Praying Friends

I cannot count how often I heard the old adage: everything in its season.   

The wonder in the words is that as we grow in age, life experience, and maturity sometimes what was once just an eye roll response to someone much wiser than ourselves begins to take root.   Everything in our lives are broken into seasons.   College euphoria, dating, marriage, job and work, exercise regimes, motherhood, and aging.  We experience throughout our life hardships, joy, grief, and renewal.   Some seasons last just a brief blip...some ebb and flow and appear and then disappear only to resurface, while other seasons may feel like an endless abyss. 

Only, we are so blest.   So incredibly blessed. God has provided friendships to help us through seasons.   The very best friends are those that humble themselves with you at the foot of the cross.   They offer to pray, they stay by your side, or they offer to take the cross that is growing heavy for us.  Tears fall in sadness and grief in challenges but tears fall in joy of answered prayers.   It is Jesus in action within our friends.    

Look for these friends.    They are the ones that will bring joy to your life throughout the seasons of your life.    They are the ones that will help make your faith grow.   They are the ones that will stand back with pure love in their eyes as God ignites the fire within your heart and strengthens and renews you. 

Give Light

We are in a time that is unprecedented.  Never has the world shut down and gone into what for many may seem bleak, dark, and cold.  All of us are being tasked with sheltering in place, limiting our movements to only what is necessary, and distancing ourselves from people.  For some, this is an easy order that has been given.  Maybe the isolation they experienced before is only extended into this new state of living.  For others, contact with the world was what helped them get through months of uncertainty that was already present within their lives.  What do we all have in common no matter which type of person you were before this virus destroyed everything normal?

We were all living our life without truly counting each moment as a gift and a blessing.  We went to our commissaries and said "hello" or avoided communication as we purchased food amidst an endless sea of choices.  We made our appointments for our health checks and took advantage of the talents of someone to keep us looking  pretty.  We'd walk into our children's schools on a mission but not always paying attention to those who were standing in front of the classroom.  Going through our closets and home making piles of what can be donated to someone else who may need those items more than we did.  A simple glance, a hello to a stranger, the laughter between teenagers during lunch time as they discuss prom-posals and looking forward to sharing more adventures together before they walked across a stage and into the next chapter in their life's journey, dancers eager to practice more for their performance, and the hug between friends all part of the ritual of a day.  Taking food to welcome a new neighbor knowing that the flour would be on the shelves so not only were we baking and sharing our gifts but that moment of sharing made us all feel part of the circle.  Part of our community.  Part of someone's life.  Part of the moments that make up our life story.  We have lost that all within one months time.

For some of us, we have been sheltering in place for almost a month.  For some, the shelter in place has just begun.  The news media loves to report the statistics.  They thrive on providing the panic in the dark.  What we need now is light.  Light that is already inside of us.  We were sharing the light with others before without realizing it.  We were encouraging without having someone tell us we should be.  We were participating in life without having someone dictate how we were to participate.  We were able to look at our lives and shed light in the darkness.  Now more than ever we need to find that light.  It is still there.  This virus is creating darkness but there is always a chance for seeking the light within our families.  Seek the light within your friends.  Those friends will be the ones who are calling so they can not only hear your voice but see your face.  They know you have light within you.   They seek it.

Give light and let the darkness fade around you and people will surely find the way.

Note:  

This post inspired by Mary Englbriet's Daily Calendar 

for 

Thursday, April 2, 2020

To My Senior

Dear Amazing Senior of 2020,

I will forever recall hearing the news of 9/11 while in Japan. 

Your dad left to go into the secure spaces and begin a long number of weeks watching, protecting, and praying. 

I felt your kicks, I rubbed my belly as you moved and prayed for your health, your strength, and determination to thrive in an unstable world.  We were all changed after 9/11.  Each and every one of us.  Policies, trust, and our way of life changed due to one act of terrorism.

This world has been unstable before, it will be riddled with challenges and obstacles, but you...you have the ability to stand and meet the challenges without backing down.   Our world again is changing overnight.  Not from an act of terrorism by humans, but by an act of a teeny tiny not detectable enemy.   Policies, trust, and our way of life are being changed due to a virus.  You can stand against this enemy.  Trust me when I say we are all scared, fearful, and unsure of what will come in the days ahead.  One thing I do know: you are prepared as best as you can be.  You are strong enough to withstand the storm that rages.  You can help be the calm in that storm.  

Keep your faith, keep your mental discipline focused on the positive because enough people will be dwelling in despair, keep those close who believe in making the world better and stretch your wings and soar. 

Love Always, Mom

This post is inspired by the events surrounding DS' last quarter as a Senior in High School.

Restriction in Movements began Saturday, March 14th, 2020

E-learning commenced on Monday, March 16th, 2020

State Mandated a Shelter in Place Order Thursday, March 26th, 2020

Support our Students around our Nation facing Their Senior Year

18-sai Tanjoubi Des!

18-sai no tanjoubi omedetou (gozaimasu), DS-kun!!!

Happy 18th to a baby who was made in Japan, born in Japan, and has faced learning and achieving in eight schools during eight different moves across our country and the Pacific pond. You have brightened our days with that unique laugh, taught us true grit, and you have been the best adventure buddy a momma could ever had in our crazy lifestyle. You are off to spread your wings in two months and honestly, you have earned your place at your new home for the next four years.  You will dig deep and show us all how one dream can become a reality. The Marines have a good one joining their ranks.

Giddy up, you are just beginning to show this world who you are! This momma is super proud of her DS-nator.

Love Always,

Mom