Christmas Cheer

I Thessalonians 5:16-22
Be cheerful no matter what, pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
Don't supress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

This is a tall order--Be cheerful no matter what. The "pray all the time" I can do because I can't seem to rely on my own strength any more. It is difficult to thank God no matter what happens, but I am finding myself thanking God hourly for Jason's years with us and for Allison and Carson. I thank Him for salvation and for the knowledge that I will see Jason again.
Today I went to visit a long-time family friend who has been diagnosed with cancer. I'm asking everyone who reads this blog to pray for Sharyl Patten. She is in pain and needs relief. This is where the "cheerful no matter what" is difficult. I'm tired of hearing bad news. Sharyl and my sister Phyllis and Tony's brother Randy graduated together in 1965. She and Mary Trahan have gone on ski trips with Cindy, me, and our kids a couple of times. Our boys were especially impressed that someone as "old" as Sharyl could keep up with them on the mountain. Our first trip with Sharyl was in 1999 when we stayed in the infamous Del Norte Motel near Wolf Creek. Let's just say the place was so bad that they gave us a third room at no charge. We laughed so much on that trip that my sides hurt. Jason and Candy, Allison, Jennifer Cofer, Cody, in one room Cindy, Kirby, Carson, and I in another. Mary and Sharyl were supposed to be with us, but there weren't as many beds as we had requested, so they gave us another room. Mary was too tall to stand up in the shower, the outside doors were hollow core, so Kirby and Carson (11 and 12 years old at the time) put furniture in front of ours so they could sleep. What sweet memories.