Come In My Pretties

Mom's outdoor decorations for October were not her usual display this year. However, we managed to get her glitzy witch wreath hung and Hillary helped make her front porch even more festive for all the neighborhood trick-or-treaters. I have to say that her Halloween wreath completely epitomizes her personality. Wouldn't you agree? It's whimsical, FUN, creative, outgoing, sparkly, colorful and generous. It brings a smile to my face and a little chuckle when I picture her in her element working away with a glue gun. 

I love so many things about her amazing wreath but I especially love the perfect little sign saying "Come in my pretties". Mom has always had a wickedly funny sense of humor. Can't you just see her smile, feel her welcoming nature and hear her laughter? These are things we cherish about mom and will never forget. 

Let's be real about some of the awful side effects of brain cancer. There are many debilitating physical aspects of brain cancer but there are also heartbreaking side effects that rob individuals of their personality, ability to communicate, and desire for social connection. These are all things that have been innate characteristics of mom throughout her life. She has always welcomed and cherished friendships. We've talked a lot about the blessing of friendship in this life. I'm a firm believer that God placing us in certain places at certain times to make connections with certain people. I've seen this in my own life but I witnessed it in my youth just over 35 years ago when our family moved to WA. Mom has always had a gift for making friends but it wasn't until after that move to WA that I began to understand the eternal nature of faithful friendships as I saw my mom make connections with women of faith.  Since then I have come to appreciate more fully the valuable role faithful friendships take in our lives.

We are all familiar with the saying, "when it rains, it pours." PNWers are quite familiar with the reality of the phrase. In all honesty, it feels like we've been experiencing a downpour since January. We've had small waves of a light drizzle here and there but it has mostly felt like a never-ending dreary rainstorm. Life can be like that. And it's very easy to get so overwhelmed by the downpour that we don't realize what's keeping us warm and dry. An essential article of clothing needed when living in the Northwest is a good rain jacket. It provides a thin layer of protection from getting soaked. We have had so many gentle reminders of this layer of protection gifted to us by an ever-loving God. I've been pondering this layer of protection and have seen evidence of it in many ways. Answered prayers, heavenly help, priesthood blessings, strength to meet challenges, and guidance from the Spirit have all been apparent throughout mom's brain cancer journey but faithful friendship has been an added measure of protection that we have experienced. Without a doubt there has been a sustaining power that has come from the love, faith, and prayers of friends and family. 

It reminds me of the account in Mark 2:3-5 where four friends brought their paralytic friend to Jesus. This was faith in action at its finest. They removed the roof so they could let their friend have access to Jesus and His healing power. It was their beautiful faith that Jesus saw. Faithful friends have a way of helping us carry our load, remove debris in our way and access the healing power of the Savior in our lives.

Mom has had the blessing of so many faithful friends and has had the chance to visit with many of them over the last ten months. I don't have pictures of everyone but please know you are treasured and loved.  Thank you dear ones for your continued service, love and prayers. So come on in my pretties! Get a hug. Laugh and cry. Let's continue to embrace His light together.