After my stroke in January 2015, I came to a startling revelation.  I am not going to live forever.  This life is temporary.  So, after my stroke, my life became more precious to me because I was no longer taking it for granted.  I know that my days are numbered by the Lord and since I know Jesus as my Savior, I know that when I die I will go to be with Him.  But these “numbered” days are the ones I need to use to make sure that the new generation coming after me knows about all the Lord has done for me.  For example, when I gave birth to my second son Scott, I was all alone in a military hospital and bleeding profusely.  The nurse unwisely told me, “You’re dying.”  I had a three year old daughter at home and a newborn baby and I was told that I was “bleeding out” and would die.  I don’t recall praying but I do remember calling out the name of the the Lord.  Then a doctor that I had never seen before stopped by my bedside, balled up his fist and before I knew what was happening, he socked me hard in my abdomen.  A huge clot came out, and my life was saved.  He told me I would be fine now and walked away.  The nurse said he couldn’t tell me beforehand what he was going to do because I would have tensed up and his technique would not have worked.  I just called it a miracle!  Later, when I had my stroke and could not speak, I was crying out to God in the ambulance.  Again, he spared my life.  Another miracle!  These are the big ones that I can tell about but there are small ones every day.  I have severe allergies, but I wanted a kitty, so my husband indulged me (after all, I had survived a stroke) and I am pleased to report that I have not suffered any ill effects at all.  Daisy is in my lap now and stays there a lot, to keep me company and just to be with me.  When our daughter Hope was just a baby, only a few months old, our family was on the way to a prayer group meeting when a truck crossed the center line and hit us head-on.  I had just finished nursing Hope and put her back into her car seat when the accident occurred.  The car was totaled.  My husband and I were all bruised up, but not badly.  And miracle of miracles, Hope was fine!  No bumps, bruises, scrapes, nothing.  God is good, isn’t He? We need to tell others daily about what He has done in our lives, not just to remind us and to testify to them, but also to leave a legacy to our children, grandchildren and friends about the power of God and His love for us in all situations.  I want to tell of God’s love for as long as I live.  What legacy do you want to leave behind for your loved ones?  I hope that it is a tale of God’s goodness and grace and mercy, because those are the stories that will live forever.

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