The Afternoon of Life

I'm 53...53! (gasp)  And I thought by now things would just be getting a little easier in life.  Is that too much to ask?  After the wonderful Christmas sermon series, I let God know that I wanted to be like Mary and Joseph...I wanted to be a "Yes, Lord" gal (hmmmmm...I guess that's more like Jesus...He obeyed His Father too).  I prayed and asked God to open doors for me to serve Him to show Him my love.  I committed to loving "the least of these" ... not begrudgingly and as an act of obedience like I've done in the past...but to seek out "the least" and actively love and serve them.  And the very first task that God sends my way is a little daunting.  I don't want to go into details, but I would ask that anyone reading this note would say a prayer for me.  I'm working out the details in my heart, but I know that I can't tell God I'll be a "Yes, Lord" gal and then run at the first opportunity He sends my way.  I know ...

I really don't remember having a birthday last year.  My daughter told me tonight that while lying in bed I ate some birthday cake with her.  Why can't I remember that?  Is it because I'm getting old?  Or is it because God has been helping to block the painful memories of last year from my mind?  I was sooooo sick at this time last year....bald as a baby's butt.....wasn't eating much because nothing had flavor (except tomatoes)... and sleeping, sometimes for days at a time.  I'd been in the hospital in the middle of November for much-needed blood transfusions...I would go to the hospital for more transfusions before December ended.  I just don't recall much of it.  It all seems like a dream now.  But I do remember then that it felt like a nightmare and I thought I needed to resign myself to never feeling good again...never having energy.  But God is still in the miracle business and used the doctors and nurses at Roswell to heal my body....