Blood Doesn't Make a Family

In 1997 my doorbell rang and when I opened the door, my world changed.  An older couple had moved into a house on our street and they were walking around meeting the neighbors.  They told us that they moved into a new home area because they wanted to be around young people with families. I invited them in and within minutes I knew they were an answer to prayer.

My grandmother/mother had passed away the year before and I was missing that relationship.  One of the first things Georgia (that was her name) did was invite us to church.  We were already attending a church but we were looking for something else so we went with them one Sunday and instantly knew this was where we belonged BUT that's another story.  Georgia's husband, Bob, was just as genuine and loving as she and they quickly become part of our family.  We had meals together, we did family outings together, they became my girls grandparents.  For the next 4 years we were family.

I remember at a mother daughter tea Georgia was asked to pray for the event.  During her prayer, she thanked God for her daughter, Brenda, who had passed away in her 20s and was in Heaven.  She then thanked God for giving her another daughter, me, who was with her here on earth.  She had become a mother to me and Bob had become a father to Joe.  They were together as much as they could be with Joe traveling so much.  They were loved very much by us and our family.  In June of 2001 Georgia passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack.  I was devastated.  At that time, it was the worst feeling or loss I had experienced.

Bob and Joe became even closer and he became more of a regular fixture in our home.  I can still remember the look of pain always in his eyes.  That is until he met someone and he started having a little kick in his step and that painful look went away.  He and Mary Joe were married and happy for several years until she also passed away.

Bob turned 90 last year and we celebrated his birthday with his family and friends.  He was in good health (as much as you can be at 90) and it was great for me to introduce Mark to him and see them hit it off - old Navy sailors and all.

Yesterday I found out that Bob had been diagnosed with cancer.  I literally felt like I was going to pass out from shock.  He had cancer many years before but had never shown any signs or symptoms of it coming back.

I am just so tired of loosing so many people to this disease.  I have lost so many friends and family and acquaintances to this.  It has to stop.  Why can't we find a cure or a vaccine or someway to stop this?  If you pray, please pray for Bob.  Pray for the doctors who will treating him and pray for his friends and family.  Death is painful for those who remain here - no matter what age the person is.  Pray for a cure.