What or who inspires you? It may be one or both, a person or a thing. Whatever it is, embrace it and seek it often. I have found that throughout my life different things and people have inspired me at different stages of my life. As a kid I aspired to be a great softball player, it was something I loved doing and I excelled in the sport. It was a way to meet new people and my parents were always my biggest fans. I started playing on an organized team at 5 and gradually moved into competitive play and playing for two or three different teams at one time. I was fortunate to play with the same group of girls from my pre teens throughout my teenage years. My dad would play catch with me, he even taught me to pitch and designed a pitching target for me (this was way before fancy equipment was available!) but the old car tire dad hung on the side of the garage and a bucket of balls entertained me many afternoons. I had a coach when I was in my teens that inspired me and help mold me into a versatile player, I learned I could pitch a little, loved the catcher position, I played shortstop as well as outfield. I was known for stealing bases and for being obnoxiously loud! (HaHa!). My coach was so knowledgeable about the game and made it fun! I lost touch with him but I’ll never forgot him either, his name was “Ottie” he was confined to a wheelchair but an awesome coach, sitting or standing! I can’t lie, I also loved the attention and popularity that came with being a notable player. I played summer league ball and when I went to college I was fortunate enough to make the team all four years. After college I played summer leagues again and continued through my mid thirties. During all these years I’ve met a lot of interesting individuals, sadly I don’t really have any connections or contacts with my former teammates, but it’s fun to look back and reminisce. Inspiring…I believe the sport itself was an inspiration for me, I was challenged to hone my skills and develop attributes that helped me to become the person I am today. Teamwork is a skill I continue to use daily in my life, a valuable lesson indeed! Playing a sport also prepared me for competition, there’s lots of competition in the business world. The sense of fair play and following pre established rules prepared me for many of life’s challenges. I’ve had the opportunity to have met wonderful role models within the workforce of places I’ve worked. I met a lady that was the director for a company I work with for only a few years back in my early twenty’s and I still think of her often. She was well-educated, successful business woman, a divorcee and the mother of twins in her mid 40’s. I have continued to meet inspiring people in my life, people who made an impact on my life without even trying. It is because of these individuals that I am able to be typing these words and paying tribute to a few special people who have forever changed my life. God continues to bless me with incredible people, I thank you for taking the time to plant seeds of courage, strength, humility, and authenticity in my life. Here’s to a few and I’m sure I’ll miss someone please know it is not intentional should you read this…grandparents, mom, dad, brother, aunts, uncles, coaches, friends, lovers, enemies, bosses, teachers, co-workers, family and to these few but many more…Darrell, Kim, Dan, Debbie, Connie, Bev, Kelli, Leo, Carolyn, Michael, Mike, Barb, Jennifer, Jan, Janiel, Beth, Julie, Marcie, Stacy, Greg, Tom, Bill, Margaret, Lin, Nancy, Kathy, William, Helen, Betty, Clyde, Hunter, Esther, Regina, Pam, Sandy, Susie, Diana, Michele, Jodi, Leah, Jim, Denise, Betsy, Michelle, Eric, Barry, Cody, Kiela, Robert, Shae, Garrett, Sherry, Lisa, Marty, Oland, Beverly, Everett, Yvonne, Brandi, Leslie, Greg, Joe, Kalya, Teresa, Nancy, Gary…I do apologize for all the people I missed, each person listed made an impact to me whether it was good or bad, I learned and they helped me recognize how I want to live my life and what my life will look like. The single most significant person in my life is ironically the person that gave me life…mom, dad and God! With them I became a reality and at times a force to be reckoned with! My mom taught me so much, she was strong, determined, committed, loyal, fair, friendly, sympathetic, fun, loving, dependable…what a blessing to have had her in my life. My mom continues to inspire me daily, I miss here daily and I’m thankful to God for blessing me abundantly!

~Blessings and Peace~

References:
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and i…http://www.jctrois.com/dailybibledevotion/devotion.html?devo=QbDGa7cpfL

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-inspirational-bible-characters/

Moses, The Man Of Patience

Abraham, The Man Of Faith

Noah, The Man Of Endurance

Elijah, The Bold

Daniel, The Man Of Devotion

David, The Man After God’s Own Heart

Job, The Man Of Perseverance

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, The Underdogs

Paul, The Man Against All Odds

Jesus, The Sacrificial Lamb

I used to think that life was difficult because I didn’t understand boundaries. I have spent a considerable amount of time talking, readings and visualizing “boundaries” now that I am better at understanding boundaries both figuratively and literally I can now recognize them more clearly. Now I find myself leaning on the posts of my invisible fence signifying my boundaries. I find myself wanting to help out on the other side of my fences but I realize I am here not to just watch but more importantly to be supportive and watch as life unfolds before me and I have to say it can be just as frightening no matter what side of the fence you are on.

Even when the borders and boundaries of our lives are clearly marked, our needs and desires to simply help, care for and even to keep others from being harmed or make mistakes is our natural defense mechanism and it is so strong and difficult at times. It’s at this moments I realize I’m not supposed to proceed or intervene or change the natural progression of life’s experiences. Sometimes we just have to experience things for ourselves. My intuition and soul are telling me that I can do something: “I can pray,” I can ask for God’s intervention and God’s direction and the Holy Spirit but it is at these times and entirely to often my humanism/selfishness wants to tell myself that this is weak, “I am weak,” but I know in my heart that is the power of God the Father, the Holy Spirit working in me drawing me to pay attention and to know that this is the strongest and bravest thing to do. God is always the best and the bravest choice to make. Yet time and time again I think I can deal with this one little issue, telling myself, I don’t need God’s help.” I don’t need to bother God with this small problem! It is in these instances I make myself placing myself superior to God and the simple truth is I am not God! Some days not even “godly!”  We are all created by God for God’s purposes, all that is required of us is obedience. It is ironic that God has already given us instructions for life, these instructions can and do answer almost any given circumstance experienced in life. These instructions are known as the Ten Commandments, many Christians, myself included like to think that we hold these ten little rules in high regard when; in fact, we only pay attention to the ones that matter the most in the public eye and in doing so we leave our hearts and our souls aching for the things this world can never give us and that is peace, love, forgiveness and hope…all of these things are only possible through the Son, Jesus Christ, God, the Father and the Holy Spirit. When we stop looking at the world for approval and love, and turn toward Jesus our view of the world changes, our hearts are filled with love beyond our own imagination.

~Blessings and Peace~

The Ten Commandments-A Fun Way to Learn Them

Have you ever, just once in your life wished for a second chance or a do-over? Tonight I am wrestling with the idea of second chances and opportunities for do-overs. Logic and life in general, support the ideology that things “just happen.” But for me there’s much more to the story, and much like Paul Harvey (for those who know the name you get the reference point I’m making) and his iconic radio voice telling his audience …”The Rest of the Story.”…here’s mine. All too often, (we ) as Christians do not credit God for everything, we use the “just happen” phrase to explain so many things. What’s more believable…random acts just “happening” based upon the lining of the stars or merely cosmic luck or a Creator, purposely creating life unique and specific including everything on, in and around the earth with great majestic detail. I choose “Creator!” Don’t think for a moment I have always done that, or do that all the time, saying and doing are totally different, after all I am human and too often do things repeated proving my case over and over. You see, with God we get much more than second chances and one time do-overs. God knows we are sinful but He still loves us and forgives us over and over and over…He carefully and meticulously took the time using His divine power to create each of us in His image, no two completely alike. I was created for a reason and with purpose and so were you. As we seek to be more Christ like, we begin to make better decisions and sometimes it takes longer than expected to finally learn the lessons He is teaching us, God does not expect perfection because it is not attainable due to our sinful nature but we can strive to be more like Him and to seek Him daily for guidance and discernment. The more we seek God’s will for our lives and follow His teachings the less we are influenced to give credit to chance, I like to call it the “devil’s paradise” the blending into society and taking credit for things that clearly belong to God. I used to think that when bad things happened it was because I didn’t pray enough or I disobeyed or…the list goes on and on. The truth is bad things happen to good people, good Godly people…we may not (probably do not) understand at the moment why bad things happen but later…some later than others it happens and all of a sudden you see things in a different light and then, at least for me it’s a “God Thing!” Life is a series of events that if given the opportunity will build upon one another and as you look back at your life you will see the tapestry of God’s amazing love all around you and in all your experiences. As a child of God, I need reminded that I as much as I like to take credit for the things I do they are not truly mine, I was uniquely and wonderfully made by God and for His purposes. I am thankful for second chances, third, forth, fifth…you get the picture! I’ve had bad things happen to me and people I love have had bad things happen to them and although those experiences are and were sad and frustrating to say the least I can see that they were preparing me for the path I am traveling right now. I’m enjoying life with the most unexpected experiences and it’s all a “God Thing!” I had imagined and even made a list of what I wanted and didn’t want at this time in my life, guess what? If I had stayed true to “my” ideas I would not have met 2 amazing little boys and their pets (a cat and a dog) and a second chance with their amazing mommy! Whatever the future holds, I’m in good hands…God’s Hands! You see what I failed to mention earlier was I had made a list of do’s and don’ts for this particular time in my life and pets and kids were “don’ts” on my list and I would have been missing out on so many wonderful experiences and adventures had I stuck to my list and not listened to God. Sometimes, bad things happen to prepare us for experiences of a lifetime. God loves you and His word tells us that “…for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts. Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”Hebrews 12:6-11 (NRSV)

~Blessings and Peace~

Daily, we all do or say things we wish we had not done. Things as simple as interrupting someone’s conversation, sternly accentuating our words when displeased about things or people, unfairly judging others…when faced with seeing our own faults, mistakes and flaws it becomes immediately apparent that these reveal very uncomfortable truths about ourselves. As a giver of such negativity, feelings and ownership eludes us; however, once on the receiving end of someone’s anger, jealousy, envy or angry…it is only then we take exceptions to these acts. Reflection, taking and finding the source of why we hurt and then applying those truths to our daily interactions with others. Words can cut so deeply into the hearts and souls of people, words can be more dangerous than guns and knives, not to dismiss or minimize the amount of violence they can perpetuate upon others, but words can crush one’s spirit, in an instance.  This is what the bible says in Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Here’s another reference: Luke 6:31 “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” There seems to be a pattern of behavior that God wants to see in us. Romans 15:1-2 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

I do not have any hidden agendas in this blog entry, it is specifically addressing my life at this very moment but I pray that God uses this space to help others heal and gain courage through Christ Jesus, my Savior! I have struggled today and yesterday with humility, forgiveness and communication. All three of these along with knowing and accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, have I even been able to see my actions I have been able to see myself through kinder, gentler eyes. I know God loves me and I know it saddens Him to know I’ve contributed to not loving the least among us/me. I hurt the feelings of someone very dear to me today, I pray I have the opportunity to seek forgiveness. Life can be so busy and generally very short, I did not want to sleep with this all unresolved, but it did or at least I think so. Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” My plea to everyone is “don’t sweat the small stuff” and “don’t let the small stuff be some big something’s.” Give more hugs freely, give less advice, do more listening and less talking, more talking and less silence, more engaging and less evading. Show more love and less hate. Say you’re sorry, and truly mean it.

~Blessings and Peace~

UPDATED/REVISED:

There’s something inside me that stirs up memories and awakens emotions deep within me that were buried a longtime ago, this seems to happen when I’m visiting my hometown, seeing the places where I grew up. I have a tug and tinge in my gut when surrounded by my past. It’s as if I’m disrespecting my heritage and my family’s values. I just don’t feel like I belong here in this space any longer. Family is important to me but it’s often over-shadowed by this role and expectation of care-giver and guardian that leaves a sickness in my bones. Often I feel as if I’m caught in two different worlds. One is a place where summer days are filled with lazy afternoons, apple pie, county fairs, nighttime summer strolls, wishing on a shooting star, anticipating that very first kiss, the simplistic and rewarding country lifestyle, then there’s this other world filled with hustle and bustle, fast cars, fast trucks, miles upon miles of concrete parkways and asphalt covered roads, a drug store on every other corner, shops and stores operating 24/7, people going here and there, never really noticing anyone or anything along the way. *Okay, I’m over simplifying and generalizing these experiences. Both of these worlds I described are filled with equal joys and struggles. With all my complaining and analyzing and justifying… Truthfully, I am ever so thankful God has blessed me with such diversity and richness of culture into my very existence. My mind as of late has been filled with memories of my mom, no particular reason, I just miss her! Thinking about hearing her voice and her laughter, makes me smile! My mom brought so much joy to the people who knew her and I have no doubt she is still making a different in their lives today, even though she been gone more than two years. I’m beginning to start “letting go” of the preconceived ideas of who “I” thought I was supposed to be and what I’m supposed to do. As awesome as I think my mom was, she never intended for me to be a carbon copy of her. She would have said something like…we all have to dream our own dreams and live our own lives. I admire the person my mom was and for the legacy and impact she has made on me and everyone she came in contact with. No matter what age we are, our hunger for learning and knowledge never needs to stop. I am trying to take all the goodness from my youth and mold it into the “best” me I can be. God has never given up on me, although I have often kept God at an arm’s length away. Praise God for His unending love, His grace and His forgiveness. I’m learning to recognize the things that tend to be uncomfortable and undesirable in my life, then try to grant “give” myself the time and the space to “feel” and above all extend “grace” to myself for all my life experiences. Bad and even unpleasant things are just part of life and are vital parts of the never-ending story that is our lives, YOUR LIFE! We are all created for a specific purpose and some individuals learn and grow quickly while for others it may take just bit longer, God loves each and every one of us, individually! Generation after generation, we all take pieces of our family’s values and traditions and mold them into something uniquely ours. Be brave and dare to dream your dreams, don’t be afraid of the experiences…may your life be a tapestry of all the beautiful things that make you, YOU! May the peace of God surround you always~

~Blessings and Peace~

Mom, I’m sitting in a favorite restaurant of mine and wishing I could share another meal and conversation with you. I miss your laugh, I miss your appetite for life while sitting around a table with good food, friends and family. I miss your strength and courage you shared with me without saying a word. I miss getting messages from you on my phone simply stating, “this is your mother, call me…” I would love to hear your voice one more time and feel your arms hugging me once more. Nothing compares to a mothers love. I have so many things I want to share with you, I hope I am finally settling into being the woman you always thought I would be. Not based upon social positioning or accolades that last only a short while but for the things that showcase truth, peace, acceptance, responsibility, confidence, courage and above all love. You were a strong, brave and courageous woman who never complained that life was too hard, never ran away from a challenge and never sacrificed someone else’s happiness in order to get ahead in life. You loved your family, some were close while others were miles away…made no difference you loved us all. I don’t have a specific reason for missing you today, you’re part of my daily existence, I’m here because of you and though you are not physically with me, the essence of you still surround and comfort me. ~I love you and miss you Mom!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 ESV “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.”

~Blessings and Peace~

Who’s in the driver’s seat? Do you know where your life is taking you? I read a couple of stories today that I wanted to share with you. I can tell you that where my life is right now was not in any of my plans. God knows what is best for all His children, often we are stubborn and think we know best. I read this quote by C.S.Lewis today, “I think all Christians would agree with me if I said that though Christianity seems at first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue, yet it leads you on, out of all that, into something beyond. One has a glimpse of a country where they do not talk of those things, except perhaps as a joke. Everyone there is filled full with what we should call goodness as a mirror is filled with light. But they do not call it goodness. They do not call it anything. They are not thinking of it. They are too busy looking at the source from which it comes. But this is near the stage where the road passes over the rim of our world. No one’s eyes can see very far beyond that: lots of people’s eyes can see further than mine.
~Mere Christianity,” Lewis’ ability to share his faith with his readers as well as pull his readers into his stories and visions is simply remarkable. As I read the quote above, I was able to imagine being “in” the story, actively living the moments in my mind. Being a Christian is more than rules and virtues, there’s so much more to the story and God has so much more to share with us, this earth is not our home. Our Heavenly Father, like our parents only wants the very best for us. And sometimes, because our parents love us we are scolded, grounded, and even disciplined. I remember a few incidents from my childhood when I was disciplined by my parents, at the time I was angry at them, I felt like life was not fair…oddly, I look back on those incidents and I am thankful for the lessons my parents taught me, I rarely repeat the same mistakes again and it’s all because they loved me enough to do the right thing. The Bible tells a similar thing in Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Similar to Hebrews 12:4-12, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

As I mentioned, I am pleasantly surprised at where I am in life. I’m on a road I never imagined and experiencing things I only dreamed of, I have no idea what my future holds but I am open to its possibilities. It’s fun, it’s scary, it’s new, it’s fulfilling and I’m feeling happiness. I have noticed that it is easy to get caught up in the newness and freshness of my life at the moment, I need to remind myself that this is only possible because God loves me and I know there’s learns to be learned. I want to be authentic and share all the goodness God created in me with others, most especially the amazing people currently in my life. Are you in the driver’s seat? Perhaps asking God to drive and lead you and your life would allow you the freedom to learn the lessons He desires to teach you. I have no idea what lies before me, I know I love God and I very much want His acceptance and approval in all I say and do. I am truly blessed to be discovering life with the individuals God has brought into my life. No matter where you are in your life journey, it’s never too late to ask God to sit in the driver’s seat, be open to possibilities.
~Blessings and Peace~

Jesus Take the Wheel~Lyrics
Check out this video on YouTube:

What does marriage mean to you? What images formulate in your mind? Is marriage a universal picture or is it possible that marriage is merely an adjective used to describe the depths and intricacies of our feelings for another person. Many people give reverence and esteem value to the word marriage and disregard the steps to keep it sacred in a very real sense. Is your marriage more valuable than the attention of a stranger when you are feeling lonely and under appreciated? What about spending the mortgage payment at the track, do you tell yourself…if I just hit the jackpot it will be worth it, really? Gambling your home is worth selling yourself and your marriage vows? I know there’s someone reading this and thinking, I would never be so foolish…really? Everyone of us makes decisions big and small everyday without giving much thought to the ramifications they start. You may not gamble per se, but I’m confident in saying you take chances giving no thought to …. What if? Things done in secret rarely stay secret, your friends, your spouse, your family may not know what you do but God our Father knows all. The single most important being in the entire universe sees all and knows all and loves us in-spite of ourselves our wickedness and our selfishness. I have experienced through the years that love comes to each of us in many different ways and none of us are in any position to cast judgments on others when it comes to the love shared between two human beings. Never settle for close to love or it feels like love, the real and true love is worth the wait and God has so many wonderful plans for you and the love of your life. Seek first the Kingdom of God and all things will be made clear to you. Matthew 6:13 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

These are my truths…

•Marriage is more than a man and a woman

•Marriage is more than a document

•Marriage is living and breathing a commitment

•Family is more than a mother and a father

•Being a daddy is more than being the father

•Being a mommy is more than being the mother

•A home is more than a house with walls, windows, doors, rooms and a roof

•Love is more than a four letter word

•Love often turns into two four letter words life + time = lifetime of love

•Love is a four letter word used many times in a single day for a wide variety of things, please take time to know what you’re saying, who you are saying it to and then mean what you are saying.

Do not let definitions limit your “LOVE” potential.

~Blessings and Peace~

References:
Psalm 139:1-24 “You have searched me, Lord,and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;ball the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you. If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Hebrews 4:13 (NRSV) “And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.”

Sitting next to the edge of the pond, being serenaded by the crickets and the noise of the streets. I feel the coolness of the summer night and though the solitude is comforting I’m wishing for her, wanting to share this moment and space to create a memory, perhaps one or two. There’s nothing particularly special about this spot but her presence would make it feel exceptionally distinct. I’ve never sat in this place or listened to the sounds of the night like this before, never knowing this calmness, it covers you like the sweetness of wild clover and dew as it bathes the thick meadow grass early each summer morning. Five years I’ve spent looking, walking and driving past this spot and never stopped long enough to breathe it in. God’s majesty is all around me and as wonderful and beautiful as it is I would very much like to share it to her. Far away destinations are nice and memorable but often we can find treasures right out our front doors.

Psalm 104:1-6 “Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.”

~Blessings and Peace~

Almost exactly two years ago I received a phone call at 3:22am and my life was changed forever. It was a paramedic calling from my parents home telling me that I needed to come home because my mom had passed away. I sat on the edge of my bed and I felt empty, a sense of nothingness. I immediately reached out to a friend, she had recently lost her father, I honestly do not remember any of our conversation just her voice and a feeling of understanding. Most of the hour plus drive to my parents home is a blur, only by the grace of God did I made it home. When I arrived the house was filled with aunts/uncles/cousins but my mom was gone. I wanted so badly to hug and kiss her one more time but it was not to be. The next few days were filled with phone conversations, funeral arrangements, insurance companies and all the time keeping my emotions in check because I wanted to be strong for my family. My mom was such an amazing woman and I tried with all that I am to fill her shoes…try as I did, it was and remains an impossible task to achieve. I have learned so many things about myself and life in general during the past two years. Life is so precious and can be gone in the blink of an eye, all the what if’s and someday’s never to be realized. I still mourn the loss of my mom, I love her and miss her but I know she is cheering me on to chase the dreams I have tucked away but honestly I have no regrets. I have learned so many valuable lessons over the past couple of years and I still have dreams but more important than dreams and wishes for the future…I want to be present in the moments I am living now. God does not promise tomorrow’s, His desire is that we take and relish in every single second of each and every day, never forgetting we are His children and we were created for His glory. Do not let any opportunities pass you by because of fear. Give yourself permission to experience the moments of your days, feel the heat from the sun and look at how it changes our perspective of our world and surroundings, most especially when things are seen in the light of day versus how very different they are in the darkness of night. As I am sitting here typing this I have no idea how the rest of my day will go… I can compare it to previous Sundays, hoping for lots of things like weather, safety, good health and the list goes on and on. I don’t think God wants us to not plan for things but I think He wants only good things for all His children but I am convinced He also wants us to be joyful and to celebrate the moments like sharing a smile with a stranger, holding a door for someone, saying hello and meaning it when passing a stranger, give a cashier the quarter for the customer just a bit short on money, say thank you as well as responding with a you’re welcome…all these things take very little effort but can be making a lifelong impression on someone who is in desperate need of kindness and who can then pass that same kindness onto someone else. Life is really a string of “moments” connecting to one another until one day we look back on our lives and say “thank you, God!” And God replies, “Well done my good and faithful servant!”

~Blessings and Peace~