Let Us Be Thankful (part 3)

"For all Your goodness I will keep on singing,
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."
[matt.redman]

Well, I knew that this whole "write something you are thankful for in a blog post each day" wouldn't work out so well. Life has been busy and crazy with the thanksgiving holiday. With the month coming to an end, I will try and sum up this 'series' with one of the most important things I am grateful for...

family

Some people love the thanksgiving holiday because of Black Friday shopping and getting good sales for future presents. I find it funny that only in America will people trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have. Although the whole concept of Black Friday shopping is fun, I personally have always enjoyed spending the day with family and eating yummy food. And this isn't just normal yummy food - it's Cuban food, which is a thousand times better than the regular traditional holiday food. But most of all - even more than the food - I enjoy recounting the many ways that God has blessed us over the past year. We have much to be thankful for.

I have always been grateful for my family. But over the past 7 months once again my appreciation for my family has grown. I know that everybody says that their family is the best. Well, this is my chance to brag and tell the rest of the world that my family is the best. I have already said how through this process my parents have been unbelievable. I can't even imagine what they went through emotionally when they found out I was sick. The first few days being back home, my dad spend many hours researching about Medicaid and Social Security, talking on the phone with people, driving to meet with people, and dealing with all the legal stuff that just goes over my head. My mom has been by myside the whole way. She has had first hand experience of my emotional break downs, my sickness, and my ever-changing food cravings. They have both been incredible examples of encouragement during this time and I could not be more grateful for them. And my brother? Well, he has a gift of making people laugh. And he is good at it too. Basically, I love the 3 of these people so very much.

lady & sons restaurant || savannah, ga || july 2009

I have not only been blessed with wonderful parents, but a wonderful extended family. And when I say extended, I mean extended. Being part Cuban, I have second, third, fourth cousins that I haven't even met. Or I "met" them as a baby/toddler and obviously 22 years later have no idea who they are. They try to explain it to me, "Oh, I'm your dad's second cousin's niece..." but I still just smile and wave and think I understand what they are trying to tell me. On my mom's side of the family there are some of her first cousins that I've never met as well. But whether I have met them or not doesn't mean they don't care for family.

As family we have made many memories. Sitting in our living room watching Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure while my uncle scares the butterflies out of my brother and I when we were little. Or how about when we were on a family vacation at the beach. And after dinner we all piled into our van and dad drove off a 3-foot ledge.

meadows of dan, va || thanksgiving 2011

Or how when we were at my cousin's graduation from the University of Virginia it poured. down. rain. I think that we were literally soaked down to our undergarments - and that is with ponchos on. I have always said that when I graduate from college/grad school or whatever, I was going to pay them back and pray that my graduation is outdoors and it rains...just so they can feel the pain we went through.

they could be brothers. its ridiculous.

These are only a few memories in the crazy life of my family. And although they are crazy and fun, they would do almost anything for their family. During my 6 months of treatment, my uncle who lives in Nashville would send me hand-made cards. Most of them were characters that he created and he told a story through them. These characters were different cartoon birds, and the main characters were penguins [which happen to be my favorite animal in the whole world]. Close friends of my cousins in Fairfax would send me things in the mail [aka: food. chocolate. it was wonderful]. Close family friends would visit and bring me a bag of goodies to bring laughter and to keep me happy at my many trips to Hopkins.I have never been more loved by my extended family.

But this blog post would not be complete if I didn't take time to express my thanks for the way my church family has been an encouragement to us during this time. When we were tempted to be discouraged about finances for treatment, biopsies, medications, etc. the generosity of my extended family and the people of God was unbelievable. Their generosity has been overwhelming. Not only with their gracious financial support, but also bringing home cooked meals during treatment weeks.

And most of all, I have been so blessed by all the wonderful cards of encouragement from family members, friends, church family, the youth group that I serve at my church, my students at Mason LIFE. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about the way they have cared for me and my family through their encouraging words. Many of students at the private high school I attended took time during their beginning homeroom class to pray for me. At a family wedding over the summer one of my dad's cousins came up to me and told me that his two youngest sons prayed for me every night. I even received a 3-ring notebook from my elementary school choir teacher filled with notes and scripture verses from her current students encouraging me. Little kids who don't even know me, who have never met me, saying that they are praying for me. That my friends, is the love of Christ at work.

encouragement notes from my caregroup

surprise gifts from friends

But more than earthy cards and gifts that will one day fade, the thing that has gotten me through this season of life - besides God, my family, and modern day medicine - has been your prayers. My parents and I have said many times that we have felt the prayers you have prayed carry us through the hard times during these past 7 months. I believe with all my heart that God hears the prayers we offer up to him. And even though I am done with treatment and officially in remission, I am overwhelmed by how many people I talk to still say they are continuing to pray for me as I am gaining back my strength.

So, thank you. Thank you to my immediate and extended family. Thank you to our very dear close family friends. Thank you Covenant Life Church, Sovereign Grace Church of Fairfax, Sovereign Grace Church of Roanoke. Thank you to my dear caregroup and friends on the admin team. Thank you to my co-workers and students at Mason LIFE. I could not have gotten through this trial without your love, care, support, prayers, and encouragement. You do not know how much you have blessed me and my family. And most importantly how you have displayed the glory of God through your generosity. I only pray that I would become more like each and every one of you who have been so gracious to serve us these past 7 months.