Letters to Angels: Update on my dad Part 2

Well, have some time to reply for a bit. We're staying at my Aunt Eleanor's (well, she's my mom's aunt) place in Red Deer. She's in hospital right now (a ward or two down from where Dad is) & so we've been in to visit her & she offered us the use of her place while she's away. & so that's pretty great - we get to rest here instead of driving back an hour & a half to home, or trying to find a motel or sleeping in the hospital.

Dad made it through the night A-OK & was all rested & chipper this morning. So all my fears/worries about leaving him alone have been for nothing. He was in great spirits throughout the day & is looking forward to getting down to Calgary to get things looked after & have answers & he was looking pretty rested & like he's accepted his new 'hotel' for the next little while. The nurses have been fantastic & the food's actually been good, so that's helping things.

I'm doing better - last night i was a wreck & just collapsing. This morning I woke up with my chest feeling really tight & left arm hurting & so i'm afraid I was driving myself into some kind of a heart attack thing, but it's feeling OK now. (could be from exerting myself trying to help my brother make sausage last night).

.....

So, I think I just had my Christmas moment tonight - we're staying here at my Aunt Eleanor's & mom is tired & burnt out & looking for something to eat & craving ice cream & so I decide to wander to the Mac's to get some. Once there I pick out two containers of yummy haagen-das ice cream & go to pay at the counter. The guy at the till, someone from some middle eastern country, brown skin, goofy hat & thick accent, hands me my bag & says, "Thank you very much... I hope you are doing well & have a very happy new year"... Something like that anyhow - I walked out of there feeling all warm & happy inside - sort of on the verge of crying, but not quite there. After this stuff with dad, you just really realize the kindness of strangers - about how good it feels to have someone treat you with kindness & respect. Here we've been, scared out of our minds, sick with worry & fear at the thought of losing our dad, we've been rushing around, travelling around the countryside & you start feeling very, very alone... but we've seen the kindness of people - the number of people calling & volunteering to help us in whatever way they can, the nurses at the hospital have been wonderful & have made dad laugh which helps everything. Here we are & our wonderful Aunt Eleanor has given us a place to stay to rest our weary heads & hearts. & tonight as I'm lamenting about how there is no new years celebration for our family - not even our silly new years eve fondue tradition - and we are ushering in our 'new year' with a year full of uncertainties... and here is this random guy, some stranger who extends kindness & well wishes to me with some level of semi-genuine concern.

In the first Christmas, Jesus's 'parents' came looking for some place to rest, for some place for Christ to enter the world & they were turned away from everywhere except for one guy/gal's stable.... for centuries after that, Jesus (in the guise of so many wandering people) has been missed & turned out & given only stables to sleep in. But every so often, like tonight, people open their hearts & give a home for Jesus, or a home for the people that Jesus makes His home in.... & it's beautiful & wonderful & all I'm left with is gratitude....