My Family....A Strong Foundation!

October 22 - Today, I have pondered on how important my family is to me. First and foremost, I am so blessed and grateful for my parents, Doris and John (Jack) Taylor, my brother, Mark and his wife, Laura. I am so thankful for all the wonderful times we have shared over the years as family.

My dear Mother died in September of 2004 and we think of her often and smile as we remember her deep love for people and life. Ironically, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, 1 year and 11 months exactly, from the time she went on to her eternal life with our Lord. As Dad says often, I am just like my Mother. That is so true! I am grateful for all she gave me of her being as I feel likewise about my dear Father.

My sweet Father has been struggling with some major health issues over the past couple of months. He has been living at a nursing and rehabilitation facility working on recovering from a challenging stretch of illness in August and September. He has been working very hard to regain his strength and ability to walk with confidence after being out of commission for this period of time. He is doing better daily and hopes to return home in the near future.

One of his goals was to be at Homecoming at Trinity Church, Chocowinity. Dad was invited to be the preacher to share his celebration of 50 years of ministry. Dad was ordained to the diaconate on July 2, 1956 at Trinity. To preach was to come full circle from his beginning of ministry launched from that church. Dad did a grand job preaching reflecting on his early years of ministry with a marvelous sense of humor in his stories.

A marker was placed in a brick sidewalk noting Dad's ordination at Trinity by Zack Taylor, a distant cousin and his parents, Karen and John Taylor. It was very neat for him to remembered by the Taylor's.

FAMILY gathered to join in the day. Members of our extended family....nephews, their wives and a son, a niece and cousins shared in the day. Mark and Laura, his wife and I were so thankful that we could be together with our immediate family as well as the extended family of our church communities. Some of my friends from Greenville joined in the day with my family too, Vicki and Richard Peterson, Emmie Jenkins (Vicki's Mother) and Mimi and Craig Quick.

What a day of blessings for our family of the church! Their prayers of support and love are so deeply felt and appreciated. Thank you all for making Homecoming do very special!

NOTE: This event was 3 weeks after my mastectomy followed 3 days later by my second surgery for additional lymph node removal. It is amazing how in the midst of physical strife great joy can be had in one's life! I am so blessed!