I remember dreaming of retirement, that time when life would be free of the clock.  It sounded idyllic.  Ah, but numbers have followed me into these “golden years,” in fact I’m drowning in them.

With eyes barely open in the morning, there’s the C-PAP number flashing before I’ve even seen the numbers on the clock.  (And it’s not two hands gracefully circling the hours, it’s a brightly lit flashing number.)  It’s not long before numbers on my cell phone announce the current temperature, the expected high temperature, and yes, the “feels like” temperature.  The pollen count number tells me if I need to mask for my morning walk.    Once outdoors, there’s my Fitbit counting my steps. A leisurely breakfast turns into a calorie count number, a pill count, and a blood pressure number.   I’ve barely begun the day!

I could go on with numbers to remember:  my cell phone number, his cell phone number, the landline number, my pin number, and my social security number (since it’s no longer printed right there on my Medicare card.)  Is my cell phone charged?  My kindle?  What percentage? 

My numbers are always too few or too many, too high or too low, forgotten or confused.   A day with all the right numbers is just impossible.   How I long for a peaceful day in the country with no numbers to haunt me.

Does God really care about my drowning in numbers?  The Bible tells us in Hebrews, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.”  Is God too big to care about us?  No, He is so great that He knows about even the smallest details of our lives.  We can trust Him with every concern, even those annoying numbers.    Take a deep breath.   Use the numbers for their purposes, and then breathe in the peace of God; that unconditional love of His presence.  

Peace be with you.  (and your numbers)

Judy