As most people do this time of year, I have been reflecting over the past year and thinking about the coming year. For those of you who have known me for a while, you know that 2004 was the most emotional year ever for me. Very suddenly and unexpectedly I lost my Grandaddy and one of my best friends from high school plus three other major events all between August and November. 2006 brought some closure for me. Leslie's murderer fianlly went to trial and should be sentenced this month. As for my Grandaddy's death, time does heal things. A new perspective does also.
I remember sitting with my Grandma at the hospital that October evening and she agreed to let the hospital harvest my Grandaddy's organs for donation. I was so angry. How could she take that away. I couldn't bear to think of him not being whole and complete when we buried him. I never shared my feelings with her and I really struggled with that. Bryan was the only person I chose to share that with. It was all that I could do to not scream out and try to stop her as she spoke to the hospital staff. It is truely amazing how God's hand works in everything.
I was very adamant that I would never make that choice and that I didn't want my loved ones to make that choice either. We should return the way we came. It never occured to me that one day my world would be rocked again, but in a totally different way. Just this week I was thinking about how God has changed my heart on this and I am so sorry that I felt that way. I was never able to tell my Grandma how I felt, and now I know why.
In 2005 a family walked into our lives and changed everything. They are continuing to change everything! As God would have it, circumstances brought Bryan and Sammy together. Soon, we were able to meet Melissa and Isaac. Who would have ever guessed that this family would impact us in such a huge way. After spending more and more time with them, we learned about Isaac's helath conditions. We even jumped "on board the I-Man train" to help raise money for Isaac's medical care in 2006.
This is where my cluelessness comes in to play. Here I was getting involved in advocating for this little guy to have his second life saving transplant. Never once did it occur to me that these transplants would not have ben possible without a family being willing to donate. In February of 2006 I signed a donor card. But again, I never considered that hospital incident. As a matter of fact, it was just this week. Though it was not Isaac that received from my Grandaddy, it was someone. It was someone's mom or dad that had to make that decision for Isaac to have a chance. So Grandma, thank you for being wiser than me and thank you for listening to the Lord's leading. I know that my Grandaddy is still with me in my heart, but he is also with someone else giving them life. Thank you Lord, for showing me how clueless I am. Thank you for opening my eyes to appreciate the beauty of a giving heart. Thank you for unslefishness.
So, I have a new attitude and a peace in my heart for 2007. Hopefully, this will be the first of many new attitudes this year. Welcome 2007!
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