For the past couple of weeks it might appear to you that I forgot I had a blog, but rest assured, I did not. I have been wanting to submit a post for awhile now...I just haven't. Shame. As most of you know I have been in Georgia and working like crazy. My trip to Georgia was beyond amazing. Ever since I was 9 years old, I have been visiting my Grandparent's in Georgia, Greensboro to be exact, and I love spending time there. They have a house that is about 15 minutes away from downtown, it is a nice break from Austin because you are surrounded by nothing but trees and the lake. I rarely got on online, which as you know is not in my nature, and I hardly texted or even made a phone call....I learned that there is life apart from technology. This trip meant a lot to our family and definitely differed from the others that we took over the past several years.
In September my grandpa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, very soon after he had surgery and the doctors were able to remove it. After a long stay of 21 days in the hospital he returned home and tried to continue to live his life as normal as possible. We knew this visit would be different, we knew that he wasn't going to be as active or be able to do as many things with us like we were used to. We didn't know that this trip would change things in our family even more...
On my Grandparent's 53rd wedding anniversary my grandpa had a doctor's appointment in which he discovered that his cancer spread to his liver and pelvic area. Despite the pain and hardships that they are facing, they were still able to praise God on such a meaningful day in their lives. My grandpa sat down the entire family, cousins, aunts and uncles included, and taught us a lesson that I will never forget. He taught us about the importance of praying for others.
When we say we will pray for each other, how often do we do it? I mean really do it. Do you pray for someone like you would pray for yourself or do you pray for them as if you were scratching them off your list of requests? My grandpa has many people across the US praying for him...they are praying for his healing and he is thankful for that because there are days when he can't pray for healing. He can't pray for healing because he has yet to see it. It is natural, I don't think of him any less for sharing his confession, I only see him as a stronger person. He is strong because he can talk to God and ask him with an honest heart for him to take him.
Could you honestly ask God for him to take you? I couldn't. I love the LORD, a lot, but I am still learning not to be selfish. I am selfish because I'd hate to leave my family, my church, and my friends. I know that heaven would be a million times better, but I don't think I could ask for God to take me. I am not to that point yet of not being scared and I think that's natural.
In the words of my Grandpa, "When you tell someone you are praying for them, do it, because they might be at a point in their lives when they just can't do it anymore." So if I ever have the privilege to be praying for you, I will pray for you like I do when I pray for my Grandpa's healing, because who knows you might be at that same point where you too feel like giving up.
Love you!
Traci
