Archives For Family

Being Grandparents

March 16, 2013

Here are 4 commitments Lori and I hope to make as grandparents:

When parents are near, we’ll be silent - In the ideal setting, grandparents should have raised their children to be adults. Their daily parenting task is done and they shouldn’t try to take that role from their children who are now parents.

We’ll be there for the parents - Parenting is hard work. A parent needs all the support he or she can receive. We’ll be in the parent’s corner as grandparents.

We’ll support the parents - Not only will we support the parents, when we’re grandparents, we’ll step away and let the parent’s model for parenting prevail. Hopefully the mark we hoped to make on our children will carry forward, but it will be their job, not ours, to be the parents. (Granted, if there was a severe problem, we’d step in, but if it’s a matter of preference in parenting, we’ll be silent.)

We’ll compete for grandparents of the year - Let’s face it. I’m competitive. This will be one more place I hope to succeed. Hey, it worked for parenting…at least I think it did…why not for grandparenting?

In Family
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I Miss You Mom

January 8, 2013

Mom

In Memory of Earlene F. Wagner

November 11, 1941 – January 8, 2010 

 

 

 

She is Gone by David Harkins

You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she’s gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

It’s been 3 years Mom, I miss you every day and I Love You.

Mom_Scott

 

 

In Family
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What I’ve Learned in Life

October 26, 2012

I’ve learned that, no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, Life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch – holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

In Family
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It’s that time again…

August 3, 2011

Next month I will undergo my 8th CT scan and my next battery of lab work and other tests. I started down this road almost 5 years ago. On November 17th 2006, I found out I had a tumor the size of a cantaloupe in my colon. Well, it didn’t stay contained in the colon. It had attached itself to the abdominal wall, small intestine, another section of the large intestine, and the bladder. December 4th, 2006 I had surgery to attempt to remove this beast. The surgeon was successful in removing the tumor along with a bladder resection and colon and small intestine resections. On December 7th, 2006 the pathology report showed that there was no cancer to be found in my system. Nothing in the margins, and 22 out of 22 lymph nodes completely clean. Since then, I had six months of intensive chemo. My oncologist termed that preventative. I have been since visiting my oncologist every three months. I was scheduled to do that for 5 years. I have been informed if my results come back like all of my previous results that I will be declared “cancer free” by the oncologist and released as a patient.

My last CT result still showed a small spot on my liver . However, I have been informed by my oncologist that it is nothing and I should not be concerned. While yes, they found a spot, ALL other labs, blood work and markers are “perfect”. AMAZING! This journey has never been about me. It has always been about God and His glory.

So what’s the next step? We keep moving. We keep living a healthy lifestyle for both my physical being as well as my spiritual.

Stay tuned…because I know God is not finished, with me or this journey. Exciting things are coming out of this journey. More on that later.

For now thanks for the prayers and support. See you next time.

In Cancer, Faith, Family, Godstrong, Livestrong, Miracle, Status, Survivor, Uncategorized, Updates
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Happy Birthday Mom

November 11, 2010

Mom

Today my Mom would have been 69. Her legacy of unselfish love lives on through 2 children and 4 grandchildren who smile when they think of her and miss her. Thanks Mom for teaching us to love, pray, believe, hope and dream! We miss you!

In Faith, Family ,
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Warrior of Life

March 24, 2010
A man cannot walk this treacherous life alone,
There must be another with him.
One who is their friend, their mentor,
One who is their guiding presence,
Who shows them the path of goodness,
Even if it’s hard.
One who has open ears and a forgiving heart,
Yet has the power of authority on his shoulders,
Is one wanted, and is one loved.
But who is this man? Who is this mentor,
The friend, the guide, the authority?
By what name do we call him?
This is the name of the self-chosen warrior – Father.

Joshua Brandon Wagner
To his father, on Father’s Day 2001
In Faith, Family, Godstrong, Jesus, Prayer , , , ,
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My Prayer Today

March 10, 2010

Today, Lord, Wash me and I will be whiter than snow, purposed afresh to follow Your footsteps.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit today. The tasks ahead are too much. If I must go alone, I cannot go at all.

Today, Lord, I’m not smart enough to know what is best, and not strong enough to choose what is righteous.

Today, Lord, My wife, my family, my friends, my church . . . I am not sufficient for these things, and I know it.

Today, Lord, Or what unfolds in the hours ahead will fade into the abyss of worthless, wasted time.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit right now. Come, make these 24 hours all You created them to be.

Now, Lord, You know how to ‘give good gifts’ and I am so thankful to be called Your child.

Now, Lord, By faith, I receive the Presence You’ve promised, and delight to know that Your Word is true.

Now, Lord, You are filling my life with peace and purpose and freeing my soul to sing.

Galatians 5:16, 22, Walk then in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of your flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control.

In Faith, Family, Godstrong, Prayer , , ,
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Live Every Moment As Christ Would Live It

March 8, 2010

I just came across this. I wrote this just prior to my first chemo treatment.

January 1, 2007

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

–Philippians 1:21

What does it mean to be totally alive? How would you describe “living large”? Paul said in Philippians that the purpose and passion of life should be to live every moment as Christ would live it, to magnify Jesus Christ.

This passion is a strong, unyielding commitment to live life in such a way that we glorify God in everything we do. The love of Christ should be our motivation and we should get excited about the same things that Christ gets excited about.

What I find is that too many believers aren’t happy because they are waiting to live; they are waiting for something great to happen or for that next big step. The only problem with waiting is that it doesn’t fit with Christ’s call to serve Him every day right where we are.

Many of us hope for that day when we “arrive,” but Christ wants us to experience fulfillment on the journey today, right now, in whatever place or circumstance that He has placed us. His desire is that we live every moment walking with Him and for Him.

What makes you excited? What motivates you to get up in the morning? I hope it’s the things of Christ, living for and walking with Him. Don’t just endure life hoping you’ll arrive at some great place some day. Live large starting today by living every moment as Christ would live it, seeking to bring glory to Him in every way!

LIVE EVERY MOMENT AS CHRIST WOULD LIVE IT.

In Cancer, Chemo, Faith, Family, Godstrong, Jesus, Livestrong, Prayer , , , , , ,
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Remembering Mom

January 29, 2010


Mom

In Memory of Earlene F. Wagner

November 11, 1941 – January 8, 2010


She is Gone by David Harkins

You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she’s gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

To our dear loved ones:

Our family is very thankful to you for your kindness and comforting words of condolence on the death of our wife, mother and grandmother.
Thank you for all of your prayers as we grieve Earlene’s death.


Warm regards,
The Wagner family

I miss you Mom.

In Faith, Family, Godstrong, Jesus, Prayer , , , ,
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What I Am Learning From My Cancer

September 16, 2009

Today I got the results my 4th CT scan . When I started down this road almost 3 years ago. November 17th 2006, I found out I had a tumor the size of a cantaloupe in my colon. Well it didn’t stay contained in the colon. It had attached itself to the abdominal wall, small intestine, another section of the large intestine and the bladder. December 4th, 2006 I had surgery to attempt to remove this beast. The surgeon was successful in removing the tumor along with a bladder resection and colon and small intestine resections. On December 7th, 2006 the pathology report showed that there was no cancer to be found in my system. Nothing in the margins, and 22 out of 22 lymph nodes completely clean. Since then, I had six months of intensive chemo. My oncologist termed that preventative. I have been since visiting my oncologist every three months. I was scheduled to do that for 5 years. I have been informed if my results come back like all previous results that I can be declared “cancer free” by the oncologist. That would be two years earlier than the best case scenario I was given in January 2007.

The results today showed a spot on my liver that has never been there before. They are not sure what it is. It could very well be nothing, or just a cyst. It could be a metastasis. So right now the course of action is to wait for a few months and retake a CT Scan. We will find that A) the spot is gone, B) the spot has not grown, or C) the spot is growing. If the spot is there, or if it’s growing, surgery is in play. Then we may have to look at treatment options again.

While yes, they found a spot ALL other labs, blood work and markers are “exceptional”. So what are we to make of this. Well, this journey has never been about me. This is not “Why me, why now.” Honestly why not me. It has always been about God and His glory.

Here are some lessons I am learning from having cancer. (The catalyst for this was something that John Piper wrote. I would encourage you to read it.)

  •  
  • I am learning that cancer is the best thing that has happened to me.
  • I am learning — and continue to learn — to rely on God for everything. Only God can continue to get me through this. We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™
  • I have begun the process of getting my affairs in order. No matter how long I live, it makes sense to know that my affairs are in — and remain — in order.
  • I am learning that dying is not a loss and that staying alive is not the ultimate goal.
  • I am learning that having cancer is a great way to develop deeper relationships with other people.
  • I am learning that this is a process and not a destination. Cancer will always be a part of me.
  • I am learning that sin is worse than cancer. Some of the things I have excused away as “just who I am” are sin.
  • I am an unkind jerk to many people including my wife and my boys. That needs to change. I am quite arrogant.
  • Having cancer has greatly humbled me, but I seek more humility.
  • I am learning that I don’t need to sweat the “small stuff”.
  • I am learning that it is better to influence others rather than simply inspiring them.
  • I am learning that I can be just like the Israelites of the Old Testament. I was given a miracle 3 years ago and the further away I get from that, I find I can forget the miracle.
  • I am learning that every day I wake and my feet touch the floor, it is a great day!
  • I am learning that God has a purpose for me, my wife and my boys with this journey that He’s placed us on. May we be faithful.
  • I have been given a platform to share what I believe and I am learning to use that.


“What’s the next step?”

In Cancer, Chemo, Faith, Family, Godstrong, Livestrong, Miracle, Prayer, Recovery, Status, Survivor, Treatment, Updates , , , , , , , , ,
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