My Life is Football!!!

With great anticipation, I sat with my husband to watch the Commanders play. Will it be a win or will it be a week of looking back with frustration. It is definitely a WIN!!!

The quarters of life is like football. First quarter childhood– all the experience that determine who I am and the foundation of who I will become. The nurturing, the care, the bonding that takes place, and determining who that go-to person is for me. The 2nd quarter, puberty, is a beast. All the flags, some red and some yellow but all leading to lessons learned and what not to do. The 3rd quarter, life, is about pressing on through all the obstacles. It’s not always the touchdown and scoring big. It’s the field goals along the way that keep me in the game. The 4th quarter, eternity, is when it seems like its all over, time has run out. The clock is at 00.00 and boom- touchdown!!! The winning play that will be in the books and film over eternity.

I hope your life is like football. It’s the fourth quarter that matters. Take a look back at your game of life through all the quarters. You are still here!!!

What ever childhood experiences, be they good or bad- you are still in the game. The warning flags of puberty, some lessons that you dare not share. You are still in the game!!! The life experiences that you may wish were different. You are still in the game!!!

And when the 4th quarter comes and the clock is at 00.00 you are still in the game!!! There’s a line in the movie, Deep Impact, uttered by Morgan Freeman to Téa Leoni, the reporter that thinks she has a big story to expose. “It might seem that we have each other over the same barrel, Ms. Lerner, but it just seems that way.”

The 4th quarter of life may seem like we’re over a barrel and time has run out. But Christ demonstrated, it just seems like it. There is eternity with Christ. Press on- You are still in the game for eternity!

Always grateful,

We filled a dumpster!

The emotions involved with filling a dumpster is like a moment in time. All the things accumulated over the years stacked in the garage. Times of moving from house to house, times of children leaving and returning with sentimental things, and times of childhood possessions that remind me of my grandmothers.

It is also a time to wonder and reminisce of the special moments of placing the clothes of our first born in that now very broken dresser. The big green chair where our children sat, and played hide & seek under. Sorting through the furniture, appliances, and found pictures and wondering- do any of our children want any of this.

Later in the week, we met with all of our children for a familial dinner. We took them to the garage to sort through the things we thought would be special to them. It did my heart good to listen to their memories of that childhood desk, that green chair, the rotisserie no one wanted, and the VHS videos. It is heartwarming to hear them talk about our family favorite VHS- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The lines we still use today, that others do not know, like- “Is there anymore”, “Tat tat, looks like rain”, “Thanks for noticing”, and Elphalants and woozles steal honey”, just to name a few.

Living with no regrets is like filling that dumpster. Looking back over time and sorting the necessary from the no longer needed. It was a bit hard for me to let go of some of the tangible things of the past. But listening to my adult children’s fond memories of things past let me know, it’s all good! It is the memories that are built over time, not the accumulation of things that is expressed in love.

Some say grief is most dominant in Regrets of Omission, the things we intended to do and did not. As my family and circle of friends grow, may the Lord provide discernment in the things that are necessary and the things that are no longer needed, that I may live without regret. That my words and actions are sincere and a reflection of Christ.

I pray the same for you.

Always grateful,

It’s A Learning Process

Today the Lord has given me the strength and calm to persevere.

Have you ever had to learn something new, something very foreign? Technology is foreign to me. In my effort to remain steadfast in what the Lord is calling me to do, I have started a landing page/website for my book ministry.

I have taken deep breaths. I have felt the gut reaction to protect me from this frustration of venturing into the unknown. I communicated with Jeff through the Happiness Support chat messaging team, who was very patient and helpful.

Thank the Lord for his instruction to press on toward calling ahead. Thank you for my husband, who asked- “how you doing?” The presence of these two, the Lord and my husband, brought me back to a settled mind and clear thinking.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and gives me peace. It does take patience in the process of learning, doing, and completing the task at hand.

Today, this thing, getting an email set up, is done! I am at peace.

Tomorrow, I will work on the website. Another opportunity to learn, grow, and find comfort in the Lord as I venture even further into the world of technology.

Always grateful,

Abby (SAN)