A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE

Well, some of my questions about the future have been answered since I last wrote. The results of my medical tests came back and everything is fine. Well, almost. The doctor had wanted me to undergo endoscopy because I am anemic and also lacking in Vitamin B12. The endoscopy revealed no sign of cancer or any abnormality, but I still need to follow up with my doc about the anemia. In the meantime, I'm taking the B12, iron, and Vitamin C he prescribed - when I remember.

I admit it. I'm a nurse and hardly ever forget to give one of my patients their medications, but when it comes to my own, I have a brain freeze. Seems I only remember to take my own pills when I see my husband taking his. Maybe that stems from the dislike I have for swallowing pills, although I've kind of gotten used to that. There are certain pills I just refuse to take, though. Like those horribly huge vitamins that feel like they are wrapped in sandpaper. No way! Not for me! I've been taking Calcium on a regular basis, but when hubby replenished our supply the other day and purchased the regular Calcium and not the gel-caps that are nice and soft and slither down easily, well, forget it. My body will just have to be Calcium deprived until I can get out to Wal-mart myself and get the kind of pills I can handle.

Okay, on to the next unanswered question in my life. I haven't met her yet, but I now know the name of the lady who will be our new boss at work. I'm excited for the changes a new person to our organization will bring. It wasn't until the announcement was made that I fully realized how relieved I was to have not been selected for the Director of Nursing position. I didn't relish the thought of returning to full time. Let someone younger face the demands and the long hours associated with that job! I'll be content to do my two or three days a week.

Our reading group is starting the new year with one of the classics, To Kill A Mockingbird. One of our members, a former English teacher, spoke so highly of that book as her favorite that I finally suggested we read it as a group. I know I must have read it sometime in my life, but it was one of those books whose character names I recognized, yet I could not tell at any point in the story what was coming next. I thought it was a great book to read in parallel with the inauguration of President Obama. What a long way our country has come in the area of race relations! I am thankful for that.

I've heard from members of one of the critique groups I'm in, which has prompted me to again revisit my novel and start sending work to them. It's been a while since I sent anything to anyone for review. I'm excited about the prospect of getting busy with writing again. I haven't written out any elaborate plan for this year, but I hope to make more progress than I have in the past. Sometimes I wish I could quit the part-time job and just write, but the way the economy is, that's not such a good idea right now!

I plan to balance my fiction reading with some non-fiction choices this year. It's been a while since I read a good writing craft book (I have a couple I purchased last year and still haven't read). Then, I want to read a few books that will deepend my faith journey. I started this year with a book my sister sent me for Christmas, Max Lucado's "Cure for the Common Life". It's a great book that has caused me to take a long look at my life, where I've been and where I'm going.

I think when a person gets to be my age, where more of my life is behind me than ahead of me, I try harder to make every day count for something. My main goal is to give the glory to God, whether writing or reading, working or enjoying my family, for the good days, the bad days, the trials and the triumphs. I'm going to work on smiling more and complaining less, looking for the strengths in people and overlooking the weaknesses, building up instead of tearing down, and bringing light to the lives of others instead of contributing to the darkness.

Thanks for reading my blog.