a little dinner out and a story

It's not often that we eat out.  As much as I love dining in restaurants, it's not in the budget for our family of six.  Last night, my husband's sweet parents took us out to eat to Chili's.  Trust me, it was a treat.  The boys immensely enjoyed themselves.  So did we.  ;)

The best part of the night was the company we were with, though.  When Todd was a young teenager, his parents found out about a family from Springfield, Missouri that had a little two year old girl named Lacey.  Lacey had leukemia and was coming to Memphis to be a patient of St. Jude.  I'm not sure exactly how Phyllis and Wiley found out about this family, but in the Medlin's time of great need, they reached out to them.

These were the days before the Grizzlies or the Target House on the property of St. Jude.  I don't know if St. Jude had a block of hotel rooms somewhere that they reserved for their patient's families or what, and if so if they stayed there or in an apartment, but I know that for the time they were here, they were taken care of by my in-love's.  Phyllis would drive them around, she would cook for them, Wiley would be available for whatever they needed, they were basically the hands and feet of Jesus.

They've kept in touch over the years, and I'm happy to tell you that today, Lacey is twenty-seven years old.  It was so good seeing them last night, and their story reminds me to be thankful for every moment of health that my boys are blessed with.  Lacey has two siblings, as well, and she is the very proud aunt of a three month old little girl.

And about my husband's parents~seriously, can you get much sweeter than them?  They've been doing this again, for another family with a baby with cancer.  Phyllis has been cooking meals for them on a rotation and they faithfully pray for their family.  That, to me, is what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  These people are Christians, yes, but in their time of need, Phyllis and Wiley reach out to them.  I pray that the Lord gives us opportunities like this someday, and that we look for them.  You never know when you might be used by Him, my friends.

Happy Wednesday to you, and love to all.