A SPECIAL DAY

Yes, today is special.  Yes, it is Father's Day.  Yes, it's the birthday of this blog.  Most importantly, it's also the anniversary of the diabetes diagnosis of The Girl.  And in this world, that's a very big deal.  29 years ago on this date, lives changed.  When lives change, one remembers.

All of you regular blog readers know that my first post of this blog was about this occasion.  Since that day, several years have passed.  Several posts have been written, all with thankfulness to the heavenly Father for HIS provisions and pride for The Girl who has lived diabetes for these years.

I thought today of all the accomplishments of these years since that diagnosis.  High School and college graduations at the top of her class academically, friends from all these educational experience that have continued to be friends--good ones,  a couple of good jobs, a husband, a home, a child.....the list goes on and on.

I thought today of all the hard times, too.  Blood sugars that wouldn't stay normal, fructossamine readings that were way high, physically hard days, mentally hard days, and seemingly no formulas for success.

I thought today of the joys that this past year brought--the technology of a fantastic insulin pump and sensors that far surpass the former ones....a pump that is the most like a pancreas that I have ever encountered or prayed for.

I realized today that it's all these things working together that we classify as success for The Girl.  The bottom line, though, as she will attest, is a Heavenly Father who loves and provides.  When I texted her this morning to say I remembered the date, her reply was she has a gracious heavenly Father.  And I and all the world say, "Amen!"

As I look at this picture, I think of much I can say about this girl and how she lives with her incurable disease.  Words she has used of her heavenly Father come to mind....loving, kind, and gracious.    I will end this thankful post with her favorite scripture:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths."  Proverbs 3:5,6

WHEN I GROW UP.....

The Grandbaby was visiting the other day and went outside in the shade to play ball with The Poppa. We get a lot of insight from The Grandbaby on most days if we only listen.  While playing ball, she said to The Poppa, "I want to learn to play ball so some day I can 'teached' my little girl how to play ball."  Ahhh....be still my heart.  But, at four years old, I guess it seems a bit of an odd thought to have but haven't we all had such thoughts in our lives?

Different stages of life garner us different "wishes".  As a teenager I imagine I was like any other teenage girl--wanting to wear nylons, makeup, cool clothing.  With strict parents, I was a bit behind others in doing such things.  But to coin a much used phrase from The Grandbaby, "But that's okay."  Yes, wisdom in a four year old...

As I got older, I imagined myself looking like a model from the Sears catalog in various clothing choices.  Did I really look like them?  Uh, no, not even close.  I was not willow thin, nor was my makeup done professionally.  I think I and others often look and base judgements on the outward appearance.  As I made a quick trip to the local discount store and saw a bright orange swimsuit on the rack by the aisle, I got a chuckle as, since I have aged, I am realistic that I could never wear that.  I would look like an orange blimp with sags and bags and road map legs.  Age often makes one realistic.  Am I there?  Uh, yes, for sure.

That bathing suit got me to thinking.  I may be close to medicare age, really close to medicare age, but I'm still growing.  I'm looking this week toward two diagnostic MRI's (no, I am not near to being excited about hours in a tube) to show intensity of a few problems with my spine and hip.  That pain has affected life for me negatively in the past months.  Even at that, I still have aspirations for qualities to grow into more.  So in keeping with those thoughts, when I grow up, I want to be:

a better driver,

kinder,

quieter in my opinions,

more faithful,

less judgmental,

more loving,

more patient--uh huh,

wiser,

quieter in my opinions,

more knowledgeable of God's Word,

oh, so much more thankful for EVERYTHING,

more of a servant,

a better wife, mother, neema, daughter, sister, friend and child of my heavenly Father.

The list is definitely as other lists tend to be--endless.  So how about you?  What do you want to be when YOU grow up?

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him:  for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."             1 Samuel 16:7

Consider....