As the end of each year draws to a close, the news media publishes their Top 10 lists of the most important, most newsworthy, the most beautiful, the best movies…. The lists go on and on. While they are mildly interesting and usually remind me of events and people I’ve already forgotten, most of the things on these lists don’t matter a whit in the grand scheme of things.
For most of us, our families’ and friends’ health and well being is what matters; whether we have a job or enough money to keep our house and pay the taxes; whether we’re good parents; whether we have the right words to comfort someone who’s dying or has lost someone dear to them, and whether our country is headed in the right direction. For me, I find myself thinking about so many of you who are fighting cancer, missing loved ones and coping with the blows life throws you. You, and so many others, are my top 10 and more. Daily, I lift each of you up in prayer.
In no particular order:
1. Christine S: Fighting recurrence of breast cancer and participating in a clinical trial.
2. Jacqueline J: Recovering from extensive complications from reconstruction surgery.
3. Lisa P: Breast cancer survivor & grieving the loss of her son.
4. Cindy TC: Her precious husband died Christmas Eve, last year.
5. Jan H: Two-time breast cancer survivor & recently separated from her husband.
6. Bonnie C: Her husband died early this year.
7. Ann L: Has gone through breast cancer alone.
8. Norma M: In hospice care.
9. Ruth G: Her cancer is Stage IV.
10. Linda H: Battling a long-term, incapacitating and undiagnosed immune problem.
11. June McD: In treatment for Parkinson’s.
12. Cheryl R: In hospice care & I can’t reach her.
13. Gayle H: Bravely participating in a clinical trial to treat her breast cancer.
14. Deb T: Has battled depression and recurrence of her breast cancer.
15. Marie O’C: Lost her unborn child and her mother.
16. Anna R: Living with metastatic breast cancer.
17. Glenn M: Recently diagnosed with three separate cancers.
18. Joanie F: In hospice care.
19. Norm H: Stage IV cancer.
20. Philippa K-D: Breast cancer survivor & advocate, recovering from back surgery.
21. Lee C: One of the strongest, wisest women I know.
22. Single working mothers everywhere.
23. Loving, faithful husbands and fathers.
24. Those who’ve been diagnosed with cancer.
25. Those who’ve lost loved ones.
26. Every member of my church.
27. The United States of America.
28. Role models of every age and sex.
