Thanksgiving has arrived, and, as usual, I have to ask myself: “Self, are you any more thankful this year than any in the past?” And that annoying Self replies…BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
This post will probably be my shortest ever. You’re welcome. It was prompted by a request from my daughter-in-law to dredge up a news article from 2009 about a kidney donation.
So, here’s the video: https://youtu.be/yZYyW3_KVms?si=1TWGdEM0wyeT02iG
The reason it made the national news was because it involved fourteen people; a fourteen way swap of seven kidneys. It was the first time it was ever done and was made possible because of a new procedure that would allow recipients to receive a non-compatible kidney from a donor.
The funny part was when I had that initial conversation with my daughter-in-law I assumed I would just drop my kidney off at the hospital in a brown paper bag and they would give it to the next person in line. But, no, that’s not how it happened. Someone on the transplant team contacted me and explained that it would be on the news, but they would respect my privacy if I wanted to remain anonymous. After thinking about it I agreed to allow my story to be made public if it would help others consider doing it as a living donor. And the rest is history as they say.
I am posting this right before Thanksgiving in hopes it will call to mind Luke 12:48, which reminds us that we have been given so much and are expected to give back to others. Are we doing that? I don’t think he was specifically talking about an extra kidney, but who knows.
When you sit around that table, look at all you have, smile at the family and friends you have been blessed with, recite your usual prayers right before you dig in, take a nap, or watch football, are you thinking of and feeling grateful because you spent some of this year caring for those who have nothing, gracing the lost with the truth of God’s love, lifting up those who have been cast aside, not giving from your excess of time and money, but like the poor widow, sharing your last few pennies?
Unless you have been living in a cave over this past year, you know you don’t have to look to the suffering in third-world countries to do God’s work. American children are still going hungry. Many immigrants have been ripped from their families and treated inhumanely. Do we care enough to express our thankfulness by offering compassionate care in a way that makes a difference to others?
Luke 21: 1-4 tells us,” And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Please know, I was reluctant to share my story here because I’m not suggesting you run out and hand over a kidney in order to reap rewards in heaven. And actually, what I did was far less than those countless heroes who have sacrificed their lives for others! They had only one life to give, I still have another kidney and sixteen years later, it’s working just fine!
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!
PASSION, PURPOSE & POOPYHEADS 