Worth Celebrating!

I don't know how many people get a chance to experience that one big moment that gives them a whole new perspective on life, but I feel like I am celebrating my second birthday (as of yesterday) because the last two years of my life seem like a bonus that I have been blessed with. They are definitely worth celebrating.

Two years ago yesterday (Nov. 2, 2007) I woke up and started getting ready for my day of work only to find myself lying on the floor 15 minutes later, unable to get up due to a massive stroke. Today I am going through the daily activities and routines of life almost as if nothing at all happened two years ago. What a blessing!

I remember that day, 2 years ago, laying there in the emergency room thinking about how things would be okay. I still had my right side, and being right handed that meant that I would still be able to write, I had my voice so I would still be able to communicate and sing, and the stroke hadn't affected my cognitive abilities at all (as far as I could tell) so I would still be able to think. Overall, things were going to be okay.

Well, God had even better plans for me. I now get to enjoy the left side of my body as well. It's not perfect. I'm really clumsy with my left hand and it still lacks feeling, my left foot doesn't always behave the way I would like it to, my sense of balance is still pretty precarious at times, and I don't have the quick movements and athletic abilities that I enjoyed so much in pre-stroke days, but I sure have a lot more than I ever would have dreamed of on that morning 2 years ago, including an extra two years of life! What an awesome gift.

I hope and pray that few of you will ever have to go through something like a stroke, and I realize that many of you out there have been through a similar life threatening experience, but I do hope that all of you can have the opportunity to look at each new day as a very special gift from God. A day to be thankful for His loving hand which upholds us through the toughest of situations and for His loving smile which celebrates with us healing, family, motion, song, joy, forgiveness and life.

All of this is worth celebrating. Every day!

Thanks for all of your love and support and prayers,

David