A Praise of Cleanliness

"So your scans look good." No exclamation point, no fanfare, no kazoo. Nothing? Not even the word remission until 15 minutes into the conversation. Quick tip Doc - maybe start there with at least a trumpet solo or possibly a full marching band coming through the door and work backwards to the nonchalant good news smile. Kind of reminds me of the anti-climatic samurai face-off in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Instead of a lengthy and highly anticipatory duel, Indiana Jones just shoots the intimidating swordsman in 2 seconds. And that was that. Ah, but who really cares about the intonation or interpretation of clean scans. It's great news and an emotional day in the Whitmer household now that we're officially on the other side of cancer. We surprised Jonathan at school (you can see his beaming smile in the gallery), and Cady had enough energy to fist bump me even though she's home with a fever today (yes honey, I washed my hands right away). When we first started this journey 6 months ago, I was drawn to Romans 8 where Paul writes about life in the Spirit that prompted me to post this verse to the top of my Caring Bridge page: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for his good, for those who are called according to his purpose." This has brought great clarity and encouraging focus for us since August, and I now have fresh perspective on God's goodness and purpose (which I've been writing a lot about since my first trip to the Clinic). And wouldn't you know it that God brought me right back to Romans 8 this past week by shaping just a few verses later in a new light: "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." As Paul concludes this chapter, he's saying that nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. And he specifically calls out both death and life. Or whether the diagnosis is full of cancer or free from cancer. Rend Collective is one of our family's favorite bands who we were able to see in concert a couple years ago here in Cleveland. I begrudgingly went along (meaning I totally complained all day) before singing and dancing out the doors by the end telling Courtney and the kids what a great idea I had taking them to hear such a cool Irish mix of talent. And if you haven't ever heard them, Google two songs to watch on YouTube starting with More than Conquerors. When my hope and strength is gone You're the one who calls me on You are the life You are the fight That's in my soul No surrender, no retreat We are free and we're redeemed We will declare Over despair You are the hope In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers talks about being a conqueror even more poetically. He says that the core foundation of the Christian faith is a love that is not earned and actually can never be. "We are super-victors with a joy that comes from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us." This is Paul's reasoning for why we are more than conquerors through Christ. Nothing can overwhelm Him, so nothing should therefore overwhelm us. And there is nothing that can ever stand in the way of His love for us - no matter what we think, debate, argue, or fight. Oswald Chambers goes on to say that the things we try to avoid and fight against - namely tribulation, suffering, and persecution - are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. "We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things; not in spite of them, but in the midst of them." Again Paul rhetorically asks if tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword could separate us from the love of Christ. Nope. "So if God is for us, who can be against us? Who is to condemn?" Which leads me to my second Rend Collective song that is worth Googling. Rescuer interestingly came out the same day as my surgery on August 25th with a powerful yet simple truth: There is good news for the captive Good news for the shamed There is good news for the one who walked away There is good news for the doubter The one religion failed For the Good Lord has come to seek and save So here's my final sign off that I pray every single person not only hears in their head but truly experiences in their heart. We have one one ultimate framework for good news - and it's not a proclamation of remission, even though we wildly celebrate today and will party tonight. And it's not actually our health at all, or a new job, new house, new friends, new babies, new or improved anything. It's that we've been rescued, and nothing can separate us if indeed we submit to the fact that we're lost on our own. That's why the gospel is literally translated as bringing or announcing good news. Who doesn't want to be found and to be known in the most intimate way? That's the point of it all! And it's so good. Before submitting this last post, Courtney and I would like to personally thank everyone who has been with us along the way. There are too many wonderful examples of God's love shown through specific acts of kindness to even begin writing them down (I love how many people took heart to one of my first updates). Even just reading and commenting to this site has been a huge source of encouragement - frankly far more than I ever anticipated. So we praise God for each of you. And we praise Him for kicking cancer in the crapper. Which I guess is the cleanest way to say it with a little soul and spice. Clean and conquered! Ciao.