Well, Am I Going To Live?

By Kay Heitsch

Yesterday, the day before my 75th birthday, I had my treadmill stress test and ultrasound.

Everything was going well. So, after it was over, I jokingly asked one of the girls, "Well, am I going to live?" In a solemn voice, the girl responded, "It's not up to me."

Her response made me smile! We can do our best to stay healthy, but it's not up to someone or ourselves to know how long we'll live.

Our Bible verse says. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16 NLT

Our days were recorded in God's book before we were born. Only God knows how long we will live.

How Do You Identify Yourself?

By Kay Heitsch

Yesterday, I received a text message asking me to answer a few questions before I took my treadmill stress test in the morning.

I found it interesting that I was asked what my pronouns were and also if I identified as a lesbian or heterosexual. What this had to do with a treadmill stress test is beyond me.

Much to my delight, I heard a Christian message this morning asking, "How do you identify yourself? The answer was plain and simple. As Christians, we identify ourselves as children of God.

Our Bible verse says. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 NLT

When we believe and accept what Jesus did for us, we have the right to identify as children of God.

I identify as a child of God!

Shared Grief

By Kay Heitsch

Last week, I watched the hockey game between the Blue Jackets and the Red Wings.

During the game, Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of a Blue Jackets player, was interviewed. Sadly, her husband, Johnny Gaudreau, died in a car accident in 2024. What caught my attention was that the interviewers thanked Meredith for allowing them to share her grief.

I had never thought of allowing other people to share my grief. I well remember doing everything I could to control my emotions when Todd died. I cried alone in the bathtub or sobbed in the yard after a run. I wanted to be strong for my kids.

I was asked to speak at several churches and other organizations and did everything I could to keep it together. I started to cry one day and told the person who had asked me to talk I was sorry. He said, "Kay, when you cried, it gave other people permission to cry, too." The people listening were trying to hold it together for you.

So, I learned something from watching a hockey game I hadn't known in 30 years. Now, the time may be right for me to share a few more things I've learned about grief and its effects on your life.

Bright Pink

By Kay Heitsch

Last week, I experienced something odd I would like to share with you.

As most of you know, I like to shovel. In the mornings, I am outside early. Since the sun hasn't risen yet, I don't wear sunglasses. One day, I was out later than usual, and the sun came out. When I came inside, everything was bright pink.

It scared me, so I went online to see if anything had been written about it. Sure enough, there was.

I read that what I was experiencing was called Afterimage. It's where your eye's photoreceptor cells become fatigued after exposure to intense light, causing the complementary color bright pink to be perceived when looking at something else.

I was happy to find that I wasn't looking through bloody eyes. From now on, I'll wear sunglasses when I'm outside.

Just Like That

 By Kay Heitsch

Life can change just like that. ~ Life Quotes ~

You never know what a day will hold. For me, February 6th holds many moments like that.

It was February 6th that Todd, my dad, and two uncles all died just like that.

Just like that, my life changed!

But I'm thankful to report that my life improved when I gave it to the Lord. He has made good out of these sad moments.

Our Bible verse says. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who live God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28.

God has caused everything to work together for good. I am thankful for that.

I Will Remember

By Kay Heitsch

Every moment can be a memory. ~ Remember Quotes ~

People often ask Shannon what our grandson Noah's unique ability is. Usually, people with a form of autism can do things other people find difficult. Only 50 people in the world have been diagnosed with Noah's syndrome.

Noah's unique ability is his memory of little details that most family members have forgotten. For example, at almost 16, he remembers wearing pull-ups at a cabin we stayed at one summer when he was 3. He also remembers what he ate and where he ate it years ago; Noah also remembers dates and days. It's mind-boggling at times.

Our Bible verse says. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. Psalm 77:11 NIV

I may not remember what Noah did until he jogs my memory, but I pray I will never forget the LORD's deeds and miracles.

Every moment can be a memory.

Colorblind

By Kay Heitsch

Today, I was thinking about my life. I grew up colorblind; when I say colorblind, I'm talking about people.

I remember being called "Nigger" when I was a child. I had no idea why or even what the word meant. I've always had an olive complexion, so I suppose now my coloring was the reason.

Years later, I met up with a friend I had known for years. I asked my husband and son if this friend was black. They looked at me and said, Yes. I was shocked because I had never noticed it before.

I feel comfortable around all people. I worked with a gal who told me she couldn't figure me out. Then, one day, she told me she finally had. She decided I must be a black person trapped in a white person's body. To me, this was a compliment!

We had 11 foster children live with us over the years. I was asked if I wasn't concerned that people would think these children were mine. I found this an odd question because I had never thought of that.

I decided to have my DNA tested. When I told people I would do this, I found their reactions interesting. My Mexican friends thought I was Mexican, my Italian friends thought I must be Italian, my Latino friends were sure I was Latino, and even my black friends figured I must be mixed.

I feel blessed that I grew up colorblind. The color of a person's skin is not relevant to me. I love that people of other cultures think I belong with them. I do! We are all children of God!