Health

Eight or so months ago I went through a difficult patch.  Huge things were happening in my body and mind.  Things seemed so confused and I could not gain the kind of control that I am accustomed to.  I was 90!

Anna Ruth took major responsibility of running the house and that sort of thing.  Praise the Lord for her love!  She pulled us through.  I had two car accidents in December, so we decided, that is enough.  Anna Ruth grew up driving.  She is an excellent driver.

I think the major issue that I was dealing with had to do with my blood.  After tests, etc, we decided to concentrate on elevating my red blood cell count.  They incrementally increased my dosage, by injection.  It took a while to push up the red cell figures.  I think I am on the maximum dosage now and the blood people see good news.  I do feel well.  The only issue I have is balance.  At least that is what I think.  Maybe that is symptomatic of another issue?  We shall see.   I do feel well but have cut way back on heavy lifting!

Spiritual life

That is the physical side.  In my spirit, I see no change unless it is to concentrate more on eternal things, and to go lighter on the temporal issues.  I know that followers of Jesus think about a lot of things, and I am not against that.  What tugs at my soul at this stage of my pilgrimage, however, is dealing with issues that are at hand, in light of my salvation and blessing of Jesus.

I think that a recent visit of about 7 people from Tanzania, one a former student of mine, in the late 50’s, now a retired banker, all helped me to set my sails to be a bit more efficient.  I need to catch the breeze of the Spirit of the Lord, more and more.  I will be inspired by History but will not be controlled by it.  I am discovering the mystery and beauty of the “now.”

The structures that undergirded my spiritual walk with God are weakening as other, more “spiritual” ones, grow in influence.   Some things that were important in the past, seem less demanding now as I deal with reality as a person who is looking to Jesus for guidance, even in this area.  He is good at that.  Jesus has many things that he could try to emphasize, but what mattered to him most was how to save me!

Contentment

I am a contented old man.  That is for sure.  And my faith has not only held but is stronger now than ever.  At least that is what my heart and soul tell me.  This does not mean that I am uninterested in what is happening in our world, but I am at rest knowing that nothing happening to me is strange to Jesus, my guide and brother.

On July 6, I will be 91 years old.  Anna Ruth is a year and three months older than I.  God has given us one another.  Anna Ruth is more important to me now than ever.  So, we push on, hand in hand, knowing that what we will meet in the future will not be new or daunting to Jesus.