When Life Interrupts

In not too long, the retired missionary would be gathered with his children and grandchildren for a Christmas Eve tradition wherein he would do an annual reading of the Christmas story.

He never made it.

Perhaps he was distracted thinking about his family being together when he missed a stop sign and was killed…

…There’s something about this story that always pains me. Christmas is an example of a time of year when life is heading in one direction, and a holiday tragedy seems to hit with greater impact. That’s the premise behind the 2011 book, A Decembered Grief: Living with Loss While Others are Celebrating. I haven’t read the book, but the title really says it all: Everyone around is hard-wired for celebration while you are facing great sadness. Needless to say, I’ve recommended it many times to people who find themselves in that or similar circumstances.

So why do I bring this up in May?

Prayer Request

We have some friends who we’ve known since moving to this part of the world 28 years ago. Their son was to be married this summer in a location ceremony in Puerto Rico. On Saturday morning she messaged me,

Asking you to pray … Andrew’s fiancé was just diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer this week. She starts chemo next week for 6 months. Then surgery and potentially radiation. This will depend on genetic testing and bone/CT scan results. We are all overwhelmed… Very difficult journey ahead. Please pray.

Then I was overwhelmed.

I decided today to ask my readers here to join the chorus of people praying for Carly; for this young couple and all their extended family. I know you don’t know her, but I find I just can’t write about anything else today. The trajectory of their lives was toward celebration and new beginnings and then this. There are many other people who received diagnoses last week, but this is the one I know about and sometimes all we can do is pray for the situations that God allows to cross our paths.

Thanks.