lined up for #7

Pads has had another good two days of school since the post on Tuesday night. It's a real glimpse of what we should be enjoying when he finishes and starts to pull away from chemo. After the dark moment of last Wednesday when he felt forlornly that everyone in the class was brighter than him, he has regained a lot of confidence. His maths work is almost painfully neat! They teach calligraphy in the first year and that is perfect for him. In fact, he likes it so much that when the teacher said he was cutting ten minutes off the calligraphy lesson because some of the children were being too talkative, he couldnt hold back his emotions! In the background there, undoubtedly, was the thought that this could be his last lesson, anticipating having to miss school again, perhaps for four weeks... He was excellent for the blood-giving that is used to test in readiness for chemo. Unfortunately the blook collected this morning had clotted so he had to go back into hospital after school to give some more. In both cases he volunteered for thumb pricks - not at all pleasant but a far cry (literally!) from the struggles of months gone by. He's really come a long way.
Today, Miss Gaenor Roberts, one of the others in our church family who had cancer (brain tumour) passed into eternal glory to be with the Lord. She was a godly, generous, bright, committed lady who was greatly loved in our fellowship. On Tuesday I read these words by Richard Thomas, 21 July 1746, in a letter to Howell Harris, which Gaenor would have heartilly agreed with:

I am, as you saw, ill in the body but with wondrous blessing to my soul. Through Christ I am enabled to say that I see every blow as full of the love of my heavenly Father. My dear Brother, it is a comfort to my soul to think of death, judgment and eternity. I see death as a small door to be flown through to that full and eternal liberty of joy. I now, through faith, see heaven open and death as a second door that allows me entrance to my eternal city. I now hear the sound of heavenly harpists singing above, and death is the messenger come to release me to their company to sing forever amongst them. Through faith I see my crown in the kingdom of my Father, my Brother and my eternally covenanted Spouse; and death is as the boat that takes me to my inheritance. Through faith I see some of my brethren that have already been redeemed in glory, and myself travelling through the wilderness, leaning upon my Beloved; but death is my Father's servant, to take me to my brethren. O Brother, this is the sight that shows me that in this world I am merely beginning to enjoy God through the promises; for I know, if I am given longer on earth, that I will see further into the love of God, and have greater enjoyment of it.
My dear Brother, I find that my faith cries out, more, more, all the time; more of a view of my privileges in Christ. After one sight, faith says, 'Another look, my Father; more wisdom to know God; more strength; more self-denial; more sorrow for my sin, and for that of my brethren, and of the world's too.

Jones and Morgan, 1897, Vol II p.26