This morning, I received a text simply saying "I don't know if you heard yet but, Dr. Anderson passed away." Now let me just explain a little. I come from a small town of about 400 people. Grew up in a small, rural, tightknit old school that doesn't exactly have all the bells and whistles of some of the newer, bigger, wealthier school districts. Everyone knows everyone... well. Dr. Anderson was one of my several childhood doctors at the local doctors office. And lets be real, all of us in Carroll/Lithopolis region went to the same doctors. Dr. Anderson also went on to be the President of the Bloom Carroll school board when I was in high school. He was always around, never forgot your name, and always encouraging.
April 29, 2006 was my 18th birthday as well as my Senior Prom. Dr. Anderson and his wife chaperoned. My date was especially close with the Anderson family at the time so we spent some time talking with them, and enjoyed the evening. The next morning at church, we all received the news that Dr. Anderson had had a very serious stroke. He would never be the same. The stroke left damage that left him in a wheelchair, unable to do much for himself. He lost a lot of weight and became unrecognizable to all of us. The hardest part of it all was that he was completely mentally stable, but physically incapable of taking care of himself...
I've lost touch with the Anderson's since I've been in college, but the news still hit me real hard this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with the Anderson family...
The hits just keep coming... I can tell I'm getting older, cause it seems impossible to go any length of time without someone getting sick or even dying... I guess its just a matter of the attitude I choose to take with it all. I could lock myself in my room, cry my eyes out, question God's presence in all of this... OR I can take joy in the fact that A)-Yes, my aunt passed away but now she's no longer dealing with the pain and discomfort that she'd given her best effort to fight through... B)-Yes, Paula has leukemia and that SUCKS, but she has kept that beautiful smile on her face through it all and been SUCH an encouragement to every single person that has heard and will hear her story.. AND Remission! Rock on Paula! You're a champ! ... and C)- Dr. Anderson is no longer with us... and the wound is still very fresh... but as unbelievably cheesy as it may be, there's a silver lining to every cloud... People were touched by him and the work he did... And he will not be forgotten...
Hard, weird, out of balance days will always sneak up on me and try and catch me off guard... The best I can do is try and Count it all Joy.. be content..
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall..."
Psalm 55:22
