tragedies always seem most tragic at Christmas.

within the last 24 hours, i have learned of two tragedies.

one, a triplet mum in michigan who died during delivery due to complications. never got to hold her two new daughters and son. http://www.woodtv.com/global/story.asp?S=7527243 amniotic fluid got into the bloodstream.

second, this morning at 7.30 a friend of mine died of cancer. a brave friend who held her husband, son and daughter many times, who had been battling various forms of cancer on and off for years. she used to live in our building, and the family also attended our church. we served on the fellowship ministry team together. odila and i had lunch together with her in late october.

and i also learned that a health scare i had, is for now, dormant.

so here we go…bits of a little poem that i have loved.

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your health instead of your wealth;
Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

xo

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7 Replies to “”

  1. Maureen aka Mo (Grandmother) December 23, 2007 at 3:59 am

    Ah honey, I am so sorry to hear about the death of your friend as well as the loss of the new mother of triplets. Thank for your reminding us of those words from that poem.
    Much love, M xox

    Reply

  2. Dad aka Granddad Blake December 23, 2007 at 9:13 am

    One comment that haunts me is not appropriate to the 2 events you reported but is a cynical comment on human nature ” people don’t read the writing on the wall until their backs are against it”.Not a warm message but one that causes me to look around from time to time to see what me what warnings should be noted.
    Love to all….Dad

    Reply

  3. this is the second triplet mom to die in childbirth that i’ve read about this week (the other was in las vegas i think). i feel so sad for the fathers who now have to go it alone with three newborns.
    my condolences on the loss of your friend. it’s never easy, but nice to know she had the chance to say good bye. it doesn’t ease the pain now, but will be a cherished memory in years to come.

    Reply

  4. commando kiddlet December 24, 2007 at 3:09 am

    hey tess, so sorry to hear about your loss. sending hugs from afar. xox

    Reply

  5. Hugs to you, Tess. I’m very sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you.
    Thank you for the poem. Words we all need to remember.

    Reply

  6. So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. Losses seem so much harder this time of year. I hope your heath scare continues to be a non-issue. And to your father, whom I would absoulutely LOVE to meet some day… how absolutely true is your statment sir.
    Merry Christmas and all my love to you and your family!
    Carrie in Minnesota

    Reply

  7. sad for you Tess, and for those families who have lost moms.
    You and your trips are a real miracle story with everyone being so healthy and perfect. Hard to understand Him sometimes but easy to always love Him.

    Reply

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a 34 year old mother of four.

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7 Replies to “”

  1. Maureen aka Mo (Grandmother) December 23, 2007 at 3:59 am

    Ah honey, I am so sorry to hear about the death of your friend as well as the loss of the new mother of triplets. Thank for your reminding us of those words from that poem.
    Much love, M xox

    Reply

  2. Dad aka Granddad Blake December 23, 2007 at 9:13 am

    One comment that haunts me is not appropriate to the 2 events you reported but is a cynical comment on human nature ” people don’t read the writing on the wall until their backs are against it”.Not a warm message but one that causes me to look around from time to time to see what me what warnings should be noted.
    Love to all….Dad

    Reply

  3. this is the second triplet mom to die in childbirth that i’ve read about this week (the other was in las vegas i think). i feel so sad for the fathers who now have to go it alone with three newborns.
    my condolences on the loss of your friend. it’s never easy, but nice to know she had the chance to say good bye. it doesn’t ease the pain now, but will be a cherished memory in years to come.

    Reply

  4. commando kiddlet December 24, 2007 at 3:09 am

    hey tess, so sorry to hear about your loss. sending hugs from afar. xox

    Reply

  5. Hugs to you, Tess. I’m very sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you.
    Thank you for the poem. Words we all need to remember.

    Reply

  6. So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. Losses seem so much harder this time of year. I hope your heath scare continues to be a non-issue. And to your father, whom I would absoulutely LOVE to meet some day… how absolutely true is your statment sir.
    Merry Christmas and all my love to you and your family!
    Carrie in Minnesota

    Reply

  7. sad for you Tess, and for those families who have lost moms.
    You and your trips are a real miracle story with everyone being so healthy and perfect. Hard to understand Him sometimes but easy to always love Him.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ABOUT AUTHOR
WANTED FOR BLOGGING

a 34 year old mother of four.

RECENT POSTS
BREAD AND THE BAD BIT

Are sandwich letters a bad thing? You know sandwich letters, you’ve received one before, everyone has. They’re an impersonal form of rejection. Think back to

More precious than silver

Love comes in many forms. It isn’t my dad’s birthday, and it certainly isn’t Father’s Day, but today I want to dedicate my blog to

ohhh…THAT blue dress girl

monica lewinsky was on the cover of a magazine the other day. she is a person i have a great deal of sympathy for. bill

Water: essential or a loved luxury?

when i first moved to hong kong in may 1997, charles and i were had student loans and virtually no capital. his contract was ending

Face it, its a facelift

This weeks’ cover of people magazine sees hollywood babes denigrate plastic surgery. they all do. yet no one is getting older in that celluloid, cellulite