On My Mind

Mostly my blog posts are about the various happenings in my life and occasionally a little smattering of what’s on my mind from time to time. Lately my mind has been preoccupied with many things, mostly heavy; heavy enough that I haven’t been very tuned in to what’s going on around me.

What’s on my mind?

Mostly this…

My cousin Sonja’s family (pictured above) received some terrible news a few weeks ago. Their 9 year old son Steven (far right) was recently diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg and has just begun his first of many, many weeks of chemotherapy.

And, as if that wasn’t bad enough…

…Sonja’s sister Alisa (pictured above during our trip to Paris in 2009, which we took to celebrate her successful battle with cancer, round #1) has recently learned that the awful Melanoma is back in her leg, and she is now facing yet another round of cancer treatments and an uncertain future.

I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to be either of these two cousins of mine. You can get a tiny glimpse into their experiences by reading their blogs, which I’m so grateful they are writing to keep us all informed. Sonja’s and Alisa’s blogs are available, if you can stand it.

I love these two cousins of mine, very much, and my thoughts and prayers are with them and their families daily.

Also…

As you all know, my parents are serving a mission in Christchurch New Zealand. They were there in the middle of the recent earthquake that destroyed so much of that beautiful city and surrounding areas. My parents are fine and safe, but so many of their friends have lost much. Things won’t be the same in Christchurch for many, many months.

My thoughts have been with these people as I’ve considered what this will mean for so many of them. You can read more about the earthquake and after effects on my parent’s blog. My mom does a good job of keeping as all informed.

My parents are still having to boil water for drinking but they can now flush their toilets sparingly, which makes my mom very happy. Some of their friends though…not so lucky…

…for example, their friend Miriam and her family are living in a tent in their backyard, afraid to go into their house which was so damaged by the earthquake.

These recent events, and a few others I won’t mention here, have left me often lost in thoughts about the fragility of life. We are truly in control of so very little. People’s lives can be turned upside down after 60 seconds of the earth’s quaking, or one, earth shattering diagnosis from a doctor. Life is precious and precarious. As much as I don’t like that thought, it’s good (and a bit scary) to be faced with that reality from time to time. It helps me to remember who is ultimately in charge, and in whom we must place our security and trust. Placing our trust in God, is the only way to find true peace in this fragile life of ours.

Of course this is sometimes easier said than done, especially if you’re a control freak like me, but  I’m working on it, and praying hard too.