Category Archives: Uncategorized

The letter had been written, typed, and carefully packed into the luggage.

A heart spilled  out onto the page, sharing things that were easier to say with keyboard than with voice.

However, the man for whom the letter was intended would never read it.

His time on earth ended abruptly and he entered eternity just hours before his son would board a plane for a visit with him.

There would be no opportunity to say goodbye, to find closure, to discover what his father had wanted to say when he requested his son’s presence at his bedside.

Things will forever remain unsaid between them.

This is a tragedy.

So much time wasted.

Why do we continue to presume that we have days, months, years?

We have today. This moment. That’s it.

Take stock.

Is there anything left unsaid between you and a loved one?

Say them. Write them. Do whatever you have to do but make it right. (As far as it depends on you).

Let go of the small stuff that tends to accumulate in a heart and looms larger than it ever ought to be.

Humble yourself.

Choose love.

Seek peace.

Forgive…and  watch the self-imposed prison bars in your heart swing wide open to life and light.

In light of eternity, we are here on this spinning ball for but a moment.

Live and love with all your might.

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”—Harriet Beecher Stowe

I came home from my walk tonight to see a shocking sight: my husband was giving our 15 1/2 year old daughter her first driving lesson.

I was just totally unprepared to see Julia behind the wheel of her dad’s car. I smiled and gave her the thumbs up. Then I went inside and watched from the window.  Better Doug doing this than me, as he definitely has the temperament for it. Nobody who knows me would ever pair my name with the word “calm.” 🙂

Earlier today, I was leading a discussion group at the Mom To Mom program at our church. We were talking about the things that our kids will remember once they are grown: and it’s NOT how clean the house was. It is the time spent together making memories.

And the laughter. They will always remember the laughter.

I am reminded of a story the late, great Barbara Johnson told in one of her many books.

She had four boys who kept her on her toes all the time.

One day, she came home to find that her sons had whipped up a bowl of red jello…and then promptly took great delight in picking up handfuls of the slippery substance and throwing it against the kitchen wall, marveling at all the cool patterns it made.

Can you imagine?

At that moment, Barbara knew she had a choice to make. She could bring down the hammer (which her boys were clearly expecting her to do) or she could join in the fun.

She chose to join in the fun.

Much to her sons’ total shock, she marched over to the bowl, picked up a giant handful and flung it against the wall with all her might.

Neither Barbara nor her four boys ever forgot the joy of that day. Yes, there was a mess, but messes can be cleaned up and forgotten. In contrast, memories live forever in our hearts.

Memories from my years with Julia ran through my mind as I watched her drive a car for the first time and it was sweet.

Just for today, make the decision to lighten up.

Smile more.

Laugh out loud and often.

Make time for play.

Step out of your comfort zone and into a new adventure.

Look past the mess and see the person in front of you.

Remember that you can have a clean and orderly house when the kids are grown.

Be willing to fully enter into the world of your child, even if it is only for a few moments. Be completely present. Make intentional eye contact. This moment will not come again.

If you have little ones, get down on the floor and play with them.

Be willing to get your hands dirty.

Pull up a stool beside you in the kitchen and let your child help you bake cookies or make a meal.

Dream with your child.

Listen to their prayers.

Cuddle up and read a favorite story. The housework can wait.

Place newspaper over the surface of the kitchen table, pull out some blank construction paper and allow them to paint.

Put on some music and dance.

Pull your kitchen chairs into the living room, grab a bunch of blankets, and make a fort.

Celebrate the gift of now.

Tuck the memories you make deep in your heart. It is those same memories that will bind your heart to your children for the rest of your days.

“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.”—L.M. Montgomery

The first hint that anything was wrong was when I checked my news feed on Facebook.

One of my friends mentioned that something terrible had happened in Boston.

I immediately turned on the TV and pictures of horror filled the screen as my eyes filled with tears.

Terrorism, I thought, despite the anchor’s attempting to reassure the viewing audience that it could have been some kind of natural event, such as a gas explosion.

Ironically, my husband and I had watched the movie Zero Dark Thirty (about the capture and death of Osama bin Laden) the night before, so the horrors of terrorism were fresh in my mind. Such unspeakable evil is impossible to fathom.

After an hour of watching news coverage, I had to get out of the house. I grabbed my keys and headed out into the sunny spring afternoon.

I needed to see my kids.

I opened the windows to capture the fresh spring air and took several deep breaths.  I played Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “Beauty Will Rise” which is one of my go-to songs when I feel overwhelmed by hard things. It is a song of fierce, defiant hope in the face of tragedy.

On the short drive to the high school, I took in the sights of the beautiful town that I am blessed to call home.

An elderly couple strolled along the lake hand in hand.

A little boy was excitedly baiting his hook in anticipation of a fishing expedition, while his mother looked on with obvious delight.

Another boy was helping his dad unload two kayaks from the back of a pickup truck. The ice is finally gone, beckoning the hardiest of souls to come and christen a new season of water fun.

One of the local ice cream stands in town had just re-opened for the season on Saturday. This day several patrons sat on the multi-colored picnic tables enjoying their creamy treats, a tantalizing preview of the summer days to come.

As I drove up to the high school track, the first person I saw was my son.

I burst into tears.

I parked my car in the student parking lot that overlooks the track where the team was practicing.  I searched for my daughter, finally spotting her  throwing the javelin on the far-way field. I was grateful that she had chosen to wear a neon-pink shirt that made her easier to spot, as these middle-aged eyes of mine are not what they used to be.

My tears fell as I watched the team, still blissfully ignorant of the evil that was unfolding a mere two hours away from our town.  They were full of the life, energy and joy that teenagers can bring into our worlds.

One of the javelin throwers ( known by all for his high-wattage, fun personality) twirled his javelin like it was a baton. (That made me smile) .A relay runner crossed the finish line after a practice run and immediately began to dance in the football field, her blue baton gleaming in the sunshine as she twirled. Two of my son’s friends ran competitive wind sprints, the one holding out his hand in congratulations to the other who had crossed the finish line first.

Frequent bursts of laughter were carried on the wind and into my car…a balm for my soul.

Life always goes on.

I headed for home. This time, I took the back way and drove past the smaller lake that is graced by the afternoon sun. It looked as if someone had sprinkled diamonds all across the surface of the water. The water was calm, smooth…the complete opposite of the churning that was going on in my heart.

I was still listening to “Beauty Will Rise” on a loop.

I tuned into the bridge of the song:

I can hear it in the distance
And it’s not too far away
It’s the music and the laughter
Of a  Wedding and a Feast
I can almost feel the hand of God
Reaching for my face to wipe the tears away
And say,”It’s time to make everything new.
Make it all new.”

If these words seem mysterious to you, look up Revelation 19:6-9 and Revelation 21-22. These passages invite us to eavesdrop on a coming day when evil is permanently vanquished and peace and love and  beauty and light will reign for all eternity.

Darkness. Does. NOT. win.

The Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it. —John 1:5

Pray for the people of Boston.

There are some people who are just firecrackers of joy.

One such person is famed Women Of Faith speaker and author Patsy Clairmont.

This past weekend, she came to southern New Hampshire to spread her unique and dynamic brand of merriment and charm and I am all the better for it.

Here are some of the highlights from my notes:

*We must relinquish our “right” to have all the answers from our sovereign God.

*Place yourself in a position to say “yes” to the Lord. Then do whatever He tells you to do, no matter how small. We always want to go straight to the “big” things but we must first be faithful with the little things.  And know that when you say “yes” to Jesus, life does not become a bed of roses. Sometimes life will get really hard. This is life on a broken planet.

*Growing up in Jesus is a life-long process. As long as we have breath, we can still choose to say “yes” to Him. Change is always possible.

*If you are one who struggles with your mind and your mouth being godly, study what the Bible has to say on those subjects. Memorize His Word. Give Him a big “yes!” on these  things. Then watch to see how your relationships are renewed and restored.

*Follow this prescription when you are worried or angry:
1.Refuse the ungodly thought.
2.Replace it with God’s Word.
3.Repeat as needed until your thoughts and words line up with God and His ways.

*Choose to believe His Word in the hard places, especially when it looks like things are not going to work out.  We must trust that He is in it with us and will do good to us. Beware of going off in tangents in your mind. Stop allowing yourself to go to the worst case scenarios. That is not walking by faith.

 *Cast down imaginations, things that are unlovely or ungodly. We constantly need the intervention of Philippians 4:8: “…fill your mind and meditate on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise not things to curse.” (The Message).

*We cannot base our perception of Jesus on our brokenness but on the truth of His Word.

*The truth is, we are in conflict with those who display the very qualities we have not owned. We need help with ourselves. Once we begin to own our stuff, He will give us “grace space” inside our hearts, which will tenderize our hearts toward that person.

*These four words have the possibility to change your life: EMOTIONS DON’T HAVE BRAINS. This was a quote from Marilyn Meberg and it has changed Patsy’s life. Emotions are not intended to think for us. They are not reasonable. Emotions have great significance but we cannot allow our feelings to dictate our response to life.

*Fear should never stop us. We need to go right through the middle of the fear to gain victory. His grace is sufficient for us.

*Jesus is our Need-Meeter. When we try to meet our own need, that need will turn to greed. Then you find you can never get enough, no matter what it is (food, money, sex, shopping).  When you take your need to Jesus, He turns it to seed.

*Don’t be resistant toward those who tell you the truth. Don’t be afraid of truth. Own your stuff. In every heart, there is a cemetery of sorrow. Go in there every now and again and feel it, own it. That way, you can then minister and speak truth to others in love. Denial does not help anybody.

*Recognize that that cranky, obnoxious person who drives you crazy is in a lot of pain. That doesn’t make their behavior right, but life is hard.  Be kind. Living out kindness in this harsh world is powerful. Enter tenderly into the lives of others because we do not know how  they are suffering.

*Courage is telling the truth with your whole heart (a quote Patsy loved from an author named Renee Brown).

*Do all you can to stay in the Light of Christ.

*When the enemy tries to destroy your with his lies, rise up and say, “I refuse this in the mighty Name of Jesus.” Hide His Word in your heart so you can rehearse what He says is true of you.

*Don’t resist what God wants to do in your heart.  Just start with “yes” to Jesus. Surrender to His divine purpose.

During the last hour of Patsy’s time with us, she took questions from the audience. She held the hand-written note cards in her hands and when she saw what was written on one of the last cards, she paused, a shadow of pain passing over her face that had just been creased in smiles a few moments before.

She then read these words, “ I am the mother of two teenage daughters and I have been diagnosed with a terminal disease. I am struggling to hold onto my faith.” 

Still holding the card, Patsy looked out over the vast audience of women and asked, “Honey, if you are okay with this, can I  ask if you would stand up? If you don’t want to do that, that’s okay too. We will still pray for you.”

At the very back of the room, a woman in her forties rose to her feet. Her eyes were dry, her shoulders pulled back straight.

My first thought was, “She doesn’t even look sick.” Just by looking at her, I never would have known anything was wrong.

Another reminder to never assume anything about anybody. We don’t know.

“Honey, would you mind coming up here to the front?”

The enormous room was silent as she walked up to the stage, every eye riveted on her face. The sounds of sniffles could be heard throughout the crowd. I think that every mama’s heart went out to that woman.

Patsy bent down to reach out and take this woman’s hand. She asked her name and the woman told her in a clear voice. Patsy then asked for some volunteers to come surround their fellow sister in Christ.  Several women came to the front, wrapping their arms around her, stroking her hair.

Patsy prayed a most heartfelt prayer and as I looked at the scene before me, I realized anew that Jesus was in this place in a very special way. Until He returns and we are with Him physically, He asks His people to be His hands, feet, mouth, ears, and eyes for Him. Jesus was coming to this woman through the love of His women.

It was a beautiful sight of unity and love.

Once the woman walked back to her seat, everyone was wiping their eyes.

Patsy waited a beat, then said something funny, yet appropriate. That is a tough tightrope to walk, but she handled it with grace, class, and warmth.

 We all gratefully exhaled. It was as if a fresh breeze rushed through that room, bringing the hope that Jesus so freely offers us like a balm to our souls.

“Laughter brings healing and allows us to breathe deeper,” Patsy said. “God created laughter. It helps us to survive. It has been said that children laugh 400 times a day while adults average only 15 laughs per day.”

Then she encouraged us, “If you have the ability to laugh, use your gift. People need it.”

I am so grateful that Patsy graced us with her gift of laughter and wisdom this past weekend.

She is truly a treasure.

It began innocently enough.

This morning, I had driven to the salon for a cut and color, my mind full of earthly cares and concerns.

Kathy applied the much-needed color on my hair and left me to “bake” for awhile.

I grabbed the latest issue of People magazine and began to browse as my mind still swirled with a nasty case of the “what-if’s?”

Toward the end of the magazine, I turned the page and was immediately captivated by a heart-wrenching story.

The next thing I knew, I had to visit the ladies room so the other patrons wouldn’t see me crying.

I had just been reminded afresh of the breathtaking beauty and brevity of this life and how often I let temporal concerns eclipse what truly matters.

A beautiful 45 year old journalist named Susan Spencer-Wendel has written a book entitled Until I Say Goodbye. 

The magazine featured her story. The photo spread showed her surrounded by her lovely family through the years. She has three children. She has been married for 21 years (same as me). She is a writer.

And she has ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Rather than grit her teeth and wait for the end, she has chosen to live the life out of all the days she has left. She has traveled the world with her family and best friend, swam with dolphins, and penned her first book. Her body is getting progressively weaker by the day. She is now in a wheelchair. Her voice is slowly being silenced. Yet her spirit remains strong.

But this…this is what started my tears flowing: on a recent trip to New York City, she and her 15 year old daughter  visited the famous Kleinfeld’s (the bridal salon that is featured in one of my favorite shows, Say Yes To The Dress) so her daughter could try on wedding dresses with her mom. Of course, Susan will not live to see her daughter’s wedding day…but when that day comes, she wants her daughter to have the memory of that long-ago day when the two of them oohed and aahed over the beautiful white gowns together.

That is what sent me into the ladies room in tears.

My sweet daughter Julia is 15 years old too. I can’t imagine not being here as she graduates high school and college, begins her career,  marries, has her own children and changes the world for the better.

Yet I am not promised tomorrow any more than Susan Spencer-Wendel is.

And so I ask myself for seemingly the millionth time: Am I living my life to the fullest?

Are you?

The temporal concerns that had so filled my mind before I entered the salon were shown to be the trivial matters that  they ultimately are.

I have a Heavenly Father who cherishes me and has promised to take care of me and I have a Savior who has conquered death.

I am eternally secure.

I have been gifted with an amazing husband, children who fill me with joy, a close-knit family, and wonderful friends.

Why do I sometimes allow concerns to loom larger than my God…and in the process forget what is truly important in this life? Faith. Family. Friends.

Susan writes that her final wish is: “To make people laugh and cry and hug their children and joke with their friends and dwell in how wonderful it is to be alive.”

She and her husband John made this video. Please take a few minutes out of your day and watch. Then celebrate the life you have been given.

At the end of the video, John shares that Susan’s message is simple:

*Quit complaining.

*Accept.

*Live with joy.

May you do the same today.

I heard them before I saw them.

Boisterous, infectious laughter filled the waiting room the instant the elevator doors opened.

The three friends spilled out into the somber room, a much-needed breath of fresh air.

I had been waiting for my mom to finish her appointment for the past 30 minutes. Seldom had I seen such a gloomy group, employees included. No one smiled. Everyone looked tense, tired, and gray under the florescent lights.

I realize that going to a doctor is nobody’s idea of a fun time, but these people seemed particularly morose to me.

The woman who was the patient was the cheeriest of the bunch. She wore a red hat with a jaunty feather festooned on the side. She said hello to everyone in the waiting room and had a particularly sunny greeting for the receptionist. This woman…who was formerly so sour-faced to every other patient…seemed taken aback by this woman’s bright light, but she quickly recovered and a smile spread across her face, softening her formerly harsh-looking features.

When the X-ray tech entered the room to call this woman’s name, she jumped right up and said, “I”m-a-comin!” She greeted the tech and asked if she was having a good day. The tech returned her smile and they chatted as they walked.

When the woman returned to the waiting room after completing her x-ray, she was still smiling. Her friends joined her at the elevator and one of them said something that caused them all to collapse into giggles. The woman caught my eye, raised her hand in farewell, and said, “You have a great day, Lady!”

I smiled in return and said, “You too!”

The laughter disappeared with the trio but the mood in that room was decidedly lighter.

This world can be a tough place. There is a lot of pain, hurt, and sorrow.

Today, be determined to shine your light.

Offer a kind word or a listening ear.

Give a compliment.

Lighten someone’s load.

Tell a funny story.

Smile.

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”—Mother Teresa

I was reminded twice this week of the fragile nature of this life.

The first time was this past Thursday night during the Winter Sports Awards at the high school. Our daughter was being recognized along with her team for her participation in Nordic skiing.

The auditorium is full of parents, cameras-at-the-ready to celebrate their children’s success on the playing field. Coaches from each team stand on the stage to share the highlights of the season, then invite each student to come up to receive their hard-earned rewards.

The father of one of our son’s friends is currently battling a particularly nasty bout with cancer. We used to see him and his wife at every band performance and every track meet. He and my husband worked together at every home track meet at the long jump pit.

Last summer, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, which after several rounds of grueling treatment and one monstrously long surgery, is still ravaging his body.

We were pleasantly surprised to see him and his wife enter the auditorium before the start of the ceremony and make their way to sit in front of us.

I smiled and warmly greeted him but when he turned back to say hello to some other parents, the lump in my throat was huge and I had to fight back tears.

He looked so pale and so thin. His slight smile did not reach his haunted eyes but he seemed so happy to be out and about.  I knew from past conversations with his wife that he had not been able to leave the house in weeks.

I glanced around at the other parents.. Some were alone, some were with their spouses. Some looked tired. Some checked their phones. Others chatted quietly.

How many people, I wondered, were aware of the treasure of this moment? This moment of being healthy enough to be here in this place, celebrating the accomplishments of their children?

How many saw this opportunity, this moment, as gift?

Two days later, I saw his wife at a local university where our kids were playing at the school’s annual jazz festival. Her husband had still not recovered from attending the awards, which had only lasted ninety minutes.

Imagine that. Driving one mile to the school, sitting in the audience during the ceremony and driving that mile back home wiped him out for days. I never even gave it a second thought. I grabbed my camera, climbed into the car with my mom and my husband and went.  I snapped photos, chatted with other parents, laughed at the funny stories the coaches shared, then went home and did a million other things before I went to bed that night.

I, who write so often about treasuring time, let the moments pass by in a blur.

How easy it is to forget.

As we chatted, the mother of a girl in my daughter’s grade came down the hallway of the university cafeteria where the band members and the rest of the parents were gathering before our school’s performance.

It was one year ago at this very event that I had first met this woman. She possessed an effervescent personality, a bright and ready smile, and such a  fabulous head of long blonde hair that I had a serious case of hair envy.

This day, however, all that glorious hair was  gone. In its place was a black bandana dotted with clear crystals that sparkled and shone under the florescent lights.

Breast cancer had invaded her life a couple of months ago. It may have taken her hair but not her spirit.

She greeted us with a smile. Her eyes shone with courage and steel as she  answered my question about how she was feeling. She was brutally honest about the toll her treatment is taking on her slender frame and  sometimes fragile emotions. But she is a fighter. A warrior. An inspiration.

When the time came for our kids to play, we moved into the performance hall. I took a seat in the back so I could easily take pictures of the band. As the kids set up, I watched those two moms whose lives have been touched by the monster that is cancer sit next to each other, heads together, locked in an intense discussion.

Then I looked at my husband, sitting a few rows in front of me and at our kids. Josh played a few warm up notes on his saxophone and Julia shared a laugh with the girl beside her, her flute lying across her lap.

And I prayed, “Lord, thank You for the gift of life. For the gift of health. For the gift of now. Please don’t let me take those things for granted. Give me eyes to see anew how precious each and every day is.”

The sound of music began to fill the air. The kids played joyously, fully, beautifully.

I snapped shot after shot, capturing moments, capturing the energy and hope and  shining promise of our talented young people.

With each click of the shutter, I breathed a prayer of thanks to my very good God.

The Inventor of Music.

The Personification of Joy.

The Healer of disease.

The Restorer of broken hearts.

The Giver of all good gifts.

The Worker of miracles.

The gifted and  brilliant Author of all our stories.

The Rescuer from our sin.

The Glorious One whose empty grave shouts triumphantly that hideous things like cancer do not get the final say.

We left the university after the festival and I treasured the sound of the loud and frequent laughter of the five teenagers in our SUV.

It was like a sweet symphony all its own.

“Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed.”—Corita Kent

I work with a lot of young moms and wives as a Bible study leader and Mom To Mom mentor.

Since our son is 17 and our daughter is 15 1/2, I am not so far removed from those  early years that I can’t remember  the exhaustion, the stress, the potty-training drama…as well as all the unique fun and joy that little ones bring into a life.

Running like a strong thread throughout those years was the timeless and vitally important piece of advice that our pastor gave us during our premarital counseling sessions: “NEVER STOP DATING. Don’t stop being Doug and Susan, even when there are little ones who call you Mommy and Daddy.”

I share this advice with young moms every chance I get, because it is so essential to a marriage.

We will celebrate 21 years of marriage in May and we have heeded Pastor John’s advice all those years ago.

It was very easy to do during the nearly four years before we had kids. Doug worked in New York City, so that was our playground.

However, when we had two children who were only 19 months apart and lived far from family, dating became much more of a challenge.

Yet, we persevered.

We made sure to have a date once a month.

When my parents came to visit, it was easy. We took advantage of their free babysitting services and not only went out to dinner and a movie, but sometimes went away for the weekend. But since they only visited a couple times a year, we had to make other plans for the remaining months.

There were times when Doug would get  take out from one of our favorite restaurants after the kids were in bed and bring it home. We would light candles (to soften the effects of  the hideously painted yellow kitchen with blue countertops in our rented home), put a Frank Sinatra CD on, and enjoy dinner and dessert right there in our kitchen.

We also traded babysitting duties with other couples. One month, Doug and I would watch their kids; the next, they would watch ours.

This led to some interesting scenarios for me.

I still remember having to go to our friends David and Wendy’s home  one Saturday night by myself because Doug was sick. As soon as I put their kids to bed for the night, I began to be completely terrorized by a gigantic black spider that skittered across the floor out of nowhere and ran right by my feet under the sofa! Then it came right back out and ran back in! I screamed and ran to the kitchen to sit on one of the breakfast stools. That is where I remained for the next few hours, as the spider continued its reign of terror while I tried to read my book and prayed for our friends to come home early!

The second scenario that comes to mind is one night when our neighbors, who had NEVER had one night out in all their  years of marriage, finally agreed to allow me to watch their two young boys so they could attend a glitzy function at the husband’s work. They were so excited and I was praying that they had a wonderful time. Doug was across the street taking care of our two kids, who were still quite young at the time.

Fifteen minutes after their car pulled out of the driveway, their oldest son proceeded to lose his entire dinner all over her polished wooden floors.

Now, I could not even clean up after my own kids when this happened and now this. So, I held my nose, prayed for grace, and did what I had to do.

All this to say…it will not always be easy to continue to date your spouse when you have small children, but it is worth every effort.

Because those little kids who tear through the house like a tornado right now? They will be leaving for college tomorrow.

If you have not put in the work (and yes, a good marriage requires hard work), this day may fill you with appropriate sadness, but not despair. Why is that? You have done your parenting job to the best of your ability (not perfectly because there is no such thing). You have equipped your children with what they need to know to strike out on their own and begin to live their story.

And now, you and your husband can live out the rest of your love story because you will have worked at staying connected throughout your parenting years.

If you haven’t done this, it’s not too late to start. Consider your resources and make a plan. Be creative but by all means, reconnect with each other as a couple.

Begin to consciously remember the things that attracted you to your spouse in the first place.

Start small. A date doesn’t always have to be dinner and a movie. It can be a walk around the neighborhood or along the beach. A trip to the local ice cream stand. One couple I know enjoys riding a tandem bike together. Whatever works for you and your husband, just do it.

The moments add up and add a sweetness to your years.

Be careful who you share your dreams with.

Has Jesus ever whispered one of His dreams for your life into your  heart?

(Note: I am not talking about a dream of your own that you decide to stamp with what you hope to be God’s approval. I am talking about the kind of dream that grows after He plants an absolute passion in your soul for something that will honor and glorify Him).

Did the very thought of living that dream with Him  fill you with joy and excitement? Has the thought of Him being able to use you on your little plot on planet Earth overwhelmed you with gratitude and caused you to pour forth praise to His glorious Name?

Have you, in your exhilaration and enthusiasm run to share that dream with someone close to you…only to have their eyes regard you with skepticism and doubt? To take the proverbial pin and burst your bubble? To immediately list the reasons why that dream won’t possibly work? To remind you of all you don’t have?

This type of person will attempt to drain every bit of joy from you in order to yank you down to the level at which they live: that gray, colorless place where miracles are not experienced, where eyesight is sadly and willfully limited to this earthly plane, and faith is not active and vibrant.

They are “ever-seeing but never perceiving and ever-hearing but never understanding” (Mark 4:12).

Beware of the people who cannot…or will not…look at this world through eyes of faith in the Creator and Sustainer of all things.. The people who, despite so much evidence to the contrary, are bound and determined to judge reality by only the things that they can see, the things that are possible with man, and the things that make sense to their limited perspective.

Do not be quick to share your God-given dreams with people like that.

NOTHING is impossible with our great and magnificent God. Nothing.

If He has given you a Christ-exalting dream, move forward in step-by-step obedience, trusting Him to fill in the details as you go.

Watch to see what He will do.

Let your vibrant, faith-filled, Jesus-saturated  life speak powerfully to those who would speak discouragement to you.

Your Savior is never discouraged, never defeated, never at a loss. Let HIM encourage you. Don’t rely too heavily on the opinion of man.

Follow Him..and know joy and abundance in ways you never dreamed possible.

We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. —I Chronicles 29:15, NLT).

My family spent 26 hours in our car this weekend in order to spend one hour with my beloved Uncle Duane (who I wrote about here).

It was worth every second.

I was the first person to reach his room.

He was sitting quietly in his wheelchair, hands folded, waiting patiently for our arrival.

As soon he saw me, his entire face lit up like a child on Christmas morning and a huge smile wreathed his face.

He held out his arms to welcome me with a hug.

Within seconds his small room was filled with family and happy chatter…except for our daughter Julia, who was sick and could only wave from his doorway before heading back to her spot at the end of the hall. (Nursing home policy).

We settled down to talk for awhile and take some photos.

This was followed by a tour of the physical therapy room. We were able to meet both his physical and occupational therapists; two wonderful young women who were full of kindness and good cheer. It did my heart good knowing that my uncle is receiving such excellent care.

It was there that he reminded us all of his motto for this time in his life: “Remember, my goal is to get strong and get out of here!” 🙂

The remainder of our visit took place in the dining room, where we presented Uncle Duane with cupcakes from his favorite bakery…an early 87th birthday celebration. We all quietly sang Happy Birthday, so as not to disturb the other residents who were playing a rousing game of trivia on the other side of the room.

He proceeded to enjoy every single bite of the sugary goodness. This bakery has provided delicious confections for our family’s celebrations for years. Taking one bite is like re-living happy memories.

Sometimes it is the little things that bring us the greatest joy.

All too soon, it was time to say goodbye.

When it was my turn, I hugged my uncle’s thin shoulders, then pulled back and said, “You know you were always my favorite uncle, right?”

He laughed and said, “Well, I’m one of many!”

I wasn’t laughing.

“No,” I said, in all seriousness. “You were always my favorite. Still are.”

With that, I had to turn away because the tears were forming in my eyes and I didn’t want him to see.

Our last glimpse as we left was  Uncle Duane waving from his table as he awaited lunch being served.

This visit was a wake up call for our kids.

They had never been to a nursing home before.

My uncle’s room was near the end of the hallway,which allowed us to see into other rooms as we passed. Several elderly people were sleeping, looking so small in their hospital beds. Others watched TV or sat in wheelchairs staring out the window. One woman was just sitting with her head in her hands; the very picture of despair.

Despite the bright winter sunshine pouring in through the windows, the sense of sadness was palpable.

None of this was pleasant to see, but my husband and I feel that it is important to teach our kids to face this life head on: both the joys and the heartaches. Denial never serves anyone well.

I reminded them of how fast this life goes; that those people sharing Uncle Duane’s floor were once teenagers too.

I think they must get tired of me telling this to them, but again, I said it, “Make every single day count. Take nothing for granted. Fully live your life.”

They also learned that loved ones are a worthy  investment. Time with them is precious. I hope they will always be willing to go the extra mile when someone they love needs them.

One full, joyful hour with my uncle was worth 26 hours in a cramped vehicle and a weekend diet of fast food.

It was a day that we will all remember with great fondness.

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”—Abraham Lincoln