Sunday, November 2, 2008

Getting Started

Life: something we take for granted until the unexpected happens to interrupt it. Sitting at the hospital bedside of my sister this last week has caused me to weigh what is really important. Ten months ago, I retired from a thirty-year career to give me time to do some of the things I had not had time to do.

Looking back over these last few months, I realize I felt guilty not filling up all of my new "free" time with good deeds to try to help "save" the world. Rather than enjoying life and increased time with my family, I crammed it full of the lives of other people.

When I retired, I was going to learn to quilt, learn to scrapbook electronically, gather together a family cookbook, enter cooking contests, make family calendars, work on our family tree, read more books, spend more time with grandkids and family...and create a blog. This week, with lots of hours to fill, this seemed a great time to begin the blog. Encouraging my sister to take one day, even one hour, at a time rather than worrying about the unknown is my mission for this time. Praying for healing together, realizing there is no greater mission in life than to love the family that God gave me.

My husband and I and my sister and her husband had just spent a few days in Maine on a bus tour the last part of September. We never dreamed how quickly life could change. I have taken for granted that everything will continue just as we have it planned. I thought we would go Christmas shopping, maybe get together at Thanksgiving, but not once did I consider we would be in a life and death battle.

I will take a couple of days off this coming week to return home and wash some clothes and love on my husband, children and grandchildren. Thank you, Lord for waking me up...I needed that.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Matthew 6:33-34