Hard to say goodbye!

Today was my dear friend and neighbor's funeral!
Wow, what a beautiful service it was... and how honored
we were to be there with her family! Wished all of my
kids could have been there with us!
 I only hope I could
have touched as many lives as she did!

The weather turned out sunny and beautiful, which seemed
to be ordered from above.
Tomorrow is Easter, because of what the Savior did for all of
us, this dear family knows that they will get to see their dear
Wife, Mother and Grandmother again!
What a touching, tough, and wonderful day... today was!

Good Night dear friends, and I hope you have a wonderful Easter tomorrow!

Bittersweet!

Today was another tough day, my emotions are all over the board... and I am trying desperately to stay steady and consistent. I am trying to remember all the women who have been through Menopause and lived to tell about it! :) That gives me hope, but still I definitely don't feel like myself!

16 years ago today my Mother passed away. She had been real sick for months and we thought for sure that in September that would be our last few days with her. She held on for as long as she could, but on December 3rd around 8:30 am she took her last breath. I still am grateful that I was able to fly home in time, to be with her as she left for the other side. It was scary, it was inspiring, it was spiritual, it was a blessing and a loss like I have never felt before. It was truly Bittersweet!

I won't write more tonight other than to say...I am grateful for my Mother. She and I had been through many of the same experiences in our lives, and so that made our relationship complicated to say the least. But oh how I loved her!
 I can't wait to see her again and start another new and better life with her. So grateful for the knowledge that God lives, that Jesus Christ truly did come to this earth to be our example. And for the gift that He gave us to live again!
 Many people thought it was so sad that my Mom died when it was Christmas time. But I think that this is a blessing, because it is the most Wonderful Time of the Year! Knowing about the Christ child and His life and Mission, make Eternity not so far away! Which means, I will be with my sweet Mother again some day!
Good night dear friends!

Everyone's life can be a tribute!

I do believe that everyone knows someone in their live ...that has had a huge impact on them. Then when they pass on, there is usually something they could carry on in their own lives, to pay a tribute to them.
Here is an article about someone that did just that! Hope you read it!
Good Night dear friends!

Meet Aubri Whatcott: Her life is tribute to brothers killed in plane crash

Aubri WhatcottAubri Whatcott sits in the front row in a classroom packed with more than 100 eighth- and ninth-graders at West Point Junior High School in West Point, Utah. She and her classmates are in the middle of my novel, The Seventeen Second Miracle. And thanks to the sly planning of their teacher, Michelle Denson, I’ve surprised them by showing up to answer questions in person rather than via Skype.
The enjoyable session flows smoothly, like a winding country road. When it finally comes to an end, I stay awhile to visit with Denson and several students. I tell them how Denson is one of my favorite teachers in America and a pioneer of teaching my books and their concepts in public schools. They answer that she’s one of their favorite teachers, too, and the bond between students and teacher is obvious.
When they leave for lunch, I ask about each student who stayed back for a photo and a few extra laughs. “Tell me about Aubri,” I ask. And I wonder aloud about the maturity in her eyes.
“Maybe she should tell you,” Denson says with tenderness in her voice.
Soon, Aubri and I are visiting again in the hallway.
Soon, Aubri is telling me about July 20, 2014.
Soon, I’m learning a lesson about friends, faith and what the word tribute really means.
On July 20, 2014, Aubri’s brothers Daulton, 19, and Jaxon Whatcott, 16, were killed when their private plane crashed in Arizona near the Virgin River Gorge. They were flying from Davis County to Mesquite, Nevada, for a basketball tournament.
“They were late landing,” Aubri tells me during a recent interview. “We went up to the airport where they were supposed to land to see what was up and I just had this horrible feeling.”
It wasn’t long before they got the call.
“I’ve never been more devastated,” Aubri says, describing the blunt force of the news. They drove to St. George, spending the night at a relative’s house, and waited for the boys to be pulled from the mountain. They even visited the crash site, because in the words of Aubri’s father, “they still wanted to believe it wasn’t real.”
By the time they returned home to Clinton, Utah, a loving mass of family and friends had assembled for a vigil.
During our interview, I share with Aubri and her parents how impressed I was with her steady, seasoned countenance the day we met in early May. “A few more months have passed and now you’re at the one-year anniversary of something most of my readers cannot even comprehend. How are you really doing?”
She pauses. “There’s not a moment I don’t think about them. Even now.”
Aubri describes the things she misses most about her brothers. “The teasing. They could be so annoying! And the trips to 7-Eleven. They made me go along, but I had to sit in the back of their little two-door car and wait forever.”
She explains how these and many other little memories are what she cherishes.
Later, we discuss the things she’s learned in the year since the crash. She talks about loving friends and having as many as you can, the way her brothers did. “I want to love people. It doesn’t matter what you look like, what you do or don’t do, we’re all friends to support each other.”
Aubri has also learned to lean on her only other sibling, her oldest brother, Dace. “I would be a lot sadder because he was really there for me when everything happened. I don’t think I could be as happy without him. He is like my best friend.”
She also speaks freely about the many tributes organized for the boys everyone considered brothers. Both Aubri’s volleyball and basketball teams went undefeated during their regular seasons in honor of the Whatcotts and wore their initials on their uniforms.
They had special cheers, stomps and shirts to pay tribute to the brothers who were so passionate about sports. When prom day arrived, many young men showed up to present Aubri’s mother, Eileen, with a different kind of tribute — a flower.
But the family wasn’t surprised. Those same boys are frequent guests in their home and have become members of their extended family.
“Aubri has a lot of brothers looking out for her,” her dad, Rhett, said laughing. “She might not have a boyfriend until she’s 25.”
One of Aubri’s favorite tributes has come by way of the piano. In the past year, she’s taught herself to play her brothers’ favorite songs, Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” She’s played both at memorials for Jaxon and Daulton.
We talk about faith, too, and Aubri speaks about her belief in God, heaven and prayer.
“I have huge faith in prayer,” Aubri said. “After this happened my mom had trouble sleeping and when she couldn’t, she was really sad. Not happy at all. I didn’t like seeing her that way — so exhausted. One night I prayed to let my mom sleep better. Like one good night. And the next day she took me out to the store and said she felt so good. She slept well for the first night since all this happened.”
I marvel at the blessing of such an immediate response to prayer — often we don’t get answers right away — and she agrees. “Prayer will always be a huge part of my life.”
Toward the end of the conversation, I refer for the fifth or sixth time to the event as an “accident,” and this time I’m kindly corrected.
“We don’t like to call this an accident,” Aubri says. “I think that no matter what, this was supposed to happen. It wasn’t an accident.” She and her parents allude to very personal bits of evidence in their lives that prove this to be true. They don’t like it, but they accept their Heavenly Father’s will.
“They are doing something greater now,” Aubri adds.
As our discussion winds to a close, much like the one that started our friendship in a cramped classroom months ago in Utah, I ask Aubri how she thinks her brothers would grade her life at the one-year anniversary.
“I think they would be pretty happy with how good I am doing,” she says, then pauses. “But sometimes, they probably wish I could be even better.”
By enduring with such maturity a tragedy most cannot fathom, it’s hard to imagine her brothers feeling anything but tremendous joy at the way she’s pressing on without them. They surely enjoy the temporary tributes, I suggest, but must be even more proud of Aubri’s courageous life.
Daulton and Jaxon Whatcott know what the rest of us are quickly learning about young Aubri. She’s not just wearing, cheering or singing a tribute to her brothers.
She’s living one.

find it HERE:

Hearts are heavy!

I just found out this week that a friend of mine passed away from Cancer. She was always a picture of health and really took care of her body. Just really makes you realize that Cancer is what it is, and it doesn't always make sense who does or does not get it.
I was thinking of going to her funeral, but not sure that I can or should. The last friend of mine that passed away from Cancer, I think I cried as much as the family did. I am sure I wasn't much help to them. It just hits too close to home for me.

What I do try and do is remember something wonderful about that person, and try to adapt their same character, attitude or whatever it was I admired about them. By trying to be more like them, hopefully a part of them will continue to live on through me!

I realized from my last friend that no matter what, she took photos and keep memories of her and her family.What a gift that was to them! Since then I have tried hard to take more photos of me with my family, friends and grand kids. Photos are a bit tough for me, so that was a big challenge, but oh so grateful that we have those memories in print.

This dear friend truly took care of herself. I am going to try even harder to do the best to eat right, exercise ( as much as I can ), and keep up my positive thinking. I will honor her by trying to do the best I can and live life to the very fullest.
Still they will be missed!

Here are a few quotes and poem that came to mind.
Good night dear friends!

In Our Hearts 

We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.

We thought about you yesterday,
And the days before that, too.

We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.

Now all we have is memories,
And your picture in a frame.

Your memory is our keepsake,
With which we'll never part.

God has you in His Keeping.
We have you in our Heart.  ~Author Unknown

"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth -- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up -- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had."   - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

 " A life may last just for a moment, but memory can make that moment last forever."

Just watched the movie ....heaven is real

What a great movie! I had heard great things about it and I thought they did a great job. I think it is so true, if we pay more attention to our children...we would realize life is pretty simple and beautiful. Watch it for yourself

here:



http://patch.com/georgia/gwinnett/11-years-after-heaven-what-life-is-like-for-the-burpo-family-gwinnett#.U9NBhvldUf0

Here is the story of the real family that it happen to..,watch it here:

Goodbyes are not forever!

As I read this quote, I realized that  people want to have some type of hope when they lose a loved one.
Every time I hear a siren, I my heart aches for them and their family. I pray that they have some way to find peace and find hope.


As I read James 1:5-6
 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

It helps me remember there isn't anything that we can 't ask our Heavenly Father. We are not here to be lost and have no hope. We can have knowledge, and knowledge is power, that can give us Hope and Peace.
What a blessing!

“I recognize that, on occasion, some of our most fervent prayers may seem to go unanswered. We wonder, ‘Why?’ I know that feeling! I know the fears and tears of such moments. But I also know that our prayers are never ignored. Our faith is never unappreciated. I know that an all-wise Heavenly Father’s perspective is much broader than is ours. While we know of our mortal problems and pain, He knows of our immortal progress and potential. If we pray to know His will and submit ourselves to it with patience and courage, heavenly healing can take place in His own way and time.”

—Russell M. Nelson.

Good Night dear friends!

How will people sum up my life?

I am behind on writing this weekend, guess I sorta forgot what healthy feels like. Being busy and doing things again feels so wonderful.
I loved this article from Jason F. Wright, and how he explains his Grandmother's life. It made me wondered how people will describe my life when I am gone?
Makes me want to try harder in everything... when I think of that.
What a wonderful tribute from a Grandson!
Grand children are just quite the blessing aren't they?
Good night dear friends!

What 3 words would describe your life?

Mary Marva Thompson Fletcher. January 9, 1918 – June 18, 2014.

I’ve been blessed to speak on four continents in front of crowds ranging from seven to 7,000. I’ve spoken at schools, churches, corporate chicken dinners and at backyard barbecues.

Somehow through these years, I’ve maintained a streak of attending many funerals, but never speaking at one.

Last week in southern Utah, in the red shadows of Bryce Canyon, that streak was broken.

My maternal grandmother, Mary Marva Thompson Fletcher, passed away and was remembered in Cannonville, a town hand-painted by heaven in Garfield County.

Before the sun had set on the same day Grandma took her last beautiful breath on this short side of eternity, my aunt Rosemary Fletcher had asked if I’d speak at the service. Rosie has been so selflessly caring for Grandma for years, and if she asked me to walk to the edge of the Earth with no shoes and a broken big toe, I’d be in Denver by dark.When my mother called me from her home in Charlottesville, Virginia, the news was the classic double-whammy. Not only had her mother died, but my mom would not be able to attend. Recent back surgery keeps her from sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time, and the doctor said making the trip was impossible.

She began by explaining my grandmother’s lifelong love of the scriptures.A couple of days later, with my travel arrangements set, Rosie and I spoke by phone about what I might share.

“Did she have a favorite story, chapter or verse?” I asked.

The answer came before the verbal question mark. “Faith, hope and charity.

“Faith, hope and charity,” I repeated and Rosie explained her mother’s love for the scriptures teachings on the importance of those three attributes.

On the flights from D.C. to Detroit to Las Vegas. In a rental car with my brother racing north along Interstate 15 to Cedar City. Then, twisting along Route 20 through Panguich, Bryce and Tropic.During the days between that call and standing at the pulpit in a humble chapel in Utah’s Color Country, I heard those three words over and over.

“Faith, hope and charity.”

If your life had to be summed up before God and man in three words, if your friends and family gathered tomorrow to plant and fertilize your legacy, what three words would they use?

My grandmother made these words verbs in her life.During my remarks, I read sections of the chapter and noted the critical link between the three attributes and the active nature of these words.

She’d exercised her faith muscles and learned to trust in the Lord’s wisdom and not her own.

She’d turned hope into a routine for daily living. She knew hope in Christ’s Atonement was the only way she’d survive an occasionally challenging life and find eternal happiness in the next.

“Faith, hope and charity.”She truly accepted charity as the pure love of Jesus Christ. She learned that to truly love him is to follow him, and tried to see all of us the way he does. When the world was often quick to give up on someone, Grandma saw through a much longer lens and recognized infinite goodness and potential.

Three perfect words that describe Marva Fletcher’s imperfect but Christ-centered life.

How about you? What three words will be used to describe your time taking this temporal test with an eternal grade?As I write these final lines from 39,000 feet somewhere over Ohio, as I look out the window at a red sky that reminds me of the rocks in Grandma’s backyard, I can’t stop wondering what three words might be used to describe my own life when body and soul part for a season.

Me? I’ve got a long, long way to go, but if Grandma wouldn’t mind sharing, I’d be honored to use hers and to live in the golden glow of her and my grandpa’s righteous legacies.

“Faith, hope and charity.”

Time to earn them.

Brothers Jason Wright, left, Sterling Wright and Jeff Wright at Cannonville Cemetery for the services of their maternal grandmother Marva Fletcher.

I found the article here:

5 things to tell your kids before you die

Great article, check it out.

Good night dear friends!

5 Things You Must Tell Your Kids Before You Die

Whether you’re a parent now, or plan to be, this article is for you. One of my most popular posts was “5 Things You Must Tell Your Parents Before You Die“. As a Father, I’m going to flip the tables a bit.

This is one of my favorite photos of my daughter and I 

As parents, adopted parents, or even mentors we have have an intrinsic responsibility to show our children they are loved, valued, and protected. While writing this post, I literally could not find an article on things you “should tell” your kids. Everything was on things “you must stop saying” or “should never say”. That’s just like our culture. It’s always about stop, no, and quit. How about we adopt a new philosophy of start, yes, and keep going?

Here is my list of 5 Things You Must Tell Your Kids Before You Die:

1. You gave my life so much meaning. Thank you. - When my daughter was born I remember being hit with this insane rush of purpose. Life was no longer about work, hobbies, or myself. It was about experiencing her. Working because of her, doing things with her, and planning a future as a family. What a gift. As parents, we believe this is implied. But it’s not. We must reach out to our children, at the right age, and thank them for the memories, the purpose, the laughter, and the love. After all, there is nothing quite like it.

Photo by Tracy Parker

2. I’m so proud of you. – Children need a surplus of affirmation. I can’t tell you the countless stories of boys still working for their Father’s approval or daughters seeking their blessing. Though we may not fully agree with our children’s ways, we must commend them on completing the hardest task of all, independence. And even though this statement is said by almost all parents, the difference is made in quantity, creativity, and sincerity.

Photo by Adrienne Elliot

3. You we’re right, I was wrong. - Parents, leaders, and teachers can often times find themselves on the wrong side of an argument. While it’s easy to play off our child’s ignorance, a tiny moment of transparency and honesty will bring huge impact to your little one’s development. But let’s not stop there. Let this virtue carry on throughout your relationship, even through the harder years of adulthood. Just because your children are adults, does not mean you should stop acting like their parent.

Photo by Sunny Kang

4. This was my favorite moment - In a lifetime made of millions of memories, experiences, and stories – narrowing them down to one can be extremely powerful. To remind your child of a time where everything was perfect and claim it as your favorite will reinforce this special moment forever. But don’t be brief, share it with passion, provide every little detail, and bring your child back (no matter how old they are) to that time where all things were just right. You won’t regret it, I promise.

Photo by Natasha Wiseman

5. I’m Sorry – As I mentioned above, we all have moments of failure. Some were yesterday while others were years ago. It’s easy to ignore the past and move on as if our memories have somehow erased it. But let me tell you a secret – They don’t. If you have a parental failure don’t ignore it. Lead with integrity, right your wrongs, and restore that piece of your child’s history no matter how small. You only have so many tomorrows.

Photo by Valics Lehel

“A negative mind will never get you a positive life.” – Dale Partridge

I found the article HERE:

Incredible Mother's Plea!

I hope you enjoy this article that Jason F. Wright wrote today. Since it is almost Mother's Day... I thought it would be perfect! Good night dear friends!

Dying Woman's plea leads to adoption, bittersweet Mother's Day!
May 7, 2013

On Sunday, May 2, 2004, Gael and Steve Shaffer of Woodstock, Va., walked into New Hope Church ready to worship. When they walked out an hour later, they'd taken an unexpected call from God.
With permission from the pastor, a local woman named Carol stood that day and announced to the congregation that she was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and had only a short time to live. The single mother didn't ask for prayers, money or a healing miracle - she pled for someone to adopt and raise her 7-year-old son.
The sickly, long-suffering woman had already made arrangements for her son and daughter to be adopted after the mother's impending death. But plans for her son, Max, had fallen through. His 12-year-old sister would move to Maine to live with her biological father, but young Max had no such options.
Through the salty tears of a dying woman, Carol stood spiritually and emotionally bare before the worshippers and asked, "Will a family please adopt my son?"
The Shaffers' eyes met and they exchanged more than just a quiet glance. They shared the kind of moment that only comes when husbands and wives recognize that God isn't just their perfect creator, he's also a partner in any healthy marriage.
The Shaffers had been married just two years, and the middle-aged couple had already raised children in their first marriages. They'd considered and investigated traditional adoption and the idea of raising a baby together was attractive. But if the pieces couldn't fall into place, they'd take the time to enjoy their new life together.
Over the next few days, Steve Shaffer says that friends, family and their pastor encouraged them to consider adopting Peyton Maxwell "Max" Mahaney. But it wasn't earthy voices that had the greatest impact. "All week long," Steve said, "God worked on our hearts."
Six days after Max's mother stood in church, the Shaffers took the young slugger to his Little League baseball game and to lunch. It seemed as though they chose to try to behave as a family to determine whether they could actually become one.
The next morning they all awoke to Mother's Day. As is custom in many churches, each of the children at New Hope was given a flower to present to their mother. When Max approached his mom sitting reverently on her pew, she quietly suggested Max deliver the rose to someone else. "She told me to give it to Gael," he recalled. "She was going to be my new momma."
Watching her son walk away and hand the rose to another woman must have been among the difficult things for a mother to do. But when God called, Carol answered.
He was also calling the Shaffers, and they answered with courage. On Monday they began meeting with lawyers and social services. On Friday, Max came to spend the weekend with them.
He never left.
Just 12 days after his mother stood up before God and the congregation to ask for help from his children, Max had a new home.
As expected, Carol's health deteriorated, and within two weeks, she was gone. A few days after her death, the couple had legal guardianship and the entire journey had lasted less than one month.
Though the housing arrangements and other logistics took time - Max slept in a hallway for some time - Steve noted how prepared they seemed in other ways. "God prepared our hearts long before the physical things were ready. Though we have no blood connection, there's been a matching of gifts and talents. Somehow, it's all just worked."
That's what happens when you answer the call.
Nine Mother's Days have passed and Max is more grateful than ever for his adoptive parents. "I feel so privileged and blessed to have them in my life," he told me. "They've provided everything I need, and even some things that I want."
Max admits that he was, "worried, nervous and scared" in the early days of their relationship because he was too young to appreciate the miracle of the moment. "Today I know they want the best for me and they also help me to reach my best. I appreciate that, even though I do not show it."
Spoken like a true teenage son.
Gael Shaffer, the woman who became guardian with a simple Mother's Day rose, was quick to deflect praise to her husband. "I've learned what a tremendously important thing a father is in a child's life. Max had never known a father until Steve. Max was hungry for what a father could provide, both the shared experiences and the discipline. I hadn't had the opportunity to observe the change that occurs when a father appears in the life of a child who has never had one."
Keen observations from a humble woman, but may she never forget that when God called, she was on the other end, too. Families start with mothers.
To flavor my understanding of Max's unusual journey, I asked his first grade teacher for her observations on this unique family saga. Melissa Dodge of W.W. Robinson Elementary School was Max's teacher the year his mother succumbed to her illnesses.
After heaping praise on the Shaffers for opening their hearts and home, Dodge offered that Max was her special challenge that year. "Max was defiant, stubborn, contrary, bright, strong and loyal and he knew exactly how find my last nerve - every single time. Max has grown from a defiant little sparkplug on his own agenda to an amazing young man. He has become exactly what I knew he could, what I hoped and prayed for. He always had that special spark but in his early life it was diminished and overshadowed by his circumstances."
Dodge calls Max her greatest success story. "Not because of anything I did for him, but for what he has accomplished. He has taught me that no child is a lost cause and each one has potential for greatness. Sometimes you have to go digging for it."
Most of us will never adopt a child, much less in such unusual fashion. Nor will we likely be asked to grant a dying mother's risk or upend our lives in some other dramatic way. No, our opportunities to serve probably won't include a Mother's Day miracle.
But what if the call came? Could I have responded the way this family did? Would you have recognized heaven's hand in putting that particular son of God in your path? Shouldn't we all be ready to embrace one who might not share our blood, but who shares our spiritual DNA with the same eternal father?
On a Sabbath Day in Virginia nine years ago, without knowing, a Christian couple set an example for the rest of us. No matter the question, no matter the service and no matter the sacrifice, we must be ready.
When God calls, will you have the courage to answer?
 You can read more of Jason's work here:

Life and the moments that matter!

 I watched this sweet video of a family whose little boy passed away, you can see how they are trying to remember him...it is a beautiful tribute and you can watch it  here:
It also made me realize that it is the MOMENTS in life that we really should be taking snapshots of in our minds and hearts. So when life gets so busy, full or demanding...we could close our eyes and remember the sweet little precious memories which make all the difference in the world. Some times there are things that happen and you can't change, but still to remember the good times and times that it seemed like little miracles were happening all around you; has got to be a better way to live.
It is important like this quote said...
"Be nicer than you feel!" I think there are times that even remembering others, can pull us out of a Self Pity Party. I am grateful for those times, those moments, those miracles and those friends.

Just in the last 24 hours I have heard from a friend who is grieving from the loss of her son, I ran into a young Mom and Dad who lost their baby boy a year ago, I had a dear friend tell me that she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and having surgery today. Another friend told me that she has to go in for more tests and things don't look too well. Another friend shared with me some health issues of members of her family and the list goes on and on. All of these are amazing people with smiles on their faces and they are getting up every day and trying to enjoy the MOMENTS in life. I am sure they have their Bigger Than Me Days, like all of us ( which is fine ) but the point is...they are still going, doing and moving on in their lives. I am always amazed at the resilience of the human spirit. These people are my heroes.
So as I watched that sweet tribute to this dear family's son, it made me realize we need to enjoy the MOMENTS more and be GRATEFUL for each day we get, even the ones with challenges in them.
So grateful for the wonderful examples I have around me each day! I am blessed!
Good night dear friends!

I am still the Light!

I recieved this poem from a dear friend and was so touch, thought it was a wonderful thing to share tonight!
Good night dear friends!

Powerful poem….
Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven." declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring:
Those children all flew into the arms of their King,
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.And as if He could read all the questions she had,
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below,
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe,Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!
May this country be delivered from the hands of fools
I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Example of Strength and Faith!

Today in church, one of the lessons was about How Strong our Faith is? 
 The teacher told us that her
friend from college lost her four year old son last month due to complications of a near drowning accident.  She has been an example of strength and faith for all to see.  This last week, she posted the following statement on her blog:
          “As the past 5 weeks have been challenging for me and my family they have been more beautiful than ever.  I’m not even sure how that is possible, as our hearts are often so heavy.  However, I feel more love, care, strength and companionship from my Heavenly Father than ever before in my life.  I have a burning deep within my soul of gratitude for that which he has done, is doing and will do for me and my family.  My faith and love for him is strengthened more and more each day.”
          “With that said, I would feel so ungrateful to my Eternal Father and my Savior if I didn’t take time to share some of the many things I am grateful for during this sacred holiday of Thanksgiving.”
          “I am grateful for a testimony that my Father in Heaven lives.  That he knows me personally.  That he loves me and will never forsake me.  I have so much gratitude for him that he was selfless enough to allow his beloved son, my Savior Jesus Christ, to come to this Earth and atone for each one of us.  That he loved each one of us enough to sacrifice his only begotten son for each one of us.  I’m amazed and grateful at his strength, that he did not take that bitter cup from my Savior, as in the end it felt too much for him to bear.  I’m sure that was a difficult thing for him to endure, but I’m so grateful that he was strong enough to not take that bitter cup from him as he pleaded for it to be removed.”
          “I am grateful that my Savior, and brother, Jesus Christ was willing to atone and die for me so that I could return to live with my Father in Heaven once again.  To ensure that we could all live with our Eternal Families after we have proven ourselves worthy.  I’m so grateful that he took that bitter cup upon himself for me.  That he endured immense pain and sorrow so that my burdens may be lifted from me.”
          “I am beyond grateful that families are eternal.  What a beautiful blessing and promise that is.  I have a strong conviction in my heart to live my life worthily so that I may one day with loving arms embrace my handsome son again and have my family together again.  I know this day is not far away, it just seems so in this Earthly life.  I look forward to this day!
          “I am grateful for the power of prayer.  Prayer is truly an amazing thing.  What a wonderful opportunity to pour out your heart to your Father and be completely understood.  To be able to commune with him whenever and wherever you are.  It is because of the power of prayer that my family has been strengthened through our loss of our son.  The strength and lifting power that comes from prayer is a beautiful thing.  The power of prayer is real and it is amazing!
          “I am grateful for the companionship of the comforter.  With that I am grateful that I am worthy of his presence, peace, strength and guidance.  I have never felt his presence so strong and so real in my life.  Without his constant companionship I know that this trail would be unbearable. “
          “I am so grateful that my Father in Heaven loves me and my husband so much, that he trust us enough, to give us this difficult trial of losing our son.  That he has so much faith in us that he would allow us to bear this burden and know that we will become better for it.  I know that he will not give us more than we can bear.  I am amazed that he thinks so highly of us that he would entrust us to endure this and know that we will be better because of it.  If he things so highly of us, and loves us so much, then I know that with him, we will be better because of his refiner’s fire.”
          “I am amazed and grateful that my Father in Heaven loves me so much that he would send me one of his chosen angels to raise for 4 precious and wonderful years.  With that I am also grateful that my son would choose me to be his mother on this Earth.  I am so moved by this.  I know that my son is a chosen son of God, and that he has much more important work to do than this Earthly life could allow him.  I am beyond grateful that I was able to have him make me a mother and to be his mother for eternity.”

What an amazing example of courage, strength and faith, my prayers go out to this sweet family and this amazing Mom!
Good night dear friends!

If we could turn back the clocks!

Read this incredible article about Regrets and Resolutions, really made me stop and think. Great lesson to remember in my life and I would imagine...everyone's life!

Here is just parts of it...enjoy!

"When we are young, it seems that we will live forever. We think there is a limitless supply of sunrises waiting just beyond the horizon, and the future looks to us like an unbroken road stretching endlessly before us.

However, the older we get, the more we tend to look back and marvel at how short that road really is. We wonder how the years could have passed so quickly. And we begin to think about the choices we made and the things we have done. In the process, we remember many sweet moments that give warmth to our souls and joy to our hearts. But we also remember the regrets—the things we wish we could go back and change.

A nurse who cares for the terminally ill says that she has often asked a simple question of her patients as they prepared to depart this life.

“Do you have any regrets?” she would ask.²

Being so close to that final day of mortality often gives clarity to thought and provides insight and perspective. So when these people were asked about their regrets, they opened their hearts. They reflected about what they would change if only they could turn back the clock.

I Wish I Had Spent More Time with the People I Love

Perhaps the most universal regret dying patients expressed was that they wished they had spent more time with the people they love.

Men in particular sang this universal lament: they “deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the [daily] treadmill of … work.”³ Many had lost out on choice memories that come from spending time with family and friends. They missed developing a deep connection with those who meant the most to them.

I Wish I Had Lived Up to My Potential

Another regret people expressed was that they failed to become the person they felt they could and should have been. When they looked back on their lives, they realized that they never lived up to their potential, that too many songs remained unsung.

I am not speaking here of climbing the ladder of success in our various professions. That ladder, no matter how lofty it may appear on this earth, barely amounts to a single step in the great eternal journey awaiting us.

Rather, I am speaking of becoming the person God, our Heavenly Father, intended us to be.

I Wish I Had Let Myself Be Happier

Another regret of those who knew they were dying may be somewhat surprising. They wished they had let themselves be happier.

So often we get caught up in the illusion that there is something just beyond our reach that would bring us happiness: a better family situation, a better financial situation, or the end of a challenging trial.

The older we get, the more we look back and realize that external circumstances don’t really matter or determine our happiness.

We do matter. We determine our happiness.

You and I are ultimately in charge of our own happiness.

Of Resolutions

One day we will take that unavoidable step and cross from this mortal sphere into the next estate. One day we will look back at our lives and wonder if we could have been better, made better decisions, or used our time more wisely.

To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today. Therefore, let us:

• • Resolve to spend more time with those we love.
• • Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be.
• • Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances."

You can read the whole article Here:
Good night dear friends!

99 Balloons

 A dear friend of mine, showed me this youtube today called 99 Balloons.
It was an endearing video, and was the perfect example of the depth of a parents love.
Hope you enjoy it... get your tissues ready!
You can watch it HERE:


 “What it's like to be a parent: It's one of the hardest things you'll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.”
― Nicholas Sparks
 “When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.”
― Mitch Albom

In the Middle

   I was reading an article today, that reminded me of the importance of remembering we are in the Middle! I will share part of the article with you to explain.
  " By many world calendars, July marks the middle of the year. While the beginnings and endings of things are celebrated and remembered, the middle of things often goes unnoticed.
   Beginnings are times for making resolutions, for creating plans, for bursts of energy. Endings are times for winding down and may involve feelings of completion or loss. But with the proper outlook, considering ourselves as in the middle of things can help us not only to understand life a little better but also to live it a little more meaningfully.

   This change in perspective is more than a simple trick of the mind. There is a sublime truth behind the idea that we are always in the middle. If we look at our location on the map, we are tempted to say we are at a beginning. But if we look more closely, wherever we are is simply in the middle of a larger space.
As it is with space, so it is with time."
   Recently on my trip back to West Virginia, Shirley and I stopped at the mortuary to visit and put flowers on my Mom and Dad's graves. It was a surreal feeling (as this article goes on to say ) to look at the birth dates and death dates on the headstone connected by the usual insignificant little dash, but this represented their lives ( and all the things they started or finished in their life. Their accomplishments, their joys, their sorrows, their hopes and their dreams ). How grateful I am to know that this life isn't the end, yes... this is the middle of my life; and I want to celebrate all the beginnings and ending moments with those I love. I want to live in the moment. I hope you will too. Good night dear friends!


"Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, and defeat is never final."  ~ Dieter F. Ochtdorf


"Forever ---is composed of Nows."


To read this article go here:

Late for Dinner

This story really makes you think!

 Late for Dinner

Author Unknown

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform. "Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once." Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.

"What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"

"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car."

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand. Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

"Dear Jack,
Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car.
You guessed it -- a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail,
and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters. All three of them.
I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I
can ever hug her again. A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man.
A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again.
Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left."
- Bob

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

----

"Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message; please pass it along. Drive safely and carefully."