Sunday, November 28, 2010

A Time for Thanks

THANKSGIVING...

Our first one without "DAD".

I missed him....

a lot.....

it didn't feel like Thanksgiving.

Even though I was missing Dad, I just had to thank God for all that I
DO HAVE
and all that Dad gave me.

He gave me LOVE...
hugs, words of affirmation and always had an "I'm proud of you, honey" smile.

He gave me TIME...
watching "The Magnificent Seven" is one of my fondest memories...I've watched that with him MORE than seven times!

He gave me COURAGE...
how many times did he believe in me when I didn't?
How many times did he tell me to just "try" when I didn't want to?

He gave me LAUGHTER...
his laugh was LOUDER than mine..watching old "Apple Dumpling Gang" movies in the theater, he had the greatest laugh, the kind that would make you laugh just hearing it.

He gave of HIMSELF...

generously...

not just to me, but to EVERYONE he came into contact with.

I am SO THANKFUL that God blessed me with such an amazing father and man.
I am SO THANKFUL that I had 45 years with him...to the date...
I am SO THANKFUL that he left so much of himself
in
ME.

I am truly very thankful for so, so many

THINGS
(running water, heat, food & shelter)

PEOPLE,
( family, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors )

EXPERIENCES
(learning, growing, reaching, risking, trusting)
and

FEELINGS
(joy, pain, sorrow, freedom, passion, anger, peace...and LOVE)

I have SO MUCH and SO MANY to be THANKful for...

but I am most THANKful to God,
who gave His son for me,
so that I can live, eternally with HIM
in heaven...
where I WILL see my DAD
again.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die".
John 11: 25-26



Friday, November 5, 2010

Growth and Change

My children are growing and changing right before my eyes...

I can't believe that my 12 year old daughter is 12, soon to be 13...
She's not only changing physically, but emotionally and spiritually, as well.
I can actually have discussions with her. She has a different perspective. Yes, YOUNGER :-( ...MUCH more innocent and less jaded, fo' sure.

But growth and change never come without pain.
Why is that?

There is no butterfly without the METAMORPHOSIS that happens in the cocoon.
There is no muscle growth without the tearing of the muscle while working out...
There is no growth without pain...

I want to continue to grow and be better, stronger, faster...ooops, I was onto
"The Six Million Dollar Man" intro ...

I'm growing... and changing, as much as my children, but it looks different.

It's on the inside.

God is growing me, and guess what?
It hurts.

Does it have to?

This growth is painful...ouch....

I'm not depending on things to "help" me like I used to....
strrrrrrretch....
I'm not depending on people to make me feel "better" like I used to....
puuuuuuuuuull.....
I'm not depending on my achievements to tell me I'm AWESOME,
like I used to.....
oooowwwwww...
I'm not depending on the world to tell me how good or bad I am in it's eyes..
uugggggghhhh...

God says:
"I'm enough"
"I'm all you need"
"I'll fill the holes in your heart if you let me"
"I am The WAY, The TRUTH and The LIFE"
John 14:6


He is....all of those things.....and more.