Thanks

OCTOBER 28, 2011
DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
I KNOW TRISH USUALLY GIVES EVERYONE UPDATES ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU KNOW WHAT YOU, THE CHURCH AND GOD ARE DOING FOR ME.
IN DEUTERONOMY 31, VERSE 6 IT SAYS; DO NOT BE AFRAID OR TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF THEM, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD GOES WITH YOU, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.
THE LAST SIX MONTHS HAVE GIVEN ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HE NEVER LEAVES YOU ALONE AND PLACES OTHER PEOPLE AND THINGS TO HELP YOU OUT.
I AM GOING TO LIST A FEW OF THE HUNDREDS OF INSTANCES IN WHICH IT WAS A TIME I MAY HAVE FELT ALONE OR DOWN AND HE PLACED PEOPLE TO LET ME KNOW I AM NOT. I AM NOT PUTTING NAMES BECAUSE I WOULD MISS SOME BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE.
A CALL FROM A SCHOOLMATE THAT I HAD NOT SEEN OR HEARD FROM IN THIRTY YEARS, A MOM AND DAD TO SET AND WATCH TV WITH AND NOT EXPECT ANYTHING BUT FOR YOU TO KNOW THEY ARE THERE FOR YOU, A HIGH FIVE FROM A FORMER PLAYER ASKING HOWS IT GOING COACH, A CALL THAT IS ALWAYS THERE ASKING WHEN DO YOU WANT YOUR NEXT PAN OF ROLLS, AN UNEXPECTED LUNCH AT CRACKER BARREL WITH A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY, A CALL FROM FOUR COWORKERS JUST ASKING HOW YOU ARE AND BRINGING BACK WARM MEMORIES TO FILL THE HOURS, A FORMER BALL PLAYING BUDDY STOPS TO SEE HOW YOU ARE AND IF HE CAN DO ANYTHING, A FACE BOOK MESSAGE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE GAME I CAN’T MAKE OR GET ON THE RADIO, ANOTHER CHURCH MEMBER IN THE DRIVEWAY SAYING YOU KNOW WHERE I AM AT, NO MATTER WHAT YOU NEED, PICTURES OF A TEA PARTY, A GROWN MAN DRESSED AS A BABY THAT MAKES YOU CHUCKLE HOURS AFTER YOU HAVE SEEN IT, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES FROM HEAVEN, A DOCTORS RESEARCH THAT TOOK HOURS TO EXPLAIN THINGS IN ENGLISH, A VISIT FROM A FORMER CHEMO PATIENT TO LET ME KNOW THAT WHAT I WAS FEELING WAS NOT THAT I WAS LOSING MY MIND, A VIDEO OF A TODDLER LEARNING TO WALK AND MAKING PARENTS CHASE, A SISTER WHO CAN COOK, WEEDEAT AND DELIVER ANYTHING YOU WANT, A NURSE AT THE HOSPITAL THAT TELLS YOU OF HER HUSBANDS UPCOMING HEART SURGERY AND MAKES YOU FEEL SPECIAL, A CALL FROM THE HARDCORE REPO MAN THAT HAS A HEART OF GOLD,AN EMAIL OF A SCHOOL PICTURE OF A KID THAT NOT LONG AGO YOU ROLLED IN THE FLOOR WITH, A DOCTOR WHOSE SON HAS SARCOMA ALSO AND HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, A REPORT THAT NOT ONLY DOES TANNER KNOW HOW TO READ, HE HAS BEEN IN A LIBRARY, A LARGE FAMILY OF HUGS IN WALMART THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T, A PHONE MESSAGE FROM A FEDEX DRIVER TO CHECK ON YOU AND LET YOU KNOW HE IS PRAYING FOR YOU, A FACEBOOK POST THAT TELLS OF A BROTHER WHO SAYS THE COOKIES SUCK WHILE FILLING HIS FACE WITH THEM, A COMPLETE RADIATION STAFF THAT MAKES IT EASIER, A MOMENT WITH A COACHING FRIEND THAT SAYS, YOU ARE HERE, ROLLS WITH FRIEND THAT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF BETTER TIMES, A CALL ON THE MACHINE TO LET YOU KNOW THERE IS APPLESAUCE AND CHILI IN THE FRIDGE AT OUR HOUSE WAITING ON US, A HOUSE FULL OF PEOPLE AND FOOD ON THE DAY YOU COME HOME FROM CHEMO AND YOU DON’T THINK YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, GREAT DAY, A RIDE WITH DAD TO PICK UP A FOUR WHEELER THAT MAKES LIFE SEEM NORMAL AGAIN, FRIENDS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY THERE FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS, CHORES AND WILL EVEN TAKE CARE OF AND FEED YOUR KIDS, NEWS FLASH: CONTRARY TO BELIEF GOD USES ALL THE SISTER –IN-LAWS TO HELP YOU, MOMS EVERDAY CALLS OF WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU AND MY FAVORITE, WHAT CAN I COOK YOU, ANOTHER ONLINE PICTURE OF MY LITTLE BUDDY FROM THE OFFICE, A FOODWORKER AT CHARLOTTESVILLE WHO IS DUE TO HAVE A BABY IN A WEEK SHARING THE EXCITEMENT AND HOPES FOR THE FUTURE, A REPORT THAT JACOB IS A GOOD KID, OH DID I MENTION ROLLS, ROLLS, ROLLS!! OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A LITTLE KID WITH A BIG DESIRE HAMMER ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD, WOW THERE IS A GALLON OF APPLESAUCE AT THE DOOR, I CANNOT SEEM TO GET ENOUGH APPLESAUCE SINCE SURGERY, AN EVENING WITH A KID THAT TALKS THE SIZE OF A GIANT AND HAS THE SIZE OF WAY LESS, A CALL FROM COWORKER FROM PAST AND CALLS CONSTANTLY TO SEE IF HE CAN COME DO SOME THING FOR YOU, A CHANCE TO SET ON THE PORCH WITH OLD FRIENDS AND TALK ABOUT THE MEMORIES, THE HAIR COMMENTS OR LACK THERE OF COMMENTS, EMILY POSTING REPORTS OF MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS AND INTERVEIWS, DREAMS OF LONG NIGHTS IN THE SAND, RIDING SHOTGUN IN AN AMBULANCE AND A WALK WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE ON, CARDS FROM CO-WORKERS A STATE A WAY SAYING HANG IN THERE, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, A VISIT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS FROM MICHIGAN, A VISIT FROM A COUSIN NOT SEEN IN WHILE, A PICTURE OF A GRANDAUGHTER ALL GROWN UP, A PICTURE OF A NEW GRANDBABY, HEY THAT TREE YOU NEED CUT IS NOT ONLY DOWN BUT CUT UP, OH THAT TREE IS NOW SPLIT, A 30 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, ANOTHER EMAIL WITH SCRIPTURE OR FAMOUS PERSON SAYING, A SON –IN-LAW TO HELP WITH HOME MAINTENANCE, FAMILY WITH FOOD, SHAKES AND ANYTHING YOU COULD WANT, A SHOT IN THE ARM ON A LONG FRIDAY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT NO DOCTOR COULD GIVE, DOG PETTERS, DOG WALKERS AND PEOPLE WHO GO OUT OF THE WAY TO CHECK ON OUR ANIMAL, SOME EVEN SIT WITH THEM,A REPORT ON THE GAME, NEW GRANDKIDS, MORE PICTURES, A BIRTHDAY PARTY ALL THE WAY FROM MICHIGAN, A CALL FROM WHEN DO YOU WANT BISCUITS AND APPLEBUTTER, A TRUCK IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH A FRIEND TO SHOOT THE BREEZE AND PASS THE DAY, GREAT BROTHER –IN –LAWS, MY KIDS, MY KIDS,MY KIDS!!!! A PICTURE BEST DESCRIBED AS BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, SURPRISE VISITS, FOUR WHEELER FIXERS, A 10:00 CALL FROM A DOCTOR, WILDLIFE PICTURES, A TRIP TO SAM’S REWARDED WITH SMILES, LAUGHS AND A SEAT.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF INSTANCES GOD HAS HAD HELP IN KEEPING ME COMPANY, THIS COUPLED WITH MY KIDS AND TRISH’S 24 HOUR LOVE AND CARE KEEPS ME ROLLING ALONG. EVEN WHEN THESE THINGS ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE MIDLLE OF THE NIGHT, GOD IS THERE TO LISTEN AND IF YOU TAKE THE TIME, YOU MAY HERE BACK.
CANCER WAS NOT MY CHOICE, BUT I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM TRULY BLESSED MORE THAN I CAN EVEN COMPREHEND. TAKE A MINUTE AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES.
IT WAS SAID THAT WHEN YOU HIT ROCK BOTTOM, THERE IS NO WHERE TO GO BUT UP, I DON’T THINK I WILL EVER HIT BOTTOM BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE GIVING ME A LIFT.
LOVE AND THANKS TO ALL,