Tuesday, October 9, 2007

My dearest God,

Engaging in life's celebrations is to acknowledge and celebrate life itself. The smallest revelation can be life changing, giving a reason to live.

Facing life's realities can be most difficult especially when the news is about life restrictions. Yet, this news can be good, giving the challenge one needs in order to live differently.

I attended two life celebrations today. Both have to do with health. One man is dying with cancer. One woman's illness has escalated. Seems like bad news for both. Not necessarily so.

I went to lunch at the Cracker Barrel. I listened to the woman share about her doctor's visit. Her illness situation was very serious this time. She is exhausted. She knows the realities in which she has to live, but includes faith as part of it. She sees her situation as a gift, one she has consciously opened and has decided to use as a springboard to live life a new way. We celebrated with dessert. And she bought Christmas ornaments for her tree, something she might not even have imagined a few years ago. Snowmen playing.

I followed a member of our church to the home of her friend. First I sat down with the wife. I listened as she told me how the cancer had moved from his lower spine clear up to his neck. The cancer has become like the discs in his back. He can't get out of bed. He ran out of morphine this morning. Hospice had to make a special trip with more drugs. Takes about six hours to get everything running smoothly and ahead of the pain. The IV's dripping now.

Then I walked into the small bedroom. This once robust, healthy looking man is now skin and bones. He smiled as we talked. His friend was in the room with us. He's there every day. Presence is everything.

I learned a lot about this man. He can fix anything. He's repaired more broken things than anybody they know. He's a friend to a lot of people. He's walked dying people through to eternal life's door, caring for them in his own home. Took a different job that would give him time to give hands-on care.

As I looked around the sick room, there were pictures and scenes of motorcycles and race cars. "I expect Jesus will meet you on a motorcycle wearing a black jacket." I told him. He smiled, a sense of calm on his weary face. A new image to consider as I told him about Jesus as a shepherd to the sheep.

As I drove into the west, the setting sun, I realized that life is so spectacular. And the fact that life even exists points to a Grand Maker. My third celebration of the day!

Grand Maker,
stupendous, marvelous
is your life
in the world.
To see
the grandeur
of life
opening out
into the setting sun,
celebrating life
at its first atom
is to have known
the Creator personally,
intimately.
Hope is a
beautiful thing.
Reveling in hope
is celebrating
its creator.
Blessed today.

Love always, Andrea