Today my firstborn would have turned 37 years old. I was young and was trying to jackhammer out my life. I was moving earth and sky trying to figure out what I wanted to be and how it was all going to turn out. Now 37 years later I am a butterfly. I no longer try to move things out of my way but rather savor the beauty of what each day holds and enjoy the fragrance along the journey. Life is short. If you do not realize this yet you have not lived long enough.  People come into and go out of our lives very quickly. Some leave marks others leave memories and some leave both. My daughter was one that left both.

How do you live life? Are you a jackhammer or a butterfly? Are you leaving a path of destruction or is your life a beauty to behold. If others would catch a glimpse of your life would it stop them in their tracks because of the loud obnoxious noise and mess or would they stop and just look and think how beautiful?

My little girl was a butterfly. She flew into my life and was a beauty to behold she left me with memories to few but memories none the less. She left her mark. I was and remain forever changed. Sixteen days later she was gone yet her beauty and fragrance lingers still.  She never wrote a book but I can recall chapters of her life. She never built a home but there is still a room in my heart that is hers. She never played an instrument but she brings a melody to mind when I think of her.

It is not all about what we do with our lives and how much we get done. It is about who we are and whose we are.  We are loved because of who we are, who we belong to.   If we never move a mountain we are loved by the Mountain Mover.  If we never heal the sick we are loved by the Great Physician.  Creator of Heaven and Earth knows our name and gives us permission to use His.

Philippians 2:9 (NIV) "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,"

Today enjoy the journey.  The day may be short. There may be songs left unsung and jackhammers may drown the sound of what one more moment may have sounded like so listen carefully.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 (NIV) “1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? 4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. 6 The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. 7 All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. 8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.

The key to handling surprises is being prepared for what life can bring us and what death will bring.

LIFE'S SURPRISES COME TO ALL PEOPLE.
LIFE'S SURPRISES CONFUSE SOME PEOPLE.
LIFE'S SURPRISES CHANGE MOST PEOPLE.

Life is full of surprises. Surprise we’re pregnant. Surprise I bought you this gift. Surprise it’s your Birthday. Surprise I got the job. The list can go on and on.  I suppose for some it will be a surprise when they die and find out where they end up.  This is one surprise we don’t have to have. We can have the assurance of where we will spend eternity. 

Here is a funny but true story:
In 1936 Ralph Neves, a famous jockey was riding his horse in a race at Bay Meadows. The horse tripped as he entered the stretch and threw Ralph headfirst into the rail. The track doctor rushed to his side, but he was too late. He could find no pulse; Ralph was dead. The ambulance came anyway and rushed Ralph Neves to the hospital. After several attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead and covered with a sheet. The people at the racetrack were in shock. Ralph's wife had been called to meet with the president of the racetrack. The jockeys were taking a collection for the widow. Then, to everyone's complete surprise, Ralph Neves came walking into the clubhouse. The jockeys screamed, his wife fainted, and Ralph told his story. He said, "I knew I didn't feel dead, even if I was sore all over." He spoke out to the doctor through the draped sheet, so they rushed him on a gurney into a room. Ralph thought that was a waste, so he put on his clothes, rode to the track in a cab, and rode the horse, Instigator, in the seventh race that same day. 
Now this is a surprise every “would be” widow would love to have but not many will get.

The Bible says: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

The Bible also tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The answer is this: “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Surprises will come to all of us as long as we are on this earth. Some we will like and some we will not.  The surprises that come may be confusing, we may not understand the why’s and how’s.  And certainly we will be changed by many of the surprises we encounter.  Preparation is the key to handling life’s surprises. Prepare now for your final destination with as much energy and thought as you do preparing for marriage, having children, what occupation you desire, where you will live and then some.  Every day is a test.  Study the word of God so that you need not be ashamed—or surprised. 
 

“ We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.”– Martin Luther King, Jr.

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble.

Psalm 133:1 Look how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
Sure we read in scripture we are all to get along, after all we are family. Jesus is the first born of many brothers and sisters.

Romans 8:29 (NIV) “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

A true brother is always there for you. This was evident today in the most normal yet profound way.  My little foster grandson got another little bundle delivered to his house. I watched to see if he would be jealous or hurt.  He immediately loved on the little guy.  He wanted to feed him and hold him and love on him.  I thought of the scriptures in the bible about brothers but I also thought of the one about us needing to be like a little child. (Matthew 18:2-4)
 
Then there were several other scriptures that shared what kind of love we are to have for one another.  Yesterday being the day our big brother arose from the dead I think we needed a little reminder about how we are to treat one another. We need to treat one another like my little grandson treated his new brother—with gentleness and care.  We never outgrow the need to be treated gently and with care, and a little loving kindness never hurts either.
 
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.
 
Proverbs 18:24 A man with many friends can still be ruined, but a true friend sticks closer than a brother.
 
Today love on your brothers and sisters. Treat one another with tender loving care and remind yourself that’s what our Big Brother did and that made all the difference.

So yesterday was Resurrection Sunday and being a first time grandparent I had a wonderful day. I got to buy toys, candy and play like a child.  We both ate too many sweets because after all “Nonna” had to taste them before she gave them to her grandson, right?  Then I got to walk through Candy Land and take anything I wanted. Being a “First Timer” I didn’t know you were supposed to bring a basket so when my pockets were full we had to say goodbye to Candy Land.

As the day progressed the moment I’d waited for arrived, one on one time with my grandson. He opened his gift and with wide eyes grabbed his ball and we were off.  We kicked the soccer ball into the laundry basket we had laid on its side and SCORE! We were famous! Andre’ Pirlo would have been proud of us. Then it was off to the baseball field (the center of the living room).  With the bubblegum filled bat in hand and a small wiffle ball my little guy was the next Babe Ruth. He learned to choke up on the bat and rather than keep his eye on the ball he kept his eyes on me—I was his stadium of fans and I only came to see him.

Can life really be this simple and fun? Can for a day we forget about all the work, the bills, the job and just enjoy the moments like a child? I think so.  I think that is the way it is supposed to be. Sometimes there arises a storm, some days we are betrayed, some days wrongly accused, beaten and even death.  Then there comes a resurrection! A day like none other, a day when the unbelievable and impossible comes and we are full of awe and wonder again.  We get a glimpse of child-like faith and can believe again in the unbelievable.

God gave us a glimpse of what it is like to be like Him, when He gave us a grandchild. We get to see what raw faith looks like, what pure love looks like and total trust on one hand and total love on the other.  I look at my grandson with total love. He looks at me like I am his world, I can do anything. I can fix anything. Life is good when he is with Nonna. He is safe and all is well.  Together--the two of us, well this must be a taste of heaven.

Matthew 18:3 (NIV) “And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

This week we are very busy preparing for our annual school of ministry.  I wanted to bless you with some of my favorite Blogs and Articles.  I pray you enjoyed Dandelions yesterday and this one today.  Both of these are some of my favorites.  I will be back on Monday with some more interesting tidbits from my own life.
Now here is Allison Allen with "Building A Nest".
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I​t was a hot mess. And for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. (I am speaking about my front porch.)

Every morning I opened my home’s door to find it strewn with various bits of detritus. Chunks of Styrofoam. Bits of netting. Straggle-y sticks and stalks. By the end of the day said trash would disappear, which I chalked up to a good, stiff breeze. This mystery continued for several days until, finally, it dawned upon my toddler-addled brain to look up. And there it was:  the beginnings of a nest. A really ugly nest.

Precariously perched in a small corner a mama bird was hard at work building a place to have her young. Her progress was not what one might call pristine or promising. Certainly not pretty. But she did not stop, and, eventually, she made something of a topsy-turvy home in which to lay her eggs.

I wondered what in the Sam Hill would cause a bird to build upon such a small, hidden eave, when anywhere else would have taken so much less work. Our front yard is full of perfectly good trees, ready-made for nest-building. However, I also saw that our neighborhood was full of mockingbirds, those aggressive birds that will dive-bomb the head of anything human, avian, or otherwise. This robin-mama wasn’t looking for pretty or easy. She was looking for protected, sturdy, safe. She was looking for close and hidden. And she was willing to do the awkward, messy work of creating that kind of home for her chicks.

All this reminds me of Psalm 84:3, where the writer cries out: Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar.

It strikes me that the bird (and the psalmist who wants to be like the bird) is desperate to build a nest near God’s altar. Close. Tucked in. Intimate. And it amazes me that Psalm 84 says God welcomes the messy process of his people (like birds) bringing the bits and pieces of who they are, strewing the altar with the trash, because, well, because He’d rather have us close and messy, than far away and pristine. Intimacy, like nest-building, is messy. But it is so well worth the mess. Especially when what you end up with is a nesting place nearer to God than you could have ever imagined. I’ve never wanted to be more bird-brained in all my life.
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Copyright © Allison Allen, Storyboard 2015, All Rights Reserved.

For three years (2007-2009), Allison Allen experienced the joy of being a Women of Faith dramatist. She counts walking the same platform as the Women of Faith “porch-pals” among one of the profound honors of her life. Prior to that, Allison performed the hand-jive in the Broadway revival of Grease over 650 times. Currently, she loves weaving Biblical teaching and acting pieces together in unexpected ways, and is over the moon to teach at conferences and retreats around the country. You can read more from Allison in the Loved by God Devotional and on Facebook atfacebook.com/AllisonAllenspeaks

For my Blog today I wanted to share a story I found while going through my emails from http://www.laughandlift.com   You can become a subscriber too by going to this link. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
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Dandelions 
(Author unknown) 
 
No matter how carefully I try to pull one out, I never get the whole thing. The root stays deep in the ground, threatening to grow and blossom again. But despite their bad reputation, dandelions are pretty little flowers with their yellow strands all tucked neatly into the center. And truly they are the most beautiful of all flowers when presented clutched in a child's dirty little hand. No one gets yelled at for picking them. Perhaps they grow only to be used and enjoyed by children. 
 
Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk, even in the best neighborhoods. 
 
Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They'd sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put. 
 
Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered, we are evident everywhere, even in the best neighborhoods. We should be as easily accessible as a dandelion. Jesus is. We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening - the crack in the sidewalk or the lawn of a country club. 
 
"Dear Lord, may the wind of Your Spirit scatter us to become effective for You wherever we are planted. In Jesus' Name, AMEN!" 
 
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." - 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) 

We all have issues with time. Sometimes we say it flies by other times we say it drags on.  What makes the difference? Why does it seem there are never enough hours in a day? Why does it seem the day drags on forever and we wish it were night so we could just go to bed? 

Well I finally got my own epiphany while brushing my teeth.  I know what’s brushing got to, got to do with it. (Sorry broke into a song there,  “What’s Love Got To Do With It”  and rewrote the words.  I do that from time to time when I get excited. Those of you that know me, you know I am a human Canary.  Okay back to our subject. Here’s what I got when the light came on…

When you and I are focused on doing something, I mean something that matters and we are doing it with the right motive and have finally began to enjoy it even, because we know it’s right—there is never enough time.  Let me share a silly example: So back to brushing my teeth (really you’re going to go there?)  that’s right brushing my teeth.   The toothbrush has a built in timer.  It goes off in three minutes. I decided I was going to do it the way we were taught as children. I intended to do every tooth front and back. I was making my way down from every part of my gum line and the timer went off. It had been three minutes.  Now wait a minute I have a confession to make. I rarely brush until the timer goes off.  I brush at least twice a day so figure it doesn’t matter, what's a few minutes.  But, when I started focusing on doing a good job and doing what I was supposed to be doing that timer went off so fast I wasn’t getting finished.  I asked myself now why is it three minutes seemed so long when all I wanted to do was brush my teeth so I could go to bed, or go to work, or whatever?  Then when I wanted to just brush my teeth and do it right and not miss anything did it seem three minutes weren’t enough?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV) "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven 2 A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance. 5 A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak. 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace. I got it!  When we are focused on what we are supposed to do or really want to do it appears time flies.  When we are spending time with people we love doing what we love time flies. If we have to do what we don’t want to do, with people we don’t want to do it with time drags. So what can we do?

I got it!  When we are focused on what we are supposed to do or really want to do it appears time flies.  When we are spending time with people we love doing what we love time flies. If we have to do what we don’t want to do, with people we don’t want to do it with time drags. So what can we do?
Begin to see the benefit of what you are doing. Begin to focus on what you are learning and how it will benefit you over the years. Put this anywhere you like but this will help you remember, “Do what you got to do so you will keep your teeth.”  Just say to yourself, “I want to keep my teeth.”  This little saying will jolt you into the reality that every minute counts. Sometimes time will fly by.  Other times the minutes will seem to drip slowly into the other end of the timer.  Enjoy every minute because one day time runs out.

In yesterday’s Blog I shared 3 things we need to have in our relationships in order for them to last; air to breath, space to speak and ability to laugh. Today I feel led to continue this thought and give you a few more things needed when relationships hit a fork in the road.  Perhaps because its spring and love is in the air or maybe because we just celebrated our 39th anniversary though I really thought it was our 40th which is a whole other story I will share in another Blog. So here is number four if you are keeping count.

“Live without clutter in your house so you can enjoy relationships in your home.” Rena Perozich (TWEET)

The reason I believe this one is a biggie is because we have so little time now a days that if you spend what little precious time you have on moving and rearranging your stuff you will be wasting time and energy you could be spending with one another. The second reason is that stuff cost money. Stuff usually collects dust and even goes out of style or becomes obsolete.  People even go in debt for stuff and then fight because there is no money to just do things together. 

“Learn to live with less and you will live the best.” Rena Perozich (TWEET)

The next thing I believe that can help relationships is working out of the same Book. By this I mean read the Bible. Both parties need to be getting their standards and directions and wisdom from God. If one person is getting their information from their best friend and the other from the bar there will not be too much in common between the two.
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“There is a Book that bonds, builds and betters relationships it is called the Bible.” Rena Perozich (TWEET)

Sometimes when you’re married life gets busy you get too tired for relationship. But married life is relationship you say. Well, at times you just need to be honest with one another and allow each other to have some time out.  There is no reason to feel guilty when honesty is the best avenue to meet one another on.  The journey towards a long and lasting relationship sometimes comes to a fork in the road and then meets up again further down the road.  Sometimes we want to sleep side by side spooning all night long. At other times we need our space.  A cold spot in the sheets feels so right and makes the other times even more precious.

“If you want your relationship to stand the test of time give your spouse the air to breath.” Rena Perozich (TWEET)

The other thing a great relationship needs is the space to speak. We all have a voice.  Sometimes it’s hard to find our voice. When the world and all its chaos is screaming we can lose the words our heart longs to say.  Even those closest to us seem to muffle our words before they are formed in our mouth. The words stay stuck in our throat. 

“If you want your relationship to last be silent and listen to what is not being said.” Rena Perozich (TWEET)

Finally, laugh.  Laugh often at yourself and with your spouse. Find the humor in the everyday. Find the humor in the tough times as well as the good times. Find humor when you want to be angry and you know your short because so is time. It seems like forever when things are not going right and like a flash of light when things are good.  Learn to laugh at both.

I founded a Women’s Group called Women of Witness and the web site is www.remarkablewoman.org  If you are a woman I want to invite you to come learn more about relationships. If you are a man share this with your wife and encourage her to take time for herself on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 10AM. If you are a single business woman or a student you will take much away from this opportunity for growth. This is a free meeting and babysitting is provided. Check out the web site for more information.  Also look forward to our Marriage Seminar coming soon.  Until then when you find yourself at the fork in the road give one another space, help the other person communicate and laugh.
 

Please check out our upcoming Tea. It is our only evangelistic outreach. Each year we win souls for the Kingdom.   I appreciate your help coming to and bringing someone
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http://mfcministries.net/events/reflectionstea16.shtm

Today we conclude our series on “Becoming”.  It’s also my husband and I’s 39th wedding anniversary.  As I write this I think of all the things I have become in these 39 years.  I became a bride. Shortly thereafter I became a wife. Then 4 years later I became a mother. Not long after that I became a bereaved mother with the loss of my firstborn. Amy Elizabeth born March 31st, 1980 died April 16th, 1980.  Sixteen short days that to this day continues to affect my life. Time was ticking by and I was becoming the woman who I am today. If I continued you would see I am not so different from anyone of you reading this today. A broken hearted sister because she lost her brother at his young age of 18.  A granddaughter trying to find a place to put her granddaddy’s departure to heaven. With every life that enters our life and with every life that leaves our life we become someone different.  People come into our life and we are changed. People leave our life and we are changed.

The greatest change takes place when Jesus comes into someone’s life.  Our eternal resting place changes but the greater change is how we change in our hearts when the great exchange takes place.  The main difference between when Jesus comes into our life compared to others is that Jesus will never leave our life. He assures us that He has only left us temporarily to prepare a place for us and as assurance He has sent the Holy Spirit to put His seal upon us until the day He returns for us.
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When Jesus comes into our heart He changes our life. It’s no longer us who lives but Christ who lives inside of us that changes the way we think, what we do, what we say and the way we live. So what? So what are you doing with the “Who” you are becoming because of Who lives inside of you? If you need help with that find yourself a good Bible and a good Pastor. It takes both to become the best version of you. No one is promised tomorrow so use today to the best of your ability. Become the best version of you—you can be.