For Kate (Part One)

I'm still scared to chop my hair off. Every time I grow out my mine, and I get ready to cut it I chicken out and go safe with it. However, this time the plunge is truly throwing myself over the cliff. As I was gearing up to see what I needed to do for Locks of Love I thought FOR SURE the hair limit was six inches. Of course I can do that, but to my genuine surprise it was TEN inches... yea, freaked me out! Hubby got out the handy dandy tape measure (notice I did not say ruler) and I got the 10 inches, but it is er... short, shorter than what I thought I'd do. It's like the security blanket being taken away from you.

My heart started pounding, no racing as I thought about this. Sheesh, what was my problem, I can do this. Something just came over me, a fear that I have never had before all over my hair. I couldn't believe it, really. I didn't realize how stuck to my hair I was. Then a little face came into my mind. One that I see regularly, with a beautiful smile on her face:

It was this that first popped into my mind, then BOOM this:

Ultimately, the picture in my head turned to this:

With her mom's tweet too vivid in my mind ("It has started"), it was like a smack in the face for me being so... so... selfish over my (NO), HIS hair. The hair that only the ONE can give.


So, this beautiful young girl named Kate puts me in my place. To read her story and the beautiful walk with God her parents are trekking go to www.prayforkate.com or her Caring Bridge Page to learn about this sweet courageous gal.

Tomorrow at 12:00pm I will be chopping the mane:

Because in the end a beautiful vibrant young girl or boy will receive this because she/he didn't have the choice that I will have tomorrow. It's a hard thing to be attached to something as hair. God knows every number of hair on your head, and in times of great tribulation like the roller coaster of cancer He STILL knows that number. I wish I could be brave and shave it all off, and maybe one day I will. I pray that God would give me that courage that I lack, but that Kate sure seems to carry. If there is one thing that God has made evident in my heart, children are wonderful teachers.

Holly and Aaron, you two are in my prayers as you fight this horrific battle with your Kate. I hope you know just how much your family has touched my life. As I look at my two boys' eyes, I am reminded of Kate daily, and it has changed the way I SEE them.

This is for Kate...