This week my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma (skin cancer). He’s had this spot on his neck for as long as we’ve been married, but in recent years – it started to change.

I told him to have it looked at; he didn’t.  It had all the classic melanoma indicators. Recently, it started to bleed.  I put my foot down and insisted he was going to the doctor.  So glad I did! Our family doctor took one look and agreed it looks like a melanoma and insisted he remove it right then and there.   Which he did.

Less than a week later, our doctor’s office calls and wants us to come in that day, they had his pathology results.  I knew it wasn’t good news.

Malignant melanoma with a Clark stage of IV.  Not the worst it could be, but not the “its just an ugly mole” diagnosis we were hoping for.

Our doctor already had an appointment made for us with a surgical oncologist for Wednesday, April 4th.  He had made some phone calls and found us the best of the best, an oncologist at St Louis University Cancer Center.

At this point, we know they have to remove more tissue, as they didn’t get it all.  What we don’t know is if it’s in the lymph nodes or spread anywhere else.  I’m sure they’ll test all that when they do the surgery.

Until then, we are praying for best case scenario, living by faith and taking it all one day at a time.  We would covet your prayers!

If you’ve been online long at all, you will encounter all sorts of views and opinions.  Being a conservative Christian woman from the midwest, my whole view was entirely based on what was around me, how I was raised and my own convictions based on my world.

Then in 1996, the interest came to town.  I soaked in a ton of information – learned some great things (and not so great things) and was shocked by much of what I learned.

I can honestly say that I did expand my views on some things, and absolutely did not on others.  I started this web site in 1999 and moved it to WordPress in 2003 and officially began “blogging” (vs. updating html pages every day before that .

It never ceases to amaze me the folks who contact me via my contact form, or comment on posts here on this site berating me, calling me all sorts of names (yes, using profanity!): all because they did not agree with my views.

Notice they came to my site – my home on the web – and proceeded to rake me over the coals, all because they did not agree with my views.  That’s just rude.

I still have no clue what they hoped to accomplish by doing this.  Did they think I was gonna ‘see the light’ and kiss their feet and thank them for showing me the error of my ways?  Did they think I had not already assessed all sides of the issue at hand, and made my decision based on my personal views, beliefs and convictions?

Years ago, I would get upset over the rudeness of such people.  Today, I pray for them.  They are clearly unhappy folks with too much time on their hands to peruse web sites looking for things to complain about.

The world wide web that is the internet, is truly world wide.  You will encounter a lot that you do not agree with.  Stop and think before you contact another web site owner to share your views.  Unless they asked for you view – keep it to yourself.  If you want to share your views, get your own blog… then just wait, and you’ll have folks contacting you too.  Welcome to my world.

My prayer is for world peace.  Where folks stop hiding behind their computer monitors spewing rudeness they would never say to a person’s face.  Where we all get along, agree to disagree and life is good for everyone.

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”

Proverbs 15:2

Happy 4th!! We are spending a relaxing weekend at home. I am very thankful for the freedom I have and for this country I live in and for all those who gave their lives so I can enjoy this freedom.

I hope you and your family take time this weekend to reflect on why we celebration Independence Day.

On to other news….

Spark People

No, I’m not talking fireworks sparks – I’m taking fitness and weight loss. Spark People is an awesome site I first started using a couple years ago. It’s free and you can track your exercise, water intake and log your food. It’s helpful to see how every bite you take adds up and it doesn’t take much extra to overindulge and see where those extra pounds came from.

What I like best about Spark People is their new mobile apps. I can log my food from my home computer, laptop or now from my mobile phone and it all syncs together. No more not logging food because I’m away from my computer.

They also have a very nice Spark People Recipes site and also a recipes mobile app with a ton of great healthy recipes. Using the app for that makes it nice when you’re shopping, just open the app on your phone, search for your recipe and see what ingredients you need. Easy!

All that to say, enjoy your BBQ this weekend – in moderation.

Traci