I Love You Uncle Steve

"........The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him....." Mark 5:18-20 MSG

Dear Uncle Steve,

I saw you a while back.  You were in the hospital, bed ridden and eating ice chips because you had some stomach problems.  I'm not sure the doctors ever figured out what caused you to have such problems, but they assume it was the new chemo drugs you went on. 

Chemo-therapy- what a familiar word, yet so foreign to those of us blessed enough not to have to go through it.  We don't know the pain, the suffering, or the shear will it takes to finish the day as strong as possible after completing a round with this stuff. Even now, you fight with the new stem cell treatment. You are an inspiration to your family Uncle Steve.

When we were growing up, all 10 nieces and nephews were the targets of your constant sarcasm and quick wit.  As much as we hated the "2 Steves" and what it meant to endure a family gathering under the constant barrage of comments, antics, and jeers, I wouldn't trade a single minute of that time with you, for anything in the world.  I'm not sure you know the impact you have had on my life.  If I have never told you before, I am going to tell you now.

Uncle Steve, you are an inspiration to me.  Your ability to fight this cancer, to wake up everyday and fight the good fight against this disease has brought life into perspective for me.  As I get older, time really begins to speed up and I look back with fondness on the times we spent together at many a family gathering.  I have not been the best nephew the past few years.  There are times we have gone months withouth speaking to one another, but for some reason, now, now that this nasty disease has taken hold of you, I feel compelled to reach out and say emphatically, I love you.  I love you more than ever because now I see a man who needs to know what his nephew never told him.

As I close this letter Uncle Steve, I want you to know the 2 things I pray most for you:  that this disease will leave you like the demon possessed man in the Bible verse above and that you will be able to go out and tell everyone about the miracle of how your disease was healed, but most of all, I pray that you have come into a relationship with Christ.  I pray for you Uncle Steve because I love you.  I love you now more than ever, and I hope I am not too late in telling you this. 

This family does not need to miss you yet so please fight hard everyday.  If you agree to fight hard, I will agree to pray everyday until the doctors tell us about the miracle you are.

With Love,

Jeremiah