I just got an e-mail notice that my library book is due. “Losing My Mind” by Thomas DeBaggio. Hmmm…do I see some foreshadowing here? I went to the library website to renew it – something I’ve done roughly a zillion times with no problem…

I’ve had this same library card for more than 30 years, and when I check out a book the librarians look at my taped and battered blue card with disdain. Sometimes they offer to issue me a new one. I say, no thank you, since this one nearly qualifies as an antique. The real reason I refuse is because I’ve had this card number memorized for more than 25 years and I don’t want to learn another new number.

But this morning, on the library web site, I looked at the number I had just typed and I panicked. I stared at the screen. The number didn’t seem right. I tried to think rationally about it, but suddenly no number combination seemed familiar. I went to find my purse…but first I needed to find my glasses!…and dug out my library card.

And, wonder of wonders, quite apart from my brain, my fingers had typed the correct number!

A similar thing happened recently with my driver’s license number – which I’ve had memorized for way more than 25 years – and which I usually rattle off at an instant’s notice when someone asks for it.

Passwords…pin numbers…user names…everything needs one! And of course, they tell you – and common sense tells you – not to use the same number or word.

No wonder my brain is full! Need more RAM!

I do what I can do to get that RAM. I work crossword puzzles. I memorize entire passages of scripture. I make an effort to learn new things. (Like blogging.) I make a hard copy of all the important passwords and numbers I need to remember. I try to avoid foods that are bad brain foods and eat those that are supposed to be good. (Although they keep changing opinions on that!)

When my kids were very young I taught them “The phone number song” to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
The last numeral of our phone number was 1, so it was an easy little song: The first line went, “hmm, hmm, hmm – hmm, hmm, hmm, one. And the second line was “Phone numbers are so much fun!”

Same with our address. The first line ended with the word, “street” and the second line rhymed, “Our address is really neat!”

But now every person in the family has a cell phone or two and we all have different addresses. Too many song to remember!

In the light of all this, I guess the main song that helps me these days, and gives me hope, is one that was written many years ago by my talented songwriter friend, Kit Lloyd.

(And I bet when he wrote this little song, Kit had no idea how much truer his words would be in years to come.)

“Gonna get a new body, body.
The old one’s falling apart.
Gotta get a new body, body,
I’ve already got a new heart.”

So, I press on, trusting the Lord to bring to mind what I need when I need it, and trusting that a new brain will come with that new body!