Angie....

     Sometimes I just want to write about all the things that are wrong with the world. (And I actually started that blog two days ago... only it's proving to be sort of a big topic... So I shelved it for the nonce..:)
     Tonight has just been a fun evening.  In fact, it's been a fun day.
      Home school was a bit tough this morning as both teacher and student were pretty tired this a.m.  for some reason!    But still we accomplished things, managed to be movers and shakers in the world of academics :)  Well, sort of...
      Anyway...  then lunch at a Mexican restaurant -our Spanish lesson for the day...  (Can you say Enchilada??  Oui!!  Um... Si!!!)
      After that a neat afternoon sorting through things for a huge garage sale...  (Come to Healing Waters on Saturday - I can just about guarantee that you'll find a bargain there and the money goes for a good cause!)   At any rate, my friends sorted through donated things while I mostly talked so, of course, I had a blast... Then home to do some housework, a little cooking - as little as possible actually...   And then internet Scrabble, complete with trash talking and breathlessly risky moves on the board... (Well, I think we were pretty daring, risking it all a time or two on some iffey words...  I mean, come on!  The game is not as tame as it looks:)
      But, seriously, the thing I treasure most about this day (and most days) is just being with my friends, on-line and off.
      They inspire me.  I'm not exaggerating - I don't have a single close friend who doesn't encourage me by their example and I could write about each and every one of them right now and you would see what I mean.  When I am around these ladies, they egg me on  to "faith it" a little more,  whine a little less, and also to ramp up my  love for Jesus, who loved me first.  They encourage me when I'm down and tease me when I'm too self-absorbed, which is often:)  I am blessed!
      Tonight I want to highlight one friend, however.  A woman who is in a wheel chair and has been for some time.  She has a progressive neuromuscular disease but it doesn't define her.  Almost everything I take for granted, she has to think twice about and often has to have help to accomplish the simplest things.
     But she never quits.
     I mean.. she never quits!
     The first time we met face to face, she had a book for me and I had a necklace for her. It never occurred to me that she wouldn't be able to unwrap the necklace and/or lift it up and place it around her neck by herself.  So what does she do? She learns to play the dulcimer... Ha!    She blogs and manages to keep them short as well as to the point. (I really don't know how she does that... obviously)   And when I am "around" her, she brightens my day... She has a sharp wit and is a serious Scrabble player :)  She makes me think and makes me laugh, challenging  me in every area of my life.
     Yet it's true that she also  has to work for every single breath and because her lungs are weak, her voice seldom rises above a whisper. So when I'm at her house, I lean forward because I don't want to miss her pithy punchlines! Seriously!  And when she blogs, I lean forward mentally because I know I'll learn from her about God, about how to "do" life when life, at times, seems simply un-doable.
     She was told years ago that she should have a feeding tube put in. She did the research and decided she would live without one. And she has.
     Some time ago, she was told that she would have to go on Hospice.  She thought about it, prayed about it, and decided she would get better, confound the doctors, and live a while longer, thank you very much.  And she has.
     She would be the first to tell you that God has helped her every step of the way and that the road has not been easy but that it has been worthwhile.
      Tonight I'll undress myself, climb into bed and probably toss and  turn a bit before drifting off. Angie can't do that, not any of it.  Once she's been positioned in bed, she's there for the duration, until morning comes.
     But I don't think there is any way that her spirit can be confined.
     Someday I'll get to walk with my friend.
     For right now, honestly, I'd just be happy if I could keep up!   You may think I'm kidding but I'm not:)
     If you want to get to know Angie and find out for yourself what makes her tick, check out her blog:       http://angiesthatsthat.blogspot.com/  You'll be glad you did, I promise.