Reminders...

The past few months I was reminded once again how life can change so quickly. I have been sitting at my desk, and thinking how important it is to live each day to the fullest, and never take for granted how blessed I have been.

The Thursday before Christmas I had a wonderful visit with my neighbor Linda. She had been having some health problems but had fought her way back and was feeling good. She had AFib and a very rare spiral break in her arm. Linda is a classy and humble woman. She had grown older gracefully and is so beautiful at the age of 85. She and her husband Jay served three mission together. A few days after our visit she had a hemorrhagic stroke. Once again she fought to get better but passed away Tuesday. Even though she had lived a long life it made me sad. I know Jay will miss her and had held out hope she would have more time. But Linda got her ticket home and Heaven got the sweetest angel.

I have mentioned before that a teacher at my school has a son that is fighting kidney cancer. Mikey was diagnosed at 4 months of age. With treatments the cancer was is remission. But a few months ago a tumor was found again.

Many of us wore orange last week for kidney cancer awareness and to show our support for Mr. Corless.

The doctor recommended Mikey have immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the patient's own immune system to fight cancer. It works by activating or enhancing the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. One treatment costs $32,000 dollars. Mikey has had one treatment and was scheduled to have a second but was denied until a complete payment was made. I’m not sure why insurance would not cover this. 

This past week a few parents organized a fundraiser to help pay for the treatments Mikey needs. Over $5,000.00 was donated and a parent at the school made up the difference, so Mikey went in for a second immunotherapy treatment on Tuesday. Unfortunately it didn’t go well because he kept pulling the IV out. Hopefully it still did some good. He needs two more treatments then it’s expected he will have surgery to remove a section of his kidney where the tumor is. It feels heavy sometimes but we all have prayed, and tried to support this beautiful family. I was grateful that I could along with several other Lincoln staff help Mr. Corless move into a larger home a few weeks ago. They have been living in a small condo with no yard so this change will make a difference.

Then another example of how quicky life can change came last night. I had picked up Grahm for Grandma Day, the other boys were not feeling well. 

"Pickle" ball game, it's so fun!

I have had these daipers in my emgency tote that I keep in the trunk for many year now. I finally decided to take them out. I have enjoyed every stage of the Grands lives but they sure are growing so fast.

I got Grahm an early Valentine's gift, his favorite animal is a snake!

Tiffani called me later that night to tell me that a father on the basketball team that Grahm’s team would be playing today was killed in a roller over crash two days ago. He was only 46 years old. Tiffani asked me to tell Grahm what happened to prepare for the game. Grahm put his hands on his face and said he felt sad. We hugged and I said a prayer for the family. 

Grahm and Grandpa holding hands as they walked into the school for basketball game.

Jake Shoff played basketball at BYU and always wore a white sweatband during the games.

The Schoff family

To show support for his son Max, all the boys on both teams wore white headbands. There was a moment of silence before the game began. 

Grahm is such a gift to us, as are all our grandsons.

I felt emotional several times as I watch Max play. He’s a good athlete and got several baskets. Grahm said he hoped the other team would win because it would make Max feel better. I fought back tears thinking of this family now coping with such a huge loss, and the overwhelming task of moving on.

How does one fight the good fight, and stay positive, and maintain some control, when so much is out of your control? I will never fully understand why bad things happen to good people. But I always look the scriptures and words from our leaders of our church for more understanding.

Elder Holland, put it this way:

“For every infirm man healed instantly as he waits to enter the Pool of Bethesda, someone else will spend 40 years in the desert waiting to enter the promised land. For every Nephi and Lehi divinely protected by an encircling flame of fire for their faith, we have an Abinadi burned at a stake of flaming fire for his. …

“The point? The point is that faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed in our behalf.”

Sometimes we just need to hang in there a little longer!

And then from Elder Renlund, “Some unfairness cannot be explained; inexplicable unfairness is infuriating.” “Even so, there is always hope! Jesus Christ overcame the world and ‘absorbed’ all unfairness. Because of Him, we can have peace in this world and be of good cheer. If we let Him, Jesus Christ will consecrate the unfairness for our gain.”

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, Jesus Christ is the strength—and the source of peace—for us all.

What I have seen these past months is the goodness of others who come together to offer service, to mourn with those that mourn, and to help bear one another’s burdens.

And so I will keep trying to live each to the fullest, to offer service, and to have more faith.