By Reason of Strength they be Fourscore

[1]

 

 Psalm 90:10 Contemporary English Version

¹⁰ We can expect seventy years,
or maybe eighty,
    if we are healthy,
but even our best years
    bring trouble and sorrow.
Suddenly our time is up,
    and we disappear

 

James gives a Christian commentary on that verse: “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, or you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.”[2]

Today is my 81^st birthday. I have now surpassed the four-score point.  I must confess that as I look back over 81 years, I have had my trouble and sorrow.  On the other hand, I have enjoyed life even in the darkest times.  In the past year my prostate cancer has returned but not with a vengeance yet.  I suffered a stroke, and this prompted my oncologist to say, “Now you are no longer fighting cancer, you are fighting to stay alive. So, stop taking…” and he listed most of my cancer medications.

We had a car accident where a semi pushed us sideways down a freeway ramp at ever increasing speeds. When I took the car in to the body shop a few days later, I was told that my insurance would probably total my car because of the damages—even though I was able to drive it home from the accident. My wife and daughter were in the car, yet none of the three of us suffered any injuries. God has been very good!

Sylvia stated, “Our guardian angels were really looking after us!” To which some wag quipped, “If they were looking after you, why didn’t they prevent you from having an accident?”

We took a lovely trip back east this past summer. We escaped some of the relentless 100º (40ºC) weather and attended Sylvia’s family reunion in North Carolina. At each family reunion we noticed that some of our beloved family members have cashed in on “suddenly our time is up and we disappear.”

However, we are laying concrete plans for a trip to Africa this year and a trip to see a total solar eclipse next year. In the meantime, we may suddenly disappear.

At this point I can only say,

 Thank You, Lord, for a good life and many happy years!

[3]

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[1] https://biblepic.com/psalms/90-10.htm

[2] James 1: 2-3 GNT

[3] https://www.irish-folk-songs.com/three-score-and-ten-lyrics-chords-and-sheet-music.html

We Plan--He Determines

 

[1]

Proverbs 16:9 Christian Standard Bible

⁹ A person’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord determines his steps.

 

Sylvia’s family holds a family reunion biannually. This year we had plans to leave home on July 1 and visit family and friends up in the northwest. Then we would drive across the northern states to Wisconsin and Michigan—hoping to avoid some of the summer heat. From there we planned to drive down to North Carolina for the reunion and then home.

Sylvia came down with a fever of over 102º F (39º C) June 28. Nothing we did would bring her fever down, and on July 2 she was admitted to hospital. They diagnosed her with pneumonia and kept her there three days. They tested her twice for COVID-19 and declared that she was not part of the pandemic. Dad told me several times that pneumonia is an old man’s friend because it usually takes him and removes him from all of his problems. Fortunately, this didn’t happen for Sylvia.

We debated about what we should do as far as the reunion trip was concerned. A week went by, and Sylvia continued to regain her strength. She indicated that we should give it a try. There was no way we could pursue our original plans on account of the time we had available. So, we decided to skip the Northwest part of our trip. We left home on the 12^th of July and had a great trip. We made it home on the 24^th of August—the day we had originally planned to get home.

At times I wonder if God stepped in and didn’t want us to leave when we had planned to. That is highly unlikely, of course. It was definitely providential that when Sylvia took ill, we were at home and not on the road in some strange place. This way we could get treatment at familiar places. It has taken her time to recover her strength, but she is fine now.

Thank You, Lord, for overruling our lives for our own best good!

 

                                                    

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[1] Camping in Ottumwa, Iowa

WE PLAN--GOD DIRECTS

Proverbs 16:9

 King James Version (KJV)

⁹ A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Sylvia picked an eclipse atlas off of the coffee table the other day. “Are you going to use this again?” Her obsession these days is to throw away, give away, or otherwise dispose of any object I don’t absolutely have to have.

“No, I’ll probably never look at it again. You can put it in the giveaway box.”

We had planned to view the August 21 eclipse this past summer. We wanted to drive north into Idaho where the eclipse would have been very visible. Later we planned to drive with our son Fred into Oregon and view it there. I had bought the atlas to show us where the best viewing was to be.

Earlier we took a trip east to Tennessee to Sylvia’s family reunion. It had lasted the better part of six weeks, and we had seen a lot of friends besides her family. I was still recovering from the West Nile Virus, and by the time I reached home, I was exhausted. A number of the symptoms like bouts of extreme fatigue, balance impairment, and headaches had reared their ugly heads.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that a rushed trip north with long drives and little sleep would just not be good for my weakened condition. So I bowed out as gracefully as I could. Instead I organized an eclipse party for our Better Than 50 Club so we could at least see the partial eclipse here.

I am still disappointed that I didn’t get to view the total eclipse, but I realize that it was the best for my health. I don’t want any recurrence of that awful disease.

Thank You, Lord directing my steps in the past. Help me to follow Your directions on a daily basis, too.