A Tribute to Life

The past two days have been full and enlightening for me. Yesterday, I spent the day with a perfectly delightful baby who just happened to be turning one year old. Sophia Hope! She was able to see her siblings for the first time in months - a visual that I will remember and cherish for a long time! The affectionate looks and kisses, and leanings into them to be held and loved yet again. I hung out with Sophia for the rest of the day so Ginger and Adam could have some time out with the other children that miss them so much. Sophia and I played peek-a-boo, "where's Sophia?" (she's good at hiding under her blankets) and of course, a bit of nap time. She is one of the most delightful babies that I have ever known. I believe that she has suffered more in the past 3 months of her hospitalization, than most of us will suffer in our lifetime, yet she remains resililent and strong. She is in a fight for her life, and yet she can still laugh and smile! She waves "bye-bye" to everyone that enters her room. (even the nurse that had the unpleasant task of giving her a shot last evening.) As I drove home last night, tired but so happy to have been with her, I envisioned Adam and Ginger bringing her back home to their little farm house with the goats and the dogs, and love in every room. I envisioned how her siblings will pour over her with love and attention. I think of how other's will hear of her testimony and marvel at the miracle of her life. I pray every day that these wishes turn into a reality for this family that I have come to love so much. So Sophia, I offer you a tribute today....Here's to LIFE!

Today I spent some time with another friend. Actually, another member of our Bible study group. Christine is also battling cancer, it just is different than Sophia's. They are in different hospital's - about 10 blocks apart. These two remarkable ladies, though years apart in age, both sat in my living room recently as we laughed and listened and shared some good fellowship over the Word (followed by food, of course.) Christine's life has taken a bitter twist in the past few weeks, and if God does not choose to miracuously heal her, she will be face to face with Him soon. Life is not fair. Hardships somehow turn up at our door as uninvited and unwanted guests. Our desire is to close it all out - and yet we cannot. As I watched this frail, lovely lady today, I thought about her life. A friend was painting her nails and her loved ones were around her. I wondered what she had been like as a teenager, what her dreams were at that time. I thought about her working hard to raise her two wonderful children. I wondered what it was like for her when she and her husband, a Pastor, had traveled together in these past few years. I thought about her as a wife, a mother, a daughter. Things that I am today. Her life has had immense meaning and purpose and yet all of a sudden, it seems so harsh that it should be drawing to a close. Yet her life IS going to continue on the other side - the side that we believer's long for some day. I'm excited for her new life to begin...a life so glorious that we truly cannot even imagine it. So Christine, I offer you a tribute today also...Here's to this life, and your next!

If I found out today that my life was to end in a few weeks, what would I do?
mmmmm.....that is a very revealing question we should ask ourselves. I'll quickly jot down a few things I would change:
1. I would spend intentional time in the Word and worshipping the Lord each morning.
2. I would give the best of myself to my family, instead of others.
3. I would snuggle with Dan for a few extra minutes in the morning, just to make sure our day started out on a good note.
4. I would take more time to vocalize to other's how important they are.
5. I would purpose to spend more time thinking grateful thoughts, than those of what I want, or need, (or think I need).
I would spend my life living it in a purposeful way, each and every day.
WHAT ON EARTH am I waiting for?

You know the old saying...yesterday is behind us, today is here, and tomorrow is just an unknown. I am thinking that Ginger (Sophia's Mom) and Linda (my dear friend, and daughter of Christine's) may be just a step ahead of me on this one.
But I'm working on it!

Tonight, instead of hurrying off to get some house work done, I sat down and had a really nice little chat with my sweet mother-in-law. (I told her, "I think I have too many friends" jokingly, of course. She said "you can never have too many friends." She's always been full of good wisdom!) I spent a few minutes REALLY listening to my kids and their friends just talk - about anything - about everything. I took some time to just laugh, and to write a few cards. I took some time to pray for my friends that are in "trials of various kinds", as James calls them. I thanked the Lord many times over today for my life, my family, my friends, and most of all, for Him.

Because He is the author of Life, my tribute truly is to Him.