thank God for the Body of Christ in action.
May we continue to stand in Margo’s blessed corner together.
The Lord be with you, with His peace and all blessings.
Dear Georgia,
Thank you for continuing to pray. You have been a continual source of encouragement, sharing with me from the wisdom drawn from depth of your own path of suffering.
Coram Deo,
Margo
You’re doing great. I am missing swimming RIGHT now, but feeding my kids lunch and KNOWING there will be plenty more opportunity!
Thanks for teaching me …
*M
Dear Meredith,
I miss swimming with you and sharing a “Cup ‘a” and getting caught up with you! As you said, there will be plenty of opportunity and we will take advantage of those. I love teaching as much as you love learning.
Coram Deo,
Margo
As I was reading last night in Romans 8, I was encouraged by this verse, and wanted to share it with you:
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11
I agree with your friend, Georgia – it has been a blessing to me to pray for you.
In His Grace,
Lindsey Harrington
Dear Lindsey,
Thank you for your faithfulness in reading, commenting, and praying! Thanks, also, for sharing Scripture. “Chemo-brain” is a reality; that is why I desperately need family & friends to remind me of the truth of Scripture.
Coram Deo,
Margo
Thanks for your confirmation, Lindsey. There seems to be a spiritual principle, law or precept (akin to the law of sowing and reaping) that causes those who pray for others to be also blessed.
‘The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends…and gave him double for all he had lost.’ (Job 42:10) This verse has been on my mind a lot lately.
As an example – People all over the world have been healed and blessed while praying for Fr. Nigel Mumford, who is critically ill in NY State. He directs the healing ministry at a Christian retreat center in NY State and travels to minister to sick and broken people all over the world . He and others have begun a another wonderful ministry, the Welcome Home Initiative, 3 and 5 day retreats for military personnel and their spouses, who have been traumatized by their time in service and war. (prayer for Fr. Mumford here: http://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/; Welcome Home Initiative: http://www.christ-the-king-center.org/WelcomeHome)
It has been consistently true in my life that when I get overwhelmed and overwrought with my own anxieties, if pray for someone else in need of His touch, I am always touched by His grace and love and refreshed and refocused.
May the Lord draw and hold Margo and Steve and their family into His loving warmth and security… sing His sweet songs of deliverance, reassurance and joy and keep them in His peace that passes all understanding.
In the wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Blessings and agape, Georgia
Dear Georgia,
I just today found this comment, incorrectly filed in an odd place. So, I am very delayed in responding to this comment but I wanted to tell you, even at this late date, how much I appreciate your heart and mind of compassion and your dedication to pray for the afflicted among us. You have been a constant source of comfort and encouragement to me.
Coram Deo,
Margo
Thank you Margo for the update. Continuing to pray as you go through these next days. What a blessing you can continue to swim. Good for the body and soul.
Thanks so much for the update on you and your family.
Dear Judy,
Thanks for reading, commenting, and praying! I hope to swim again this coming week. My goal is never to miss 7 days but I prefer to swim 2 times per week. It is a way to have some control over my life.
Coram Deo,
Margo
Dear Margo,
Is this print so big because I am so old and need help? Ha! I thought of you this morning when I was doing my prayer time at the Pregnancy Help and Information Center. Our banquet is soon and I was praying for people, places, and everything under the sun. I also prayed for a friend’s son who is depressed, and when I went upstairs I heard he had called his mom sometime while I prayed. Isn’t God so amazing? He holds us so close in His plans. Every prayer is answered as He wills and we are so blessed to be included in His workings! You are such an amazing example to all of us. I love you and Steve and thank God for putting us in each other’s lives. Your theme song should be “All to Jesus, I surrender.” I’ve never seen anyone give Him their life as you have.
Love,
Meredith
My Dear Meredith,
Thank you, dear friend, for continuing to read, comment, and to pray, throughout this long journey. Do you know — Stephen & I have known you longer than anyone else in TLHSE, among those with whom we still stay in close touch?
[I see what you mean about the Reply Box print font size. It is huge but I never noticed.]
Yes, every prayer is answered, “as He wills” as you wisely remind me.
Thank you for loving us through this affliction. I depend on prayer warriors like yourself, whose prayers nurture and sustain me.
I am looking forward to seeing you in person — at the Marquis Christmas Party, if not before!
And congratulations, Marquis, for ten year anniversary!
Love you,
Coram Deo,
Margo