I Love You!

Do you tell the special people in your life that you love them?  Love is a powerful thing.  It can be expressed through words and actions.  It is important to never miss an opportunity to express your love.   

After my Dad’s passing, I was heart broken, emotionally drained, and physically exhausted.  Carefully, I drove our Dodge Caravan onto the lane of I-44 traffic on my way home.  I was thinking about my Dad.  Scattered memories of  Dad teaching me to ride a horse, Dad making home made ice cream and eating it drenched with home made chocolate syrup, Dad and I watching professional football games together, Dad holding his first grandchild, and then…   

I wondered, “When was the last time I spoke with Dad, when he was still coherent?” 

I inhaled in surprise as I recalled the final words my Dad and I shared.  I can still hear his voice.

“I love you, Dad!”

“I love you, too, Sis!”

Tears streamed down my face dropping in my lap.  It could have been any conversation: harsh words, happy words, or sad words, but it was I love you!  I am so glad I followed my heart that day.    I will always treasure this memory.

The day after my Dad passed my husband wrote a thank you note to our son-in-law, Jeff, thanking him for taking good care of our daughter whose heart was breaking over the loss of her grandfather.  Jeff canceled part of his weekend with friends in Branson to return to be with Stephanie in her time of need.

“Come read this card.  Tell me if there is anything you want to add.” asked Steve.

As I carefully read the words, I noticed that a few very important words were left out.  I picked up the pen.  I wrote, “We love you both!” 

I looked up at Steve and smiled. “We can never tell our loved enough that we love them.”

A few days later I was visiting with a friend.  In those moments I felt God prompting my heart to tell this friend something important.

“I just want you to know that I love you.”  We hugged. 

I walked to my vehicle, opened the door, sat down in the seat, and shut the door.  I, then, reached for my cell phone to check messages.  I have a Bible application showing different scriptures on the front.  John 15:12-13 appeared. 

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

I stared at my phone with blurry eyes.  A tear dropped from my eyes and fell on my cell phone.  At that moment I felt like God hugged me.  It felt so peaceful to let God shine through me and to know I had been obedient. 

The scriptures tell us that God is love.  Do we really understand just how much God loves us?  I know I don’t.  As I strive everyday to build my relationship with God, I come to feel the height and depth of his love more and more.  And I want to say I love you Jesus not only for what you do for me, but because you first loved me!  I am truly living a blessed life.

Trusting God

There's something to be said about our relationship with God.  Is it one where we only pray when we are in Need of God's help?  And, God be quick about it?  Or, is it one where we pray daily in the good times as well as in the challenging times while trusting God to take care of us in His time?

How do we have a close relationship with God? We must consistently read, study, and meditate on God’s Word daily.  This study of God’s Word aids us in truly knowing who God is.  He is bigger than anything we could ever face in this life.  He loves us more than we can even imagine. 

This relationship with God involves trust.  When we trust God we surrender our will, ideas, desires, and future to God.  We don’t fear the outcome because we know He is with us, loves us, and has our best interests in His heart.   

Daniel was a man who prayed daily.  Because of this prayer Daniel, demonstrated confident, expectation when thrown into the lion’s den.  In Daniel 6:13 it reads;

“Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Juda, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.  Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought him: and his sleep went from him.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

And when th came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions” mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den.  So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.”

Wow, to be a Daniel!

God wants to be our friend.  He is the best friend any of us could ever have.  As we build a relationship, we learn to trust Him with secrets from the deepest parts of our hearts.  We tell Jesus about all of our troubles, because He is a friend who can help us.  We must trust Him to see us through all of our struggles.  When Peter walked on water he was fine until he focused on the wind and waves.  In Matthew14:22-31 it says,

“And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and the cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come.  And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Each of us has difficulty trusting God sometimes.  It is a growing and learning process.  I am always comforted to know God is always with me. 

With or Without?

How do you like to spend your vacations with relatives and friends or to get away from relatives and friends?  This was a question I was asked recently at a Toastmaster Meeting.

I have had the blessing of taking several vacations.  Most vacations are taken with my husband and three children.  We have a blast on the Florida beaches, at the top of a lighthouse, in the Blue Spring Park walking through the lush vegetation, at the St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training game, and more.  While we enjoy these activities, we are meeting people and making new friends either in Florida or new friends traveling to Florida who is on vacation, too.  In fact, we exchange phone numbers, email address, or Facebook.  There have been a few times we find time to see each other again. 

One vacation we traveled to Breckinridge, Colorado to visit my family.  We spent the whole week renewing our friendship, reminiscing about past times together, and making more memories.  It was a glorious time together climbing 12,000 foot mountains, shopping, eating great food, panning for gold, and identifying star constellations while on top of a mountain.   

I have the best of both kinds of vacations.  I love vacationing and meeting new friends and I love vacationing with my distant family.  Earl Nightingale said, “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.  Be happy now.  Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.  Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family.  Every minute should be enjoyed and savoured.”

The Evils of Drinking

There are all kinds of ways communication happens such as telephone conversations, emailing, letters delivered by the pony express, Facebook, texting, and so forth.  Each form has their purpose.  Even though face to face conversations like the look you in the eye kind, are best, people, many times, will text instead.

Text messaging does not provide all the elements of communication.  Someone could send a message saying, “I am happy!”  How happy?  Are they really happy?  Are they being sarcastic?  You see, a great deal of communication is not expressed here.  You don’t hear voice inflection and body language.  Of course, a type of smilie face can be inserted to help this, but the twinkles in people’s eyes are missing.

People need not be slack in checking their spelling of words in text messages.  Misspelled words can change the whole meaning of a sentence.  My husband and I exchanged text messaging one evening that was misunderstood.  It was hilarious!

We (Christopher, Hannah, and I) stopped by our Sonic Drive Inn here in Lebanon, Missouri to purchase a treat of fountain drinks before picking Steve up from the pharmacy.  We were going to Wednesday evening services at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.  It was 7 o’clock as we pulled into Smitty’s parking lot.  As I moved the gear to park, I heard, “Bllllllink!”  I love the blink sound, because it means that someone is sending me a text.  “It’s Steve!” I said laughing.  Here is how the conversation went.

Steve:  “I am almost finished.  Where are you?”

Me:  “I am in the lit.”

Me:  “We have drinks!”

Me:  Sent a series of diffferent smilie faces such as happy, winking, sunglasses, etc…

Smiling, Steve hops in the car and says, “You all must be having a wonderful time of it?”  “What?” I ask.  Steve says, “In your text messages you said that you are lit and have drinks!”  I laughed, “What are you talking about?”  Steve shows me the conversation on his phone.  It looked so different from the truth of the situation

I became lazy in my typing of the word, “lot”.  I saw the typo, but I thought Steve will know what I mean.  I left out the word, Sonic.  I was feeling really happy and I like smilie faces, which is why I decided to include so many of them.

This texting conversation became quite different from my intentions due to carelessness

on my part.  Even though we all had a good laugh, I realized just how important it is to take the extra time to communicate properly.

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”  Proverbs 6:6

   

Night of Blessings

Life is full of blessings in the most unexpected ways.  The blessing could be running into an old friend at the grocery store, listening to a song sung by your favorite artist, a message in a fortune cookie, and so forth.  Could there possibly be a blessing in having no electricity?  Thomas Edison please help us! 

“Somebody, please turn the lights on,” ordered Chris as he stepped into the front door.    

“They are not working,” replied Hannah.

 “Do the neighbors have electricity?” asked Steve. 

“I don’t think so,” I said.

I walked out the front door and down the white chat driveway to get a better look at the neighbor’s home.  As I neared the woods between our homes, I notice how dark and forbidding they were.  My imagination kicked in.  “What is there is a wild animal ready to pounce on me?  What if something is behind me?” said the voices.  “Enough!  I am not scared,” I said to control my thought process.  I calmly turned around to walk back to our home. 

By the time I reached the front door I heard Steve on the phone with the utility company.  There was a substation outage.  We would be without electricity for a time.  It reminded me of the ice storm of January 2007, when we were without power for 12 days, only this time it the middle of the summer, July 2013,

Steve, Chris, and Hannah each found flashlights and candles.  I began digging in my purse for my cell phone thinking that I am so glad it has a full charge.  Chris and Hannah were restlessly wandering through the house with their flashlights and Steve was feeding our five cats and a dog.

 “Please don’t shine the light in my eyes.  It is giving me a headache.” I pleaded. 

“Oh, sorry, Mom” they both said.  Accidentally one of my lovely children shined the light in my eyes again.  What was Steve doing outside anyway?  I decided to check on him.

Steve was sitting on the back porch with Nanook, our American Eskimo dog, sitting faithfully by his side.  Two black cats meowed as if to say,

“Please, stroke my back!”  I petted one, “Sam, is this you?”  I asked because it was difficult to detect in the dark.  I found a chair.

 “It is a beautiful night!” I said looking around. 

Suddenly, it seemed like the light turned on, but as I looked inside the huge bay window I saw that the light had not come on yet.

 “Is that the moonlight?  It is so bright!  Just look at it streaming through the trees.  It’s beautiful.” I exclaimed. 

“Yes, it will be a full moon in five days!” informed my detail oriented husband!

Steve and I reminisced about past family fun times until it felt like the mosquitoes and chiggers were getting the best of me.  This time, when I entered the family room, Chris and Hannah had finally settled down to playing a card game of Rummy with happy music playing on the cd player.  Thank God for batteries.  Steve joined me on the couch, as we watched the card game.  We, all of us, reminisced some more laughing quietly. 

Suddenly, the light in the entryway popped on.  “Oh, that scared me!” exclaimed Hannah.  “Oh, I didn’t want this to end!  It was fun playing cards by candle light and listening to music.”  “It doesn’t have to end!” said Chris.  The two continued to play for a few more minutes to finish out the game.

I just have to say that it has been a great day filled with love and laughter.  The only thing that could have made it better was for Stephanie and Jeff to be here with us.  We have had many cherished moments with them as well.  How many times I have taken times like this for granted?  How many times have I not appreciated the laughter just not thinking?  God created laughter and joy.  He gives us life and special moments with loved ones.  I now treasure them more than ever

Adding

“How can you make a mistake like this?  You are so dumb!”  Harsh words, such as these, are spoken many times by thoughtless and careless people.  My friends, it is my conviction that one of the most important things we can do to help people is to add value to their life.

There is power in encouragement.  This encouragement could be everything in someone’s life.  It builds people up and it makes them strong.  It makes them want to continue on instead of quitting. 

How can we encourage others?  There are many ways.  For example, the words we speak to people can be a blessing or a curse.  Instead of saying you are so stupid for making a mistake, how much more encouraging would it be to say, “It is okay.  We all make mistakes, just learn from your mistake and press on.”

Another way we can add value to people is to give them our full attention, when they are speaking to us.  We must look at the person speaking, not at your cell phone text message.  Focus on what this person is saying, not what you are going to say next.

We have opportunities during the course of our day to smile and say, “Thank you.”  When I was shopping at a business, an unhappy hostess began taking my order.  I could see a frown and perhaps even a tear was quickly wiped from her cheek.  As she completed my order, I smiled and said, “You did a great job.  I appreciate what you did for me!  Have a great day!”  This hostess smiled back at me in surprise and said, “You are welcome!”

Encouraging others takes effort.  We have to be intentional.  Being encouraging is a lot like crafting a musical instrument, such as a guitar.  The finest wood is carefully chosen, a blue print of the design is drawn, varnish is gently stroked onto the instrument, and so forth.  The whole process is thought out just the way we should think about the words we speak. 

It’s funny, but I find that when I add value or encourage other I feel better about myself.  I see others fell better about themselves, too.  Our son, Chris is a lifeguard.  His job is to watch and be aware of any possible dangers swimmers may encounter while swimming in the pool.  On one such day a dad and his 4 year old son climbed out of the swimming pool.  The dad said to his son, “Micah, stand right here beside me.  Do not get back into the pool.   We will get back in, but I want to talk with my friend for a moment.”  The son nodded his head saying yes.  The son grew impatient waiting for his dad and jumped into the pool barely making a splash.  The dad was unaware and continued his conversation.  Chris saw the son jump in and immediately dived into the pool.  Chris picked the son up out of the water sitting him on the side of the pool splashing water everywhere.  At that time the dad heard the water and looked around to see what was causing all the uproar.  When the dad saw it was his son, he gasped.  The dad said, “Oh my goodness!  I didn’t know he jumped in!  Oh my goodness!  I appreciate what you did for me, Chris.  My son may not be here at this moment if it wasn’t for you!  Thank you!”

Chris came home grinning from ear to ear.  He shared the whole story!  I said, “Look at you!”  Chris get paid for adding value to people.  How awesome is that?

Let’s develop a habit of adding value to others and encouraging them everyday.

Dale Carnegie said, “You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of the world’s happiness now.  How?  By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged.  Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.”

  

Making Memories and Having Fun: Five and Dime Store Experiences

 One bright sun shiny spring day my husband and I wrapped up a business appointment

in Branson, Missouri.  “Do you want to shop a bit at Dick’s Five and Dime before we

head home?” my husband asked.

     “Sure,” I replied.  As I stepped into Dick’s Five and Dime Store, a flood of sweet

memories came to my mind and filled my heart with gladness.  Visions of our three

children running up and down the isles looking at the toys and even visions of my own

childhood experiences in other Five and Dime Stores in Bolivar and Buffalo, Missouri

brought smiles to my heart. Five and Dime Stores, being a popular type of business in the

60’s, provided fun learning experiences and provided the means in making memories for

my family. 

      

     Many times our mother would take us to the Five and Dime Store in Bolivar, Missouri

to pick up Household items and undoubtedly we ended up in the toy section.  “I think I

want a kite today.  I want a set of jacks?  Oh, Mom, look at this felt marker set!”  The

shopping experience created as much fun as playing with our new toys and gadgets. 

These toys and gadgets, also, provided my brother and I with many great fun learning

experiences. 

     We bought clay in a package of four square bars in red, yellow, green, and blue.  We

would mold the clay in animal shapes, dish shapes, flower shapes, and more.  Mixing the

colors together was a great experience, too. 

     Over the years we bought many different simple toys such as a jump rope, a set of

jacks and kites.  We even purchased school supplies each fall.

     The most fun Five and Dime experience I had was one warm summer afternoon.  My

younger brother and I along with our mother sat waiting in the car for my dad.  Time

seemed to drag on and on watching for our father to complete a business transaction with

a local business owner in Buffalo, Missouri.  I observed the different stores on the city

square such as a bank, a clothing shop, a barber shop, a five and dime store, and jewelry

store.  “Mom, can we go look around in the dime store?” I asked.  “Well, I

don’t know.  Your Dad will probably be out soon and then we can pick up some

groceries,” replied my Mom.  “Please?” my brother and I cried in unison.  Our mother

looked at the store assessing the store and the distance from where we were parked.

“Well, okay.  Here is twenty-five cents.  Why don’t you buy you and your brother a bag

of candy?”  “Oh that sounds great!” 

     Excitedly, I jumped out of the car with the quarter in hand.  As I stepped into the store,

I observed long counters upon counters of penny candy.  In fact, I had never seen so

much candy in all of my 9 years!  Pixie Sticks, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Sweet Tarts,

Sugar Babies, Sugar Daddies, Double Bubble Bubble Gum, Jaw Breakers, and other

kinds of candy to fill our bag with.  What does a Pixie Stick taste like?  And Sweet Tarts? 

I glanced back out at the car questioningly.  My brother anxiously peered out of the car at

me anticipating what I was choosing for both of us.  There was only one way to find out

and that was to try different candies.  I filled our bag with two of each kind of candy I

thought my brother and I would like to eat.  The quarter bought a lot of candy for two 7

and 9 year old kids to devour!

     Arriving to the car, my brother opened the back door for me.  We poured the bag of

candy onto the back seat.  “Oh!  Ah!  What is this?  Let’s try the Pixie Sticks first?”  The

little grains were a taste bud treat of sweet and sour all at the same time!  “Let’s don’t eat

too much!  We don’t want to make ourselves sick.”  Over the course of the next two days

my brother and I consumed the twenty-five cent bag of candy.  We thoroughly enjoyed

ourselves.  After the experience, every time we traveled to Buffalo, Missouri we bought a

bag of penny candy. 

     Five and Dime Stores provided fun learning experiences and memories for my

family.  As Benjamin Benii once said, “We didn’t realize we were making memories, we

just knew we were having fun.”