Last weekend was filled with family and food, of course. There was a houseful of us on Saturday, with my brother's two offspring and a combination of their spouses and kidlets. We ate a lot, laughed a bunch, and shared a few tears. It meant so much to my brother to have his family pretty much together under one roof. It was really great. Sunday we didn't do much, but on Monday we went to check out the new digs of my sis-in-law's son, and his new kitties. This is his first house as a grown-up, and it's a little dollhouse! Then we went to a local taqueria for lunch, which was yummy and inexpensive (the best part).
Tuesday was a very emotional day. My brother was having a particularly difficult day dealing with phone calls and computer issues. He was tearful, and we joined right in and had quite a cry-fest. His emotions are so tender now that he has come face to face with his own mortality, and we are having difficulty facing the possibility of losing him in the very near future. We are still hoping (begging!) for a miracle, and at the same time trusting God for his perfect will and plan. Even within that context, it's still heart-wrenching to think that we may have to say goodbye until we can be together again in heaven. His attitude is so good - no anger, no "why me?" just sadness and an urgency to get things "in order" in the event the worst happens. Please continue to pray for strength for all of us as we walk this difficult path together. AND... please keep to praying for a miracle of healing for my beloved brother.
As it write this, it occurs to me that several of you who receive my blog have "been there" and "done that" in your own lives. I'm thinking of three precious friends, one who lost her dad to cancer (after losing her mom in a drunk-driver accident), another lost her brother to leukemia, and yet another lost her mom shortly before we began working together at Shriners in Portland. I now have a personal appreciation for what they dealt with in each of their experiences. It's somewhat like childbirth - there's no way anyone can know how it feels unless they have personally experienced it and have walked through this valley themselves. So many lives are touched and forever changed by this awful disease! Thank goodness, we can look forward to heaven where there will be no more problems and heartaches!
On a happy note - On Monday I got brave and sent my son a brief text message that simply said, "I love you, my sweet boy." Keep in mind that we have had zero communcation with our boy since Memorial Day weekend, and had been given to understand that he wanted nothing to do with us. (At one point he was reported to have said, "They aren't my real parents, anyway.") Then on Tuesday I received a return text message from my son saying that he loves his dad and I, too. You can be sure that the message opened the floodgates. My sis and I were driving in the car at the time, and both of us were bawling our eyes out! (I told you it was an emotional day!) When I related this exchange to my husband on the phone last night, he said, "Wow - That fills a huge hole in my heart!" I have to ditto that, for sure! Baby steps, we'll just take baby steps. But at least the door of communication is reopened, even if only a crack.
Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!
Love you all!
MY TEXT FOR TODAY: Revelation 21:1-4 (LB)
"Then I saw a new earth and a new sky, for the present earth and sky had disappeared. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. It was a glorious sight, beautiful as a bride at her wedding.
"I heard a shout from the throne saying, 'Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them.'
"He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that is gone forever!"
Won't that be a glorious day!!
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