Hi Friends,
I recently attended a memorial service for my cousin’s grandparents (on the other side of the family). They passed within two weeks of each other, but this was not unexpected as they were elderly and had been struggling for a while.
The memorial service was a good celebration of their lives, and a good reminder to invest time in things that matter – such as your faith, family and friends.
I was also reminded how “good” I have it compared to many people, even now, who are struggling through life. They were both born in Ukraine on struggling farms, and thanked God each day they had a roof of their head and food in their belly, as that was not always a given.
As an example, my cousin’s grandpa faced a horrific situation when his dad was taken from his home by the Russians and was never seen or head from again. So his mom had to survive raising 3 young kids on a rural farm, but even that changed when the Russians invaded, and the family had to flee to Germany where they were refugees. The two met in refugee encampments, but eventually got out, married and had a kid, but things were still a challenge. They decided to leave and go to America with a baby and one on the way, arriving only with some clothes in a trunk and not speaking the language. Through hard work and determination, they made a great life for themselves and eventual 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.
Makes me thankful and grateful for the life I have had and helps me appreciate the struggles many people have gone through and are still going through. If that is you, my hat is off to you.
So, a good celebration of life, and great reminders from a fantastic couple.
Take care,
Brian