The Afternoon of Life

How do I pray for a friend who is dying of loneliness because her husband went home to heaven and left her behind?   Is there anything worse than being left behind? David wrote in Psalm 25:16:   “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”   David knew where to turn in his loneliness.   I feel so helpless to offer encouragement to the many women I now know who have been left behind.   Their husbands did not leave them on purpose…God called them home.   And the same God that called them home knows that He left behind a broken heart.   So broken that He’s the only One that can help. An acquaintance once came to me during my time of brokenness.   My husband hadn’t died…but he *had* left me.   I remember the horror.    I remember the panic…the dry mouth…the quivering heart.   I can remember wanting to find a hole and crawl in it and curl up and just die.   But…I had children who needed me, and...

The magic number for my first week of trying to lose weight is -4 pounds!   I consider that a good number because my NutriSystem meals didn’t arrive until Thursday…so technically I didn’t really start seriously till then.   Also, we only had one night of working out at the YMCA.   We had the nicest trainer…Matt.   I was so embarrassed at what I could not do.   I’ve been fooling myself into believing that I wasn’t a total dweeb when it came to exercise, but I couldn’t do a lunge (because of a weak knee…but also because of the weight that poor knee has to bear).   And I couldn’t do one push-up…again…too much to push up!   BUT…on a positive note…I loved the machinery I worked on.   I did a sort of modified bike ride that moved both arms and legs for about ten minutes to warm up.   And there were several exercises I COULD do.   I enjoyed working with the large rubber bands (that’s what I call them…I’m sure there’s a real name for them). ...

Day #1 on NutriSystem and I’m already finding myself frustrated.   I didn’t think I spent that much time thinking about food…but today it’s all I can think about.   My sausage, egg and toast breakfast was different tasting…okay different…but still different.   My protein shake was delicious.  My chocolate/peanut bar at lunch was yummy.   I’m conscious that I have to drink a lot of water.   I’ve divided my day into 4ths…8-Noon…Noon-4…4-8 and 8 to midnight.   I figure if I can drink a bottle of water during each of those periods that I’ll get the required 8 cups in.   My activity today hasn’t matched what’s required…I’ll be glad when next week gets here and we can get active at the Y.   Right now we’re still in the “learning” stage there…learning what’s available…learning how to use the equipment.   But we should be ready to go next week. It’s also a little discouraging today because I’m watching Dan NOT do what he’s supposed to do....

I love the wee, wee hours of the morning…especially a morning that marks the beginnings of a brand New Year.   I cannot say I’m sad to see 2011 leave.   It has definitely been one of the hardest years of my life.   I could not have known the depth of pain that mom’s homegoing would bring to my heart.   I had never truly grieved for dad’s loss…so it was a double whammy to wake one morning knowing that I’d never hear their voices again, never feel the warmth of their hugs, never hear dad trying to tell a joke and laughing before he got to the punchline, never watch mom doing her crossword puzzles or sit amazed as she answered every question on Jeopardy.   I’ll never see dad praying in his office or working on his sermon notes.   I’ll never see them smiling because they’re headed out to eat at their favorite restaurant or with favorite friends.   I’ll never hear mom answer the phone, “Hi, Tiger” with her voice up a degree because she’s glad it’s me calli...