Two days in review

8:10 p.m. Today's project was to turn off the inside and outside Christmas lights, bring in the lighted moving angel, fill and turn on the dishwasher, finish wrapping a fraction of the gifts I have hidden away, and get the coffee pot ready for 5.5 hours later. Yes, at 12:07 this morning, I looked up at the clock on the microwave and went, "Uh-oh!" At some point later, I actually got into bed. Not too smart, especially since Psalm 127:2 says,

It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Yesterday, December 20, had been a long day, but much had been accomplished. The house was clean because I had guests coming for facials at 11:00. I'd had my devotions; let out, cleaned up after and fed our dog; checked on Steve's status at Magnolia Rehab; and even had the dumpsters moved to the front yard. I got dressed up Mary Kay style, and enjoyed a relaxed and rewarding two hours with new friends. All of these activities took place while  enjoying Christmas music on my tv and the beautiful decorations on the tree, mantel, hutch and tables that Steve and I collected over 31 years of marriage.

At 1:00, with a packed lunch, laptop and charger,w-ifi portable device and charger, and cords for all of this hardware, I went into Magnolia Rehab. They had called earlier to report Steve's inability to even take the swallowing eval, let alone pass it. So after receiving phone and in-person status updates from  nurses and case managers, I asked my daughter to text all the sibs for a family meeting. I have always been a huge fan of the verse,

Where there is no counsel, the
  people fall,
but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14)

Nick and Heather ran over to his parents' home to get food for us while we awaited the others.Three of the kids, plus spouses, went to the empty dining room with me, and we had a very focused discussion.There's now a plan for the next week, culminating in the test that will determine whether he can swallow food, even pureed food, which they do serve for others at Raincross. How wonderful if Steve could return to the residence to his own room, great food, skilled and attentive caregivers and friends.

But I know Steve is in God's hands. And God has called me to turn this experience into a testimony. Several times a day, to everyone who enters his room to help out, I witness of Steve's salvation, and his decades of commitment to Christ. Those decades of commitment and personal relationship with Jesus, are the very preparation his spirit is making for his entrance into heaven.

Are you prepared, not for the hyped-up Mayan doomsday, but for the day of your death, to make your entrance into heaven?