Click on the link above to hear the podcast, or read the transcript below.
I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
My Thanksgiving was excellent!
We had family and friends coming over for dinner, so my wife began her cooking routine very early in the morning.
Being the good husband that I am, I did not leave her to labor alone for hours mixing and baking.
I stepped right in to help.
I remember very clearly when the pumpkin pies were done, I was the one who took the pies out of the oven. It was an important job that had to be completed before the turkey could begin its four hour sojourn in the oven.
And it was dangerous work. The pies were very hot. I even had to wear these big mitt things to keep from getting burned.
When the company arrived, the food was ready and we had a great meal, followed by an excellent time just chatting with one another.
And when everyone was gone, my wife set to work cleaning up. I offered to help — remember, I’m a good husband — but she said she didn’t need me so I went upstairs and worked on the computer.
Around 8 pm I noticed something a little unusual. I felt some pain and pressure high up across my chest. I’d never had that feeling before but figured it would go away.
It didn’t.
After an hour, I decided it might be wise to go visit the hospital where my wife worked. She thought it was a good idea also, so we drove to the ER at Community Hospital.
All the people I met at the hospital were nice. They poked and prodded my body — with my permission — hooked me up to electronic gizmos that made squiggly lines on their monitors, and constantly asked how I felt.
Yep, they were very nice people.
And then — you won’t believe this— they offered me the opportunity to spend a night in one of their rooms. This was turning into a vacation!
So, the rest of the night, I got to spend lots of one-on-one time with my beautiful wife.
Talk about a great Thanksgiving.
The Next Day
The next day, a very nice doctor came by the room and explained that I had … oh, what did he call it?
Oh, yeah. A heart attack.
They did a cardiac catheterization, put in a stent, and took a whole bunch of before and after pictures which they shared with me.
The tests indicated that I had about a 96% blockage of the largest artery leading to my heart. The doctor said the condition was called a “widowmaker” and would probably have earned it’s name if I hadn’t come in so early.
Other than that, they said my heart looked very good.
I felt great but they gave me the opportunity to stay a second night in their lovely facility. I told you they were nice people.
The next day I went home with my beautiful wife and enjoyed my “new” heart.
Some Thoughts About Thanksgiving
It’s good to remember that Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks to God for what He has done. I have a lot to be thankful for.
I thank God that He gave me a beautiful and loving wife who, for some reason, has stayed with me and loved me for over half a century.
I thank God that He gave me a wonderful family who are a delight to watch.
I thank God that He gave me many wonderful friends who add a real richness to life.
I thank God that He let me meet many nice people these past few days.
I thank God that He gave some of those people the skill to fix my heart.
And I’m thankful the Lord has given me a few more days to travel this brief journey we have on earth.
Yes, 2022 was a great Thanksgiving for me.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well.
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12
Here are a couple of articles you might find interesting.
“San Francisco police seek permission for its robots to use deadly force” by A. Tarantola. This is worth looking at. As many of our cities sink into crime and chaos, some are accepting the idea that robots with the ability and permission to kill humans may be the answer. Do you really want to live in that world?
“An Existential Threat to Doing Good Science” by Luana Maroja. One university professor looks at the price of current wokeism on our nation’s colleges and universities.
“Slippery Slope: Washington Post Gives Rave Review For Play About Pedophiles, Treating Them Kinder” by Tim Meads. Our culture is in complete moral collapse.
“Thousands of convicted pedophiles in California are being released from prison …” by Josh Boswell. This is only the beginning.
Sometimes a little humor is helpful when things are going bad. Below is a short YouTube video you might enjoy.
Before I go I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today!
Clint
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Did you have a good Thanksgiving?