Nine months.  I know for many expecting parents that seems like an eternity to wait.  However, it has certainly flown by for one old physician who stopped delivering those babies back in February.  What a mix of emotions it has been having patients share pictures of their new bundles of joy that I could no longer be there to deliver.  Nonetheless, every mom has understood the importance of my new freedom and the time it allows me to spend with my four children.  If you are unfamiliar with Riley Green’s song listed above, I encourage you to check out the lyrics.  Lori and I agree that it fits our current situation very well.  “It seems like where I’m going might be better than where I’ve been…”. At some point in every person’s life they face the realization that time is their biggest asset.  My wife and I are blessed that our Lord has provided us the opportunity to make family our top priority right now.

I would be deceiving you to end here and allow you to think the past year has been pure joy.  Lori and I are both dealing with some decline in the health of our parents and I lost my father to a battle with cancer in December of 2021.  In the private setting of my office, many patients have shared similar experiences with family members to include parents, siblings, and even children.  I hope our discussions have been as therapeutic for them as they have been for me.  I am currently praying daily for two friends, one who has a child with a recent and difficult cancer diagnosis and the other who lost a beautiful daughter to a tragic accident.  As terrible as these things are, they are in no way meant to undermine the daily struggles I see in so many of my patients.  Most of these occur from the present environment of financial instability and moral decay in our country.

Difficult situations can often leave us wondering how such a loving God could allow bad things to happen.  We live in a broken world and often must be reminded that we should continually praise God, even during the hard times.  I am thankful for a pastor and friend who recently provided me the following thought process.  Tough times affect us all.  They teach us to depend on God and trust Him even more.  Most importantly, none of our problems are a match for our God.  Jesus Christ is bigger than all our troubles.  Let me encourage you to read your Bible (Psalm 46 is a great place to start) and rely on the one who offers comfort and salvation.  One thing I know for certain, “the good Lord knows better than me”.

Dr. B