My friend — and unofficially adopted sister — Cathy is going through a daughter’s worst nightmare right now. Her dad, 82, has been in and out of  the hospital many times in the last year or more. He was in the hospital last week, and on Friday she got the news that they had moved him back into C-ICU and put him back on a respirator.

Nina went to visit him today and lend support to Cathy at the hospital. She called me afterward and told me it was very much like the ordeal we went through with dad. All the nurses and doctors will say is that Mr. Scible "is very sick. It is still possible he may recover."

That’s hospital speak for, "he’s dying and their ain’t nothin’ we can do about it, but we don’t want you feel like we’ve given up on him."

Please. Just be honest. Give it to us straight up. Even if we can’t handle it at the moment, it’s better to know and be prepared than keep false hope alive.

I pushed "end" on my cell phone and cried a little before heading into Mosaic. I cried for Cathy and her impending loss. I cried for Mr. Scible and his suffering. I cried for Nina and her having to live through this thing all over again, albeit not our dad but someone else’s, but the same story nonetheless. And I cried for me. It once again brought back to my mind the still vivid images of mom and dad’s suffering and the fact that they aren’t here anymore.

Please pray for Cathy, her dad and her brother as they journey down this dark road together. Ask the Father to thwart the enemy’s every attempt to keep them from feeling God’s loving arms enveloping them and knowing and seeing how He pours out his grace like a heavy rainstorm and drenches them every day.