No — not me Lord ...

As I write this post, it's Sunday again.

I often wonder where the time goes, but then I know I'm not alone. Despite what day it is I am thankful when I can get out of bed and put my feet on the floor.

I try to look at each day as a new adventure. No, really, I'm not nuts.

It helps to keep it in perspective: I know that soon my life here on earth will end. OK, OK, I know what you're thinking, some day we are all going to leave this old Earth of ours. But I will beat most of you. 

You see, I have Alzhiemer's, the second largest cause of death in our country. There are a few million of us in various stages of this terrible disease from which there is no cure.

From the time the good doc says you got it, the average expectancy is about 7 to 8 years (for a small few life can last for 20 years).

You start to lose your ability to think, to speak, to move at will. The disease robs you of all of your natural ability as it ever so slowly destroys your brain, turning the nerves that control it into mush.

When I heard I had Alhzeimer's, it didn't really register with me. I was numb.

When it finally registered, I went through the various stages that one does mourning the lose of a love one. In the end, you finally come to realize that's it, period.

I begged and pleaded with God, why me? You have healed me of cancer and a rare form of lung bacteria from which I almost died.  That was my first near-death experience. Some of my kids and grandchildren came from Western New York to visit — when I woke up, there they were, standing at the foot of my hospital bed. I thought to myself, This is not good.

Having been a pastor over the years, I have participated with many folks who had love ones in hospice near death. I knew the ritual ... Only this time it was me. After a while, they left, each giving me a kiss goodbye. It was then I prayed to God that His perfect will be done with me. You know what? The hospital discharged me a few days later.

On a follow-up visit to my primary doctor he told me I almost died. He talked about that it was a miracle — like I didn't already know it.

My Bible tells me that nothing happens by accident. Ya, sure. Easy to read, but hard to accept.

But why? Why me?

Since the time of my diagnosis, He has give me opportunities to share my walk, my adventure, with lots of folks. Those with illness and those who are well. I have been asked many times by love ones as they see the person whom they love slip away, Why?

I have no answers other than my experience and what the Bible says that He has a plan for each of us and He walks with each of us through the valleys of opportunity that He has planned ages ago for us.

To God be the Glory. Amen.