“Are you all right?” -Rich M. during a pre-track practice warm up

“You don’t look too good.  Shut it down.” -Coach V. after the second of 4 1200 meter runs at interval pace

“The only thing missing was the fact that he may have curtailed his workout but he made up for it with all the pizza and wings he ate during the board meeting, but that’s par for Sam.” -Tom D. at the Checkers board meeting

“What the hell?” -when I came to lying on the floor in the bathroom with paramedics hovering ready with shock paddles

“You had a mild heart attack.” -ER doctor

“You gotta be shittin’ me!  I had a fuggin’ heart attack!!??” -my response

“We were able to get two stents in and everything looks good.” -Dr. P.

“I don’t ever want to see you here again!” -the nurse assigned me to at discharge

“Its not my turn yet…its just not my turn.” -when Mike and I embraced after he bought me home from the hospital

“You S.O.B.!  Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” -Steph

These were some of the excerpts two years ago.  No one could ever predict that I was a candidate for a heart event.  After all, I am a runner…an athletic, not some overweight couch potato.  Years of bad habits and a family history finally caught up with me.  In the midst of it all, I was given a second chance.  The out-pour of love, support and prayers was just overwhelming.

As I was thinking about all the transpired from that moment on the bathroom floor, I felt like two angels were sent to give me that second chance because He told them to.  For many us, one thing I have learned during these two years is that life is precious and our time on earth is limited. We need to take advantage of it if we want to enjoy it to its fullest.

But for others, we do have a promise from Him that can be consoling.  Two years ago, I was given that opportunity.  Interesting enough, in Bible Study this past Sunday we talked about 2 Corinthians 5 and 6.  I focused on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 because seems to reflect the sentiments that I feel today of what happened two years ago.

¹ For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The reality of this verse is that before all of this happen I never truly believed in God and that he would play a role in my life then, and today.  But with Him, all things are possible (Mark 10:27) including my continuing existence on earth today.

Some of you may find that contradictory to the person I was so it can be quite a surprise.  The truth is…that is me, today.  So as I celebrate my two year anniversary of that fateful day, I am grateful to you all.  I am more grateful to Steph, Mike and Dan.  And lastly, I am ever so forever grateful for the Man, above.  God bless you all!