The Golden Arches?????

Well, blogging has its benefits....Mom had a lot of time on her hands while in the hospital: She has mentally remodeled her entire home, yard, property, and probably her hospital room thanks to HGTV :-)
She also was able to look up different blogs concerning her inability to taste, which is a huge hindering factor in her desire to eat. Unbelievable as it is; the golden arches of McDonald's was a remedy that we tried and ....it worked!

The fries somehow coat her mouth and block the "chemo film" enabling her to taste the fries! Which also led us to discover that the coke per mom, "woke up her taste buds a bit". Finally helping us discover that she can taste ketchup! Hallelujah she can eat!!!!!

She thought this was so funny!  (Worth every horrible calorie or whatever else may be in those fries to see that smile and hear that laughter from my Momma again)

Which also led to an approval from the Dr. to go home. Yay!

We have been doing much better at home....learning what things she can taste, using condiments to liven things up (so far it's ketchup and bbq sauce). We have put together lists of caregivers schedule, medications, phone numbers, and such. We have begun to read a book series and heard from Dad, whom is having a few traveling bumps, however should be back on track and in Belarus this evening.

We are continuing to ask that visitors hold off for now, Mom's immune system is still compromised and she is very tired.

Mozart, Bach, and a few other classical artists have been playing, the amazing wonderful pumpkin vanilla candle is lit, the lights are dim, and momma is cozy.

Please continue to pray that her stomach cramps and nausea continue to lessen and for Dad and the team in Belarus to complete the work that the Lord has sent them to do.

Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, support, and help

Blessings, Nicole  



Much Needed Rest

Doesn't she look peaceful????

As many of you may or may not be aware, Mom has been in the hospital for a quite a few days now, though very difficult for any of us to hear, she is getting the much needed attention, care, and quiet that she needs. Mom explained it as a small serene environment, where she can rest in complete quiet and focus on getting better.
When I drove into Blairsville today the only thought on my mind was, "Where is my Momma?" I could not wait to just sit with her, no need to say anything (though we Nickerson's never stop talking) I just wanted to look into her eyes. As I came out of the elevator and was looking all around for her room I looked over and spotted it and to my surprise a big note on the closed door that read "NO VISITORS". My heart jumped, then I approached a nurse and explained that this was my Mom's room and I just got in from out of town, and I saw this note?????? The nurse gave me a look of well....... let me check. She went in and asked Mom if I could come in and of course Momma said yes! Thank God :-)
I was then asked to put on gloves and a mask if I was going to get close (Um yeah I'm getting close, that's my Momma)
Entering the room and seeing her adorable little bald head and her genuine smile, that was all I needed!

I was able to stay for a little while and as I left, I was thankful for a nurse whom was not concerned with anyone but my Momma and what was best for her recovery.
With that I do want to say, we thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the love, prayers, and concern. We are asking at this time, though it is difficult, to please not go and visit and limit the phone calls to speaking with my Dad, myself, or family for updates. Mom really needs to absolute quiet and peacefulness to continue her healing process.

We are looking forward to the next few weeks when she will begin to transform back into her full of life personality, smile full of sunshine, and healthy glow, that she is made of.

Prayer requests:

Dad leaves for Belarus on Tuesday - please lift him and the team up as they go and fulfill the Lord's work, Mom so desires for Dad to be able to have peace concerning her care and be able to focus on the mission God is sending him on.

When Mom comes home from the hospital - continued peace, quiet, and serenity for her continued healing.

Blessings, Nicole :)

"He will still deliver us"

Friends have come to pray and minister and encourage. Linda just does not feel up to posting a new blog so Joyce and Mitzi are doing it for her.

The race is over. She has crossed the last hurdle of chemo and radiation. ALL DONE!!! But the side effects, the suffering are continuing for a season. Linda is still in need of prayer:

** for relief of stomach cramps and diarrhea

** for a lifting of her spirits

** for God's continual healing and comfort

** for balancing of emotions

** for relief from fatigue and ability to "get up and go" again

** for thriving and restoration of her healthy cells

As we all sat quietly, the Lord gave us II Corinthians 1:8-11:

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia (Blairsville): that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death(cancer) in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many."

We know you have been awaiting the posting of "IT IS FINISHED" and here it is. But as Linda has been "burdened beyond measure", she now desires, above all else, to trust in Him and not herself and to never go back to a life of complacency, entitlement, and comfort.

Let's continue to pray.....................

From Marie



Linda is now in her second round of Chemo and towards the last day of radiation.

As I visited with her on her sun deck, she looks tired.  She doesn’t feel good as the second round of chemo is in her system.

Each day is one step closer to her final treatments.   What a wonderful testimony she is to each and every one of us.  No matter how sick she feels, this blog must go on.

Today at our fellowship at Joyce Stewart’s house all eight of us women gathered together in prayer, not only for ourselves, mainly for Linda.  I hate to think of how I would react to this ailment. Her faith never wavers, her body weakens, but her spirit does not.  Her God is there by her side, caressing and calming her spirit.  “Be Still And Know That I Am God’

Where would we be if not for our God to guide and love us unconditionally?  I hate to think of that, as I know of Linda’s faith and complete dependence on Him.  I am in awe of all of it.  She is surrounded by love and angels, it is hard to see someone going through all of this and not be able to fix it.  However Joe has the right medicine. LOVE!!!!

As she goes through this last week, we sing these praises to her.  “We Praise You In The Storm”.  “I Lift My Eyes To The Hills, Where Does My Help Come From?”  Lord, it comes from you.

Marie (Mother-in-law)

He Waits For Me

It’s been more than three months now

since I first felt something amiss,

 prompting me to contact the doctor

which led me down this cancerous road.

It seems a lot longer.

I’m feeling like I am slacking on fighting the good fight of faith.

God has brought me high

 and has taken me low on this journey,

 and I fight against my flesh more than I care to admit.

I’m a little down today, which doesn’t make any good sense.

Yesterday’s 9/11 memorial service was wonderful

and I was so thankful to have felt good enough to attend.

What a blessing it was to remember and witness, in person and on screen, the faith and courage of so many people, and their testimonies, in the face of such evil.

The church choir was superb, and the speakers amazing,

(what can I say about my Joe!)

 the color guard did so well, you would never know it was their first public performance,

the presentation of hats, the bag pipes, bugle player.... 

I could go on and on.

But today, I had the dreaded chemo pump attached,

and although I should be elated that this is the final leg

...I am despondent.

A small lump has formed on the side of my groin

...I discovered it last night.

The doctor inspected it today and really thinks it’s a cystic growth,

rather than a cancerous lesion,

caused by a blocked sweat gland.

He was very reassuring, but still wants Dr. Moody to look at it

and get his opinion. 

An appointment could not be made sooner than Sept 29^th.

 My Joe will be in Belarus then...and he is not happy with the timing.

So I allow this little set back to get my faith faltering

 and I lift my eyes to Him and cry, Father?

Waiting for me to call on Him I am reminded of

 ‘Your Word for Today’ that my mother-in-law, Marie

sends out faithfully each day.

“But the Lord still waits for you to come to Him

So He can show you His love and compassion.

For the Lord is a faithful God

Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them.”

Isaiah 30:18

I am stopping now, getting my Bible and will snuggle up for some alone time with Him

...He’s been waiting for me.

9/11 Memorial

Listening to my husband go through all the final paperwork

and reviewing the ‘last call’ from Union County Fire Dept.,

making sure his uniform is in order

 and going over the protocol for tomorrow night’s 9/11 memorial service,

 I somberly remember that fateful morning 10 years ago.

I was sitting in my car at the red light waiting to turn,

on my way to work at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale

when the excited radio commentator announced, in a shocked voice,

 that one of the twin towers in New York had just been hit by a plane.

 

I remember standing around the TV at work with other employees

just staring in horror like the rest of the nation

as the second plane plowed into the second tower...

and then we all realized...it was on purpose.

 

It was a day when evil had come over to our nation

and made itself known in a big way,

so that everyone in the world was at attention.

 

The next day we frantically gathered every spare chair

 as people flocked, came in droves, to our Wednesday night service

 in search of answers...in search of some kind of understanding

...in search of God?

 

Today, I struggle with my emotions...on one hand I just want to close my eyes
 and not think about it at all,

and then I see how my husband has faithfully, every year since,
 conducted or helped to organize a memorial service
as a remembrance to those who lost their lives that horrible day.

 

Tomorrow night there will be a 10^th year anniversary 9/11 Memorial service at

 House of Prayer at 6pm.

 

 Many of our family members, local emergency personnel,

friends and church members

will gather together in the Family Life Center. 

Quite a program has been painstakingly put together

and I don’t want to miss it.

 

My Father will escort me and I’ll be able to sit somewhere in the back next to the facilities and he’ll be able to take me home if I should start to feel bad

....but I pray I can last through the service.

 

As tight as I can get my eyes to close,

I cannot shut out or forget the memory of all those brave souls

who gave up their lives for others.

I hope to see many of you there.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” 

John 15:13



Ministering Children

Is there anything more precious than little ones

 with the purest intentions of loving on you,

laughing with you, 

and ministering to you?

My nephew, Willy came by today with his Dad

to drop off some much anticipated

tapioca pudding...

homemade, the very creamiest and the very tastiest.

It's been my craving  lately and no one makes it like my sister-in-law.

It's in the refrigerator next to some delicious chicken soup

 made with loving hands by my friend, Mitzi.

We are pretty well stocked as faithful friends are always dropping by

with delicious food for us to enjoy, along with a kind word and a prayer.

Willy kept me pretty well entertained today with his continuous stories of Indiana Jones

 (which included monkey brains, cockroaches and snakes),

 his never ending love for Spiderman andVenom

and and other tall tales of his little boy adventures.

His joy and sweetness is infectious, his accent hilarious,

 (New York...and he's never even been there) 

and he calms me and takes my mind off of my stomach spasms.

When Jesus said to let the little children come to Him,

I see in there another reason

...the blessing of a relationship with them.

So precious.

Speaking of children, my son, Mike, came from Florida to see me.

He flew in this morning and Tracy drove him up.

I look forward to the weekends as family members come up to be with me,

and love on me,

bringing happiness and pleasant conversation,

with concern in their eyes

and healing in their touch.

They meet in our gathering room and their mere presence is comforting to me.

For now, I will gratefully bask in all the attention they give me as I count down the treatments.

Monday I start my Chemo (last one), a pump will be attached to me for 4 days

 and just 3 more radiation treatments....

 I'll be home free by Thursday.

The outreached healing hand of God is upon me,

and He has sent me many ministering 'angels'.

I've been experiencing His peace.

“Cause I have seen the healing hand of God

Reaching out and mending broken hearts

Taste and see the fullness of His peace

And hold on to what’s being held out”

~ Healing Hand of God – Jeremy Camp ~