On A Thread

Life is so short and sometimes we just take it for granted.  It throws it punches and we fall and can either get up or just lay there and do nothing.  I was listening to a program on www.mormon.org yesterday about a family, the Christensen's, who had four children and every one of them had "Congenital Muscular Dystrophy".  After each pregnancy they were told they had a one in four chance of their child having the condition and after much prayer and fasting would decide to try again.  They loved and supported each one of their children and delighted in their accomplishments - and they did accomplish.  They spent alot of the time in the hospital with them, but when they were out of the hospital, they lived. They have lost two of the four children.  I was amazed at their strength and resilience.

We have an older couple in our ward.  I sat behind them at church yesterday.  He's had skin cancer for a number of years and has had many surgeries for it.  They have continued for years to serve and in very busy capacities.  They served over at the welfare center in strenuous jobs.  They've both served at the temple a couple of times a week for years.  They are such an example to me.  I noticed he's getting frail and it makes me sad.  It was so sweet - after all of these years together, he had his arm around her and her head resting on his shoulder.  It made me just want to melt.

I worked with a woman at the temple several years ago who had breast cancer.  Nancy was cancer free for four years and went in for reconstructive surgery.  Less than a year later the cancer was back.  Nancy fought  and with the fight won back one of her son's, but not her health.  One day she had determined it was her time to die.  She showed up at the temple with all of her family; went on an endowment session; did some sealings; went home and ate with her family; said her goodbyes to her family and went to bed.  Much to her surprise, she was still here the next morning.  This replayed a couple of different times before she actually died.  She fought valiantly and was at the temple performing service for as long as she could physically go.  I was impressed with her but also learned another lesson.  The Lord will take you when he's going to bring you home and not before or after.

A few years ago I had my challenges  . . .  I went through three bouts of sepsis.  Each one of them severe;  but he didn't.bring me home.  At the time I had decided he'd left me here because of my family, but I've learned I'm just not as smart as God is and he knows the reasons I'm here.  I can just make the most of my life day by day.  I try and sometimes I'm less productive than I wish I was, but I do try.

We're all here hanging by a thread.  None of us know when we're going home, but we will be going sometime.  The important thing is to live our lives the best we can and just trust in God's purposes.  A lady told me several years ago "the battle is already won, what matters is where we are standing".  I hope I'm always standing on holy ground and will stand approved when he brings me home.