I have always prided myself as being a person who took what life dealt and go on from there. Don’t get me wrong; I still know Who to look for hope and miracles, but as I write this column, I don’t have the Christmas spirit that I should have at this time.

Last Thursday when I left Betty Jo in her hospital room in Albany, I really thought all those prayers were being answered. She was sitting up, talking, and starting to eat most of the soups or grits that she was brought.

Tammy was going to stay that night so that I could go to Joy Jones’ pinning ceremony at Darton College. Joy is my godchild that was partially reared up at the Liberal. We are proud of Joy.

I went on home to help with getting out our 48- page Christmas edition. Wanda and Max had done well to almost finish it. We completed the B section on Friday and sent it to press. Now all we had to do was to get the front 24 pages ready to go with the Christmas section. The pressman called that night for me to come get the B section. I did and was really getting into the Christmas spirit, reading some of the Santa letters and Christmas greetings from our advertisers.

Things were looking better. Betty Jo was getting better. Half of the largest edition that we publish each year was finished, with only 24 pages to go. Two of her doctors had said she could probably go home by Monday.

Then Tammy called in to report Saturday morning. “They are moving Mama to ICU. Something has happened, and she is not doing good,” she said.

I told her I was on the way to the hospital. Kent rode with me.

When I got there, Tammy was in tears. She and the nurse had a misunderstanding. Betty Jo looked like death. The doctors and nurses worked hard to get Betty Jo better. She has pneumonia again. They are working hard to save her life.

The doctor said he had to give her antibiotics again. I reminded him that was what got her into this condition to start with.

“We have no choice,” he stated. “We are going to get her better,” the doctor assured me.

In the next room to Betty Jo in ICU is my friend and prayer partner, Joe Sloan. His cancer is back in a bad way. Joe’s first question when Tammy went to see him was, “How is Betty Jo?” They are all best friends.

Tammy was with Debbie, Joe’s wife, when the doctor updated her about his condition.

The last time Joe came to our Friday morning prayer group, he said as he reported on his condition, “If I live, or if I die, I am a winner.” As a prayer partner with Joe, he has no doubt where his eternal home will be. He has that much faith. I do agree with him, but being selfish, we want our loved ones with us as long as possible, even when we know where they are going.

As I left the hospital Sunday, Betty Jo was still in tough shape. Tammy, Joanna and Pat came. Tammy will stay until I go back Monday. They ran me home to help Wanda and Max get the front section ready. I told Betty Jo she had to get well. The ironing is piling up.

They will test you to death in a hospital. I guess that helps the doctors with their “practice.”

That old, old question we ask, and will always ask is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” When I get to Heaven, that is one of my first questions I intend to ask. If my faith was where it should be, I would not question. I keep thinking how blessed we are. In less than a month, we will have been married 54 years. I am still looking forward to the next 50 or more years with that girl.

We just need to be thankful that Jesus came to earth over 2,000 years ago to give us a choice of Heaven or Hell. The choice should not be too hard. He is Our Gift. His Gift to us is eternity with Him!

Merry Christmas!