Sunday, March 8, 2026

The Kindness of Strangers

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.— 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Greg and I have been deeply blessed by the support of church members since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2024. I’m not surprised, because our caring congregation reaches out to help others in need, but I am profoundly grateful.

I have, however, been surprised by the kindness of strangers.

From the early uncertain days to now, the busy health care professionals at the Van Elslander Cancer and Liggett Breast Cancer centers have been patient and kind with me as I muddled through diagnosis, surgeries, radiation, and what comes next.

The 33 rounds of radiation did not fly by, as someone promised. But they were more bearable thanks to the anonymous knitters of Knit Michigan, who donate beautiful hats to breast cancer patients, and other kind souls who offered coloring books, snacks, and journals.

The most unexpected blessing has been the community of fellow radiation travelers who filled the appointments around my 12:30 PM time slot. Through radiation tattoos, burns, exhaustion, and lymphedema, we propped each other up and looked for reasons to smile. When one of us got to ring the bell and end radiation, the rest of us showed up to celebrate.

Once strangers in a waiting area, we have a text chain and continue to celebrate both big and small things in our lives.

Prayer: Thank you for the food I eat, the air I breathe, and the quiet moments of joy that make up my day. Teach me to recognize your work in the small things and to respond with genuine gratitude. Amen.

Kathy Gardner

March 24, 2022

Blessings in Disguise

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

How often do we pass through life assuming that everything that causes a delay or hiccup in our flow of the day or financial stability is bad luck, or at least an annoyance? While I know I shouldn't immediately come to these conclusions, I tend to do that. I have two stories to share to reflect on this.

The first was a blow to my confidence, as I found myself in an unemployment situation. With a house and two dependent sons, I feared for our future and my ability to 'correct' the situation before my savings ran out. I was disappointed that a path that I'd felt God led me to had not turned out as expected. I wondered why, with all the issues I'd already dealt with in my life, that I had yet another disappointment. I searched hard for a job, but just wasn't finding anything in my field that was within a reasonable driving distance. Plus, landing an interview was another challenge. I finally found one but the company was really dragging the process out longer than I'd ever imagined, while still keeping the position 'hot.'
During this time my youngest son was going through some changes in his plans and working full time while he re-figured his education strategy. He was working hard and at least I was there to make him breakfast, or a lunch to go, and spend a few minutes with him each day that we usually didn't have together. Finally the job really happened and back into the workforce I went. Being a Mom was the one consistent thing that I always wanted. You can see this in my "School Days" album as a repeated desire in my early years. So being able to spend that time with my almost independent 20-year-old son, truly brought joy and meaning to my life.
Six short weeks after I went back to work, I lost that son, Evan Gardner, in a tragic accident. While this is the most difficult thing anyone can go through, after the tears cleared enough I realized that those 4 months of unemployment were truly a blessing. God had led me down that path, knowing the outcome that I'd never dreamed. I'm still angry that my precious son is gone, as a result of someone else's mistake, but very thankful for those few months to reconnect with my boy, and be his Mom.

The second situation might be more familiar to you (plus it will give you a chance to clear your eyes). I was en route to my morning workout and had left the house a bit later than I like to. I had a short segment on the highway but other than that, I pretty much caught every light just as it was changing to red. Getting more frustrated with each one,

I was beginning to worry that I was going to be late. Of course the longest light on my route followed this pattern. As I was pulling up and stopping I noticed an unusual UHaul vehicle in the next lane. My son had worked for UHaul and I wasn't familiar with this truck so I continued to study it on my approach. Then I spotted the name on the side and it sparked my memory. This was the name of Evan's manager, but would he be driving it? I rolled down my window for a better view and was pretty sure it was him. I caught his attention and he opened his window also and we had a brief exchange (at that long light) that flooded my heart with joy, to reflect on happier times when Evan was with us. I drove away knowing I was right where I was supposed to be! And, I arrived to my destination with a few minutes to spare!

I still sigh when I catch a changing light, but always allow myself to believe that it could very well be leading to an unexpected blessing.

Debbie Smith