My friend, Gaylen, died early this morning. She was 69 and had valiantly battled ovarian cancer with dignity, grace, and humor for almost three years.  The end was quick and quite unexpected. And now she is with God.  When I heard the news, the room, the world -my vision, I guess, turned gray.  After tears, I remembered to sit in the Thanksgiving Chair. Yes! Yes to Gaylen. Yes to her life and death. Yes to her new life over Jordan.
And still, it is solemn day today.  My precious grandchildren both have a propensity to a solemn gaze. My face looks a lot like Samantha’s today. And still I am held, like her pop pop is holding her, in the arms of Thanksgiving.