As I sit here this evening waiting for my delicious salmon burger to cook up, reflecting on recent tragedies in our world, it got me to thinking...thinking about the statement "love wins" - a very culturally embraced statement. While my mind so completely REJECTS what the culture embraces related to this, the statement is a very true statement. In a completely different context and connotation than the culturally accepted "love wins", yet a very true bare bones statement - love did in fact win - over 2,000 years ago on the cross! Jesus Christ, laying down his life for the sins of ALL - the sins of ALL who will believe in Him - that is true love! Love wins in the face of any tragedy we can ever face! Death and tragedy are swallowed up in the victory of Jesus, even when this world seems to have the last word! Even when our eyes cannot see His goodness, love wins!

I stood in the middle of the hospital room, thankful I could hide my tears, looking at the look of sheer panic on my dear Mom's face as the doctors said they see a mass, not only in her brain, but several masses in her lungs. I brushed my hand over my face, gripped her shoulders, said to her, "Mom, that doesn't mean anything, maybe it is an infection the scans are picking up. It will all be ok." But, deep down in my heart I knew otherwise. I blinked...and suddenly my whole world had changed. That is just how life happens - in the blink of an eye, life takes a 180. On the heels of celebrating the Savior's birth, a most merry Christmas...and just like that, ringing in the New Year with life altering news. Stage 4. Lung and Brain Cancer.