Easter Sunday

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25-26

I am overwhelmed today with many emotions.

THANKFUL: I am thankful that another Easter has come with our family still intact. Each moment is a blessing to us all, regardless of what challenges we face. None of us knows what our future holds, and we are eternally grateful to our Lord for keeping Brian’s health at bay for him to be able to spend yet another holiday with us; for that matter, we are blessed to all be healthy.

SADNESS: I am deeply saddened and missing my mom terribly. Sometimes I feel like a little girl, left at school for the first time, or a young girl who is homesick during a sleepover. I guess it doesn’t matter how old you are, you sometimes just want your mom. Easter 2006 was the last time our family was together with my mom; and although there have been many great times together since then, today is a reminder that life goes on without her. April 20th will mark her one year death anniversary. Each day as signs of the season pop up around us, I remember how much my mom loved spring.

HATRED: I hate cancer more and more each day. Last night, in the hours leading up to Easter Vigil, another young life was lost to cancer. Little Kyrie Thome (my cousin’s 19 mo. old niece) was swept from her mother’s arms into the arms of our Lord, into Paradise where there is no suffering…no cancer. I have mourned the loss of my mom as a mother, and friend, but also as a grandma; and I just know she is up there in Heaven, enjoying Little Kyrie, as her own family did here on Earth. We offer our prayers to this young family as they work to find peace again.

ANXIETY: The hours are passing today, and each one brings us nearer to the 10 a.m. MRI tomorrow morning. This test will evaluate the success of the stereotactic surgery in January. We pray diligently for a break in the suffering for Brian, for a chance to return to a normal life.

BLESSED: Every moment of the day, I seem to find myself focusing more and more on God, and less on cancer. Brian and I both work tirelessly to put our trust in God, to turn this burden over to him completely, to let God carry us. We are blessed to be together, and to have the kids to love and enjoy. We are equally blessed to have great family on both sides to love and care for us, now and always.

All these feelings are mixed with the realization that today is actually the day…the day that we were all promised eternal life. That is something cancer can’t change and can’t take away. For that, I will focus my life.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter season, and a renewed focus on the Cross.
Jenni