Heart Healthy

A few days ago Fang wanted vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, and nuts. Now that sounds like a good start on a banana split to me. Of course, all the ingredients have to be sugar free and low in carbs. That makes life interesting, but thanks to our country's lifestyle, so many people need sugar-free products that it is much easier to find a good selection of products in almost any store.

While I was picking out Fang's favorite Braum's ice cream, I noticed a man with a rather large protrusion from his chest to his lap. This protrusion reminded me of an article I read about measuring our diabetes risk with a ruler or--as it would have had to be in this man's case--with a yardstick. My thoughts were that the fellow needed to put back something or go for a nice healthy walk.

Now, I would never pick on folks who are overweight--if for no other reason than that I count myself among the many who are. But since Fang just returned from quadruple bypass surgery only this past Wednesday (September 23), I am more aware than ever of our need to control what we put in our bodies and how much exercise we really need. Genetics plays a big part in our tendency to become diabetic or to have heart disease, but we can do so much to help ourselves.

Fang was especially blessed to have a very healthy vascular system--except for four blockages. He has always been active and keeps his mind busy learning things and exploring the richness of being a grandfather. To put it bluntly, he is a happy man. But lack of oxygen to his heart has caused problems this past several months that just seemed to come out of nowhere. And we never suspected that his heart was the problem and would never have known had he not had a simple EKG done in our doctor's office.

The long and short of my thoughts today is that life is too wonderful to throw away or to treat carelessly. Happiness is a choice; to some degree, health is among our choices as well. Take care of yourselves; we need every gripey old man and woman around here to support the doctors who take Medicare.

National Gallery of Writing Badge

Sometimes I wonder why I enjoy writing. And then someone or something comes along to remind me. NTCE is one of those organizations that tends to encourage teachers and writers to do what they do best.


Carla Beard has been one person who has been an encouragement along this bumpy road, so shortly she will receive an e-copy of what I hope will be the final draft of my first novel. For some stupid reason, the name for this book has not yet solidified for me. I have thought of Family Connections, yet that doesn't quite do it. Well, time has a way of bringing things to ripeness. We shall see.


Meanwhile, today is our youngest son's 30th birthday: Happy Birthday Hanan!


We were told this past week that our world would be turned upside down for a bit as of next Thursday. We are walking quietly and waiting for the answer to prayers and thinking that life is never certain, to say the least. Maybe the wandering trip by the Mountain Jews in my book is a bit of a symbol for the uncertain destinations that we yearn toward. Sometimes we walk forward--or what we believe might be forward--with a determination that belies our fears and frailities. We try to walk in faith, and we stumble in the darkness of the dread of we know not what. As uncertain as our lives may be, we hold to them and to those we love with a fierceness borne of desperation simply because we cannot imagine a better way. And yet I am reminded lately that it is not MY will, but God's will that will be done.

In this life, nothing is ever finished.