LSK49rs's blog

I received an email from my friend Kathi. She and her husband Tony are members of the Patriot Riders. Tony is a veteran and the father of a soldier.

Kathi is the woman teaching me to be a good Army Auntie. She writes:

This is the time of year when emails circulate asking folks to send Christmas and holiday cards to 'Any Wounded Soldier' at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.....which, sad to say, you CANNOT do, due to security considerations.
However, there IS still a way to get those cards to recovering soldiers at Walter Reed, and elsewhere.........from the WRAMC website

The American Red Cross again will sponsor a national “Holiday Mail for Heroes” campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers, veterans and their families in the United States and abroad.

The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Wisdom and folly are widely separated, and they are as different from each other as day is from night. He, therefore, who makes choice of virtue, is like one who sees all things plainly, and looks upward, and who holds his ways in the time of clearest light. But he, on the other hand, who has involved himself in wickedness, is like a man who wanders helplessly about in a moonless night, as one who is blind, and deprived of the sight of things by his darkness. - Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus - the Wonder Worker (213-270)

********************************************************

The last weekend was one of incredible mind-stretching study and tons of enthusiasm. I had the privilige of attending an all-day event at St Joe's that featured a 'mission' (so to speak) given by Father Mitch Pacwa.

" Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

For the past few months I have been slugging my way through Ralph Martin's book The Fullfillment of All Desire. My purpose has been to learn more about prayer; in particular I want to learn how to be a better woman and to pray better.

The book attempts to pull wisdom from many of the women and men who have walked this path before me, and I am incredibly thankful that Mr. Martin took on this task. It took the man ten years to write this book. I guess it is ok if it takes me a couple of months to read and digest it.

We met Grandpa Doug after our family had been through another series of losses. Grandpa Leonard had died suddenly (doing what he loved; playing golf) and I had said good bye to one of the women I was priviliged to sponsor in my 12 step program (she had died of alcoholism, hooked up to an alcohol drip in the alcohol ward of a general hospital. It was a slow and ugly death, but I had been given the opportunity to hold her hand while she entered into eternal life. It changed me in a profound way).

Not being the brightest or best of the bunch, I remember thinking "Who is this guy?" the first time he showed up with Grandma Bobby at a family function. Slight in frame, brilliant blue eyes and a great smile, Grandpa Doug was quiet and shy. We, on the other hand, are boistrous and loud on our QUIET days and I seriously doubted whether this man would want to hang out with all of us for long.

Tonight, at 5:0pm, we said good bye to Grandpa Doug.

A wonderful man, Doug married into the family a little over 10 years ago. He took one look at the two nephews and the niece and gladly accepted the role as 'Grandpa'.

Doug took them hiking, swimming and camping. Doug helped raise them. He took the niece to 'train dolphins' at Marine World - a highlight of her life (so far). Tonight, when I answered the phone it was her, sobbing her 8 year old heart out because Grandpa Doug has died.

Grandpa Doug ran. He ran marathons and half marathons, 10ks and 5 ks and every k in between. Doug was always trying to talk me into running as exercise. I can't (I have two titanium knees and I am not supposed to do things like jog and run) but more importantly, I won't - unless something is chasing me. He would laugh, and remind me that as a runner he could eat all the carbs he wanted. Maybe so, but runners always look (to me) like they need a good meal.

Baby Chase lost his fight with cancer at 1:30pm on 10/28/09. However, he won eternal life.

Thank you to all who supported us through prayer during the past year.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.....