cover your mouth

cough -
and the whole world coughs with you.

what does one coffin say to another coffin? 
"is that you coffin?"
 i used to laugh and laugh at this little joke.



is that you whoopin'?

i decided i'd use it to segway into the fact
that i've had whooping cough for the last week.

so by now,
because of the last 2 illnesses,

i've taken 3 sets of antibiotics in the past 2 months.

i know a lot of folks have been suffering similar illnesses recently.

it's been kinda rough, but i think the hardest part about it was keeping a good attitude.

trying to remember others terrible struggles and  praying for them when i would start to give into my self pity.

good things can't happen in this life without a little ouch to keep us balanced and grateful and awake.

the thing is, that we have all these plans.

all these things we're going to do, and get done.

schedules, deadlines, lists and menus.

but you know, we don't always have our say in the matters.

isn't that one of the craziest things we humans have in common?
we think we know what we're going to do,
and even know what we will be known for doing.

 there's nothing wrong with having a goal or a dream or a calling,
but when it turns into an ideal,
or one becomes idealistic,

these plans can become potentially catastrophic.

 i mean, through my experience  in this life, my greatest devastations have come, from my ideals being destroyed or compromised; having my plans uprooted by some outside person or circumstance.

whether physical, financial, social, or spiritual, ideals can become idols that we worship, rather than being a goal we're working toward for this space and time in our life.

i guess being a member of  the 'enlightened age' (fifties) it might be a lot easier for us to see this than our younger peers.

of course seeing the devastation of japan, the floods and disasters in our own land, economic woes, disease and moral degradations,
it's pretty easy to see that 'we are not in control'

 at this age when my body feels very weak and fading,
i don't feel the security of my ideals, my strengths, and my will.

but to me, this is a good thing.  i like being where i am.
(though it took some time to wrap my pride around it)
i want to be able to 'tuck and roll' with it now even when it's more difficult to get on my knees.
i guess my goal is to grow and live and have my being in
my joy, my hope, & my rock
who never changes and never fails.

He is one plan i can stake my life on.

in my weakness He is strong.

eventually He WILL get me to the other side.

so anyway, that's my thoughts for today.

i hope they can be food for your thoughs. (like to hear them)



i love my kids and maybe someday they'll read their old mom's words and take a few to heart.

until then

 cover your mouth when you cough.



arms akimbo