Today, my younger brother Mike would have been 53 years old had he not died in May of 2011. I was not able to sleep at all last night and I am weepy this morning. Sort of "par for the course" in my world, but it has me thinking back and wondering what has happened to my family.
It always seemed to me, at least in retrospect, that we were really quite fortunate in many ways. Our family didn't have to face any major illnesses or tragedies that seemed too heartbreaking as we grew up. Things didn't start to go haywire for us until we were adults. Then, starting in 2001 with the death of our Mom, everything fell apart.
Our trials and tragedies are at least mentioned, if not detailed, in the rest of this blog, so I will suffice with only these few highlights; after Mom died in 2001, then Patty in 2007, then Mike in 2011, half of our immediate family was gone - in just 10 years. I really miss them.
So, Happy Birthday, Mike! I miss you and wish you could have been well enough to stay but at least you are no longer in a world of pain.
I have loved you all so much! I always will.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Monday, August 06, 2012
Dear God,
Today, God, I ask for strength for my neighbor and her family. She is so young and going through so much right now. Please, Father of all, help her, her husband and their children as she continues with the chemotherapy that will hopefully rid her body of all cancer cells, though chemo always helps at a cost.
Please God, give her older kids the understanding, strength and patience to help their Mom and Dad, to be as responsible for themselves and each other as possible, to help around the house, but most of all, to continue to be unafraid to need their Mom and to love her always.
Please give her husband the strength to always fight for her, to always stand by her, and to defend her from anyone who may not treat her as well as they should in these circumstances. Please give them all a good dose of the "How dare they!" attitude when it comes to rude or insensitive doctors and other medical staff, social workers, and so forth. I think they will need it to get through the second half of her treatments.
God, I also ask that you would help me to continue to be a good neighbor - as I hope I have been - and help me see where I can be of use and comfort to this struggling family. I hope I can be a source of strength and encouragement for them all and I also hope my new friend will be cancer free forever after the end of the chemotherapy treatments.
Amen
Please God, give her older kids the understanding, strength and patience to help their Mom and Dad, to be as responsible for themselves and each other as possible, to help around the house, but most of all, to continue to be unafraid to need their Mom and to love her always.
Please give her husband the strength to always fight for her, to always stand by her, and to defend her from anyone who may not treat her as well as they should in these circumstances. Please give them all a good dose of the "How dare they!" attitude when it comes to rude or insensitive doctors and other medical staff, social workers, and so forth. I think they will need it to get through the second half of her treatments.
God, I also ask that you would help me to continue to be a good neighbor - as I hope I have been - and help me see where I can be of use and comfort to this struggling family. I hope I can be a source of strength and encouragement for them all and I also hope my new friend will be cancer free forever after the end of the chemotherapy treatments.
Amen
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