I didn’t want to add this to the “Thanksgiving Plans?” thread because due to its nature it would change the tone of that thread. I’ll be cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Bill and I at home, but our son and his family will join us for a full dinner of leftovers on Friday or Saturday since they will be flying home across country on Thanksgiving Day. Our past month has been filled with phone calls relaying sad news from family members.

On October 26 the husband of one of my cousins died while they were on vacation in Peru. Herb had always wanted to travel to Machu Picchu and he finally realized that dream. A day or two later in Cusco (an even higher elevation) he died of an apparent cardiac arrest. The people in Peru were wonderful to my cousin, Linda, accompanying her and assisting with translation as she waded through all the red tape of arranging for returning with Herb’s casket to the USA. Her birthday fell on one of the five days she had to remain in Peru following his death. We were at least able to travel to PA for his burial and memorial service. Of the 16 family members (including spouses) of my generation in our family this was the first death. On the happy side, we did get to visit with family including my stepfather who is now 101 years old. Dad’s knee had been bothering him some but he did not need his cane the day we visited and even climbed up several stairs to get into the restaurant he chose when we took him out to lunch!

Two days after returning home from PA we got a phone call with news that the son-in-law of my sister we stayed with in PA had just been diagnosed with a growth the size of an orange in his brain. My sister and brother-in-law are now in TX with their daughter and granddaughter. Jim’s tumor was removed and the biopsy showed level 3 cancer. After a brief recovery period chemo will be started.

Later that week we learned from our daughter-in-law that her youngest brother (only 27 years old) was severely ill in University Hospital in Seattle. Finally, on November 17, Ryan was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer. Since it has already spread throughout his body all they can do for him is to offer palliative care. Currently this involves radiation of three large tumors in his head to try to shrink them hopefully preventing them from causing mental changes and radiation of a large tumor in his back to relieve pain. Due to Ryan’s prognosis our son and his family all flew out to Seattle to spend some time with him.

Despite all that is happening we still give thanks. We have a wonderful God who is the giver of everything. We see His workmanship and love all around us and recognize that all that we have comes from Him. We never know what circumstances will come our way in the next moment but we still give praise and thanks in all things. Thanks to you for listening.