"C"

Cancer - boy, does that word turn things upside down! My mom and dad got that word injected into their vocabularly yesterday morning. No one in my family has ever had it, and you sort of feel that is a little extra buffer against it! Obviously, that assumption is not to be trusted!

It's interesting, some folks I have known immediately blame God, as if He is sitting up there looking for someone to zap. My first thought was that I am so glad I have a God who cares enough to hold my hand through whatever comes. That is incredibly comforting.

They don't know much yet - not how bad, if its treatable and if so, how. That is all stuff we will find out in the next few days I imagine.

Several of you put dear messages of hope and encouragement on my page - thank you, thank you! Morning Glory and husband called us last night to make sure it was ok to ask for your prayers. My goodness YES!! Nobody ever had too many prayers said for them!! We will take all we can get!!

Just so you have a picture of him - his name is Don Smith - one of the most loving men I know (and that is not just because he's my dad!). He goes out every week after the trash truck comes and takes all the trash cans in for all the folks on their street - he says they all go to work every day, and that is something he can do for them to lighten their load! He is 82 and was on the first salvage ship to sail into Pearl Harbor. He was raised on his dad's tug boat on the Southern California coast, was a contractor and also worked for several of the big home building outfits in the southland. He and mom have traveled in every state in this beautiful country - mostly by truck and trailer - and usually by the scenic route instead of the highway! He and mom celebrated their 60th aniversary in January. They are still lovebirds! He has had a very interesting life. It was hampered in the last few years by having to go on kidney dialysis, but only hampered - they have been very active and just make arrangements for dialysis out of town when they travel! The last couple of months we knew something was slowing him down - he has been having trouble breathing - hence the tests. I tried to post a picture of him, but the site is not cooperating today - oh well.

Thank you for continuing to remember him in prayer - I don't know if God will heal him or just help us through, but I know He is always right here with peace and wisdom available for the asking.

Blessings, Grandi