Fine

He looked across the table at our little boy.  "He's not a little boy anymore," he thought, "as he's taller than me now, with huge feet and a changing voice."  In front of the young teen was a double bacon cheeseburger, an order of chili cheese fries, large sweet tea, and a medium custard with mix-ins.  Forgotten was the time when my husband himself was a teenager and he could stomach that all at once.  All was eaten, and our boy felt fine afterward.

Insignificant to most, a lunch at a hamburger stand.  But so very significant in the life of my husband, and hopefully my boy. 

"How are you?"
"Fine."

Almost before a person can finish sounding the word "you," many of us are already forming the beginning of "fine" as a reply.
See below. Does that look familiar to anyone?

That's the concise, short-and-sweet, I-don't-want-to-share answer, right? Or maybe you make it the one-word answer because you don't want to hear how the inquisitor responds to your story. Or perhaps, it's the I-don't-want-to-burden-anyone-with-my-struggles answer. Everyone has their struggles, they shouldn't have to hear mine, too.

So why do we even ask? There are many motives behind the question. To be polite, make conversation, pry into others' business(surely not!)...but hopefully just out of genuine concern for people living life around us.

After all, we are told in Romans: Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10 NIV)

So if we are asking, we need to first question our motive, & then be willing to hear an honest answer.

That's all this heart has to offer right now. The story at the beginning of this post offers a rather normal, insignificant look into a day in our life.  Below, it takes all those meds and then some for that daddy to have "fine" days at this house. We enjoy every day, as if he misses some of these meds, it puts his life at grave risk, and has as recently as this winter.  But this new combo is sure making it easier to enjoy the days we're given.  

I may be beating a dead horse, I may sound "preachy," it may even seem over-dramatic to some, but appreciate today.  Appreciate the times you're given.  And make them count.