Louisiana Sandusky in Tennessee is aggrieved to learn of her Georgia friend's troubles. She tries to write her a letter of support and comfort during this difficult time.
Friday, December 9, 2005, 10:35 a.m., C.S.T.~
Dear Donna Sue~
I am so sorry to learn of your problems! Please let me know if you need ANYTHING, and if you ever need to talk, know that I am as close to you as the phone or the computer! I will listen, and I will most definitely lift you up in prayer! I am sorry about Bethlehem's problems and that she is back in the hospital! How horrible! You must be shattered! And then your little cousin is born with many medical problems, and it is during times like this if God even CARES. Yes, He DOES care, but things happen for a reason, and even though we can't understand WHY things like this happen or WHY people suffer, the answer WILL be revealed to us in Heaven, and He WILL take care of us! He always does!
I know how it is to have a sick loved one in the hospital during the holidays. Christmas will mark five years since my daughter, Ronee', had her stroke, and from looking at her now you wouldn't even THINK she even HAD a stroke because she looks...well, NORMAL..., but she did, and that she survived such a life-changing crisis is nothing but a Miracle! God has been so good to her, and He still watches out over her...and US! She had her stroke on what would have been her eighth birthday, and she nearly died, but God brought her through, and now she is walking, talking, and just enjoying life! I also have had my son, Johnny, in the hospital, during Christmas (he had meningitis, and he was in a coma), and I also had another son, Anh, in for cancer treatments over Christmas. So I DO know how hard it is to enjoy the holiday when you have loved ones fighting for their lives in the hospital! You don't feel like celebrating, but you know you have to try to go on for your husband's (or for the other kids') sake!
I am sorry about Bethlehem and her infection. That sounds awful! You just never know about these things, do you? I had a friend fall ill after she contracted necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating disease"; it is very rare, but it is very lethal; not many people who have it survive, or if they DO survive, they are left disabled somehow), and she was in the hospital for several months afterwards, just fighting for her life. Her husband found her collapsed on the floor of their bedroom on Christmas Day morning, and instead of enjoying the day with his family, Roberto and M'Buti found themselves at the hospital, where M'Buti was then gravely ill...and they had a baby boy to worry about. And as for your cousin's little baby, Rayne, I will lift her needs on up to Heaven when we go to church tomorrow! I will most certainly put your prayer needs on the prayer chain tomorrow! So you and your cousin will be covered in prayer!
But on to happier things (if this can be done, considering the situations you are facing...): Yes, it snowed here; we got at least four inches of the white stuff, and the kids are home from school, where they are outside, playing in the snow. The storm hit two nights ago, and they missed school yesterday and again today. I am taking a day off from work so I can be with the children since my husband had to work (he got to Wal*Mart okay, he had no problems whatsoever), and I am enjoying watching them make snow angels or snowmen in the snow and watching them have a snowball fight and throwing snow at one another. I can hear their happy shrieks from inside, and it makes me smile! It is cold, really cold, here, and it was all due to that Arctic front that came buzzling on through here! (I personally think that it was Sari and Nikolas' fault, that or Sikik or Jenna's fault, as they all live in the Arctic region of the world!! *Grins*)
There will be other restaurants open during Christmas, not just Golden Corral. But most other restaurants will be closed, and a lot of business will be closed as well. Now, the hospital where I work NEVER closes, but I just happened to get lucky and get Christmas off; and for that I am GLAD, GLAD, GLAD!! Yes, it IS hard to work on Chrismas: last year, my daughter, Stephanie, who was working at the Golden Corral at the time, had to work on Christmas Day, and all she did was COMPLAIN! She was being a regular GRINCH about it! LOL I personally don't care for working on Christmas either, but my attitude is this: people get sick on Christmas Day too, just like any other day; Christmaw Day doesn't make them immune to illness, accident, or injury, and when a person gets sick, has an accident, or is injured, we have to treat them and hope for the best! But it doesn't make it any easier, especially if the preson so happens to be a family member or a person you happen to know! Then the stress level goes through the ROOF!! It is worst when a person dies, but right now we will get off that subject. You don't need to hear that now, do you? I know I don't! (Sheesh, Louie, WHAT were you thinking?? WHERE is your darned stupid head this morning????)
Today I got a beautiful Christmas card in the mail from Kendra Williams, my friend in Soulsbysville, California, and she sent me beautiful pictures of herself and the family. She also sent me some pictures of Felicity, the new baby, and she is such a little doll! She is absolutely aDORable!! Now they have 17 girls!! YIKES! Can you imagine 17 GIRLS?? WOW!! And her friend, Louisa, had HER new daughter, so there are lots of new babies to brag about! :) It is definitely going to be a wonderful holiday for them while others are going through trials, thus, making the holiday season anything BUT bright and merry!
And then there was that plane in Chicago, Illinois, that skidded into oncoming traffic, killing a little six-year-old boy. How tragic!! I just can't imagine the horror and grief that this boy's family must be facing, especially since it happened so close to Christmas! I heard about that today on the news, and all I could do was cry and open up my Bible and pray for that child and the child's family and relatives! You just never know....
Well, I will go now...I am tearing up again just thinking of that little guy's family, and I also have to see to my kids. Rani is crying, and I have to see why she is doing that. I hope she isn't hurt, and I hope that she didn't get into a fight! I will write more later. Take care, and TRY to have a good day! Please keep me posted on Bethlehem's (and also little Rayne's) situations! God bless you always, and know you are in my prayers and thoughts!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your Tennessee friend, Louie May Sandusky. :(
There is no good season when tragedy strikes but I think at Christmas time it is the hardest. You brink stark realism into all of your wonderful writes and shower them with your compassionate heart. Here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year. May God Bless you always as you are doing His work on this Earth by consoling those that are not well who read your stories and are inspired by them.
Moment by moment, with God there is always hope.. not just aiming towards a final outcome, but in the very instant that you need it - a shaft of light in the immense darkness. Standing outside of such situations it is hard for us to see, but often peeps within the most horrific of complications testify that they know and feel God to be present and making them secure. A beacon of encouragement and support, your letters are always a delightful "hands-on" experience which, as Eileen says, not only helps us to appreciate others' dire straits but also causes us to reflect on and be grateful for our own "blessed" states. Bless you and thank you, Kate xx
Karen hardly know how to comment there is so much misery in the lives of those you write about. Yet you always give them hope and things to be glad for. I feel like I'm the most blessed person in the universe after reading this;-)Thank you!
May you have A happy holy holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with all of God's best blessings for you and yours!
This letter needs some prayer ribbon, tinsel and glitter to happy it up. Miracle and prophesy supports this letter. Thanks for the letter today, Karen Lynn.
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