Mary's Birthday

Today is Mary’s (my sister) birthday. I think of her a lot these days. This past fall her husband, John, was diagnosed with colon cancer. He is one of those persons who should have had a colonoscopy before he did. Now he is undergoing treatment for cancer that has spread to the liver and lymph nodes. John's body is broken; Mary's heart is wounded. This was not in their plan for this time in their lives. Fortunately, they are surrounded by family and a wonderful church family. Their faith is strong, but being tested. Fear and frustration, tears and tension, anger and anxiety intrude into their days. However, John's determination to do all the right things - physically, mentally, and spiritually - has given us, his cheerleading team, courage to face the days ahead. So family events, like birthdays, become very important. They become the milestones on the journey. Tonight, as Mary enjoys a nice dinner at a favorite restaurant, my prayer is that they can live in the moment with laughter and love. Happy Birthday, Mary, and I love you, John.