Reflections

Seven years ago today I was in a condition that should have cost me my life. It was the second day after thanksgiving, the year 2000, and after two days of celebrating and being thankful with two sets of families I had settled down with my wife with a pizza and a movie, then as if indigestion, my chest was in pain, but I knew after just a moment it was something else, "Patty, we need to go to the hospital", she sprang into action and away we went. Arriving I walked into the ER and a nurse met me and asked how may she help me, I stated, " I am in the middle of a heart attack" she asked, "right now" I reply, "yes, right know" a wheel chair ride into the ER work room was my next travel plans. That was in 2000 a Saturday night, and the place was a bit slow, not including the doctor and nurse that was working on me. Lots of things happened very soon, and before long I was laying there with my chest still in pain, but hooked up to Nitro. Then for a moment I found myself alone in this little room, patty had excused herself for reasons I shall not mention, the doctor and nurse were at the counter just footsteps away, making notes, I suppose, and then the lights began to fade, sound was slipping into silence and all I could see was one ceiling tile directly above, I prayed a short and simple prayer, "Lord if there is any way you could let me stay, my wife is not ready to be alone yet" and as if God himself turned everything back on, the lights came back in a flash, the silence was suddenly sound and I knew I would not be stepping into eternity that night, God had answered my prayer. Although it was most of the night that I spent in the CICU with one nurse to attend just me, and morphine to assist the still intense pain within my chest, I had not asked him to heal me.At some time the cath lab people arrived early Sunday morning, at which time I was rolled to their table. After doing the things he had to do in order to be looking at pictures of my heart with that colored stuff within my arteries, he looked down at me and then at the monitor and then again at me, and with as gentle of a voice as he could said, "sir I do not want to alarm you, but what I am looking at, you should be dead." "can you fix it", I asked , and without much of an answer he went to work and rotter rutter was doing the trick, the pain was gone. God had kept me alive until the doctor could do his thing. That was seven years ago and I just spent thanksgiving with almost the same family. Of course there was the addition of Isabelle and Sophia my two granddaughters that I now have the pleasure of watching them grow up. Praise God!

So my list of things to be thankful for includes:

Extra days to take care of my wife,
I am so thankful she has been able to not work and enjoy serving the Lord

God helping me through those hard days getting rid of my pool company
The still small voice of the Lord speaking to me in that model home in Fairborn OH
The fact that I heard him
The move to Ohio
The joy of being near Sarah, God has blessed me
After we moved to Ohio they were reassigned to Virginia, but now they are back
and Just 5 houses down, Yippee!
I still miss being near to Anne, maybe someday Ohio will call them.
What a thrill to be able to watch Victoria and Margaret grew into their teens
What beautiful young ladies they are becoming.
The joy of getting re connected to my sister Oh yes, Marco Island, warm in the winter
who would ever think that little ole me would get to winter in Florida
The fun of learning to play golf
My home, God has been so good to me.
Mornings in the summer time sitting on the deck with Patty and our coffee
Planting new things, the color of the flowers, the humming birds about us, the open area behind us, mowing the grass, finishing the basement, planning for the railroad, collecting items to be used on it.
Holding Sophia, a gift from God, the extra years to be able to see her.
Building the Frank Lloyd Wright house with Isabelle, she is so growing up, lost a front tooth the other day. I love her so much. I love those hugs I get.
The extra days to be able to serve my Lord, in so many ways, it would be bragging to mention them.
My work, oh yes I still work, but not like before, I am still self employed, thank God, for that, He knows I am not one to be employed, except by him. All I do is drive all over Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky, shaking hands and kissing babies, Being a Manufacturers Rep is right up my alley, I love to drive, I really enjoy my car, even with it's 212,000 miles it is still a great car on the road, I enjoy being a problem solver and helping my dealers.
Being able to be useful, Yes I have some physical situations, but my God will see me through
I enjoy doing handyman stuff, at times, working with my hands, doing woodwork, painting, drywall, plumbing, electrical stuff, building things, designing space, it is good to be able to do it.
I am thankful for my wife, that we are together, do we have our moments, sure, but every couple does, but we love each other, and I am thankful I am able to be here and provide a life for her. God has allowed me to stay and what a blessing each day is. I do not look much to the future, day by day, each day at a time, how many extra I have , he knows, not I but I am thankful for this one.
Oh yes I am also thankful for White Castle, without I would never be. My father met my mother at a White Castle in Chicago. I try to pay homage when ever I am near one, during my travels. Although my digestive system is not always thrilled with the experience. That is why the hamburgers are called sliders.