Monday, March 31, 2014

Dear God,

There was a lot of your love around Riley Children's Hospital today.  I rose early to be with a family whose daughter was having brain surgery.  Together for 14 hours we laughed, cried, teased, celebrated, prayed, hoped, and hugged.  We asked for a miracle and got one.

Although some would say the best news was the removal of 99% of her brain tumor, I would say the greater gift was the love that was passed around all day long.  Two other Riley kids, one with cancer in remission and the other with a brain tumor and their mothers were there, one all day long.  Family members of these kids sat with the family for hours.

Halfway into the surgery another mother whose child was in surgery came around the corner and introduced herself.  She handed the mother a red diamond, a clear crystal-looking gem.  She told us her 15-year-old son Joe believes love is like a red diamond.  In hospice care he wants to give away 100,000 of them before he dies.  She was at the hospital because a second son was having surgery on a fifth benign tumor on his spine.  The mothers hugged with tears in their eyes.

You give us the capacity to love one another, even strangers.  You give us mouthpieces to offer words of encouragement.  You give us arms to use for hugging.  You give us smiles to provide comfort.  You give us bellies to shake with laughter.  You give us words for praying.  You give us hope to give away to others. You give us eyes to express our concern.  You give us hearts for loving those who need it.  You give us the sound of joy when a room is filled with deep sadness.  You give us you to give to those who are hurting.

Thank you,
Good and Loving God,
for your
tender care
and gracious mercy.
Thank you
for contagious love
that spreads
when shared.

Love always, Andrea