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Month: September 2010
Happy Birthdays!!
I’m a neglectful mother. I thought about it, but I just didn’t do it. I didn’t write special birthday posts for my darling children who celebrated their special days on the 22nd and 27th. But fortunately, their creativity and love for each other provided just the material for you to catch a glimpse into our crazy family. On an ordinary day, I am the proudest mama going, but after seeing their greetings to each other, I’m not quite sure about that anymore!
Here is the poem that Lauren wrote for her beloved brother:
yo bro
So do you wanna laugh or cry? I’m doing both!
Thank You!!
Over $160,000 was raised, and more will be coming in over the next few weeks, likely bringing the total to over $200,000. Since 100% of the money raised goes directly to research, this means that a study will be fully funded to help find a cause and/or cure for this insidious disease.
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Dear friends,
Within the past few years, our family has lost 3 very dear cousins and friends to pancreatic cancer. The loss of Ron, Allen and Jerry has affected us deeply.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is less than five percent – a fact that has not changed in 30 years despite significantly improved survival rates for many other cancers. Although pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths, only 1% of federal research funds are focused on this deadly disease. The Lustgarten Foundation is working to change this unfortunate situation. Their mission is to fund the scientific and medical research needed for diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of this disease. 100% of all donations go directly to research.
I will be joining our family in participating in the Ron Weber Walk for Life on Sunday, Sept. 26 at Bergen County College in Paramus, NJ which raises money to support the Lustgarten Foundation.
If you’re not busy that weekend, come join the walk that honors our cousin Ron’s legacy. Come alone or bring a friend or other family member – together we can make a difference! All donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to walk with us, feel free to join us by signing up online at http://paramuswalk.kintera.org/ : click on the logo for “Register.”
If you cannot participate, please make a financial contribution, for which I would be very grateful. You can donate directly on my personal webpage at http://paramuswalk.kintera.org/panzica
Please help us to ensure that patients and their families have a fighting chance so that we can provide them with the kind of hope Ron, Allen and Jerry never knew.
I cannot thank you enough for your friendship and support.
True Hospitality
Today, I am once again thankful to be a guest over at Lynn Mosher’s blog, Heading Home. Please be sure to check out Lynn’s blog and her series on “How To Behave Like A Christian.” My post is based upon Romans 12:13b “…given to hospitality.”
Three large tables were set as I walked into the women’s meeting:
* The first table was Martha Stewart perfect with fine china, starched linens, gleaming glassware, sparkling silverware.
* The second was comfy casual with paper plates and plastic utensils.
* The third table merely had a large paper grocery sack with a bag of chips in it.
As the women filed into the room, they filled up the paper sack table first. The paper plate table ended up half-filled. Not one woman sat at the Martha Stewart table.
Such was the speaker’s intention. Her topic that day was hospitality. And it was wildly apparent that comfort trumped perfection.
For a long time, I was disobedient to God’s call to hospitality. I refused to welcome friends to my home unless it was straightened up, perfectly decorated, a showplace. But I’ve since learned that people feel much more comfortable when a home appears lived-in.
As much as I love to learn new recipes and crafts, I believe Martha Stewart has done a grave disservice to women everywhere.
Hospitality isn’t about the home. It’s about the people in it.
Perhaps the Scripture passage most often used to discuss hospitality is the familiar story of Mary and Martha. (Luke 10:38-42)
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus, often hosted Jesus and His followers when they were in Bethany. I’m sure the arrival of these frequent guests, though welcome, required much work for their hosts.
Mary is usually pictured sitting at Jesus’ feet, but Martha said that Mary “left me to serve alone.” That tells me that Mary was serving before she sat down to listen to His words. Both sisters were serving when Martha and Mary each made a choice. Mary chose the “good part.” She stopped serving to pay attention to her Guest; Martha continued “distracted…, worried and troubled.”
I don’t believe the main issue here is busyness vs. resting as is often suggested. I believe it is hospitality.
While we shouldn’t be distracted, worried or troubled about it, we do need to be busy serving. Jesus came as a servant and declared that He was the example to follow (John 13:13-15). His mission statement was that He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45).
Later, at another dinner in Jesus’ honor, the day before His triumphal entry to Jerusalem, we see Martha busy serving again, yet this time without complaint (John 12:2). This time her sister anointed Jesus for His burial. This time Martha understood hospitality. Her focus was on her Guest.
I am not “given to hospitality” if I am fluttering around the kitchen, if I am distracted by my preparations, if I am more concerned with how my home looks or my food tastes than with how my comfortable my guests feel. I am “given to hospitality” if I pay attention to my guests and what they have to say.
Hospitality is about esteeming your guest, not putting on a presentation. The only presentation we are asked to give is to present our “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” (Rom. 12:1)
And hospitality isn’t limited to guests in our homes. It’s about our lives. We practice hospitality whenever we take a genuine interest in the people around us – friends, family, acquaintances, strangers; people in church, at our jobs, the supermarket, the mall, or the park; people on the phone, online, or in person.
The NIV and NLT translations of Romans 12:13b state, “Practice hospitality.” And we all know, “practice makes perfect.”
Touched By An Angel
Last night, we celebrated the birthday of our dear friend, Mark. Friends and family gathered together with lots of food, music, and laughter as we shared memories of the funny and poignant times spent with Mark.
For years, my daughter and her friends honestly believed that Mark was an angel. Many other children believed that as well. It was easy to believe. In fact, I believe it myself 🙂
Mark was and is a prayer warrior. Years ago, before one of my first speaking engagements, I was terrified. Put me in a circle of friends, and I can jabber all day. But standing in front of people is another story. You’ve heard that public speaking is the #1 fear in this country, right? It’s a studied fact. The #2 fear in this country is death. That means that at a funeral the average person would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy! Ok, that last sentence was borrowed from Jerry Seinfeld, but it’s true, isn’t it! I still get butterflies when I have to speak, but I’ve learned that the fear keeps me on my knees and not relying in my own strength which is a good thing. But anyway…. Here I was, knees buckling, stomach churning, reviewing my notes endlessly. And Mark called to let me know he was praying for me. I hadn’t asked him to pray. He just knew the need, and his call letting me know that he was praying could not have been more welcome. Here was this man of God praying for a women’s event!
There’s so much more I could say about this faithful servant and friend, but let me ask you: do you have a Mark in your life? If you are as blessed as my friends and I, please be sure to thank your angel. And share a comment of how that special person has blessed your life.