Not Giving Up...

                         "So we are not giving up! How could we!
                  Even though on the outside it often looks
                  like things are falling apart on us, on the
                  inside, where God is making new life, not
                  a day goes by without His unfolding grace."
                                                  2 Corinthians 4:16



I could barely hear her voice over the phone, yet I recognized the whisper. The moment she said my name, the tears started to flow.
My dear, dear friend Eileen Thompson, my daughter Jessi's mother-in-law, has ALS and little-by-little it has robbed her of walking, using her arms or hands and now it is taking her voice and ability to breathe on her own. 

Yet her whisper was so full of life, so full of gratitude that my heart almost burst with love for her.

"They are even more beautiful than the last ones you sent," she said, referring to the flower arrangements I have been sending her about every three weeks. "And the card just made me so happy. I love you, you know." 

I managed to whisper, "I love you too, dear friend."

I asked how she was today and the answer is always so amazing that I am left speechless when I hear it.

"I am so blessed," she whispered with certainty. "I have so much to be grateful for."

Now understand, if you will, that Bert and I have had a wonderful yet tough summer with his health issues.  Yet I'm not sure that honestly even once, when I have been asked how I was, that I remembered to say that I am blessed.

I managed to ask, "And why are you blessed today, Eileen?" 
I ask that question every time we go through this conversation.

She paused and said quietly, "God loves me. I have a purpose in life and I am not giving up."

My dear friend, once again, rendered me speechless. "Are you still there?" she asked and through tears I told her I was. "You know, " she went on, "My job is to pray for everyone all day long. I'm really very busy.  I pray for you and Bert every single night."

And I knew she did.

After the conversation, I thought long and hard about gratitude, feeling blessed and not giving up. You see I live with my beloved Bert who, like Eileen, doesn't give up either. And like Eileen, his gratitude for even the smallest things fills a room with joy.

How blessed I am to be reminded of God's love.
How blessed I am to have a friend like Eileen, who trusts God       with all her heart and lives her purpose every day.
How blessed I am to have spent the last 35 years married to my beloved Bert. 

Every day with him is a miracle!

Yes, like Paul said in Corinthians...

On the outside it may look like things are falling apart on us, but on the inside God is at work
sharing His unfolding grace!

What a great reminder. 
How are you Linda? 
I am blessed and I will not give up!

Sending loves, hugs and prayers your way!
Linda