Prayers arise...

...for my cousin Tommy and his family.  Tommy died yesterday morning.  His family is slowly wending their way back home to Virginia from Wyoming.  Of the first cousins on my mom's side, Tommy is the first to die a "natural" death (I hate calling cancer natural - blasted, wicked thing!).  Tommy was of the Martin clan - and my mom always said:  "The Martins are jolly!"  Of them, Tommy was among the most jolly.  Not long before my mom died, Tommy showed up to see her.  "Mildred," her sisters said, "Tommy's come a long way to see you."  My mom, stricken with Alzheimer's, didn't miss a beat:  "Well aren't I worth coming a long way to see?"  I'm sure Tommy laughed and laughed about that.  Indeed you were, mom.  Tommy, God's rest to your soul!  And may all my Martin cousins find peace in the promise of the Savior's defeat of death.