Independence Day
My prayer garden, currently, is my link to my sister. It was completed June 27, 2015. She loves working in “God’s Garden” at home in Texas. I am not one who gardens, but I appreciate the peace and beauty of a well kept garden. When my sister was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in May, I felt an urgency to complete my prayer garden. My garden was ready for me “to walk with her” when she began her treatment Monday June 29. In conversation, my sister brought up the image of the Fall of Jericho. In Joshua chapter six verses one through five the Israelites were instructed to circle the walled city once a day for six days with seven priests blowing ram’s horns. On the seventh day they were to circle the city seven times. On the seventh round, the priests blew one long sound and the Israelites started shouting and the walls crumbled. In my spirit, I decided I would walk my labyrinth first thing every morning singing my daily scriptures. I call it my sword practice. I imagined myself spiritually circling my sister’s caner cells which are now cowering in her body because they know the power of God’s presence within her. Today is Independence Day and the seventh day I have circled the cancer on my daily labyrinth walk. My sister completed her first week of cancer treatments Thursday July 2 and had been feeling bad consistently since Tuesday June 30. Her family celebrated Independence Day early on July 3. On that day, my sister woke up at 5:30 AM and felt great! Her PH was definitely in the range of 7.5 (our prayer goal). I had sent her a picture of the finished labyrinth with her gift of the wind catcher lined up with the center which represents the heart of God.
She text me the following:
Can’t wait to walk your labyrinth! It looks so lovely. I love the pine straw gardens. Reminds me of our games as children playing “House.” Big News Flash: PH was up first thing this morning! It was definitely above 7.0! The color range looked like it was between 7.0 and 7.5. Yippee! God is good! Feel much better this morning. Woke up at 5:30 AM going full throttle. What did you put in those prayers last night and this morning? Anyway, thank you, and to all your friends praying, too! It is much easier to feel hopeful when you feel good.
The flower bed with the bird feeder pictured above is outside my prayer room window. I spotted this black snapping turtle hurrying to get out of the pine straw. I commented to my sister by text:
This ugly little guy was moving out of the “House” of pine straw in my prayer garden. Itrepresents to me, the cancer moving out of your body because the environment is no longer conducive to it’s ability to thrive.
I sent her some more pictures of the completed prayer garden
My sister commented: It is absolutely stunning, Sherry. See God makes all things new! We just have to let go. I love the image of the black turtle being the cancer that is being driven out because the environment is no longer conducive to his thriving. It is a day to celebrate!
Written by
Sherry Fraser Somerville