Month: July 2017

Today I have been blessed with a day just “to be”. There is no agenda. No pressing to-do list. Nothing urgent needing my attention.

Days like these are few and far between. And because they are, I tend to grasp onto them, holding tightly, unwilling for them to slip away as quickly as I know they will.

Life just seems to be far too busy. Yet how much of that is my own doing?

One thing I learned after the loss of my son is that much of what I think is important–really isn’t that important. I wish I had carried this lesson further into my grief journey (it’s been 4 years since Lance’s death) but I seem to be needing the reminder. Often.

When I get to the end of my life will I really care about all the things I checked off my list? And yes, I realize some things just need doing, but do I give them higher priority than they really deserve? I think I could answer that with a yes most of the time.

When it gets down to the nitty-gritty what does really matter?

Each of us will answer that differently. And that OK.

For me, I can honestly say, hands down, it’s relationship. Relationship with God. Relationship with family. Relationship with friends….and relationship with you if you don’t fall into any of the previous categories 🙂

When I get to the end of my life, all that I will be able to carry into eternity, all that I will leave as a legacy will be a direct result of my relationships.

Maybe that is why the enemy works so hard at destroying relationships. And if he can’t destroy them? Well, let’s just keep people so busy they don’t have time to invest in relationships.

I need to choose daily, sometimes even moment by moment, where my priorities are. It’s easy to say one thing, but the truth is revealed in my choices. My actions.

When my “treasured” day “to be” is interrupted by someone–how will/do I respond? Irritation? Or will/do I welcome the opportunity to connect?

Life gives us so many opportunities. And then, one day those opportunities are gone. Whether it be with the ending of someone else’s life or our own.

I know–I’m not sharing happy thoughts that will brighten your day. I wish for that I could apologize. And I guess I could, but I won’t. For I believe this is a reminder I’m not the only one needing.

It’s far too easy to take life for granted. People for granted. To forget they won’t always be with us, or we won’t always be with them.

And when that day comes…will I wish I’d had one more moment of “me” time? Or will I be thankful for the memories made from the interruptions? Since losing Lance I already know the answer to those questions–now to only learn how to implement that lesson into my current daily life. Because every day I get to choose. And so do you, my friend.

What will your choice be?

 

 

 

 

If life is as it should be, when we enter this world we are welcomed with love and anticipation. Our parents are likely a bundle of mixed emotion–overjoyed and scared all at the same time.

Today I enter a “new” world. The world of blogging.

And just as a new baby has so many things to learn as they grow. So will I.

And just as a new parent is excited and scared all at the same time. So am I.

But, still, here I am!

My intention is not to pretend I am wise and have a ton of advice. I’m not. I don’t. What I have to offer are simply words. Words on a page. Yet words can (and have in my life) have so much power. They can break or encourage. They can build or destroy. They can bring laughter and they can bring tears. They can cause division–or (and this is what I hope this blog will do) they can connect.

Words. As little children learning to speak we have no idea how later in life our words will influence and shape both ourselves and others. But they do. I am, slowly, over time, becoming more aware of just how much impact words can have. I’ve uttered many I regret and some I am thankful I said, before it was too late. Whichever ones it happens to be one thing is true of all words, once they are spoken they can not be taken back. So as I begin this new journey I hope my words will be written with love, honesty and clarity. But if there is ever something you aren’t sure how to take, please, ask me what I mean. I welcome respectful conversation–even respectful disagreement. I believe, it’s part of how we learn and grow.

So hello world! This “baby” blogger is about to take her first steps.