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March 26th – Faith in God or Man?

A few years ago, this day started like any other day, little did we know, our lives would not be the same again faced with a dilemma…Faith in God or Man!

The morning routine included dropping off our kids to school and then heading out to our respective occupations. I had a longer drive, so usually was the early bird. In no time, we were out and about. A special part of my morning included morning worship. Later in the day, our daughter had to take a physical for she was poised to have one of the most remarkable summer sports camp ever.

Her mom took her to the pediatrician. She called and indicated that the pediatrician had a hard time getting her heart beats and blood pressure. Consequently, she sent them to the ER to get the results and then revert back to her. It was no big deal; our daughter was very active and healthy. We would crisscross at the gate as they drove to the ER, and I was just getting home. This was about 6pm

About 4 hours later, her mom would call me and say, “I think there’s something wrong!” She would explain that they had done the ECG more than 5 times… I was still calm and relaxed…until she said… “I think you need to come to the hospital.” I protested saying, just get the ECG and come home. She retorted, her voice sharp and piercing, certainly alarmed…

I will cut the story short. Apparently, our daughter who had spent a whole day in school, was walking, talking and doing everything a normal human being would do…had NO heartbeat…Let me repeat that…NO heartbeat! Not only that, but the ECG’s were basically noise and not the sinusoidal wave of a functioning heart.

Immediately I got to the hospital, my mindset was, ‘THERE’S GOT TO BE A MISTAKE.’ However, there wasn’t. I was shown the results, and for sure, they differed so much from what a normal heart would read. I was not shaken, while the doctors sort means to transfer her to a specialized children’s hospital… I was besides her mom telling her not to worry. When we saw the diagnosis, ([withheld]/heart failure), I looked at my partner and said, “She (nurse) made a mistake.”

What happened next, you can only imagine it in the movies…an influx of people, unknown to us start streaming to our daughter, giving her gifts, hugs and more… Forget HIPPA rules, word travels first in a hospital. It was a last rites impromptu ceremony. We just stood there, transfixed and unsure of what all this commotion meant.

To be continued. This is what made the difference for us. The doctors spoke what they saw based on their observations. We the parents, spoke what we knew and wanted for our daughter based on our FAITH. We did not belief that our girl’s heart had failed, nor that she would need another one. For in our thoughts, we know we serve a God who says, ” I have plans to prosper you, not harm you.’ (Jer 29:11). I have heard people who were given 6 months to live. However, only God knows when one’s time is over. However, often not, we believe the doctor more than God.

In this case…who would prevail?

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KINDNESS _ Revisited

Pay it Forward…Happy Valentine

 

I had posted this back in 2019…but a recent encounter with a cordial connection on Linkedin resurrected it. I have made a few retouches but the message is ripe. Recent incidences in our wonderful world reveal a deep divide between one human and another. It is sad, just how quickly humans forgets that titles are just titles…bottom line, we are human beings and we should treat each other as thus…

It’s at a time when a little kindness can go a long way. In addition, Valentine is around the corner. The Gospel charges us to ‘Invite those who cannot invite us back…least they repay you…’LK 14:12-13. Furthermore, Christ charges us to be humble, LK 14:11 and that when we give, it needs be a secret between us and God. ‘So that your giving maybe in secret…’ Mathew 6:4. Thus said, it is out of humility I write the following hoping to fire up my readers to action.

A few weeks back I went to go pick up my daughter from soccer practice. Since she could not play soccer, she took the position of Team Manager. I could not get a hold of her, and as I waited, one of her teacher’s showed up with a car load of ‘back to school night’ groceries. Her car was overloaded, literary.

On noticing she could use a hand, I went over and helped her unload the goodies and load them on a hand trolley. Certainly, I bet she could have managed on her own, but with a little help, we were done in a breeze. The smile on her face said it all. She was so grateful. I did not think more about it. To me, I did what any person ‘should’ have done in such a situation?

Long and behold, a few days later I got a postal mail. In it, was a beautiful medallion (see picture). I was so moved. I could not imagine or even expect that my innocent actions were that meaningful to her. Either way, her gratitude added an extra spark to ‘pay it forward.’ More so, I have to pass the Kindness Token to someone else.

Do you know someone who deserves one of this KINDNESS TOKEN medallions? Valentine is in a few days.  Cheer someone up…Spread the love…but remember, love yourself first for you cannot give that which you don’t have!

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Don’t Exercise and hold your device!

I know you have heard and already likely know that “Don’t Text and Drive” is the law. “Using handheld devices and driving is prohibited.” The list goes on and on about handheld devices and the dangers of driving at the same time. I think one more such five-sense one liners need to be added to that list. ” Don’t exercise and hold your device at the same time.

I cannot count how many times while driving in the morning or evening I have come across runners on sidewalks busy doing their thing and holding their cell phones in their hand. I mean, in this day and time, there are many options from clothing to hand arm phone sleeves, one can use. The same way, it is dangerous to text and drive, so it is when exercising and holding a device. https://amzn.to/3WW6Rv3

Real life experience

I was driving to an appointment one early morning when I witnessed just how painful it can be to hold a phone and run at the same time. A middle-aged man, running on the sidewalk tripped on a slightly raised pavement slab. Human instinct would have been to break his fall using his hands. However, he was holding a rather expensive phone in his right hand. He tried to break his fall with his left hand. He succeeded partially and ended up falling hard on his right side and hitting his forehead on the pavement. O, and the phone he tried to save…shattered screen.

I had a split decision to make…STOP and HELP a fellow human in distress or act like nothing happened. I pulled up, stopped the car, put hazards on and approached him. Sir, do you need me to call 911? He declined. He was coherent and aware of his presence. By now a crowd of other would-be helpers was growing. He was Caucasian…I, African American.

Suddenly, I noticed the accusatory looks…and despite the man insisting he fell…a couple individuals including a nurse who stopped to help and declared she was a medical professional looked at me ‘like, did you hit him?’ I mean, it’s probable but really, how quickly tables can turn.

I slid back into my car and drove off. Strangely enough, this was not the first time someone tried to question my kindness. I had come across a toddler wandering near the road. Doing the right thing, I had pulled over, and remained with the child yelling out Hello! Hello! to see if some adult would come take the child. Just about then, a Council Woman pulled up after seeing the child and my car pulled upon the curb. Her first words were, “Did you hit him (child)?”

I retorted that I was driving home and saw the child near the road, so I stopped to help…but the damaged was done…and yet, in this case, the child was Hispanic, the council woman, African American. Are people just to quick to judge or it is just me?

Back to my topic…I think it is advisable to put the devices in the right place while exercising…it could be the difference between a major injury or just a few bruises.

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2023 – Spread the Love

If nature gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I had left a storage tub outside and it filled up with rain water. The sub-zero temperatures over the Christmas season turned the water into a solid block of ice. Well, I have always wanted to make an ice sculpture. I took a large kitchen knife and curved away the excess ice leaving behind a heart shaped ice sculpture. To finished it off, I sprayed it red…and the final piece…see above. Spread the love!

For 2023; Spread the Love. Whatever, nature throws at you, see the positive side of it and make good with it! Did you realize (2+0+2+3 = 7 – the perfect 7). May God bless the works of your hands especially those done for His greater Glory.