Thankfulness With a Heavy Heart

Last night my sister-in-law called to let us know that her daughter's husband, Patrick, will be transferred from the ICU to hospice care when an appropriate placement can be arranged. That will probably be the first of next week.

Traumatic brain injury from the Columbus Day car accident coupled with subsequent strokes and other complications combined to make the doctors' recommendation that it is time to say goodbye to him.

We'll have Thanksgiving with a heavy heart, but with gratefulness nonetheless for the grace that abounds when family, friends and acquaintances support our precious niece Carol and her five year old daughter Annie and our family as well as Patrick's family.

The picture here is one drawn by my niece, M.E., in her preschool class the Thanksgiving after she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The kids were asked to draw what they were grateful for and M.E.'s teacher wrote the message for her on the picture.

My brother (her father) emailed this to me last week as a reminder about what we should be truly thankful for. What a timely reminder! M.E. passed away in 1999 at the age of 9 after battling cancer for 4 years. Yet she had a mature faith that continues to inspire us and comforts me today as we have another Thanksgiving anticipating loss.

Paul tells in his first letter to the Thessalonians:

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." 1Thess.4:13-15

This Thanksgiving, like M.E., we are thankful for Jesus and the promise of eternal life.

Making My List, Checking It Twice!

QG'S THANKSGIVING EVE CHECKLIST:

Smoked turkey-check
Fresh turkey-check
Creamed corn and sweet potato casseroles from Junior League of Houston-check
rolls from JLH-check
Silverglade Salad--ingredients in fridge
Stuffing--ingredients in pantry
Pecan Pie-ingredients in pantry for Babs
Toffee Pecan Pies--in route from San Antonio
Pumpkin Pie--in route from San Antonio
Carrot Cake--being made at Portia's
Apple Pies--being made at Portia's
Paula Deen's Mashed Potato Casserole -ingredients in fridge (don't even ask what's in this, just eat it and enjoy!)
Homemade cranberry sauce--in route from San Antonio

Wine, beer, water, soft drinks in drink refrigerator.

READY, SET......GO!!!!

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving To-Do List, Checkin' It Twice

This afternoon we're off to the bay house to celebrate Thanksgiving with 17 to 20 people ( no one knows for sure) and 5 dogs.


So I'm making a list to be sure I get everything in the car I am responsible for contributing:

-meat, salad, bread for dinner tonight
-Olivia's allergy-free salmon/sweet potato chow (that's why she's called Shrimp Breath)
-ingredients for killer sweet potato casserole for T'Day
-wine and coffee and milk
-jackets
-dog beds, leashes and harnesses
-books to read
-better attitude (see below)

I'm looking for a better attitude to take along because in the midst of all this I have to get a set of keys to Portia's place to Babs so she can get Portia's mail. Portia should have taken care of this before she left for her in-laws, IMHO. This means getting the keys made and then a round-trip drive into Houston that I didn't need. But packages are getting stolen from behind her gate so we need to check on it.

Praying for help to set aside the petty irritations and enjoy the big picture,
QG

Presbyterian Pie Parade

This weekend we're getting ready for the Presbyterian Pie Parade at our church. Members have been asked to bake and bring Thanksgiving pies on and $25 Wal-Mart gift cards on Monday and Tuesday to the fellowship hall.

Donors are encouraged to write notes of encouragement and caring to accompany the pies, which will be boxed up and driven by anyone who can help with the Parade on Tuesday to Galveston for distribution to those who are still struggling to rebuild their lives after IKE. The city's largest employer, the medical school and center, just announced massive lay-offs necessitated by the economic burden of that disaster. Many who survived to this point are now out of work in a difficult job market.

We're planning to bake our pies Sunday and freeze them so they will be fresher. I'm thinking pecan and chocolate brownie pies travel well. I'm so thankful that we had little damage from that storm and can join in the Pie Parade!

Now Thank We All Our God

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Lunchus Interruptus

El Jefe and his partner, the Prince of Darkness (so-called because of his penchant for emailing in the wee hours of the morning), were having lunch yesterday when suddenly a large Mexican pot fell from a second story railing and hit POD smack on the head, felling him on the spot.

Blood streamed from his head and mouth as everyone in the restaurant jumped away in horror. Blood spattered everywhere and shards of broken pottery flew like bullets from the impact. A woman seated nearby gave El Jefe her business card in the event an eyewitness was needed.

Security guards immediately called 911 and POD was taken off on a stretcher, a neck brace in place around his head, to the ER. His wife later reported that after extensive testing he was sent home with 6 stitches in his head, a massive headache, and a vow to stay home from the office for the day.

El Jefe was still shaken by the incident last night. What a close call for POD and for him, and after the events at Virginia Tech...well...it adds to the general feeling of tension. We're very grateful to God this morning that POD has no permanent injury and that El Jefe was spared.