A TRULY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Yesterday, March 2, was my birthday. When I was a young boy I looked forward to getting a LOT of presents. Funny, as kids we measure expressions of love in the number of toys we get. Even as a man of 45 I still sometime fall victim to that way of thinking.

However, this birthday I got a sober reminder of just what is truly important in life, and what a true birthday gift really is. Both my father and my cat were seriuosly ill. My father had been hospitalized for several days before they diagnosed him as having a bad gallbladder, which they removed Monday morning. My cat was listless and throwing up over the weekend. I took him down to the vet and after extensive and (EXPENSIVE) tests it was determinded he had pancreatitus, which is potentially fatal in cats if not treated properly.

Long story short, both patients are doing fine. Our cat Puffin is back home and eating with no trace of sickness, and my father continues to recouperate in the hospital in Tampa. With any luck at all he might get discharged on Saturday or Monday. Last night I thanked the good Lord that he had given me the best present ever.

Crazy isn't it. It's the simple things in life that end up grounding us in reality. It took two illnesses to remind me of what truly is most important in life. God's love is truly awesome.

Thank you, Jesus.

Love, Peter