A new faith for a new day...

I have been asking people to join me in praying for several children with cancer. One of these children, Matty, passed away gently and peacefully last night. His story and that of his family is an amazing journey of faith and how we should live our lives as parents and as people. They have restored my faith in a good and loving God. I would ask that anyone who would like to sponser Sandy's walk in June, do so. This will be hard for her, since it will be the first fundraising walk she does alone and without her precious son. Matty's page can be found at this link.
http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=matty

I have been in a state of low burning anger ever since Don lost his battle to cancer. I had seen miracles happen to others and I never once had a moment of doubt that Don would be healed also and that we would have many happy years with him. For some reason I was thinking of miracles in terms of people deserving them. Don was one of the greatest men I had ever known and if anyone ever deserved a miracle it was him. When I saw Fran at church on Tarah's birthday I told her of my conflict and she told me, "but Ginger, he was healed." He was a strong and proud man who would not easily show his pain but it was there. He fought a great fight and deserved to take his place with God.

I forgot the simple truth, that we all die. I still have no anwers as to why some people are taken young and others pass on of wonderful old age. I learned a lesson that began with Don's couarge and was helped along by Fran's faith. Matty and his family brought home that lesson for me. The lesson is this. We all die and it is not that death that defines us but what we do with the time we are given. We must do our best to show Love. To our familes, friends and to those whose lives we come into contact with for what ever reason. I only hope that when I am gone that those around me can say that I loved everyone as much as I could, that I used each chance I had to make this world a better place for those around me. I have known more joy than most people ever do and I only know that because I have known the depths of pain that destroys lives. I have been to the abyss and been given a second chance at life. I would not trade one single day of my life, for it is the good and the bad that make me who I am.

I have always been a shy person and when church opens service and people are called to greet each other in love, I wanted to crawl under a chair. It actually used to prevent me from wanting to go to church. Now it is my favorite part. I have learned from those around me what it really means to share God's love. I can say with a full heart that I love people in a way I was never able to before. When I tell someone in a service that Jesus loves you and so do I, I mean it with my entire being.

My prayer tonight is for those in pain to feel peace and love. Thank you to everyone who gave me back my faith with the example of their lives. I only hope that my life will bring hope or joy to those around me.