Kara's Collection

Kara’s Collection: Starbucks Gazing

Kara’s Collection: Starbucks Gazing

from an article originally posted April 9, 2014…

I’m in this large coffee shop sitting directly across from a most beautiful woman. She has shockingly white hair, and she has aged so gracefully. She just pulled out her smartphone to share pictures of her pride to her friend. She is smiling over her grandchildren in the picture. She’s wearing comfortable clothes and running shoes. She cares about how she looks, but not too much.

I could feel so jealous of her, if it weren’t so evident that she loves—it shows in her deep laugh lines. Her love shows; I can’t explain it, it just does.

Kara’s Collection: Difficult Grace

Kara’s Collection: Difficult Grace

from an article originally posted April 7, 2014…

I feel the hardest grace for me to embrace is the grace I see in the faces of my children. Last night, one of my children asked me to help them fall asleep. Once I came into the room and snuggled under the covers, my sweet child grew immediately calm and beautifully tired. She wrapped herself tightly around me in hopes of waking if I were to ever sneak away, and with a calm smile on her face drifted off to sleep.

Kara’s Collection: A Story of BIG Love

Kara’s Collection: A Story of BIG Love

from an article originally posted April 3, 2014…

Back in the day at Eagle Lake, I met regularly with a most lovely woman named Anna Kraft. We all called her Krafty. She was a sweet thing from California, and the deep desire of her heart was to love and know Jesus. I felt like I was the prize when she asked if I would meet with her. She was the first person I ever met with formally. I was humbled and excited to be asked.

Kara’s Collection: Addiction and Desperation

Kara’s Collection: Addiction and Desperation

From an article originally posted April 2, 2014…

I woke in the night and had to stifle a scream. In the night in my sleep, I had suctioned my raw and ulcered cheek between my teeth. I know I have experienced pain, a lot of pain, but this was a pain like no other. I almost vomited. It reminded me of when I first got braces and I would wake with my mouth in the tight grip of my new metal. Remember that? Pulling your cheeks off your braces. But these cheeks have an open ulcer on them. Horrible visual I’m sure. I applaud you for reading. It almost feels like a grosser than gross joke, except ummm, not.

Kara’s Collection: Pain

Kara’s Collection: Pain

From an article originally posted April 1, 2014…

I have an ulcer in my mouth from my new drugs. It’s this horrible open wound. It hurts to eat, it hurts to talk, it hurts when I’m doing nothing. Sleep helps it to stop hurting—sleep. I’m suffocating a bit over this, as this is the drug we are hoping will work for the rest of my days. So, the rest of my days, I will be battling with this pain. I keep reminding myself this sore is a part of killing cancer, but it’s hard to remember.