Boy meets girl... 20 years ago

August 28, 1988, Kelly and I had our 1st offical date. After the football game that is. Kelly was a sophmore and I was a senior. Yep. I am 2 years older, even though he looks older... I worked in the concession stand that night. I had quit the band that year, I was sick of twirling. I have always been one of those people who has done things because people told me I couldn't because of my size. I wasn't the only "Big" girl twirling during my baton days, but I was the oldest.
Anyway, Kelly was playing football and I was doing everything I could to watch while working the concession stand. I can't rememeber who we played that night but I do remember us winning! I was standing at the end of the field after the game and he gave me a sweaty hug! It was nasty but so sweet at the time. Sometimes I wish we could back to those sweet inoccent all in love days!
Young love is so great!
After The game we went to eat then riding around town. I took him home and then went home. I remember thinking at the time, I really like this boy but I wasn't ready to fall in love. It was my SR. year and all I wanted to do is study and hang out with my friends and have the time of my life! I did all of that with someone I was head over heels in love with and had the time of my life!
I loved being in love and enjoying life.
Here we are 20 years later, married for 4 years and still madly in love with each other. Of course our love has matured but we still love each other!

The Circle of Life

Here recently I have been faced with the newness of life and the finalization of it.
One of my favorite bible verses is: Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. I know that God has a plan for everyone and I have stated this before, I wish that I could open my Bible and there would be God's plan written out for me to follow.

Life isn't that easy. But neither is watching someone you have loved all of your life, deteriorate. Becoming someone that they wouldn't even recognize. This past week has shown me that God's hand is in everything, good and bad. I watched my sweet cousin become the woman she has always craved to be. A wife. At her wedding I watched her nephew and was in wonder at the newness of life in him. In awe of him looking at everyone at the wedding and trying to play quietly. Watching him at the reception, trying to figure out who everyone was. The amazement in his eyes at the lights and sounds that were all around. Sad that I would never have a child of my own flesh and blood to experience the firsts with. That was God's plan.... Something I truly don't understand...

This week I have been to the hospital to visit loved ones who are awaiting to go see their Lord and loved ones who have passed away. My cousin Diana and I were emailing each other back and forth all week because her father-in-law is on his death bed. I call him my Grandpa Bill, even though he really isn't. Anyway she made the comment that she hopes that everyone she loves truly does love the Lord and accepts Jesus as their Savior- not her words- I have paraphrased. She feels that some of the churches no longer tell us that we need to accept Jesus as our Savior to ensure that we all will go to Heaven. I then told her that is why were are to witness. I know that is one of the things God has planned for me. That one is pretty clear...

I have also been visiting my Uncle Joe who has Alzheimer's and dementia, aren't they the same thing? Uncle Joe was always the one to work out in the yard, just staying busy. I can remember going to visit Uncle Joe and Aunt Jean in the summer and Uncle Joe would be mowing with a beer in his hand. He was a great griller. He loved to read. Western were is favorite. He still know who I am, he tells the nurses that I am his niece, but then he starts rambling about things that I have no clue about.
I try to go along but then he'll ask me a question and I'll have no idea how to answer. I usually shrug my shoulders and say I don't know. So sad to see. He will be going into the nursing home today. Even sadder. I don't know if he knows Jesus. That isn't something we ever talked about. Worse.. Why wasn't that something we talked about?

For Everthing there is a season....

God's Love,