On to More Serious Matters...

Have you ever noticed that around Christmas time and the holidays death seems to linger uninvited? Maybe death is always there, but its presence is more noticeable at a time of year when everyone wishes to be joyous. Not to be particularly morbid, but I have been thinking a lot about death lately, and in response, I've also been thinking about those that I love so dearly. We've had a series of sad events strike us this month, and they continue to weigh on my mind.

My grandfather died on December 10th thirty-three years ago. Now granted a bit of time has passed, but his death always stings because it happened on my grandmother's birthday. This year Josh and I took my grandmother out to one of her favorite places to help her really celebrate her birthday, but there is still always the remembrance of my grandfather on that day as well.

On December 11th our dear neighbor, Jim Hall, lost his battle with cancer. He was diagnosed just before Thanksgiving and the condition progressed very quickly. We've been blessed to have Jim and his wife, Mary, as neighbors for the past three years. They are wonderful people that have shown us so much kindness. Jim and Mary are also the parents of one of my friends from my college years. It was doubly hard to watch a wife lose her husband and a son his father. We are still mourning Jim's passing.

As I write today, my Uncle Billy is on an operating table in Boston undergoing a very serious procedure for two aneurysms in his heart. The surgery is so complex that he has four renown surgeons working together to complete this 12-14 hour surgery. My Uncle Billy is a strong man. He has come through many other surgeries in past years; however, this one is different. It is very serious. My mom and dad flew up to Massachusetts last weekend to visit with him before the surgery; it was good for them to have that time together. Billy is also looking at weeks of recovery in the hospital with it's own risk of infection and complications. We are praying for God's protection over him. We are hopeful and trusting in God that the surgery will be a success. We ask for your prayers today and in the weeks to come.

Also this week, Josh's grandmother was taken to the hospital in Idaho. She was found in her nursing home room passed out on the floor bleeding as she apparently hit her head in the fall. Doctors discovered that she is bleeding internally around her brain and that there is an aneurysm in her brain as well. At her age, the condition is terminal. She imoves back and forth between recognizing people and a less responsive state. Yesterday, Josh's mom and dad left the Seattle area to head to Boise, and Josh is trying to prepare himself for the news that looks to be coming soon. It's particularly hard for Josh at times like these to be so far away from his family.

We share these events so you know what is happening in our lives. As the blog headline states at the top of this page, it's a place to share both life's joys and sorrows. We also share this so you can keep us and the ones we love in prayer during a challenging season. We are grateful for your support and prayers. Death really is a key part of Christmas; Christ came to earth as a human to suffer and die in order for those who believe to receive the gift of eternal life.

So teach us to number our days so we may get a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12