WOW..really? Already?!?!

Our 7 year old daughter, had a 20 minute discussion with her Grandpa Janz, who's a theologian at King's college in London England, asking such questions as, "Why was I born? Why me? Why now? Why do I and everything around me exist?" Thank goodness we have a professor of divinity in the family to answer the questions of our oldest!! And thankfully I was at work;)

Quote I found for today!!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about dancing in the rain!" So let's Dance!!

Health update: not so bad, but not great.

So in the last week I have received some news that does explain most of my "issues" as of late. I don't understand all of it, because I'm not a health professional, but i'll try to explain it simply. None of it seems to be cancer related but all of it appears to be realted to long term side effects from cancer treatment. In the "gyno" region I will need to have surgery. A biopsy has shown cause for concern. It's not an emergency but will need to be taken care of in the fall probably. The extent of the surgery I don't know yet. I will know after meeting with my specialist in just over a week. I'm glad there seems to be a fix for an on going problem I've been having since coming out of chemo induced menopause just over 2 years ago.

While getting the results of the biopsy I told my GP that I had a variety of other random odd health "issues" that I thought I should mention. She took them VERY seriously and ordered a large amount of tests for almost every part of my body. The concern of course is that cancer maybe found. That is not what has come up, thankfully, but what has come up is upsetting. I have tested positive for an auto-immune disease. We don't exactly know which one yet, as I will have to have more tests and meet with another specialist, a Rheumetologist.

She was suspecting Rheumetoid Arthritis at first , but after the test results she suspects Lupus. Lupus would be basically the worst case scenerio, but at this point the most likely from the test results. The other thing it could be is fibromyalsia, which is what my Mom has and was diagnosed at the same age. Because my Mom has and auto-immune disease, it makes more sense that I will have one:( Again, I don't know for sure what I have, but we do know I have something. I feel disappointed that in less than two weeks I have found out that I have two more things wrong with me.

I'll write more when I know more.

But again, I'm happy to be alive to complain about them!!:)

it's true!!

Today I just read: "Burnout never comes from hard work. It's the result
of emotional and physical fatigue combined with a feeling of being
unappreciated." Have you told someone today that you appreciate all that they do?

I will be teaching a workshop on basically this exact topic in the fall. I think I'm calling the workshop "Take care of you and you'll get better." This is about avoiding burn-out, taking care of your basic physical needs; building your immune system, taking care of you emotional, mental and spiritual needs, finding healthy coping mechanisms, asking for and receiving help etc.

I have just been hired for a very part-time job, of one day a week at CBC, Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, where I did my ECE. The job is administrative assistant to the ECE director, Gwen Reese, at CBC. The job starts the third week of August.

I will continue on at abc restaurant for 25+ hours a week, as I love it there:) and I get medical and dental benefits for my family through abc.

I will be working with the Committee for the CIBC run for the Cure, for breast cancer. I plan to raise as much money as possible for the run for the cure this year. I will be speaking at women's conference's, leading workshops, speaking at highschools as well. It will be a busy and exciting fall and I am so looking forward to all of it!!

Fundraising for Breast cancer starts again!!

I am starting fundraising for the CIBC run for the Cure supporting breast cancer. I have been involved with the run for 11 years. I have raised just shy of $15,000 in the last few years and it's my goal to raise at least $3,800 this year. i picked that number because I am 38 this year. I love getting older and want to celebrate every year:)!!

I would love your fundraising support! If you are able to make a donation please go to the website: www.cbcf.org

- click onto "make a donation"
- scroll down to "support a participate" and click it
-then click "Abbotsford" and add my name
- then click on to my name "Feather Janz"
- click "SUPPORT FEATHER" and add the amount you'd like to donate and how you'd like to pay

Thank-you for your support in this fight against breast cancer!! Together we will have a future without breast cancer!

Sincerely,

Feather Janz and Family

Showing support for Breast Cancer.

If you are on facebook and don't have me as a friend, please request me as a friend and let me know that you read my blog:) I'd also like for you to show support for Breast Cancer by joining the facebook page, "Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure Abbotsford". Thank-you for your support:)
I will be fundraising for this event this year and also be involved in a few other ways) I'll keep you posted!!

Love this quote!

"Being still and doing nothing, are not at all the same thing."

*This was one of Jackie Chan's lines in the Karate Kid.

An Old Nike ad that I've always loved...

A woman is often measured by the things she cannot control. She is measured by the way her body curves or doesn't curve, by where she is flat or straight or round. She is measured by 36-24-36 and inches and ages and numbers. By all the outside things that don't ever add up to who she is on the inside. And so if a woman is to be measured, let her be measured by the things she can control, by who she is and who she is trying to become. Because as every woman knows, measurements are only statistics and statistics lie.

quote for today

"All that is needed for wrong to continue, is for good people to do nothing"

A quote I don't agree with...

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” - Seth Godin

...Easier said than done.You can "set" up your life all you want, and unforeseen, unfortunate things can still happen. You can't control your life, but you can control if you are going to take time to get some R and R, so you can make the best of what ever life brings you. A vacation also helps to put things in perspective and creates life long memories.

"Sometimes when you do something out of the ordinary, you can experience something extraordinary!- Feather Janz (That one is mine and that quote I do agree with;)

I believe, when a study was done that surveyed many folks in a nursing home and asked them what their biggest regret in life was, that the number one response was..."That I didn't risk more or take more risks." The number one regret most people have when looking back on their life, is that they didn't try to step away from the ordinary more often, that they didn't take on a challenge because of the fear of failure, it's the realization that they could have lived a richer more fulfilling life... if they'd dared to do something other than what was set before them. Taking a risk in life, is not an escape, it's the underlying purpose.

I do believe that the second thing on this list of old folks, was the regret they had because they didn't take the time and make the investment to travel more and to see the world. To get out and experience and embrace other cultures makes you appreciate and understand the world you live in so much better and perhaps even better understand YOUR place in the world!

I've made a real effort in my life, from an early age, to do just that...take risks, step out of my comfort zone, and really experience the world around me. I know that these things have helped to form who I am today and have made me a better, stronger and more loving woman.

Perhaps it's because I first heard this message from the great preacher Tony Compolo, as a teenager and it always stuck with me. And also because I was able to hear him preach this same message in person 3 times. The most meaningful being when I took a risk, stepped way out of my comfort zone and served with his ministry of Urban Promise, in Camden New Jersey (just across the Delaware river from Philidelphia)the summer of 1996. I was 24 and I'll never forget sitting in the front row and literally soaking it up...as he had a tendency to split a lot when he really go going with his message;)

Risk More...

I think about this tonight as I apply for a second job, part-time, that is one I may not get but I'll risk trying because I'll never know unless I'm willing to risk failing. Even if I don't succeed at getting this job, I will know that I didn't allow the fear of failure hold me back. I do worry that possible employers might use my poor health in the past as a reason to not take a chance on me, but I know I am well today and I see wellness in my future...with or without this other job.

I happen to think that a little healthy escapism is good for the soul;) When you live a fast paced, hard driven, highly motivated life,a break now and then isn't just nice... it's necessary!! So when is my next vacation?!?!:)


Looking on-line for good vacation deals:)

Feather