Positive, optimistic thoughts are fantastic. Except the, “it won’t happen to me,” syndrome that causes risky behavior to flourish.
Alan’s mom reached birthday number 102 in the hospital battling pneumonia. Others in her ward are battling smoking-caused illnesses. Those tempted to smoke should visit a similar hospital ward and hear the choking coughs and gurgling breaths. They should watch smokers throwing up food, coughing up brown yucky stuff, and struggling to stand and walk. They should note the pale complexions, hooded eyes, and collapsed veins that have been used for life saving measures. They should attempt to fathom the confused conversations of smokers whose brains are not receiving enough oxygen to function properly.
Reckless driving, drinking alcohol, consuming unhealthy diets are all avoidable and all powerful enough to kill, or to ruin a life. If the “it can’t happen to me” syndrome held true—tragedy would be eliminated.
God created a perfect world and never intended illness, death, sorrow, and tragedy to be a part of it. Sadly, when sin entered—it brought all its relatives. Folks do grow old, they do become ill. But let’s not make it our fault that our bodies are compromised.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16&17
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Stephanie Parker McKean 
That man of yours is very handsome! You must have the Lord’s favor. 🙂
Sorry about mom, but it is so amazing that we can treat pneumonia now! It is really dangerous,especially for older people.
So many of our issues in the world really are self inflicted or man caused, sin caused. God wants us prosperous and healthy and I think He designed us to live for hundreds of years. Moses even had good eyesight when he was very old!
Thanks, and you are so right. I believe that before sin entered the world, we had eternal life. God warned that Adam and Eve would die if they ate the fruit of the tree. When you read the Old Testament, folks started out living up to 979 (something like that) years. As you read through it, the life expectancy drops. Caleb was 85 when he said, “Give me this mountain” (which Moses had promised him) and then proceeded to chase out the giants and iron chariots. Thanks for your comment…and for your amazing blogs. God bless you.
A touching photo, Steph. It’s amazing that Alan’s mum has done so well. I know what you mean about smoking. I live with a smoker and I both hate it and worry about it. Ironically, he is healthier than I am, but that does happen sometimes, as do smoking related diseases in people who have never smoked or consumed harmful substances. There is always an element of ‘why me and not him/her’ too. God’s will? Maybe that too.
Thanks, Val. And I pray for continued good health for you both. Alan’s mom came home from the hospital today, so we are feeling blessed.
That is wonderful! And I hope that you can both have a little rest now. Given that you’ve had your own health issues, you deserve it!
Thanks again, Val. I’m having a marvelous rest…with some writing mixed in, of course!