My friend, Kathy Clay, was buried today. That was NOT today's good thing.
Kathy was one of the first women I met when we started attending Concord Baptist Church in 1996. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer around that time, but she recovered and we all thought it was history. We talked and she asked for prayer when she had a follow up appointment. Since I had a bout with cancer, too, she knew that I understood the uneasy waiting every time there was a test. She had a lot of good years with no problem -- but then there was that test that did not have the results we wanted to hear. The cancer was back. And all the treatments and chemo and doctors could not make it go away. But through it all, she kept her faith in God and was a blessing to everyone. She came to church every time she felt well enough and was an active member in our "women of Hope" organization and the church choir. She wrote sweet comments on Facebook and was so loved by her family and friends. I already miss her -- we all will miss her.
But when I spoke with her daughter, Jessica, yesterday, she told me about her mother's journals. Kathy had written in her journals for many, many years. And every entry started with "Today's good thing..." Even when she was suffering, she was writing about something good every day. I have been thinking about that all day. What a difference it would make if we daily looked for the good things that happened! Kathy made a difference in many lives, but those 3 words --- "Today's good thing" --- will continue to make a difference in my life. I intend to follow her example and look for the good every day.
Today's good things were many hugs from my kindergarten kids, a good doctor report, and warm handshakes from my church family. Thank you, Kathy, for the example you set.
