Wednesday, January 18, 2017

"He was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages; so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on." ~ Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790), American statesman, author, scientist & inventor

I'm glad to report that mom made the trip there and back of a little over an hour for a surgical follow-up. It turned out to be a long, hard afternoon, but, the check-up went well with no infection found. She continues to be treated for pneumonia and this does have an impact on her rehab schedule. Dad will try to get a better reading today on her prognosis, treatment plan, etc. Thanks so much for the continuing prayers and support.

Today is Wednesday, January 18, 2017. We are in the midst of and enjoying, depending on your perspective, what is called a rain event this week. As the younger fellows complain, I have the opportunity to offer my three score and ten plus years of wisdomly commentary. (Yes, I am fully aware that wisdomly is not a word, but, the more I looked at it, it was the more I liked it, therefore, I decided to leave it in.) As they grumpily lament the wet and rainy day I remind them of our need to have rain to nourish our land. I typically remind them of how that later in the year we will be glad to have received the rain. They look at me, then at each other, and they do what might be called a collective synchronized eye roll. That got me to thinking. While I do know unequivocally that we do need the rain, however, my theory about how much it will help us later on might have some holes in it. On the other hand, my comments do tend to disperse the naysayers, therefore, what it lacks in scientific accuracy it makes up for in effectiveness. I'm joking about their response. I am very blessed to be shown respect among these that I am privileged to work with. Maybe if I started out by saying, 'back in my day'. Maybe I could say it with a Gabby Hayes voice. (Some of you older folks can hear him talking, others might want to look him up. You can hear his distinctive way of talking on YouTube.)

Rehab Hospital where my mom is staying.
Last Saturday when I was with mom at the rehabilitation hospital we went to the makeshift lunchroom they have there. I've been in many different types of nursing facilities where folks are bedridden, however, to see them at the tables trying to eat, well, it is a heartbreaking experience. Some have to be fed because they can't coordinate their hands to eat. Others can manage but they do so with great effort and many of them do so with much shaking. The helpers keep an eye on everyone but it is obvious that what I was seeing is very routine to them. I fed mom because she had an IV and was still very weak. I suppose that wisdomly understanding I talked about earlier also reminded me that what I was seeing could easily become a future event for any of us, including, yours truly. I am thankful they have facilities like the one mom is in and I'm thankful for those working there who show her respect and care. I will tell you it's still not easy to witness the plight of those dealing with such great health challenges. It's something that will stay with you and it causes me to be even more thankful for every single day that I can get up and go about my business. Amen.

I thought I might share some funny things with you but when I look at what people post as being hilarious, well, the years it took for me to invent the word wisdomly tells me that it also makes me completely out of touch. One thread on the internet I looked at was entitled 'the funniest thing I ever saw or heard'. A variety of folks were chiming in with their recollections of something that was really funny. Really? To them, maybe. Not to me. One person lays out an incident and gives all the particulars that constitute to them the funniest thing they ever saw. While I didn't get the joke, the next person says they are not sure they can top that one but they will share their funniest thing anyway. I didn't get that one either. It's not that I didn't understand what they were getting at. I just didn't see anything funny about it. It worries me. I suppose I need to stick to my own stuff. The wife and I were talking the other day about us attending a Bible conference when we were teenagers. Let me be clear here, I was there because she was there. She was there because her dad the preacher was there. A fellow from my hometown was also there. He wasn't young but he had recently surrendered his life to the preaching ministry. They called on him to share a short sermon. One problem. He had a brand new set of false teeth and he was petrified. That combination did not work out very well as he attempted to speak. Those store bought teeth were not broken in yet and they began to whistle, squeak, and clatter. He was so nervous, he was shaking. They sent for some water. He drank it but his new teeth floated on him and he began to make gurgling sounds. It was sad, but it was also funny. The great men of God on the platform could not laugh out loud but the quivering of their well-fed bodies caused the whole raised floor to shake. I can't be sure, but this fellow may have prompted the well known Southern saying, "Bless his heart!" With all due respect, that was funny. Not some idiotic thing said to someone playing an online game. We were there. Just thinking about it the other day caused us both to laugh. Oh well, different strokes for different folks, I suppose. But, think about it, shouldn't their stories have some kind of punch line? Take care and may God be with us all. Amen. ...More later.

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