“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV
I must say that every Thanksgiving was a day I looked forward to with
much joyous anticipation. It was the one day of the year when family
were all at the same table sharing what they were thankful for. (Sometimes
I might even be mentioned on the list.😊) Our baby girl, Lacey, at about 6 years old told me Thanksgiving was always her favorite holiday of all time.
Lacey treasured her own recipe book given to her by Aunt Joyce. She and I loved cooking together in our kitchen. Two of our favorite recipes became homemade cranberry relish with walnuts and oranges (oh so good) and our coconut squash casserole – a family favorite recipe from Aunt Joyce. We spent quite a few Thanksgivings at Uncle John and Aunt Joyce’s home on Blessing Hill.
On Thanksgiving of 2002, Lacey had just turned 14 and was so excited to be 14 years old. This was to be the hardest day of our lives to be thankful for anything. It was late morning and we were baking to soon be on our way to Blessing Hill when dear Lacey fell ill with a severe headache and couldn’t walk. We immediately left for the ER where she was quickly taken from us in a helicopter to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. My dear husband and I had to drive as there was no space for us in the helicopter. We were terrified at this turn of events.
Being told she had a horrific tumor in her brain stem and would not live… maybe not even to the hospital…was devastating news. All I could hear was my dear husband quoting Psalm 23…all the way to Philadelphia as both of us were praying and pleading for the Lord to save Lacey’s life. We cried, prayed, pleaded for her life and it was not how we hoped it would turn out. Our beautiful Lacey Richelle was taken to Heaven by the angels who surely carried her home as she was too young to travel alone.
To tell you I was thankful on that day would not be true, however, I can tell you today how thankful I am for 14 years with the most amazing daughter we could have ever imagined. She is a treasure still as we know she is safe, protected, healed, full of joy and knows, as we do, that the Lord
who brought her safely home will also bring us to be with Jesus, with her and with her dear brother Matthew forever and ever. May our Lord be praised for all He has accomplished in our lives through this great loss.
In EVERYTHING give thanks for this is the WILL of God in Christ Jesus concerning you and me. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (emphasis added).