Keep Your Spirits High

This week I had a R.O.M.E.O (retired old men eating out) lunch with a dear friend.  Frequently these lunches involve several Romeo’s dining together.  They tend to travel in flocks.

This friend had requested that it only be the two of us .  To my surprise, he entered using a cane and had lost considerable weight since our last gathering.  As we settled in, he noted that he has been dealing with severe chronic pain caused by arthritis in his neck vertebrae.  As with all gatherings of folks in our age bracket, we enjoyed about 20 minutes of an “organ recital” where we opined about all things going wrong with our organs!  His question to me was “How do you manage to keep your Spirits up as you deal with such obvious disabilities?

I share this as others are likely dealing with similar issues.  I have no magic potion but this is what we discussed.

1. Stephen Covey in his wonderful book  Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People says in effect…We humans are different from animals in the fact that we have the power to choose our response to anything that happens to us.  Indeed that is why we  call it  R E S P O N S A B I L I T Y. Sp. !!
2. Every day is a Blessing.  Every morning, I reflect in prayer as I remember all of those on our prayer lists, text chains and devotionsdonedaily.com  website.  Before I rise I give thanks for the day ahead and I choose to rejoice and make it a good one.  With Christ in my heart, I rise and try to be a light to all others in my day.
3. We discussed the book of Job in the Bible.  Job lost everything…his health…his family…his friends…all of his possessions…but he never lost his FAITH in God and he was rewarded in the end just as we will be in Heaven.
4. I believe that God reserves His greatest challenges sometimes for his strongest warriors. Thereby giving them the opportunity to be even more of a witness for Him through their faith throughout  these ordeals.  Thus,  we can give thanks for our infirmities.
5. Unlike my friend , my maladies , other than 30+ kidney stones  and occasional bouts of gout have not come with chronic pain.  I thank God for that Blessing each day. 
6. I mentioned to my friend that I also find comfort in reading the Bible, listening to gospel and spiritual hymns, writing these little devotions for our prayer list friends subscribed to  devotionsdonedaily.com  and by pairing all of the songs to devotions everyday on devotionsdonedaily.com. I like to say that these activities keep my Spirits high… and keep me off of the streets and out of the bars!
7. I also thank God that my stroke ten years ago did not damage the part of my brain that enables me to choose my response to things ,  nor my ability to be grateful for all things great and small,  and to praise God always in all things.  These things I choose to do with gusto, one day at a time.

Lunch with my friend was a Blessing to me.  I hope I helped him as much as he helped me.  

Side note: As there are many on my prayer list who I have never had the pleasure of meeting face to face;  ( I love you anyway.)  my stroke left me paralyzed on my left side.  I still do therapy 6 hours a week just to “stay even.”  I “walk “ with the aid of an electric cuff mounted just below my knee.  With each step it sends an electric shock down the nerves in my left leg that jerks my toe up so that I can use my hip to swing my left leg forward.  I tell my children that every step I take is a “near death experience.”  I also use a red “hurricane” for balance.  It is equipped with a horn, headlight, tail light, bell, and cupholder.  It is a real conversation starter.  The sight of me “walking” can stop the traffic on an interstate highway!  I am Blessed by the attention.  It has introduced me to many new friends and kind souls.

Lynda Randle – One Day At a Time [Live]  – Gaither Music TV 

It Is Well With My Soul – SE Samonte

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Have a great week and keep your spirits high.

Hugs,  Bill