Happy Thanksgiving Day!

BOX SCORE




Element

Current

Std. Range

Trend

Hemoglobin

11.6

13-17

^

Platelets

139

140-375

v

ANC

620

1800-8300

^

It is Thanksgiving day in the United States of America, a tradition that started centuries ago. The day of giving gratitude to the Creator for all that He has provided for us has morphed over time, changed dates, and didn't become an official legal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November until December, 1941, when President Franklin Roosevelt signed the bill passed on October 6th of that year into law to become effective the following year. It is, perhaps, ironic that it was in that same month that The United States became embroiled in the Second World War, when the U.S. pacific fleet was decimated in a sneak attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the navy of Japan on December 7th. Certainly not an event for which to give thanks. Nevertheless, that unprovoked attack did galvanize the American people to join together to defend not only our own nation but free nations around the globe. For that and for my parents' generation, also known as the greatest generation, we can be grateful. 

My body is engaged on this Thanksgiving day in a war against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). And although it is not a situation that I am thankful for, like the greatest generation in WWII, there are things that have come out of this situation for which I am grateful. I think it was President Abraham Lincoln who said, "People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Scripture records the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, which contains theses words: "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) 

What good, you may ask, can come out of a war with AML? Here's a short list:

I thank God for my devoted wife who tirelessly and without complaint ministers to my every need. From taking on tasks I used to do, driving me everywhere, to encouraging me when my spirits sag, Jill has been there for me. I believe God used our first 20 years of marriage to teach us both the meaning of "and they shall become one flesh." In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes, "In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." (Ephesians 5:28) While Paul addresses this statement to husbands, I believe this is a reciprocal statement. He just didn't have to include wives, who by nature tend to be nurturers. So Paul addressed men like me to remind us what a precious thing a good wife is. 

I am grateful for the advancement of medical science that has provided means for treating AML, giving me more time to reciprocate Jill's caring for me. 

I am grateful for friends literally around the world who pray for me and for Jill, as we wage this war. 

I am grateful that, while I am dealing with cancer, most of the time I feel quite well; certainly well enough to thoroughly enjoy life day by day. 

I am grateful that, through this ordeal, God is teaching me, in fact, to live day by day. My history throughout my lifetime had been to look toward the future, anticipating that something better was just around the corner, but I am learning to be present in the moment; to listen to my neighbors when they engage me in conversation and to be available to love them in whatever way they might need at the moment. 

I am grateful for a crazy, mixed-up family made up of my adopted son and Jill's daughters, not to mention five beautiful grandchildren. They have all embraced me with love and compassion. They fill up my heart every time I think of them. I haven't made any contribution to the gene pool of this lovely bunch of people (you are welcome, kids), but they are all part of my heart. 

I am grateful for each sunrise and sunset, as God teaches me that each day is a gift from him; a clean slate on which I have the option to write a beautiful new poem of life. 

I'm grateful that you have read this far! 

I pray that God will bless each of you, dear readers, as much as He has blessed me. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!


 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. TomNovember 25, 2022 at 6:37 AM

    Donalynn, you are such an encouragement. Thank you for that and your prayers. You help me realize why God gave us the church. We are all in this life together! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 26, 2022 at 11:01 AM

    Beautiful thoughts! And we are thankful and grateful for our friendship!
    My thoughts completely on Jill- you couldn't have got a better more nurturing, sweet wife...:)

    ReplyDelete

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