Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 175: Today, I am grateful for modern miracles.
It is a day for medicine and miracles.
If you have heard me go on and on about "The Longbranch" restaurant back home in L'Erable , IL, I will make no apology. It is worth the 2 hour drive and I am blessed it is not far from Matt and Jennifer's house. They catered Ciara and Kenzie's weddings. It is our favorite place to eat when we are home. "Nick and Lindsay" are a part of many conversations, from the magic they make in the kitchen to a "Cheers" like welcome when you walk in the door of the restaurant. It is the epitome of what is great about living in small towns an hour from Chicago.
A year ago, Nick got sick. Honestly, I do not think I've met Nick. Lindsay is the one out front when we are there with family and friends. Ultimately, it was kidney disease and it was stage 5.
Kidney disease is a part of our Bess-Watson (St. John) family story. Grandma Opal Maxine died of kidney disease. Many have prayed with us for my cousin Tara Jo in recent years. Tara Jo has been blessed with the miracle of two kidneys.
My Bess side of the family is big and the cousins are many. I was in college when they were born in their toddler/childhood years. In the pack, a group of three cousins formed a fierce closeness. They had no sisters. Tara-Jo (a brother), Crystal (an only child), and Molly (one oldest brother and four more... she was the only girl in the middle of identical twin boys). When Tara-Jo needed a kidney, Molly was tested but not even the same blood type. She promised herself that if she could ever give the gift of life... she would.
Who would have ever dreamed that Molly would match Nick? Seriously, you can't make up that kind of miracle. And, they did not know each other, even being in neighboring towns. It feels like hope and a God-wink.
In a few hours, the team at Rush will begin the work of harvesting Molly's gift and placing her kidney in Nick. I believe Crystal and Tara Jo are with her, if they can be. Her husband, Brian, loves her deeply and will be her rock as she heals. Her girls have witnessed how "loving your neighbor" looks in a big and beautiful way. Who knew it would be literally... a community neighbor? God did!
Today, I am grateful for modern miracles.
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