At church Sunday at the Vail Church we had testimony from a young women who had gone through these kind of trials. It is only apt that I should receive this from one of my Choices buddies- Sandy Valenzuela. Thank you for sharing this with me.

“If the mountain was smooth you couldn’t climb it.”

For people who have been moved to tears by hearing Amazing Grace, then you should get some tissues ready.

Have I said yet, or told you that Suzy always knows what’s best for me? Sometimes in unimaginable ways.

My nephew Scott was being married in St. Louis. I was invited. I had been fussing about whether or not to go. The cost to fly from Denver to St. Louis, the drive down the mountain, the time off from my busy work schedule… and on and on.

Of course I wanted to go be at Scott’s wedding. I had heard wonderful tings about Scott’s betrothed: Denise (confirmed), how charming her family was (confirmed), how big her family was (conformed) and how much fun the day was going to be (it was).

I was able to spend time with my mother (I danced with her), my two sisters Cathy and Patty (Scott’s mother), my two nephews Scott and Michael and my two nieces Katie and Jenny. All grand and glorious events.

What I didn’t expect was to meet Val.

Val is a long time friend of my sister Patty’s. I have been praying for Val off and on for 5 years. Val made it to Scott’s wedding only a few days after having surgery to have a brain tumor removed. This was the second or third occurrence of cancer in the preceding 5 years. Val is a small woman with a smile and an attitude that fills any room she is in with her goodness. I sat next to her at the church and at dinner. She was so kind and generous, even laughing at my silly attempts to get her 10 year old daughter Reed to laugh (something about trying to convince Reed during the wedding ceremony that the backlit case to the right of the altar was a popcorn machine, and that they would be serving soon… well you had to be there).

So an hour at the church and a couple of hours at dinner, I sat beside her eating my humble pie.

I didn’t know what to say to her. I wish I could have said something of comfort to her… anything. I had nothing. I didn’t even think until the very moment of writing this to ask God for something to say to her.

So now I will write it.

Val I will pray for you. I will keep you and your family in my prayers for as long as I have breath. I do know that my prayers will abide in you as the Holy Spirit abides in me and that my in-eloquence will be changed to eloquence.