Grateful to God for my life today

 Yesterday afternoon, as I was having a sip of water during a Torah class with JewishEyes.com, I suddenly started choking.

    I've "choked" before, but this was in a league of its own!

Everything happened so fast. Remembering it now, it all seemed to happen at the same time.

    After some extreme spluttering and spitting all the water out - luckily it missed my laptop! - I found that my throat was closed. I couldn't breathe, talk or cough. I went into a panic, sure that this was my last day on earth.

    Within myself I called on the Name of the LORD, God of Israel and began - with His help, I fully believe - to gasp deeply, allowing a tiny stream of air to get into my lungs. This continued for several minutes, during which time I called my children, but I couldn't talk well enough, and I was still doing the desperate gasping thing. I am so grateful that they rushed over.

    

    Suddenly fire shot down my oesophagus and my arms went numb and painful at the exact same instant. It felt like something out of a science fiction movie. Again, I wondered if this was the day I left this world.

    Then the terrible coughing-without-end started. I eventually came to sit on the sofa and read Psalm 91 until my children arrived - they don't live very near me. They stayed for a while, bought me some cough meds to help alleviate the plegm and told me how terrified they were. 

        My head, neck and throat were sore from all the gagging etc, so I took myself off to bed as soon as I had phoned my grandson. I woke at 2am and thanked God that I was still alive. But I was exhausted, so I went back to sleep until about 8.

    I am grateful for each day that HaShem gives me, but this day had my gratefulness going through the roof. I thanked Him profusely for saving my life yesterday - it was definitely Divine intervention! - and thanked Him that I could still move everything (body parts). I thought of going to the doctor, but the immediate danger was past. However, I decided to make the appointment, even if just to understand what happened yesterday and what I can do to improve my health so that it never happens again.

    I was very pleased to notice that my day started with some Torah, proceeded with a Hebrew lesson, then Shacharit, then another Hebrew lesson, then Mincha and a walk to the shop to draw my ma'asei kesef. Still to come this evening is a third Hebrew lesson and a prayer meeting. My heart rejoices that I could thank HaShem for His life-saving actions on my behalf yesterday by doing so many things for Him, to help bring His Kingdom to earth. My heart is so humbled at how much the God of the universe loves me.

    

Remain humble,

but never underestimate your worth!