Many of us

have heard the stories. We have listened to or read the accounts of individuals

who did not die two years ago in the fiery Word Trade Center collapse.

The story is

told of a company head who arrived late for work because his son started

kindergarten that day. Another fellow felt that he was alive because it

had been his turn to stop and buy the donuts. And there was the story

about a man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning and left for work,

but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped

at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid which made him late that day, and alive

today.

Just last week,

when my car broke down in front of the Assembly of God Church on Warm

Springs Road just north of Columbus, I shared with the pastor who came

to my rescue, how, in such situations, I always recall the cobra poem,

the one about the fellow who could not travel the path he wanted and had

to go another less desirable route, and how he really should be thankful

for the detour because of the cobra that lay in wait for him on the path

not taken.

I will bet

you have done your share of fussing and complaining in the past, just

like me. But, somehow, over time, I have come to the realization that

life is filled with miracles. Some use the word coincidences. But clearly,

"a coincidence is when God works a miracle and decides to remain

anonymous."

I don't recall

when I first began to recognize the miracles, but once full recognition

took place, the inconveniences, accidents, illnesses, wrong turns, automobile

problems, failed computer systems all these things took on new meaning.

I have actually

grown to look for the hidden blessings in my misadventures. Sometimes,

such blessings seem greater than the ones that come with my chosen adventures.

It amazes me at this young age oh, yeah, 55 is young and getting younger

every day - that I have finally started to see God's hand in everything.

Yet, this past

year has presented for me some real trials. I had begun to think, sometime

around the end of May, that I would never be well again. I feared the

complications from last year's surgery and ongoing symptoms would take

a permanent toll.

Then five weeks

ago, my ENT (Ear/Nose/Throat) doctor, no less, came up with a treatment

regimen that has totally turned my life around. I have lost 25 pounds,

mostly gained over the past year while being given steroids for symptoms

that would not let up, symptoms that were robbing me of quality of life.

The antibiotics at first, for weeks after the surgery, then the steroids

that followed served their purpose, I suppose. I should be thankful. However,

some medications tend to bring on, or exacerbate, other problems.

So my ENT makes

a few suggestions which I follow and within two weeks I am a new person.

I wanted to tell you immediately, but being the doubting Thomasina that

I am, I had to wait and see if it would last.

I'm going back

to the ENT two days from this writing and I can't wait to hug him! Then

afterwards, I'm having lunch with a friend, in Atlanta, who has faithfully

prayed for me for four years.

I'm saying

all this to say, good will come out of the past year. I soon will be returning

to visit officials at the hospital where my care was so atrocious and

addressing issues that need to be addressed. I want to do everything in

my power to see that no other patient ever goes through what I did. And

I want to tell of how God's grace sustains, no matter what, to anybody

who will listen.

I had two more

invitations today, to do just that. I will accept both. God is good, folks.

His presence is ever near, his grace sufficient, and his mercy truly everlasting.

Even as I write

this, I am fully aware that others who read these words may not get a

miracle. They may not regain lost health. They may continue to suffer.

They may never again be pain free. Part of me feels bad about writing

about how good I feel. Part of me The other part just can't quit praising

God. Yep, I'm going to tell my story to anybody who will listen. And you,

dear readers, have for nearly two decades now, been great listeners. Thank

you, and I thank God for the countless ways He works in, through, and

amongst all of us to meet the real needs of our hearts and lives.

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