One More Day

A Guest Post:

                 Courage...

             Courage doesn't always

            roar. sometimes courage

          is the quiet voice at the end

                  of the day saying,

          "I will try again tomorrow."

One of the true blessings in my life is calling Vicky

Westra my friend. I am amazed every day at how

Vicky approaches life, life when it is full of  joy

and life when it is full of challenges. Vicky loves life!

She radiates the sacredness of life, of all its miracles.

The light coming through the leaves of a tree, the smile

on her son Colton's face, the sound of children laughing,

the feel of her loyal doggy's fur. Vicky is grateful for it all.

Her spirit is gracious and giving and extended to all who 

reach out to her. And her gratitude is contagious.

So in the midst of the greatest challenge and fight of her own 

life, Vicky, sweet Vicky, loves others, inspires others, writes

her heart out, and reaches out to others. This expansive love 

and care and genuine concern just doesn't end. It envelopes all 

of us who love her so. 

Vicky is the most courageous person I know.

Her quiet, resolved courage doesn't roar but comes back day 

after day and week after week. She's a fighter, and she's

fighting for her very life!

Vicky trusts the One who made her. Her motto is :

All Shall Be Well. And as she prays for one more day

and one more week and one more month and one more

year and forever...we who love her pray along with her.

We are her prayer warriors. 

You see our dear Vicky has been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, but cancer doesn't define Vicky Westra. Vicky may have cancer, but cancer doesn't have her. One of my favorite quotations

describes Vicky perfectly. It says...

                       She knew that 

                     she was formed

                  by God's hand

                    dreamed up

                in His heart and

              placed in this world

                   for a purpose.

Vicky is truly God's child, formed in His mighty hand and

dreamed up in His heart. She has been placed in this world

for a sacred purpose. His purpose for her. And so she tells

her story and writes a blog, and inspires others with cancer.

And she teaches us, by how she lives each day, to live every day

as if it was our last. To hold all of life sacred.

Vicky chooses JOY, seeks JOY, finds JOY and gives

JOY to all who know her. She gives and she gives...

and now we have a chance to give back. 

Vicky would never ask you to help her with the financial strain

that having cancer brings. Yet like any cancer patient, she not only faces a disease that tries to take her life, Vicky deals with

the financial drain that comes with cancer.

She would never tell you the financial toll cancer takes or let

you know about all of the adjustments and sacrifices her family 

has made. However, those of us who have fought this same battle

know the costs only too well. 

Vicky won't ask for your help financially, so Peggy Sue and I

want to ask you for her. For Vicky. For her husband Rick. 

For her oldest son Nolan. For her sweet boy, Colton.

Peggy Sue and I invite you to come along side us in helping our

 friend Vicky Westra.  Can you join us in this fundraiser? And participate in Our Thank you Gift's Drawing?These items, handmade by the two of us, are just a token of what we can do if we all come together. We hope that as people participate in this raffle that we can make a dent in the financial stress that Vicky's family faces.

Our quilts and pillows and baskets were made with love. They 

may be small, but if we all gather together and help and contribute, we can do a mighty work. We believe that with all our hearts. And what we know for sure is that with God ALL things are possible.

Thank you for considering doing this for our Vicky! Also, if you are on Facebook or have friends who might like to participate, please give them this link:

http://vickyfightingbreastcancer.blogspot.com

Thank you in advance for all of your help and support.
As Vicky always says, "Love you to the moon and back again!"

God Bless!

Linda Seppa Salisbury

**************************************************

I'm touched beyond words by both Peggy Sue and Linda who have crafted, and sewn, and stitched, and gathered, and spent time and more time, putting together a fundraiser for me and my family.

My MRI went well yesterday.   The techs don't even question my prayer list anymore, and tuck it into my "make my life a prayer," bracelet that I am allowed to wear.  Pray, rest, repeat.  

I am preparing for a special performance tonight of the play Wit, that I will attend with other breast cancer survivors, and our Breast Cancer Survivor's Retreat tomorrow, in which I will give my "Living a Legacy," speech.  

So thankful for the abundant grace I feel raining down.