Amber, Crosses, the Pope, and Appendix Cancer Awareness

Amber is the color of Appendix cancer.  It is also one of the things the city I live in is known for. I put on my amber earrings today for a little good luck and joked about how I would be importing a lot of amber jewelry back to the States...and then my mom reminded me I bought an amber rosary a few weeks ago.  Craziness.


As some of you know from my Facebook statuses, my cousin Renee is fighting a rare and serious form of cancer.  Until yesterday, we didn't know what the exact source of cancer was.

While I chatted with my mom, I remembered something from my last trip to Poland, almost THREE years ago. One of my gifts to my friends were small amber crosses Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI.  I had over counted the number I needed and have been kicking around extras for the last few years.

So, via Skype, my brother and I tracked down the little white envelope.  Lo and behold, there were three crosses.  One for my cousin and both of her daughters!

Three years ago, I came to Poland, bought these amber crosses, took them to Rome, had them blessed by the Holy Father, and left them in drawer.  Today, I remembered I owned the crosses minutes before my cousins got to my house, FOUND them from a different country, and gave them to my cousin. There is no way I could have planned for this, but God could.

I've been having a really hard time being so far away, but I feel like this is my sign.  Things are going to be okay.  God is truly in control of all of these things.

Side note: Today, the "D-Day" of Renee's cancer is also St. Luke's feast day.  As her surgery starts, my petitions will be to the patron saint of surgeons for steady hands and open eyes!