Day #3 of The 30-day Giving Challenge - Cancer and a hot meal

When I arrived home from Africa, I learned that sadly, one of our neighbors had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I don't know this neighbor well, but we're friendly and would say hi at the pool during the summer and wave in the neighborhood. I do know that she's young, a wife and mother of 3 children. She's a daughter and probably a sister. She has friends and family that have all been affected by her diagnosis. The scope of cancer goes far beyond just her or her immediate family. I hate cancer.

Another neighbor has rallied together the neighborhood to support this woman and her family while she's undergoing Chemo, doing what she can to support her through allowing people to sign-up to bring meals during the week, especially on Chemo days.

So last night, I had the privilege of preparing and bringing a meal to my neighbor and her family. It wasn't much, just a homemade chicken pot-pie, a salad and a chocolate pie, but she and her family were so gracious and so appreciative.

Her head was wrapped with a silk scarf, as she quietly explained that she'd already lost all of her hair. And that although she had a wig, it was more comfortable to go without. I can't even begin to imagine what that must feel like.

As I pulled out of her drive-way, my eyes welled up with tears and my thoughts immediately went to my grandma. My mom's mom was diagnosed with cancer at age 50, a few years before I was born. She fought courageously and even after a long bout of remission, lost her battle 15 years later. I, too, remember the silk scarfs that used to wrap  my grandmothers head when she was sick and having treatments. I remember seeing my grandmother, truly the most healthy women I have ever known, grow smaller and more sick as the cancer slowly took her life.

And even though my beautiful Grandma Johnson had cancer and was in and out of remission for the entire time that I had with her, there are two things that stick out to me most about my grandmother, two legacies that she left for me.

First, she left a legacy for Jesus. She didn't just call herself a Christian or "spiritual" (gag), her life spoke volumes to the fact that she loved the Lord and she was a true servant for Jesus. When she asked Jesus into her heart and gave her life to him, it not only changed her life, but the life of her entire family and in ways that she'll never even know. Because then my mom became a Christian. Both her and my grandma began to attend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and were even leaders. Then my mom brought me to the children's program of BSF and in May of 1982, at the age of five, I accepted Jesus into my heart. Fast forward to this year and I led my own five year old son to Jesus. My grandma loved Jesus and made sure that everyone around her knew just how important that her relationship was. She understood that even though it's a personal relationship, it not a private one. She knew the power of Christ and wanted to make sure that no one missed it. Talk about a legacy for Christ.

And even more, I spoke to my mom just yesterday and she has started BSF again. She thought that her leader looked familiar and when she went to speak with her, she found out that her leader not only knew my grandmother, but talked about how much she enjoyed her and most importantly, how much she loved the Lord. Hearing that made my day.

The second thing that I remember about my grandma, especially when it came to her battle with cancer, is that she never played the victim. Sure, having cancer was brutal and something that eventually killed her, but she knew that God had a plan for her life and she wasn't about to succumb to the, "Woe is me. I have it worse than everyone else" syndrome that is so prevalent today. I never heard my grandma complain, but I do remember seeing her on her knees in prayer. I'm positive that she struggled, but she ultimately laid it has feet. Even in the midst of her own battle with cancer, she gave of her time and her heart. She was always volunteering or at church. She lived and died with cancer, but made sure that the world knew she was victorious through Christ, not a victim of her circumstances.

Next month marks 20 years since my grandma went to be with the Lord. I miss my grandma.