FEELING BETTER ?

I've been sick all year. I awoke New Year's Day with, what I thought was, a mild case of the sniffles. I asked everyone at church to please keep their distance from me. I took whatever cold remedies I found at the house and Mark agreed to bring me home stronger medication on Monday. Well, evidently, waiting a day to get stronger meds was the wrong decision. After one more day of thinking I could get over my symptoms with over the counter relief, I was hit hard later in the week with the realization that if I did not drag myself in to see the doctor, there was a good chance I might die. Even though my regular doctor was out of the office, I made an appointment to see someone at their office and I got what is commonly referred to as a Z-pac. I had heard good things about this concoction and had high hopes I would be back to myself in no time.

After five days of taking my antibiotics, I have experienced some improvement. I am happy to report that I am no longer coughing up pieces of, what appeared to be, my lungs. I no longer feel a constant river raging down my sinuses and I am actually beginning to believe I will recover. I'm just not bouncing around like I had hoped I would after completion of my Z-pac.

But, life does go on. So far during 2012, I have been able to see one of the year's best movies, in my opinion. The first time I heard about the movie, Warhorse, I knew it would be awesome. It had previously been highlighted as a stage play in London on Sunday Morning on CBS, a story about a boy and his horse. Through unbeknownst circumstances to the boy, the horse is transported into cavalry duty during a war. The boy joins the war effort and proceeds into battles to find the horse. War rages, lives are lost, yet there is the possibility of a reconciliation of our young hero and his four legged friend. This scenario was previously played out in the 1958 Disney movie, Tonka, which is the embellished, I'm sure, historical account of the lone US Cavalry survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn, also known as Custer's Last Stand. During this Indian battle, all members of the US Cavalry were killed, save for one horse, known as, I was told, Comanche. I must have seen this movie when I was around seven or eight, I'm not sure. But it has stuck with me for nearly fifty years and seeing the story again unfold, this time against the backdrop of World War I, was astounding. I'm still trying to view Tonka again, but am so thankful to have been able to see Warhorse.

If you're following sports, you already know that Tim Tebow, after a six game, highly unlikely, winning streak, followed by three disappointing losses has been redeemed in the playoffs with a, do I dare say "miraculous" overtime 11-second touchdown drive, to knock off the highly touted Pittsburgh Steelers. Although I had previously been a lifelong fan of the Steelers ( I love Terry Bradshaw. ), I will not follow or root for a team that is led by a quarterback whose morals and character are questionable. Needless to say, I was happy and thrilled to see Tim Tebow and his Denver Bronco's survive and advance Sunday night.

On a personal note, I have learned that a chapter in the lives of my Henderson friends, Marla and Randy Owens, has come to a close. Their son, Ryan, collapsed and died on the football practice field behind Henderson County High School in July of 2006. They were devastated and wanted desperately to know what happened in the minutes before Ryan's death. As the school, coaches and administrators clammed up and circled their wagons, so to speak, they felt the only way to get the answers to their questions was to sue those involved. As a friend, I had advised against the lawsuit, giving Randy the Bible verse Romans 14:19 which states, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification." I was led at that time to do all that I could to attempt a reconciliation between my friends and the school system. Randy and Marla had been the most loved and respected supporters of the school and football program right up until Ryan's death. My efforts for reconciliation fell short and at that time, Mark and I were blessed to be able to relocate to Central Kentucky where all my immediate family lives. We have been so happy here. I have anyway, you might want to check with Mark. It was hard for him to leave the Green River and his Henderson friends. Anyway, I saw on the news and read the reports in the paper that the lawsuit has been settled, something Randy said would never happen, but after five years of living with Ryan's death everyday, I know, Randy and Marla needed to move on. I pray for God's peace and comfort to enfold them and their family all the days of their lives.

My doggies and I are really getting cabin fever throughout this illness and colder weather. After a few days of springlike conditions, we are definitely ready for an early spring. Groundhog, please deliver for us.

I hope you are enjoying 2012 and have a great day, luv, Susan