The last two weeks have been something. A Thanksgiving for the ages!I’d like to tell you a brief story about 3 of my friends. Really, three stories. One is from California and the other two live here in Eugene.Curt is 41 years old, married with 2 great kids ages 8 & 5. Curt is a diabetic who doesn’t take very good care of himself - eats what he wants and pump the insulin. Consequently, he had had a kidney transplant a few years before I knew him, while I was living in Avenal, CA. He’s a public school teacher who taught my daughter’s high school chemistry class and helped with the student ministry at the church. When we moved over 4 years ago I lost touch with Curt & his family. Oh an occasional email and Christmas cards let us know we were doing fine. But that was about it. Last week, while the Ducks were being feasted upon by some Wildcats, my phone rang. A mutual friend shared with me some news that took my breath away for a moment. Curt had died the day before. He still hadn’t been taking care of himself. His diabetes went out of control. But the information that I got was that he chose to not take his meds. He’d taken his own life. Apparently, life became hopeless for Curt. Unbearable. Depressing. Apparently there were some family issues as he and his wife had been separated since early fall. I immediately thought of his kids. I felt sadness and anger. They celebrated Curt’s life last week in Fresno, CA. in a memorial service at the church he’d been a part of.Let me introduce you to Bette. Bette is in her early 70’s and is originally from California. I met Bette and her hubby, Rick, here at Emerald Baptist. I clearly remember her phone call about 3 years ago, inquiring about the church. As the story goes she thought she was calling another church and was confused at who she was even talking to. But Bette and Rick worshiped with us one Sunday morning and they never left. Rick and Bette gave me a pick up truck - a 2500 Chevy Silverado. They just up and gave it to me! I drove that truck into the ground. Bette is gifted as an encourager. She said she loved my sermons (but then who wouldn’t?) and loved my family (again, who wouldn’t?). She faithfully sends me cards that she makes on her computer - birthday’s, anniversaries, holidays, even Valentine’s Day! Her words truly lifted my spirits.On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, I got a call from Bette’s daughter-in-law letting me know that Bette suffered a massive stroke on Thanksgiving night and was in ICU at Sacred Heart. I dropped what I was doing and raced to the hospital to be with the family. Bette lie there sleeping, nothing the doctors could do but keep her comfortable. Surgery was out of the question as the hemorrhaging was too bad. I spent a half hour there before leaving. Two hours later Bette’s son called me and let me know that she had died. My little encourager, my card creator, was gone. I was o.k. until I went back to visit with Rick, and seeing how broken he was to lose his lover was too much. I fought the tears and maintained my composure. I guess it isn’t until now that I write this that I’ll let the tears flow. Bette will be buried in California this week, in a graveside service near Riverside.And then there’s Brandon. Some of you know Brandon. After he graduated from Churchill High School two and a half years ago he and a few friends went to China for almost a month to visit. While there, Brandon got really sick - sick to the point of being hospitalized with heart failure. He was hit by a viral infection, the coxsackie virus, that nearly took his life. It took over 3 weeks for the doctors to stabilize him for travel back to the states. Once he arrived back home he was admitted to the OHSU in Portland where he stayed for over a month in ICU and CCU. But Brandon got better. Through medication they were able to help Brandon regain his health. he was able to go back to school and maintain a healthy quality of life. Truly a miracle!But over the last month Brandon got sick again. He was retaining fluid and during one of his visits to the cardiologist at OHSU they admitted him to try and reduce the fluids. They did. He lost nearly 60 pounds of fluid alone! But what they discovered is that his heart was just not functioning properly. One test they performed over several days showed that the pressure in the heart is not where it should be and that the only alternative was considering a heart transplant. After much consultation with his cardiologist, Brandon, decided to go on the heart transplant list. Finding a heart that would match could take 12 hours or up to 6 months. Brandon would have to stay at the hospital until a heart could be found. That was November 12th. On Sunday, November 25th, 13 days after being put on the list, a heart was found for Brandon! The irony is that we, the congregation, found out during worship! WOW! I can honestly say I have never been “in church” when news came that a heart had been found for a friend. What a celebration! However, the sobering fact of a heart transplant is that one has lost their life in order for another to live. After worship Joan and I headed for OHSU where we stayed with Brandon’s parents, family members and friends in the waiting room. The Burton’s were surrounded by love and support from family & friends. After more than 6 hours we were told that the surgery was a success!I just now got off the phone with Brandon’s sister who tells me that Brandon is sitting up, visiting, eating, and very cognizant of his surroundings. Truly miraculous!Indeed it has been rather busy lately but truly I have seen the face of God through death and life. This was a Thanksgiving weekend I’ll never forget!Happy Birthday, epinoia cafe! You look mahvelous at age 1!