I believe in the power of Prayer

When I was diagnosed with my uterine cancer in 2010, I was scared and very confused. I remember letting the cat out of the bag and suddenly friends and family started praying. Friends came to my house and in my front room and prayed. Some prayed over the phone with Me, some sent cards with a prayer. My son,Adam, attended a Christian school here in town, yet I wasn't one of those Bible thumping, scripture quoting women. I just knew everybody there had no reservation of saying I will pray for you.In my weakest moments I would reflect on so many people praying for me. I didn't even pray for a cancer cure, I prayed for trust and strength. After all, our disease is in the hands of Doctors, lab techs, anesthesiologists, researchers and who knows else. I ended up Stage 1 Uterine Cancer, no chemo, no radiation, just surgery...but then the polyp was discovered, and that rascal was cancerous and stage 3. 6 grueling months of stupid chemo wrecking complete havoc on my life and yet more prayers. Then the discovery of the DNA gene positive, which means for the rest of my life I have to be on watch for cancer to visit me again...Since all that, I've prayed for great Voice Over gigs, prayed for the ability to understand some Radio mixing board that I was terrified of each time I started a new on air Radio job, prayed for my son when he travels, when he was broken hearted over a relationship ending or being injured in a Football game, thus scrapping his goal of playing all 4 years at college. My heart was broken for him. I pray like anyone else when a friend dies and for their remaining relatives and loved ones, for their sadness that they will endure for a long time. I am not spewing the versus, I just find myself saying a blanket statement "I pray everything gets better and lessons are learned".I am praying over the flooding tragedy in Houston right now, the images on the TV screen are baffling. I am not minimizing this news, but the prayer that is surfacing now is needed for my adorable, crazy, stubborn Olde English Bulldog, LugNut. He has developed horrible pain in his back and hips. The wallow he let out the other eve was astounding. I was sickened by it, along with Adam and Jeff. I have no idea where this came from. Did he trip at the dog park? Is getting in and out of the Jeep too hard on his joints? A visit to the Vets told us one thing...he needs to be put under for X-rays. These short snout pups are a big risk while sedated. My mind is running wild, all of us, and yes LugNut was trembling and very scared at the Vets. He was a bad boy, he wrestled the muzzle and today they have told Me to sedate him I have to place the muzzle tomorrow. In between recording my voice overs, I have been practicing with him, letting him lean on Me and telling him everything will be good, maybe it's just muscle strain. So what am I getting to? I need prayer for this little guy. Alot of prayer. So my mind is racing I am hanging with him and tomorrow is a big day. Please keep LugNut in your prayers in more ways then one..I know there is power in prayer.

Prioritizing Voice Overs and my love of Boz Scaggs

Anybody who knows Me would probably immediately think of Me and my love for Voice Overs and my love for Boz Scaggs. It has been a long hard climb for my voice over career. Decades of on air Radio gigs, in and out of jobs, blind sided when I never expected, carrying anger towards the Program Director that did it to Me for years and finally realizing Radio is just a brutal, dysfunctional business. It only made sense to embrace the microphone in a new way: take voice acting lessons and make it a business. Market myself, freelance, get an Agent, network constantly and keep my chin up. The best part of it all is I love my passion. I also find myself not ever wanting to take time off because of the unsettled feeling the client would like someone else's voice better than mine and then not book Me anymore. Insecure? Realistic Thinking? It's my little world. Then there is Boz. All I need is a concert a year from this Man and I am on cloud 9 for weeks. There is just something about that voice that sends me into a whole different world. Decades ago before he made it on the Pop charts I fell for this guy. I don't care how tight the budget is, I have to treat myself to a Boz show. I have turned so many people onto him and so many say to Me "I don't know what was more fun seeing Boz or feeling your energy all night"...Yep it's just another little gift in life I genuinely love. Tomorrow I step away from both of my loves. I had to get my priorities straight this time. I am booking out of voice overs and yes risking losing clients and I am surrendering my Boz Scaggs concert ticket. I have lost a dear young soul. A 24 year old son of a dear friend. A Mom I met living down the street from Me proudly displaying her "Its A Boy banner" in her front yard. I never knew Christen before, but pulled over and introduced myself as the soon to be Mom down the street, because my son Adam was to be born 2 weeks from Nathan.We developed a friendship so special because of our boys. We walked daily with the little guys, introduced our husbands, who shared the same work, and together experienced swim lessons, soccer teams, Halloween, Santa visits, modeling, and the Easter Bunny for 3 years. The friendship never fizzled. Brad moved up the corporate ladder, became a millionaire, established himself and the family in Texas, and we still met up annually for a family gathering as our boys grew into young men. Both graduated from college, stayed in touch with each other and Christen shared the complexities of being alone raising kids and trying to keep them humble. It didn't quite turn out like that. Last Sunday Nathan went missing and was found 2 days later in a creek. Drugs? Alcohol? Foul Play? We don't know. What I do know isthat we will be there for them in Texas at the funeral. I will book out from Voice Overs, I will miss my Boz, but this is my priority. I am numb and sickened at this horrible loss for my friends. I can't wrap my mind around it all. I go to bed thinking about Nathan and his family and wake up thinking about him. Adam is devastated. When he came home from work reading the Missing persons post on social media, and then hearing from Nathans sister, he was found dead, with tears streaming down his face, I knew Voice Overs were not important, and Boz will have to be passed over this time. Life has thrown us a curve, and I have gotten a hold of my priorities today. My cage has been rattled but it is all for a good reason. RIP Nathan, I'll see Boz in October.