This past month I have been so thankful. I’ve been thankful for the health of my family and friends—new and old. I’ve realized how important it is to have family and friends, especially when it seems they’re all you’ve got left and especially when a family member’s life has been almost taken away.
I’m specifically thankful for the health of my giddy uncle, Greg. In January of 2010, he was diagnosed with stage 2 leukemia and being the age he was and having diabetes, he wasn’t expected to live through chemotherapy and radiation. After a few months of the treatments not working, the exhausted doctors had almost lost hope. The cancer had almost completely taken over his weak, limp body. Their last hope was to find a bone-marrow donator. Finding a perfect match seemed impossible, since the donated bone-marrow had to contain very similar DNA as my uncle
My uncle has two sisters and only one of them was a perfect match for the bone-marrow-donation. This was an easy decision for his sister, Theresa to make. Within a few months of treatment with his newly donated bone-marrow, his cancer had almost completely disappeared!
This past August marked him being cancer free for three years. Although he can no longer go to work—as he is much too weak, he finds beauty and joy in every small thing he does. Whether it is washing a car, cleaning out the garage with care, or even sitting in a lawn chair while watching his hand made sprinkler water his luscious garden, he is happy. He always smiles at the simple things— like driving a car, or seeing his poodle in a new sweater—his joyous, crooked grin is unforgettable. He is so happy God gave him life when he had come so close to losing it.
I do believe that God has performed a miracle in my uncle’s life. Just in time, God saved someone I truly love and care about with all my heart. And even though I know how thankful and blessed my uncle feels every day when he wakes up with his bright-eyed smile, I feel blessed too. Life isn’t about the amount of friends, money, or things you possess. It’s about being happy for the life God has given you, and being happy with it. God kept my uncle in my life because He knew one day I might need someone to look at and be able to remember to be thankful for the simple things.
How He Loves- David Crowder Band (http://youtu.be/2FxaUYjRtkc)