Hopefully we’ll get in right away at Hershey Med Center ... it’ll take only a few minutes to remove the stitches ... and we’ll be on our way to celebrate my birthday -- in Philadelphia! Then on to the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers’ Conference tomorrow! I was excited, even if it was my 57th .

I was in the waiting room for only a few minutes when I heard my name. My husband Bob entered from parking the car just in time to escort me to Gale’s office. My surgeon’s friendly assistant was absorbed in a report she had just received via email. Some preliminary small talk - and she began reading aloud to us.

Could you just take out the stitches? I’m already hungry ... we were hoping to miss the heavy Philadelphia afternoon traffic.

I snapped to attention as the words both follicular and papillary carcinoma penetrated my ears... What is she saying? Oh, wow! These are the results of my biopsy!

What comes next? Another similar surgery, taking the rest of the thyroid ASAP. Follow-up? Radioactive iodine therapy, possibly, but the doctor makes the call on that. A barrage of questions from two people in shock ... and cautious, helpful answers. I particularly appreciated Gale’s comment: “I don't know how I’d handle it if somebody just told me this.”

As I set up the next appointment, Bob left to get the car. Cancer! There was breast cancer on both sides of the family, so I always knew it could happen, but this wasn’t when or how I had expected it. I had felt perfectly at peace that there would not be malignancy.

So where had the peace come from? If it stemmed from my trust in God, was there any less reason for peace now?

“Well, honey,” I said as I got in the car, “either I accept that God has a purpose for this and decide not to whine ... or I can follow my family patterns and go into depression. I’ve made the decision. God must have a purpose.”

The opening session of the writers’ conference featured Yolanda Powell, author of Soul Food and Living Water: Spiritual Nourishment and Practical Help for African American Families. Yolanda’s message was eloquent, but only one word stands out in my memory - a song she sang that was reminiscent of days when her ancestors picked cotton on southern plantations. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes to what, Lord? Yes to cancer? What choice do I have?

Not by chance, I met Yolanda in the elevator. She was looking great, sporting a gorgeous necklace - a large circular coil that, incidentally, would cover my thyroidectomy scar nicely. Feeling self-conscious about my obvious incision (August is too hot for turtlenecks) I told her I needed a necklace just like hers.

Where did you find it, Yolanda?

Actually, I saw it on the ferry, on the way to Nova Scotia...and I just loved it.

Oh! It is gorgeous! Well ... I’ll run right out and pick one up this afternoon.

Third floor reached. End of conversation.

Later, Virelle Kidder shared her “funny little clown” experience with Bell’s palsy ... the initial drooling during an on-the-run yogurt lunch that alerted her to the problem ... the inability to smile at her incoming family ... her little granddaughter’s question, “Nana, why can’t you smile at me?”... God’s question as Virelle stood in front of the mirror: “Virelle, will you still praise Me if you can’t speak?”... her response: “But I can’t even smile at my family” ... God’s answer: “Virelle, you can still smile at me ... I can tell when you’re smiling even if no one else can.”

Joy, will you still praise Me if you can’t speak? I couldn’t escape my Father’s question.

What a way to celebrate my birthday! I wavered between shock, denial and exhaustion. I tried to talk my husband into taking me home but my husband of 37 years knew what I needed - and talked me into staying.

It was Thursday afternoon. People were engaged in conversation in the school lobby. I spotted Yolanda. She was unmistakable in that great necklace, with huge matching earrings. Must be her favorite jewelry... it certainly does look good on her.

Tell her what Yes! Yes! Yes! meant to you.

Lord, she’s busy talking to this evening’s speaker. It would be rude to interrupt.

Tell her ...

“May I interrupt your conversation for just a moment? Thank you. Yolanda, I feel like I need to tell you what your song - Yes! Yes! Yes! - meant to me yesterday. You see, the day before I received the results of a biopsy....”

As I spoke, Yolanda went into action, removing that gorgeous necklace from her neck, insisting that I take it. “God told me to give it to you in the elevator yesterday, but I said, ‘Confirm that for me, would You, if You really want me to do that?’ Well, He just confirmed it! It’s yours!”

How do you accept a gift of love like that one? With the same love that prompted her gift. I handed her a book of mine in return: When God Seems Far Away. Not to be outdone, Yolanda then ripped off her earrings. Laughing, Bob handed her another of my books, They Were Women Too, a 365-page devotional study of Old Testament women.

Yolanda looked at the book, turned it over, looked at the back cover, then hugged the book to herself as she danced around the lobby.

“I can’t believe it! I bought this book ten years ago, and it kept me going when my children were small - and I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity to minister!” Laughter turned to tears as we embraced. God had not only given me the birthday gift of a necklace - and matching earrings - but also a new sister in Christ!

So now I have two necklaces - one created by surgery, one from a “forever friend.” This Friday, surgery will create my third necklace. One of our sons suggested calling it a tattoo, since tattoos are cool, but I prefer to call it a necklace.