unique life thoughts

2010-05-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day when we remember those who have fallen in the service of our country. Celebrated since around the Civil War, it is a way to remember with thankful hearts the men and women who have given their lives to secure our freedom. At one time the holiday was celebrated with parades down the center of most towns with flags on the graves of the fallen soldiers. Today, those big parades are silent now and the gravesites of those soldiers are long forgotten, unadorned with flags. Now, we hear the excited shouts of children as they jump into the swimming pool for the first time this summer.

However, pausing to remember the fallen soldiers helps us understand the high cost of freedom. Who is going to know unless we share those stories in our families? Have you shared the story of your service to our country? Were you a soldier in World War Two, the Korean or Vietnam conflicts, or another situation? Have you shared those stories with your family and children? Your stories will help your children and grandchildren get to know you better. And, your stories will give them needed guidance when they face hard times in their own lives.

Here is a picture of my grandfather as a soldier in World War on the way to the European Theater. There, as a young man seeing the world for the first time, he faced his fear of death and the hereafter and came to a realization that life was worth more than a quick glance. He celebrated the Lord’s Supper with fellow infantrymen in a foxhole one Christmas. That experience changed his whole life’s direction and he became a Christian missionary on both foreign and American shores, sharing the hope he had found in that foxhole, facing death.

This Memorial Day, take some time to talk to your family about their military service. Here are some questions that might help you get started:

When did you serve?
Where did you serve in a foreign war?
With whom did you serve?
What did you do in the service—in what branch did you serve?
What was your part in the history of our country?
How did the family left behind cope with your absence?
How did they play a role in supporting you and the war effort?
How has your service made a difference in your life?

You have a legacy in your family. The war years are a part of that legacy. For some of us, a family has given their own sons and fathers. For others of us, we can still at the feet of our family members and listen and learn, using those lessons as we live our lives in the 21st Century. Be sure to write them down so the stories will not disappear. Old photos can bring a new depth to our stories.

Let's Celebrate Mother's Day

2010-05-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

One Saturday night, Dad and I went to fill my car with gas for the upcoming week. Just as we turned left, a car ran a red light, crashing into my car on my side. In the night, the lights of that car, the screech of brakes and the bone-crushing sound of two cars colliding and screams in the night brought dreams of a fairy tale senior year to a dramatic halt.

I woke up in the hospital with my mother by my bedside. Broken bones, uncountable bruises, lots of glass embedded in my eyes and skin and terror met me in that night. But there was Mom speaking encouraging words right there through the night. She rarely left my side through the days of that followed.

What a Mother’s Day gift she gave me that year!

She is gone now but that Mother’s Day stands out in my mind as a picture of the love and concern that only a mother’s hand can gently administer.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and you too have lots of memories of your mother.

How are you going to commemorate Sunday as a special time? Card and flower shops, department stores, and dozens of on-line sites offer all kinds of dazzling gifts for you to buy for your mother. And, in our busy days, the fancy gifts beckon our attention, providing an easy way out. However, this year, why not do more and give yourself to your mother? Spend some time with her, listening with your heart, hearing her tell her story. Here are some questions to get the conversation going.

How did you typically celebrate your mother on her special day?
What was it like to celebrate Mother’s Day for the first time?
What is your favorite reward of motherhood?
What is one memory you have of my childhood?
What is one piece of advice for the next generation?

Taking time for a conversation face-to-face or on the telephone can make this Mother’s Day special.

Weather and Life Goes On

2010-03-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon! I thought I would write out some thoughts for this March 2, 2010.

Snow is expected--sort of.

Sunshine has disappeared for a few more days. More to come, I am sure!

You know, the weather is more than just a conversation starter. One of the most amazing developments in these last few years is that the weather has its own full time army of staff on a 24-hour channel or two. So, the weather is more than just a conversation starter--it has become the the conversation.

Isn't it interesting that what takes up most of our time is something about which we can do little about. We just react and are the victims of it...or change our habits or clothing or plans to get along with it!

You know, recently, I read a diary of a lady from the early 20th century and she mentioned the weather every day. It was just a note, unless it was something other than fair for the spring and fall, hot for the summer, or cold for the winter months.

So, I guess weather will continue to be a part of our lives even though we live in climate-controlled lives indoors and travel in climate controlled vehicles.

So, life changes and stays the same. That's part of the legacy we leave for the next generation!

Sorrow and Hope

2010-02-01T05:44:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thinking about sadness. When my grandfather died, my father said to me, “I just thought I would not have to give up someone else this year.” Those were some of the saddest words I have ever heard. Mother had died the July before and now it was January and we were standing in a cold cemetery as the dirt filled over the coffin of my maternal grandfather. Not long before all this, a family friend had committed suicide, leaving a husband and four daughters. On top of all that, I had just gotten married to my husband, Don, a happy event for all concerned, but it represented change. And, change seems to bring a certain kind of sadness even in the midst of great happiness.
So, this morning after I had talked and prayed with a grieving friend whose brother had just committed suicide, I felt like I had been on this wilderness journey before.
What do you say to someone who is facing such unfathomable sorrow? A pat answer doesn't give real comfort to a broken heart. If we celebrate birth as a natural aspect of life, then honestly, we must embrace death as an apparently unequal partner in this rhythm of life. One brings great joy and the other leaves us lost in sorrow. Both are bookended by questions.
Just today, I was reading a devotional that said faith is believing that the past is gone, the present is just today but eternity is forever. Eternity is a door that opens to a place where there are no walls. While that is a lovely thought for the future, the present is filled with doors that open and shut and lock and walls that keep us locked in, locked out, or just keep us from seeing farther than our own reality.
However, it is so hard to look up from the sadness that surrounds us and threatens to engulf us and it turns out just to be irritating background noise to the magnificent symphony of Heaven. How I long to hear that eternal, sweet music that will leave this sadness miles behind.
So, I guess the words the Apostle Paul penned so many years ago to the Thessalonian Christians become the words of encouragement I need today: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV

I do plead for that sweet unfathomable peace that I might hear the eternal music of heaven rising from the ashes of my sorrow today.

2009-09-09T02:49:00.000-07:00

Departures and New Beginnings

Today we put John and Janet on the plane for a new adventure in their lives. Dublin, Madrid, El Camino, Surat Thani, Thailand—Wow!! Three continents in just a few weeks!
We have had such a wonderful time together here in Richmond—visiting with family and friends from afar—Jim and Vickie Phelps from San Antonio and Susan from Liberty. Days spent shopping, packing, chatting, rushing around to get all the last minute things done before it is too late, and, of course, a trip to Belle Island for a quick toe-dip in the beautiful James River, overlooking Hollywood cemetery and downtown Richmond.
How did we pack in so much in such a short time? Life moves along too quickly sometimes, it seems. But then we played games and watched old movies and laughed and cooked favorite foods. Little gifts of time and place and smells to carry our loved ones along on a those days away from the familiar and family—from the heart and on both sides of the world!
Well, off they flew and we will hold the ropes in prayer and thoughts until the day we meet again.
God be with you until we meet again, my dear ones.

A Writer's Meditation

2009-03-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

To write or not to write?
That is not the question
What to write, what to ponder
Therein lies the thought
Sadness, gladness,
Life, love,
Wins, losses,
Ah, what to write?
That is the question.

Life is one big question
But God promises the
Answer.
Not in the past,
Not in activity,
Not in nature,
Not in another,
Only in Himself—God,
The Almighty,
The All-Sufficient One

God in the morning
God in the afternoon
God when the sun goes down
God living in me
Yet still loving me
Calls me friend
Calls me child
Knows my name and
My deepest thoughts
And, still He
Quietly calls
My name…
Come.

Write the words
I will give you.
Write them well,
They are precious
They are timeless
They are mine
For this generation,
This day,
These people

Write, not my words
But Yours, Lord.
Not my thoughts,
But Yours, Lord.
Not my will,
But Thine, Lord.

In everything,
For You and You alone.

Thinking about the gift of time

2009-03-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

I decided to do something different today. I just got to thinking about time and my thoughts took over so I leave my reflections here. Read them and join me in thinking about time.

Time after time

The time is ripe

Time is of the essence

No time like the present

A stitch in time saves nine

Time is money so spend it wisely

Today started off like so many others. Up early, Bible study, a little bit of prayer, coffee, breakfast, morning newspaper, and a quick word and kiss with my husband. Then, get dressed, take out the trash, and suddenly the day is off with a roar.

But I stopped and thought about time.

Some days it seems like I waste so much time. The task overtakes the time and nothing seems to happen on time.

Time is a gift from God. And, it is a gift that once squandered, cannot be recaptured. It is a fleeting gift and if we do not grab it at the moment, it is gone—forever.

Time is a gift from God Almighty, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth. When I do not use time His way, I am throwing away His gift. Would I ever do that with His gift of grace or of salvation?

So, why do I so often do nothing with His gift of time? Indeed, even more frightening is that this gift of time is limited. I will die and whatever time I used or didn’t use will be a thing of the past. Time is something I can’t pass on to others nor can I save it for a rainy day. There is no account where I can bank it and earn interest or save it for a time I need it more. No, time is present and whatever I do with it I must do it in the present.

So, why am I so intent on wasting so much time? Oh, sure, sometimes I do something that is good but is that the best use of the little bit of time I have from the hand of God? Why am I so sure that I always have plenty of time to do things later? Later is only the present in a different time frame.

Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! the Psalmist declared.
So, I will rejoice in the today that the Lord gives me. Tomorrow will worry about itself so I just need to deal with today.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God says that my life has a very specific purpose, designed by Him. And, that purpose is to prosper me, give me hope and hand me a future, not to harm me but to bring Him my offering as a life well lived. My life has a purpose. It is not just the whole of my life but the day in and day out, moment by moment parts that fill my days that have a God-ordained purpose.

That is my prayer today, Lord.

Forgive me for the many times I forget that time is a gift. Forgive me for the many times I forget that You have a plan and a purpose for me—for my moments throughout the day. Today, may I be ever more aware of Your purpose and plan. Help me look to You to live every moment today for You, by the power of Your Holy Spirit for the glory of You revealed in my life.

Love, fire and speeding

2009-01-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

Just as this first month of 2009 is ending and the month of love is beginning, I thought it was time to write about our first spring of love between Don and me. Wow! Has it really been 31 years and a little bit more since he asked me to marry him?

All weekend I had known he wanted to ask me but was lacking the courage to actually do so. I had taken him all over Waco to all the romantic spots I could think of--Lake Waco, a couple of city parks, but...nothing happened. Finally Saturday night at my parents' house we were alone, trying to erect their Christmas tree--a little thing bought from my mother's high school students but which did not fit in the tree stand. We were fighting that tree alone but it kept falling over--too skinny and too puny while my parents slept peacefully. Suddenly we smelled something odd and ran into the other room where the Yule Log had rolled out of the fireplace and lit about a dozen little fires in the yellow shag carpet. Don tried to put them out while I ran down to wake my parents. Daddy couldn't see without his glasses but he ran into the den and could see the sparks and hopped around, trying to put them out in his bare feet! In short order, only a dozen or so brown places remained in the rug, but no other damage. After that, of course, we were wide awake! Finally, my parents went back to bed just as my best friend called and came over, the first reunion since college graduation the year before. We all talked for hours before she left in the early hours of the morning when I started telling Don all the reasons I could not get married. Naturally, he was thoroughly discouraged about any wedding plans. Don and I went to bed--separately, of course!

The next day, after church, he and I were driving home on I-35W somewhere outside of Itasca, TX going 70 mph and holding hands. Suddenly his hand got all sweaty and we started going faster and faster as he shot out at about 75 mph, "Wouldyou marryme!?" Incredulous, I said, "What?" like I didn't really know what he had said. We never stopped or slowed down. He repeated it, slower, never taking his eyes off the road, like the good driver he is, "Would you marry me? I love you." And, I said "Yeeesss!" slowly and with a definite happy lilt in my voice. That has been decades ago when multitasking was not even a word.

The Virginia legislature is discussing enacting a law to make it illegal to talk on cell phones while driving. This story from three decades ago proves that there have always been lots of distractions on the highway!

The Passing of a Friend

2009-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Today Nancy died and I lost a friend who called me her soul sister. A person she had been seeking for years to have—one who thought like her--so she said. And, now, Nancy has gone on to heaven at a very young age. How happy her life must be now that the pain is gone, the fight is over, and she is dancing with joy in the presence of her Lord, Savior and Best Friend! We will miss her and those hopeful talks about the movie and what direction we might go. It was a dream and fun and a magical time of adults believing like children on the great ocean of possibilities that we could take that plunge and not drown and swim, skimming over the water with dolphins.

And, what can I say? It started off like any other winter day with lists are made and plans set and chores started. And, then, suddenly, it was like no other day. A friend, too young, passed from this life to the next—the long and eternal one that really matters. Why do these days here and now seem so important and so permanent even though they really amount to nothing—dust in the hands, blown away in the wind.

Good-bye, dear friend. Save me a place at the banquet table!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T17:15:00.001-08:00

Wow! It is 2009 already! The weather is startlingly cold but the sun is beautifully shining and teasing us from the inside that it is warm outside! But, no, it is a tease and it is cold indeed!

I was thinking about just how to start off this new year. It is like a blank page, an unused whiteboard, a not-yet-lived-in house that is waiting for the first ring of laughter or tear of sadness or secret shared between friends. So, how to start the year.

First, I am so thankful for a new year. I look forward to seeing just what this year holds for me, for my family, for my country, for my world. Like the old hymn says, I do not know what the future holds, but I know (and trust) the One who holds the future! So, I pray I will live each day, trusting God more and more--in everything!

Second, I am excited about this new year. Some years are full of trouble from the start and some are full of trouble when you look back, but this year, I am thrilled about the possibilities. This new adventure of writing people's stories is so much plain ol' fun and combines my love of people, fascination with their stories, and love of writing, just getting words down on paper and making sense of our world. We shall see where it leads. God is good, all the time and I am trusting Him in this adventure.

And, finally, I am so thankful for my family--they are truly a gift from God. What am amazing Father to give us people with whom to connect in a daily way, investing time and energy and basking in their love! Indeed, the family is a picture of God's love expresses in the lives of people--forgiveness and restoration, again and again.

Well, those are some thoughts for the new year. Welcome, 2009. You hold much promise!

Year End Thinking

2008-12-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

Well, 2008 is coming to an end in just a few days and so will this year of my life as my birthday is on Dec. 31 as well. That way, each new year is a new year for me. That is a very interesting way to live, I think, but actually that is the only way I have lived all my life! So, a year in review means that there have been losses and gains, joys and sadnesses, highs and lows. Something for everyone, I suppose. I have ceased to teach full-time and am now trying to pursue my love of writing. That pursuit is a challenge and sometimes seems like a rusty wheel that is slowly getting going! I hope it gets moving more quickly as 2009 comes into full swing!

Well, this blog is fun and it seems like writing to anyone out there is an odd way of thinking but here goes. If you read this, post a thought, and that will give me something to think about in 2009!

Happy New Year!

Janet on fire!

2008-12-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

When I think about Christmases past, I am reminded of one many years ago when Janet was a little girl. She had a brand-new dress made of some material she picked out herself. We invited several single ladies from our neighborhood over for dinner and opened presents on Christmas Eve. One of our friends who worked in the hospital with my husband brought home an abandoned baby boy from the pediatric ward that year so he would not have to spend the evening alone. After our special dinner we sat around the living room, singing Christmas songs and talking about the Christmas story. In the midst of it all, Janet plopped down onto the coffee table, as she often did, only this time, she sat down close to a candle. Before anyone could say anything, she had caught the puffy sleeve on her new dress on fire! One of the nurses quickly poured fruit punch all over her, rescuing Janet with only a slightly burned dress!

Afterward, we blew out all the candles and turned on the lamps instead, and continued singing “Silent Night, Holy Night” mindful that we were truly blessed—family, friends, safety and a Blessed Savior--who rescues all who are alone!

2008-12-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Back when we were children the best part of the season was the Christmas boxes. They were shoe boxes and we'd put them out and we all would get fruit and sugarplums. I remember in our shoeboxes we always got an orange and some raisins and a few nuts. And, a real treat was a banana! Alice would say that she always admired all the rest of us because we could save our fruit and nuts for later but she always couldn't wait and ate it all up on Christmas Day! Back in those days we ate ALL the orange--zest and all. It always tasted so good! We didn't throw anything away. I guess we just didn't know how healthy it was to eat all those apple peelings!

Story told by sisters remembering back to the '30's

thinking after Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

We have so much for which to be thankful. I wonder if I will ever be grateful enough! This week of vacation and time together was healthful and restorative. The rhythm of the ocean and the cry of the gulls, the grit of the soft sand, and the warm sun--such restores the soul. Today I start this new blog. We shall see what the Lord does with it.