Life's Fragile Thread - Updated.

Good Monday Morning everyone!  It's a wonderful day to be alive! (My apologies to the working world out there...I realize that Mondays aren't a big favorite, but when you are retired, every day is a great day!)

I am thinking today about "life's fragile thread"...

Saw these fragile, but strong threads of this Golden Silk Orb Spider web on our walk this morning...

My apologies also that I have not not posted a "Sermon Notes" post in the past couple of weeks. We were traveling last Sunday (more about that trip in a minute) and unable to attend church, and then yesterday we went to visit my mother in law at the nursing home because she had fallen late Friday night and no one was able to go visit her on Saturday due to being at a memorial service for our dear cousin Janice, (click Here for more about her story) and we really felt we needed to go check on her. So glad we did. Thankfully she did not injure herself when she fell, but apparently her body and mind have slipped back to where she was a couple of weeks ago, and she's back in bed.  We realize that when one is 95 years old, every day is a gift, and we just have to take it one day at a time.

If you have followed any of my last posts, you are well aware that we traveled a week ago out of state for a family reunion.  On our way to North Carolina for the gathering, we traveled by way of Atlanta, Georgia, so we could visit my oldest brother Russell in the hospital.  Just prior to our planned reunion, my brother was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and he was admitted to the hospital posthaste to begin intensive chemotherapy and to stay for at least four-five weeks in "isolation".  This was quite disturbing news for him and for all of us in itself, and there was no way that he could even wait one more week so that he could be with the family for the reunion. There was some discussion about postponing the reunion until he could participate, but he did not want us to change our plans.

And so we traveled to Atlanta...

And I must say that for this country girl, the experience of traveling through Atlanta on a busy Friday afternoon was not one that I would want to do again anytime soon. So thankful for my hubby's careful and expert driving...but that's another whole story.

We arrived safely, and my brother and his wife were very happy to see us.  Thankfully, we were allowed to visit with them as long as we donned sterile gowns and shoe coverings.  I was surprised that we didn't have to wear masks and gloves too...

 My brother and his wife Anne

My brother and me

The rest of our crew...#1 Son, his beloved bride, and my sweet hubby, the expert driver.

The good news is that my brother may get to go home next week, as it appears his bone marrow is beginning to create new cells again. However, he will be actively continuing as an outpatient for some time. Please continue to pray for him if you will, as he still has a long way to go, but we are thankful for the encouraging news this week.  In the meantime, my other siblings and myself must each submit a "DNA" sample to be tested for a possible Bone Marrow match in case our brother should need it...

The beautiful skies as we left Atlanta and headed toward North Carolina to continue our journey.

Again, this story reminds us of the fragility of life...how quickly things can change.  For our cousin Janice...she went into the hospital for very serious heart surgery, and never regained consciousness. She thought she'd be back home in a week...

For my brother,  This is what he was doing before the diagnosis of leukemia...building a boat! Yes, literally building this boat from bow to stern...

And we are praying he will soon be able to get back to work on it and soon be able to sail away on a happy cruise...

And even for my 95-year old MIL, one day she was celebrating her birthday with family and friends,

and that very day she had a little "spell" that sent her to bed, and it has been up and down, but mostly "down" every since...

Our lives are held by a very fragile thread...

One minute we can be enjoying our lives to the fullest...full of plans for our future, dreams of the rivers we will cross and the mountains we will climb...and then something happens to snap us back to the reality of the fact that our life here is a gift from God...every single moment of life is a gift...

I guess that could be said no matter how old we are...every day is a gift...and we should treasure it as such and live each day as if it could be our last. No one is guaranteed 95 years or even 75 years. (or even 20 years).  So make each day count for good...love Jesus, love your neighbors, and give God the glory for all that He has done for you.

"Come now, you who say,

"Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell,

and make a profit"'

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.

for what is your life?

It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Instead you ought to say,

"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

James 4:13-15

This Psalm just popped into my head as I have been trying to think of how to bring this post to a positive ending as we ponder how we should live in light of this "fragile thread" of life:

Psalm 100:1-5

"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is he who has made us,

and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name,

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations."

Amen!

This should speak for itself.

Postscript just as I was ready to hit "publish" on this post: Just got a call from the nursing home where my MIL is. They believe we need to come see her today as she seems to be showing signs of preparing for her departure from this life...

so I will let you know later...

Thank you for your prayers.

2nd Postscript:  Little did I know when I wrote this this morning that not only would my mother in law be seriously knocking on heaven's door, but my brother would also be in ICU by this afternoon in very serious condition...after being in such good spirits yesterday and looking forward to going home. Again, "Life is fragile...handle with prayer."  Thank you again for all your prayers and comments today. They truly mean a lot to me.