Falling Apart - Gracefully.

Health is something I have never taken for granted. The ability to get out of a chair, run across the yard, study the snow filtering down past the pale, pink light of the streetlight across the way: all of it is a miracle.

A friend of mine told me that at 50 everything seems to fall apart. I smiled when he said that. As someone who gets to the Y to workout three or four times a week, and looks surprisingly young (!), I knew the "everything seems to fall apart" statement just didn't apply to me.

My 57 must be 50 in "preacher years." About a year my eyes started giving me fits. The doctor couldn't figure it out. Things just get blurry now and then. Then, things clear up!

Late this summer I pointed out a bump on the top of my head that looked suspicious. Two weeks ago I had a second small bit of surgery on that...turned out to be a skin cancer. Nothing to write home about but still... (I did ask the doctor if he would take enough that the results would be an "on the cheap" face lift. He just smiles at my stupid jokes!)

Then, about 9 weeks ago I was skiing with friends at Hamilton Lake, and my buddy pushed the throttle forward on his high-powered boat. I was in the water, on skis, and I could feel something tear in my right hand. There have been occasional periods of numbness in my right hand and so I went to see the doctor today - and he is sending me to a hand surgeon.

Told Dr. Yoder I want the right arm in great shape by the time summer rolls around. There is another season of skiing just around the corner!

So I guess I am mortal. That isn't a bad thing to remember.

Even when things break or fall off or wear out, you know, God has blessed us with these bodies. Psalm 139:14 reminds us that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made.

I still don't take every blessed day for granted. It's all a miracle.

Falling apart -physically- is a part of life. My goal is do that gracefully! Honestly, I've got no complaints...not really.