A taste of senior living
Linda Krieg
For the past month, I got a taste of what many of my “bobowōkowō” friends live with. Oh, you don’t recognize the Siawi word? It means “those born around the same time as you-same generation.” With medical appointments dotted across almost every weekday of the past month, I gave up most other activities to concentrate on getting all the tests, physical therapy, and doctor visits completed. Forgetting the Romans’ lessons for a while, medical took priority.
Thankfully, for myself, it wasn’t a new lifestyle, but only a short season of my life. It was determined that the three leaky heart valves aren’t serious enough to be a concern at this time; the neuropathy in my arms and legs, too, while the cause must be addressed, is not a major concern. And there is a drug that, while it is rife with aggravating adverse side effects, can deal with the tingling and numbness accompanied by dizziness that I had been having. (Main, and to me most serious, side effect? Weight gain!)
The one item that showed up through the testing? I have mega-vitamin B6 syndrome. While it seems to be very rare to overdose on vitamin B6 without having taken mega vitamin supplements, I seem to have done so. Having given up most carbohydrates, sugar, fats, and most red meat, as well as concentrating on what foods will best enable me to lower my cholesterol, now it seems to get more complicated. High B6 foods? Nuts, spinach, chicken, sun flower seeds, dried fruit, bananas, fish, bran, beef, pork….and the list goes on. Low in B6? Ah-most alcoholic drinks, most oils, most spices, diet soft drinks, oh-and my favorite? Water- 0 B6. As you can see, eating to lower my cholesterol AND B6 should be an exciting adventure.
Enough of all that. The good news is that I can again get back to working on editing the Romans lessons, so that they can be reprinted and into the hands of the Siawi Bible Church elders. In regards to that, several have asked me if I am able to call on the phone to Siawi, when I need advice on how to say the more complicated passages. While many in PNG now have access to cell phone towers so that they are able to talk to their absentee missionary friends, that is not the case for the Siawi people. And, with no working radio, that means they are feeling very cut off these days. Please do continue to pray for them, that the Lord would encourage them and strengthen their hearts to stand in faith on His promises and truths from His word.
Since I really don’t have any news to speak of, let me share some interesting (to me) information on generations. A generation behind me friend (younger is behind, right?) said that he had been called a “pre- millennialist.” Hmm, I knew that technically, I don’t fit into the “baby boomers” category, since I was born in 1945, so I wondered if I could slip in with my friend, Ron, as a pre-millennialist. Nope, Google had the answer for me-I am a member of the “Silent Generation.” Funny designation, since my generation all talks loudly because our hearing is going. And no one every really accused me of being silent before.
Seriously, generation categories aren’t important-it is family that counts. And I rejoice that, through the witness of some of God’s children years ago, I am in the family of God-his child and forever I am! As I think of my fellow family members, so many of you who have stood with me, supporting and upholding me through life’s challenges, how I thank my God for you. Whether the Lord has enabled you to be a financial part of the ministry, or the part give to you is through prayer and encouragement, you have been of equal importance and blessing. When I’ve wavered, thinking of finishing the Roman’s lessons and about whether I’d tackle the Revelation lessons, as requested by the Siawi elders, the Lord reminded me through a message I heard recently-while the Lord grants us life and leaves us here, we are to be serving him with the abilities he has given us. So-you keep praying, and I’ll keep trying to make inroads on the pile of lessons before me.
Rejoicing in our great God and Savior,
Linda
Linda_Krieg(at)ntm.org
232 Brazil Court, Sanford, FL 32771
Ethnos360 Hdqts: 312 W 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771
