Fleeting Memories

As I drank coffee this morning, contemplating washing my car and yard work a fleeting memory pass through my mind. Suddenly I was 3 years old in our front yard on Ashcroft Street in Houston. I was running through the grass and my next door neighbor Tony was washing his mother's car in their drive way. He stopped and said hi to me and asked if I wanted to "help". He let help for a few minutes, swung me up in the air and pretended he was dropping me and then set down me on the drive way. I told him goodbye and went off to play with dolls. I can't see his face in my memory these days, but I remember his kind spirit. It is the only memory of that sweet, young man who always had a moment for the little girl next door I still have. Not long after that he left for Viet Nam never to return. As we remember the fallen, I hope we remember their families as well. I remember Tony's parents in the years following Tony's death. They were never the same, their only child gone... I pray people across America take time to remember our military personnel who gave all for our country and do not take those who serve for granted.

Taps

Paleo Power

My friend Chris who is 17 years younger than me said he wanted to knock off some weight and needed a great eating plan. I told him about the Caveman Diet, he talked me into joining him so we could be accountable and encourage one another. I told another friend about the diet, he told 1 of his closest friends about it, now there are 5 of us doing the Paleo thing. I will admit it annoyed me when I discovered 1 man lost 15 lbs in 10 days, Chris lost 10 lbs in 7 days, and another 5 lbs in 2 days. I've lost several inches and only a few pounds, but I remain encouraged. If you are interested in trying the diet, the website is www.cavemanpower.com Hopefully by the end of the summer I will be at a healthy weight and ready for the Wounded Warriors Project 8K in San Antonio in September (I do not want to finish last!) I think this is the best I've felt since my dad died 3 years ago. With the Lord's help I will succeed!

Get My Goat???

A while back a childhood friend sent me an e-mail out of the clear and the blue, it was a 3 line e-mail which really packed a punch. It said:

Dear Annette,

How are you?
Have you talked to Susie Q?

(Obviously I changed the name to protect the innocent.) Short and sweet right? Or is it sweet? Susie Q was a good friend of mine for many years, sadly our friendship ended due to her mental illness and inability to tell the truth. I miss the old Susie Q, but do not trust the one who was around when our friendship ended. That being said, if she called tomorrow and needed help, I would do anything in the world to help her because I love her. The author of the e-mail knew the situation and knew I had not spoken with her in 11 years. I never knew what I did to provoke such an e-mail. My husband declared it was some kind of passive/aggressive woman thing and she was trying to get my goat for some reason.

On the one side I could feel my emotions switching into high gear. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of Susie Q and the great times we had over the years, her dear, sweet husband - my 1st boyfriend who died of cancer in 1999, and then I felt anger trying to build toward the author of the e-mail. I could feel a Mount Vesuvius impression coming on in a big way. Then I thought wait a minute Annette, if you explode and act ungodly in this situation you will have to repent, you will expend energy crying and being angry which you can hardly afford to expend, and you will probably never speak the author again because you will say things which cannot be taken back.

I really had to pray about it. I never spoke to the author about it because we haven't been close friends in years and years. I hug her when I see her and guard my words when I speak with her. I hope my walk with the Lord as well as hers brings us into maturity as Christians and we make a positive impact for Christ wherever we go.

I know I must follow Christ's teaching concerning forgiveness no matter how I feel.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Sometimes it is hard to forgive, but forgiveness brings life and wholeness. If it were not possible Christ would not have told us to forgive.

02/23/2012 - Thankful Thursday

I can't believe it is the last Thursday of February!

I am thankful for:

Time spent with Kathleen and Tess at Bible Study

A card from Sandy which brought much cheer

Worship with Annette G

A letter from Kosovo

Time with my husband even though it involved the making of deer sausage

The freedom to attend church, worship, and pray