INCREDIBLE

Mary Aspinwall has been one of Janet's caregivers. She wrote the following....

As one of Janet’s care givers I was asked to write something for her blog. I enjoy writing… but how does one go about a task like this!?

I have known Janet for many years. She taught my daughter, Naomi, in 4th grade and loved her like a mother when I wasn’t there to do so. We’ve been in each others homes, visited, been in Bible studies together, I’ve heard about her through my girls who worked with her, she knitted a blanket for my baby boy who went on to heaven straight from my womb,… and yet I couldn’t really say that we were especially close before.

The day we heard about Janet’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer Clark, Rachel and I went to visit her in the hospital. Rather than our visit being a blessing to her, she in turn amazed us with her faith, joy, confidence and anticipation! I will never forget singing the Lord’s Prayer around her bed and I’ve enjoyed singing it a few more times with her since then.

Janet is the sixth person whose bed I have sat beside frequently during the final stages of cancer. Of course there are things that remind me of past experiences, but there are also things that just amaze me about Janet in particular. Even though Janet is the one suffering, she continually seeks to meet the needs of those around her. She thanks us for each and every minute thing we do for her, comments on our clothes, asks about our loved ones,… I literally cannot fathom how she can still be thinking of others when she herself is going through so much.

None of us would ever choose cancer for ourselves or for anyone we love, and indeed it has been a very difficult journey for us all, and yet I never spend a time with Janet where I am not blessed by her attitude. She continues to see the blessings God brings her way and makes it a point to acknowledge and thank Him for those. If through my valley of the shadow of death I can be half as much a blessing to others as Janet has been to me I will be thankful. What an inspiration she has been to me of how God can continue to give us His peace and joy even when LIFE IS DIFFICULT! I know Janet does not want us to praise her, but we certainly can praise our mighty God for the way He continues to use Janet to minister to those of us who are seeking to minister to her. HOW INCREDIBLE IT’S BEEN TO WALK THIS JOURNEY WITH JANET!