Remember

With deepest honor, gratitude, and respect, we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend freedom for each one of us. I am very thankful for those who have served, and currently are serving, our country. Remember them this Memorial Day and say thank you! 

Absence

Please forgive my absence of posts.  My computer fried.  Toast.  Gone. The good news as of today is that after being nice, but persistent, we are getting it replaced!  So very thankful for God answering that prayer!! 

May Day

When I was a little kid, we used to leave May baskets hanging on our neighbors door knobs on May 1st, May Day.  Those baskets would usually be handmade construction paper cones that we had colored and decorated, with a pipe cleaner for a handle.  I remember we also used paper cups and old cans and decorated them up so they were pretty.  We would fill them with flowers and handmade small treats.  It was always something my sister and I looked forward to doing.  When we were finished, mom would take us around to friends and neighbors homes, where we would quietly run up to their doors, drape the basket over the door handles, and hurry away before we were caught leaving our gifts.  

It was a fun tradition.  It not only brightened our day to make them and give them away, but it brightened the day of the recipients.  

Maybe you know someone who could use a bright spot in their day today.  Make up a quick May basket and leave it on their door!  If you need more inspiration, Pinterest has a lot of ideas! The ideas I put above, remind me of the ones we made when I was a little girl.  

Since I cannot run around to all of your doors today, I will leave you with these flowers.

If I Knew

Life has dealt a lot of rough things recently from losing loved ones, having close friends deal with unexpected illnesses, to the having a niece and nephew  serving in our military in the Middle East, to the events that have taken place in our nation that rock our feelings of security.  The words in this poem express much of what I have  been thinking the past few days.  Hug, love, forgive, laugh, speak kind words, and live fully in each day with those you love.  

If I Knew

If I knew it would be the last time

That I’d see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly

and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I’d hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say “I love you,”
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I’m sure you’ll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there’s always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say “I love you,”
And certainly there’s another chance
to say our “Anything I can do?”

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you’re waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you’ll surely regret the day,

That you didn’t take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you’ll always hold them dear

Take time to say “I’m sorry,”
“Please forgive me,” “Thank you,” or “It’s okay.”
And if tomorrow never comes,
you’ll have no regrets about today..  

– George Michael Grossman

What would you do differently if you knew it would be the last time you saw or spoke to your loved ones?  Don't wait, do it today!

Heart Check Up

 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  Luke 6:45

But whatever comes from the mouth has come out of the heart. These things make the man unclean inside.  Matthew 15:18

Forgiven Redeemed Restored

True Love by Phil Wickham

This is how much Jesus loves you.  He did all this for you.