A bad couple weeks in the life of E

Man, it just seems to be more and more junk happening. Mostly trivial stuff that means nothing, but still bugs me and gets me down. Here's the jist...

With my grandma passing, and not having any grandparents besides my grandpa (mom's side) left, it just got me thinking about death all that much more again. Not in a morbid way, but in a thoughtful, and still a little bit sad way. Then two days after she passes, I find out my grandpa now has prostate cancer again, and it's in the bone most likely this time. I could tell in the recent photos that something just wasn't right. His face seemed more tired. Of course, it could be just him in thought like I sometimes see my father-in-law, Brad, when he gets all his children together in one house, and just thanking God for the moments. And then this past Friday, B's cousin Kim went in for brain cancer removal surgery, so even though I knew she'd be fine, you just never know, and so she weighed heavily on my mind.

On the more stupid side of things...the Hawks lost their bowl game, and then even though I knew the Chiefs would lose in the playoffs, they got whooped, and I just hated seeing them go out like that. I thought while driving to church today, that Iowans almost have to relegate to the fact that we'll never win a championship for a LONG time. No one wants to come play basketball for Iowa except in-state kids, or Community College kids who want a shot to play D1. Our football team is great, but still, we just can't recruit top tier talent like OSU, Texas, etc. Even though our coach is probably one of the top 3 coaches in all of college football.

Then today after a great service at church, I get home and feel something is missing but can't put my finger on it. Then the light in my head turns on and I know what I'm missing. My bible. The one my mom got me two years ago, and the brand new bible cover with the "Footprints" bible cover that B got me for Christmas. I take care of my stuff, and appreciate the things I'm given. Especially when it's a bible and bible cover I really wanted to have. I felt like junk today, and the cold I have just topped it off.

B said to me just now "You can't start your 2007 with a journal entry like that." She's right, so I'll flip the script on everything above and turn it to a positive.

The trivial...the Hawks and Chiefs may not have won anything, and probably won't for a while, but 1) they made the post season (HA HA BRONCOS AND CLONES FANS!!!)...2) be appreciative that although those two aren't powerhouses, they provide excitement and a glimmer of hope each brand new season that comes around.

The more serious...Grandma may have passed, and I have thought about her every day since her passing, but I have no doubt that she is in Heaven now, and I can't even begin to know what marvelous things she is experiencing! I've heard it said best that "this life is a test, for the real fun that lies ahead."

Grandpa may have some form of cancer, but he has survived cancer before and I know he can survive it again, but even if he doesn't, he's left his mark on many people that he'll never know.

Kim, B's cousin came out fine in the surgery, and they were able to remove everything cancerous, but still...what an amazing woman, and her faith is evident to anyone who knows her. Truly another vessel of God, when she displays the faith she has in the Father.

And lastly, my lost bible. Hear me out on this, and why I saved it for last. My mom had something she got a few months ago that she had to give to someone, but didn't want to because she had fallen in love with it. She felt God telling her to give it up, because someone needed it more than she did. While I didn't feel that (I left it on the roof of the van after worrying more about getting my children in the van and buckled, instead of getting hit by cars), and I am SICK over losing it, if I don't get it back, I pray that God some how puts it in the hands of someone who needed it. Someone who sees the "Footprints" poem on the front and it touches their heart. Someone who needs to feel God's love in their life. I will continue to think of it that way, because God's Word has a way of going out and not coming back void.

May you all be blessed this week,
E