Just live.

We are edging closer to our upcoming fundRAISING auction that will benefit Mrs. Judy Mikeska & help her pay for her ever-mounting medical expenses. I had the opportunity to sit down and visit with Judy's supervisor & FRIEND that is organizing the fundraiser & simply asked for an update. 

Judy (currently) is cancer-free from the head down EXCEPT her lung, which will cause her to move to Temple for 6 weeks, where she will undergo an intense round of chemo treatments. 

Her supervisor shared a story about how they are supposed to fill out an end of year plan & how Judy's was filled with plans & goals & she said the last time they talked Judy made the comment..."Maybe I should wipe all that off that paper and write...'Just live.'"

It struck me somewhere when she said that. JUST live... 

This blog has challenged me a little more than most. I'm thankful that I haven't had to endure the cancer journey like so many of us have. My Daddy did have cirrhosis in his liver & they did find a tumor, but with his transplant was BLESSED to not have to endure the walk that so many others do. I don't want to sit here and type like I KNOW what she's going through. I have personally wrestled with WHY God allows things like cancer to happen...even exist...along with tragedies, hardships, abuse....

When Erin said... Just live...it took me back to a place when we found out that my Daddy would need a liver transplant to LIVE. I remember not really thinking about much else, except HOW can we make that happen. 

As I've grown older & am sloooowly coming to the realization that we CAN achieve things, but what God wills to happen WILL happen....I reflect back on that place that Judy & I both apparently came to & that is to JUST do the next best thing we can, where we stand. 

I've recently read & am currently reading 2 books (The Shack by Wm. Paul Young & Wrestling with Wonder by Marlo Schalesky). It took both of them to get me here... I've learned that doing the next best thing is all God really CALLS us to do. He doesn't call us to fix all the problems, accomplish the unachievable, or move any kind of mountain. He doesn't ask us to NOT feel the hurt, NOT show our emotions, NOT dream & will & hope. He just asks us to move forward WITH HIM, one foot in front of the other...holding His hand. 

I've also learned that to JUST LIVE can be a lot harder than all the other things we try and pile on top of us. We KNOW how to move to a goal we KNOW we can achieve. We KNOW that we can attend those meetings. We KNOW we can give a certain amount of us to any job, project, function. BUT...sometimes we don't know how to JUST LIVE. I guess there is the blessing in all of this. Why do we try to do anymore than what God calls us to? I believe the answer is because the world has conditioned us that way. Remember what Jesus said to His Father: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." John 17:16 (I ENCOURAGE whoever is reading this to read all of John 17.)

So....ALL THAT BEING SAID....all any of us can do is walk one foot in front of the other...clinging to God's hand and those around us that are willing to SUPPORT us. I'm not going to ask you to do anything you don't want to do, but if you WANT to come out and support Judy & her family....while they walk one foot in front of the other...there are ALL KINDS of ways you can do that. 

You can donate an auction item. A group of you can donate an auction item. You can buy an auction item in the LIVE or silent auction. You can join together and buy an item in the LIVE or silent auction. You can buy BBQ chicken dinner plates. You can make a donation to the GoFundMe account. You can buy raffle tickets. You can buy a card for the gun raffles at the event. You can come out and volunteer. You can be present. Erin is your main contact and her information is on the flyer below (Email Link: EmWilley87@hotmail.com). If you want to...you have options. 

It just amazes me how The Holy Spirit moves among us. I pray I can be a blessing for this family how so many were a blessing to mine. The power of community and relationships is not of this world either. It goes beyond the rules and our ability to understand.....and it definitely trumps any kind of bad in any kind of form. 

Buck Up Baby! Come out & show your support. I CAN speak with experience in that....this family will NEVER be able to form the words to REALLY express their appreciation for ANY act of kindness & support you can provide. Just KNOW that your support and kindness...no matter how small you think it is... is POWERFUL.

God Bless. 

Heather Schoenst Kaspar

TXL 17037

More Info at: www.buckupauctions.com

5 Day Countdown!!!

Hey folks! This won´t be a real long post, but I wanted you all to know that I just scheduled the licensing exam to get my Auctioneer´s License this morning!! That´s where I´ll be next Monday morning!

Let the studying begin!! You can´t even imagine how anxious I am. There are some REALLY GREAT opportunities in my future! I´ve met with one auction house and am meeting with another this week! They may be able to put me to work....who knows?! I´m just THRILLED to start the process. Auction School was just the beginning. Now it´s time to get some experience and explore some of the other possibilities coming my way!!!

Thank ya´ll SO much for following me on this journey! I´m serious about this! I´m gonna have to BUCK UP BABY!! I have several things I feel like I need to work on, but I can´t do it without DOIN´ IT! It´s all about bein´ there - in the middle of an auction - and rollin´ with the punches as they come my way!!

WOO HOO!!! I´M EXCITED!! Saddle on up and join the posse!! The ride is only gonna get wilder from here!!

On a sadder note....we just found out that our dog - Kane has Cancer :(. Kyle got Kane from his brother Kory a few months after we started dating, so he´s been with us almost the entire time we´ve been together. He is a GREAT dog. He lets Kylee crawl on him, sit on him, grab him by his collar and lead him around. He´s around 9 1/2, so he´s gettin´ up there. He is still very energetic and playful and 70 lbs. We are going to the vet tomorrow to see just how bad it is. Say a prayer for him and us. It won´t be easy for any of us. God Bless!!

Here he is before he started getting gray in the face.