It Was His Amazing Grace

The year was 2003. I had know Idea how much pain was coming my way that year.

It started in April when my mothers sister died suddenly in her living room. She just stood up from watching tv to go into the kitchen and dropped to floor dead. This was shattering to the family. We all loved my aunt very much. This was when God put his hand upon us as individuals and as a family. He knew what we didn't know, that this was going to be the hardest year that any of us would endure.

In May my mother was diagnosed with end stage lymphoma and placed on hospice. I took a leave of absence from work so I could care for her. She wanted to die at home surrounded by friends and family. After a rapid deterioration of her health, my mother died quietly in her bed the morning July 6th. She went home to be with her Lord and Savior.

On July 17th my grandfather died at his home and was soon followed by my grandmother on August 12th.

October of that same year my cousin Susan's beloved husband checked into the hospital because he was feeling extremely tired for about a week. He never came out of the hospital. He died of liver cancer that he had no idea he had.

Needless to say, by this time,our whole family was at the edge of despair and we weren't prepared for the next blow. Susan's sister, my cousin, inexplicably died in her sleep a few weeks later. A little valve in her heart had collapsed.

Just before Christmas that year, my sister's husband was diagnosed with incurable and inoperable liver cancer. How much more could we as a family take? How much more loss could we individually stand?

Well, this is were God's amazing Grace is revealed. When my Aunt died It brought a splintered family back together. Her children had many differences that had caused a rift in the family. The grief of the loss of their mother caused them to put their difference aside so they could be a support for their father and one another.

When my mother was dianosed with terminal lymphoma it gave me an opportunity to show her how greatly loved she was and to get to know her as a person instead of just "mom". What an amazing strong woman she was. So Talented and giving. I strive each day to be more like her.

When my Grandfather died, We thought about how much we had already lost and we embraced the importance of family. We all make so much more of an effort to nurture the remaining relationships.

When Grandma died we came to understand that after more then 60 years spent with grandpa she had completed her journey and was ready to go home to the Lord.

When my cousins husband so suddenly left us, we knew how important it was to rally together to be a support for Susan and to cherish those we love because we have no guarantee that they will be with us tomorrow..

After my brother in-law received his diagnoses of terminal liver cancer the whole family got busy to help him have the best care possible and because of this here it is 7 years later and he is alive and kicking. We have learned to pray on one accord..

As I look back on the year of 2003, I can see the grace of God Holding up a family that was wounded beyond what most have to endure. And I see where his hand has drawn us all closer and closer to him and to each other. Through our darkest hours God was with us providing strength and comfort as he wiped our tears.

Thank you Lord For Your Amazing Grace .