To try to put into words what today's post is about, I don't know if I could give it the justice it deserves. Here is what I read for today: When he was fifty-one years old, Reynolds Price learned he had a ten-inch malignant tumor in his spine, and he believed that his happy life of writing and teaching was over. Surgery and radiation left him a paraplegic, in unspeakable pain, and not sure that he would survive. But he did survive and was able to manage his pain through hypnosis. He then … [Read more...]
Day 155: Telling Family Secrets
I think of books out there like A Child Called It or Go Ask Alice and how either the person who wrote it, how'd they do it knowing family secrets would be revealed or how did the person who allowed Alice's journal to be published how they felt about revealing all this girl's most private thoughts when she was alive. They probably did it for the same reason as I'm telling Mari's story that by sharing their most intimate details of what happened in that person's life that somehow maybe they might … [Read more...]
“Just Because”
The "Just Because" gift. I love giving these kind of gift to someone else. Maybe I see something in the store I know they will like or that reminds me of that person. Or maybe I know the person needs some help with something so I try to either help them or find something I can give them that might help. When I hear, "Thank you, but you didn't have to." I just reply, "No I didn't but I wanted to." Isn't that what giving is supposed to be about. How many times out there today that someone gives a … [Read more...]
What if money were no object
That isn't a hard one. I know there are the typical answers like traveling the world, or buying your dream house or car (or both :) ). But that is more materialistic than what I'd want to do. First, I'd want to start the scholarship program in my daughter's memory. For those of you who don't know me very well, my daughter had severe classic autism. And finding good teachers who not only want to teach but want to teach child with autism and also have the patience to do it at the same time are … [Read more...]
Day 130: Paying Attention
When I write about Mari, I’m paying attention to my internal thoughts and feelings that I have at the time. She will be at the forefront as I write out the words on the screen. For me, it’s about know that I’m being truthful about what I’m feeling at the time. It helps me to grieve for her and heal at the same time. Sometimes it’s when I’m feeling sad and really missing her and other times it’s about the happy memories I have of her. I know that all of this requires me to pay attention to my … [Read more...]
Moments Where Prayer Is Needed
In life we have so many different types of moments that forever touch us in some way. Some are those happy moments that you remember with a smile on your face. And then there are those that when you look back bring tears to your eyes. You couldn't stop the tears if you tried. I have a friend. Her sister's little girl over a year ago ingested toxic soda, or better known here in the US as a dry powder crystal type Draino. When I found out, I of course hoped that somehow the little 2-year-old … [Read more...]
Day 121: Life Rafts
Life rafts can come to mean so many different things to different people. For me, my life rafts come from my Heavenly Father. He knows when I’m about to drown. It’s in these moments He gives me a life raft, in other words, He carries me through whatever is happening in my life at that time. When Mari got sick and we started on our very long sixteen day journey that felt like the worst roller coast I’d ever been on, and I love roller coasters. It’s like I couldn’t wait for the terrible ride to … [Read more...]
Happiness and Finding It within Yourself
I can honestly say that life is good right now. I’ve got everything transferred from my paper planner to one on my computer for the upcoming school year. I’m getting read to start writing my book again. Athena is doing great both in school and personally. We’re happy. Alaska is a beautiful place to live. There are mountains surrounding you everything with the ocean in places they aren’t. It’s finally getting fully dark here by around 10pm at night compared the all day light basically of the … [Read more...]
I Can Only Imagine…
I can only imagine. Those words can mean so much to so many different people. For me they have a place imbedded in my heart as we had the song "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe put on the Video montage of a photo slideshow that played in the background as each picture popped up on the screen. Before Mari died, the song had always held a special place for me as the lyrics really touch home for what we all try to imagine heaven to be when we get there, when we finally get to see Jesus. I chose this … [Read more...]
Missing my writing
Here recently my writing has been on my mind a lot. However, I've been so busy as the new school year has started. I've spent the past couple of month planning out the following school year for my niece/daughter as she is in the 5th grade this year. She is such a bright, smart little girl. She is very young for a 5th grader as she is only 9 and won't turn 10 until the end of October, but you won't know it if you knew how smart she is and how well she handles most of her subjects (history, well … [Read more...]
