I Found God In A Rock...

Remember the movie, Forrest Gump? The love of Forrest's life was Jenny - a neighbor girl who drifted in and out of his life over the course of the movie. At one point, she returns to Alabama, and, on a walk with Forrest, stops by her childhood home. This is a home in which she suffered major abuse from her own father - and as all of those reminders bubble up in her mind, she starts grabbing rocks and throwing them over and over at the house... breaking windows, denting siding, etc. until she is physically exhausted.

Watching her, Forrest remarks, "Sometimes, there just aren't enough rocks."



Some people I have met have had trials in their lives that have "sucked beyond the telling of it..." (my favorite quote from Buffy...) Things in their past or present that have just made their life so hard that they are suffering from anxiety and depression, It would be SO nice to just be able to grab all the rocks they can, and T H R O W them as hard as they can to vanquish the demons that have plagued them.


But as in the movie, on your own, there just aren't enough rocks to take care of it.

My sister-in-law, Stephany is very wise. She and her husband lost their daughter, Julia, after just 6 days of life due to a chromosomal abnormality that was infused into each and every gene and chromosome in Julia's body. It has been over 3 years since Julia's death. Since then, they have struggled with infertility, employment issues, and numerous family issues. Any ONE of these elements could have turned either of them into a bitter or angry person. 3 years later, their circumstances have not changed... their daughter is still buried, economic hardships still linger from past employment struggles, family members and their neuroses still plague them.

HOWEVER... their attitudes HAVE changed...

They are not bitter... or angry... or holed up in the fetal position underneath Julia's crib. They live. They laugh. They have sad moments, sure - but they are not letting their circumstances ruin their lives. In fact, Stephany, herself, has said that they went from wailing "WHY ME, LORD?!!!" to wondering in awe, "Why ME, Lord?!" - not an angry cry for justice... but a query as to how in the world was God able to take such tragic events and enfuse them with the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to deal with everything?! God, alone, can grant you strength and peace - something that a whole wheelbarrow of rocks cannot do.


One of my kids' favorite Bible tales is the story of David and Goliath.

Goliath, a Philistine champion, is ENORMOUS - the biggest man the Israelite soldiers have ever seen. Standing nearly 9 feet tall can wearing 200 pounds of hearty chain link mail, he towers over any soldier who wishes a challenge.... especially over the young shepherd, David, who is armed only with a homemade slingshot and some rocks. David refuses to let his circumstances dictate his faith - he believes that God will empower him to best Goliath - and God does not let him down. In this case, only ONE rock was enough... ONE rock, powered by God was all that was needed.


The start of a new year is when people tend to make their New Year's Resolutions. Mark Twain once said, "New Year's is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." Most of us manage to keep our resolution for a few days (hours?) at best -then we toss them away when we realize that we aren't quite ready to commit to that particular self-improvement. But what if your resolution is to stop trying to change the circumstances around you - and to alter your attitude from the inside-out. Stop trying to FIX other people and let God work WITHIN you to change your reactions, your perceptions, your heart.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

The change with worth the effort... I promise.

May your 2010 be filled with knowledge, peace, and contentment,

:) Mags

I Found God in My Husband...

Yesterday, marked the anniversary of 14 years of marriage for me and my "King Charming," David. I have been blessed with a husband who is a noble and honorable man... one who stands firm in his convictions, but who also yields when it is in the best interests of the family (or his sanity!). One who provides for our family and models the type of man I want my sons to emmulate. I am lucky, for sure, and I thought I'd share just a few of the lessons I've learned from him...

1. Don't Waver On Your Faith - When David and I got married, I was VERY resistent to going to church. But David was patient and steadfast - he quietly followed my initial "one week on - one week off" rule regarding our church attendance, but continued his own growth with men's classes on the side. He encouraged me to pick up more responsibility at our church - even joining me in helping in the nursery and such. When I came time to find a new church closer to our home, he valued my opinions and insight on the various places we visited. We've had some spirited discussion on many "hot" topics: homosexuality, abortion, etc. - and his point of view has always been backed by Biblical teachings. He has never let society and their "rules" interfere with what he knows to be True from the Bible. One's faith is critical - you have to know WHAT you belief... and more importantly, you have to know WHY you believe it so you can explain it to others. David knows his stuff ... and he can share it with others so that they can understand too. God loves the pure-hearted and well-spoken; good leaders also delight in their friendship. - Proverbs 22:11 (Msg)

2. Know when to bend. You know how we had to put our beloved dog, Clifton, down last month? "THE PLAN" was to wait a year (or at least across a summer) before getting a new one. I was on board with THE PLAN... when we had an infirm dog already and taking a break seemed like a good idea.... but about 12 hours after having "no dog," I realized that I hated not having a dog in our house...!! And 36 hours later, I had found a new dog on the Columbus Cocker Rescue site! Needless to say, David was flabbergasted - he was not on this "NEW PLAN" of mine - but he came to realize how important getting a new dog was to me. He put his own wants and needs aside for me - gave up his plan and accepted the new plan... for me... because he loves me, and in this instance, he could be the bigger person and B E N D.

3. Leave the baggage behind. Everyone has baggage in their life... sometime small bags that are easily discarded and forgotten... but sometimes BIG baggage that sits in the foyer of your lives forever - unable to be emptied, recycled, trashed, or wiped from memory. But one's circumstances or past does NOT have to dictate your whole life - The past may have shaped who you are TODAY... but it does NOT have to dictate who you will be tomorrow. David refuses to let old family stuff impact our kids or our family. He steps up and protects our core family from the baggage that could infect another generation. It's not easy - and I so admire him for that!

4. Have fun with your family. ... And on the 7th day, God rested... David takes time to play with the family... We see movies, he wrestles with the kids, he coaches their sports teams, he co-leads the Scouts. He shows our kids all the time that they are important to him and that they matter. Sure, he's got work... and lots of it! But he's not ALL about work - and the kids know that THEY are more valuable to him than work.

5. Love your spouse. Proverbs 6:17-20 (Msg) reminds us to "never take love for granted." David brings me flowers... not just on a birthday or anniversary... but "just because." He once went out a 9:45PM (10 minutes before Best Buy would close) to buy me a security cable for my laptop before we left on vacation because he knew I really wanted (needed?!) one for our trip. He takes care of our cars (you have to change the oil??) - our home (what's a furnace filter?) - and our money (with help from Dave Ramsey). He's endured more than one craft show, the nightmarish rubber stamp convention, the garrish Rennassance Festival, and the American Girl Doll Store (and we don't even have a daughter!). This man SHOWS me over and over... daily... that he loves me and our family.

Thanks, Sweetie... for your everyday life lessons... ♥

I Found God In My Dog...

Last night, we said "good-bye" to our 13-year old Cocker Spaniel, Clifton. I'm assuming that since God took the loving care to create cats and dogs (and other pets) who would bond so fervently with his human creations, He has also provided a place for them in Heaven. So I'm comforted by the idea that Clifton is now playing with any other pets from my life as well as various relatives who have gone on before us.

Now that our "interactive stuffed animal" (He looked like a giant Webkinz), is gone, there are so many lessons I can take from his life (the equivelent of a 91-year-old!). Here are five that stand out:

1. Stop whining about the crummy stuff! - Buck up and deal with it...! About 5 years ago, Clifton went blind due to cataracts. That didn't stop him - he used his hearing and sniffer to get around. Then he lost his hearing. He was only able to smell and feel these last few years, but he still went outside... He still followed us around the house... He still explored new areas (moved furniture, a kennel). There was no whining - a dog can't complain all day long; he just deals with it. I wish humans were so adaptable. Jesus endured unspeakable pain before His death - nothing we go through will be as bad as that - so stop whining and buck up.

2. Don't Hold Grudges...! Because Clifton was blind and deaf AND insisted on being "where the action was" (i.e. wherever we were in the house), he was under-foot most of the time. Quite often, we would trip over him when he unexpectedly darted under our feet, and I'm sad to say that he was inadvertantly kicked in the head a lot. *sigh* But we never heard a growl... a snarl... nothing. Clifton was as loving as always - every day. I've got two kids who whack each other the moment the first one makes a transgression against the other. I would love it if they were as forgiving as my ol', blind & deaf dog!

3. It's the Simple Things In Life That Matter Most...! Clifton didn't need a fancy bed, or a fancy toy, or a bedazzled collar to be happy. He just wanted to be with us - snuggled on the couch watching TV... or gnawing on a piece of rawhide... or sandwiched in the bed between me and David. Above all, he wanted TIME with us... And TIME with your loved ones, is usually the best gift you can give them.

4. It's Not Always About You...! When Clifton got "old," not only did he lose his sight and hearing, but he suffered periodic seizures, and he had warts all over his skin, and he had a few cancerous tumors removed. His stomach got tricky - and about twice a week, we'd come downstairs to find he'd tossed his cookies (usually on the carpet!), or had an accident (also on the carpet). It's easy to get angry when older beings fall apart - what was once strong and independent (and in a dog's case, trained!), is now weak, fragile, and messy. But real love is a choice - and we choose to give of ourselves to care for this dog (or this grandparent or this friend) no matter how messy it gets. Caring for Clifton may have gotten frustrating at times, but it's not always about ME... it's about making life better and easier for my friend.

5. Love Unconditionally...! "A dog is the only thing on earth that will love you more than you love yourself." We are flawed, we screw up, but our dog loved us anyway. God is the same way - We make rediculous decisions every day, and God still gives us His unconditional love. Having a pet helps you love unconditionally and experience this back. We are blessed with 13 years of memories of our precious dog; he helped us become more loving people.

When God made the earth and sky, the flowers and the trees.
He then made all the snimals, the fish, the birds, and bees.
And when at last He'd finished, no one was quite the same.
He said, I'll walk this world of mine, and give each one a name."
And so He traveled far and wide and everywhere He went,
a little creature followed Him until it's strength was spent.
When all were named upon the earth and in the sky and sea,
the little creature said, "Dear Lord, there's not one left for me."
Kindly the Father said to him, "I've left you to the end.
I've turned my own name back to front called you "DOG," my friend.

I Found God At The Garage Sale...

If there was ever proof that you CANNOT TAKE IT WITH YOU when you die, it was demonstrated at the whole-house garage sale that my Mom and I completed for my in-laws. My husband's grandmother died after a 6-mth struggle with colon cancer. After the funeral, after the family divested the house of some furniture and various personal items, there was still a house PACKED with STUFF... stuff that had to be dealt with. Enter my mom and I - who offered to organize and run a whole-house garage sale...

84 years of living was priced in 3 days and sold in 2 -

with a last half-dozen boxes of misc. junk carted off to Goodwill

at the end of the sale.

A lifetime of "STUFF" - divided, sold, donated, trashed. Most of the "STUFF" was meaningless. We kept a toy train that my kids asked for: one that always circled GG's Christmas tree. We took an old Machinist's Handbook - that belonged to David's grandpa - his version of a graphing calculator or laptop. A piece of furniture here - a keepsake there... but the majority of items now rest in someone else's home... to one day be a part of their garage sales.

STUFF is meaningless.

STUFF can be lost, broken, sold, bartered, stolen, donated, trashed.

In fact, the "stuff" that really counts is not "stuff" at all: relationships, memories, words, actions, deeds, faith-- Those are the "things" that stick with people long after you're gone. Your bit of immortality on Earth are the memories people have of you and the stories they pass down. And your "ticket to Heaven" will not be given to you based on the amount of "stuff" you had on Earth.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

God knows that your heart points to what you treasure most. Your actions clearly show that you value the most. Do you use your talents and gifts that He has given you by helping others, loving your neighbor, and acting selflessly? Or do you use these God-given gifts to just further your own agenda and accumulate more "stuff?"

If your treasure is your laptop, then your pleasure is tenuous at best: one computer virus away from destruction. Is your treasure money? Then you walk stressful line watching the stock prices or the Dow numbers... one fall away from a great depression. Is your treasure popularity? Do you fill yourself up with important "friends" to make yourself feel better or more important? People are fickle and can turn on you on a dime - this treasure lays on slippery ground.

BUT... If your treasure is in God - then you listen to His Word, act on His Behalf, and spread His Good News. These things are eternal - everlasting - unbreakable... and the blessings that befall you are real and powerful. God blesses His followers - on earth AND in Heaven.

So adjust your thinking! Realign your priorities! Purge out the useless STUFF in your life, and concentrate on what matters most: God, your Family, your friends, your service. Use the gifts God has blessed you with and pay-it-forward: Help someone!

Because, he who dies with the most stuff doesn't win... He who dies with the most stuff just leaves a lot of garbage for the rest of the family to deal with!!!

Karaoke Tuesday: Everlasting God

It's been a while since I've done a Karaoke Tuesday - and I was totally inspired yesterday... My five-year old, Luke, was dancing around our family room singing "You are the Everlasting God... the Everlasting God... you do not faint, you won't grow wear-y....," and when he got to the part about "wings like eagles," he started flapping his arms and "flying" around the room.

You can't help but smile when you see unbridled joy in a small child... and believe me, our smiles got MUCH WIDER, when Luke prayed Jesus into his heart last night. :)   Take a look at the lyrics - they are just perfect for this occasion.

And the end of Lincoln Brewster's version (my personal favorite) a child says this:The Lord is the everlasting God,
The creator of all the Earth,
He never grows weak or weary,
No one can measure the depths of His understanding,
He gives power to the weak, and strength to the powerless,
Even youth will become weak and tired,
And young men will fall in exhaustion,
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength,
They will soar high on wings like eagles,
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not faint,

Why is it that sometimes, it's the children who just GET IT?

Why would you pledge your love, your fealty, your devotion, to anyone other than He who is everlasting... He who is strong... He who gives power to the weak, and strength to the powerless, He who never tires... never faints... never fails...???

Revelation 22:13 says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (NIV)" God is everlasting - and ever eager to fill our hearts with His Word. Have you opened your heart and invited Him to come into your life yet?

And if not... What are you waiting for???

My favorite version is by Lincoln Brewster, but others sing it too.
Hear it here on Last.FM.

I Found God in Glue...

Your life is a miracle and the Creator of the universe knows you by name. He's big enough to breathe out stars, yet intricate enough to fashion together the trillions of cells that make up every facet of who you are. The God who spoke the universe into existence made you, too, and knows everything about you. From the smallest molecule to the situation you find yourself in RIGHT now, He's aware of your circumstances and intimately acquainted with everything you do. And He cares about you and promises to carry you through...

How Great Is Our God - by Louie Giglio

There is a type of "glue" in every human body that serves as the body's "cell-adhesion molecules;" it literally holds all of the cells in your body together. Without it, you would fall apart... for real. This glue is called Laminin - and it is miraculous.


It is miraculous because it is a physical marker WITHIN your body that speakes to Colossians 1:17 which says, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

And the SHAPE of this miracle glue looks like this....

The shape of the GLUE that holds each person together is in the shape of the cross of Jesus Christ. Literally, in our bodies, Christ is holding us together.

So when you feel lost or lonely, bereft or broken, take comfort that God is literally with you within every molecule of your being. You are not alone.

Louie Giglio has a magnificent message about God's Glue HERE.

I hope you have a few minutes to be inspired by his message!!

I Found God In My Name...

I'm ashamed to admit it... but some days, I hate my name. Not the "Maggie" (although it's taken me a while to enjoy that moniker... especially when I've met more dogs than people with the same name), but the other name... The name I received when we had our first child:


"Mom."


I'm ashamed because I know there are hundreds of people who would LOVE to hear some little child call them "Mom." And because I know that God has blessed with the two perfect boys for us - and I love them dearly.


But the fact remains that having small children means that I hear

Mom....

Mom.....

Mom.....

M O M . . . .

about 100 times a day. Kids that yell M O M?!?!? from the basement (when I'm on the 2nd floor)...

or wail MOMMMMMMMMM when they are ready to tattle on the sibling...

or repeat "MAAAH-M!" just in case I didn't hear them the first 3 times.

It can get very tiring... quickly!! And it's tempting to say, "STOP CALLING MY NAME!" or some equivelent, for sure.... Because the whining/tattling/nagging, and such gets OLD swiftly. Sometimes, when I least expect it... when I'm on my last nerve... my little one will say, "MOM!" for what seems like the millionth time, and I'll probably either say?/sigh?/shout?/growl?/snarl? "W H A T!!" and in return, the little voice will smile, "I LOVE YOU....." :) And I'll be warmed by these words (and properly chagrinned by my snarky response), and I'll remember what a blessing my children are - even in their most trying of moments.

And, I am humbled when I think of how "childlike" I AM when I call God's name. I'm sure He would be ever so pleased to hear me call out, "God...! I love you!" on a regular basis. But, I'm equally as sure that he more often hears me sigh / shout / growl / snarl / scream,

"G-O-D !!!!!"

in that shrieky, whiney voice that I also possess. And the very thing that annoys me about my own kids is the very thing that I do to my own Father.

Fortunately, there is this verse from the Bible:

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:15-17 (NIV)

I know...! I know...! That's NOT what He meant!! :) He was talking about the honest and pure "childlike faith" - the children who come seeking Him with no hidden agenda. But often, that's what my kids are doing to me. They are looking to ME to be their caretaker, referree, savior, doctor, comforter... When they are hollering "Mom," it's because no one else can take MY place in their lives either. They need me - and I need to make sure that I can be counted on.

Because if one of our goals in life is to emmulate Jesus, to ask ourselves, "What WOULD Jesus Do?," then we need to answer the call. God is ALWAYS there when I call Him... Always. And I am so thankful that when I call unto Him, an angry, weary, snarky, tired voice DOES NOT shout back from the Heavens, "WHAT?!!!!"

My questions, laments, cries, or comments are welcomed.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

How have YOU been calling out to God lately? Have you inserted a smiley, "I love you," lately? Because I'm sure He's love to hear it.

:)

I Found God On A Walk...

I am impatient and uber-efficient. I like to get things done quickly and as streamlined as possible. It's a good thing that I live during the "information age" - As a teenager, I needed to by physically near a working telephone... just in case I needed to contact someone (or get a call). When cell phones came out, it wasn't long before I was sporting my StarTac flip phone on my belt loop. Now I open 4 Internet browsers simultaneously while I check email, Facebook, and eBay with one eye ... and monitor the App Updates on my iPhone with the other. I become a multi-tasking machine... eyes racing across the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard, mind racing to the next "thing" I have to do. I like things fast and efficient.

I can't stand SLOW.

So I was struck today by something one of our pastors said today during his sermon. Craig was speaking to us on the topic of "WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT FROM US?" He said that

"Walking humbly with God meant staying on pace with God - not running ahead and not lagging behind."

I must admit, I often run way, way ahead of God... I race off in the direction I think my life should go - and then get frustrated when I realize that I'm heading off all by myself... that God is patiently standing back at the fork in the road waiting for me to turn around and join Him. Fortunately, God doesn't just stand there tapping His foot and rolling His eyes at me... but I do think that sometimes he cups His hands around his mouth and shouts, "YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY, MAGGIE!!!" :)

Micah 6:8 says that God expects us to act justly, to love mercy and kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Walking with Him does not mean running off half-cocked, ahead of Him... nor does it mean sulking along behind Him grumbling about trapsing through various thorns, briars, or other hardships. It also doesn't mean splitting up your attention to 20 other "things" plus Him.

It means walking WITH Him... in tandem... together. It means listening to His Word... letting him grab your hand to pull you up when you fall... being respectful... being grateful... being faithful. Walking WITH the Lord requires us to S L O W D O W N, stop multi-tasking, and cherish each amazing moment: the moments we celebrate, laugh, cry, mourn, worship, pray, study, praise, heal, sleep. While you may try to juggle many moments at once, you can't multi-task when you're talking with the Lord - He wants, and, frankly deserves, your undivided attention.

And when I actually --S L O W D O W N-- and pay attention to what God expects from me, I see that He expects me act justly: to do the right thing, to behave in a manner that makes Him proud, to use the talents and gifts He has entrusted me with to parent our 2 two children effectively and to be the kind of wife He wants me to be.

He expects me to be kind - to help others without regard to my pride or my own gain, to give generously of my time, talents, money, brain, or labor. The "Golden Rule" isn't supposed to be just a pretty saying cross-stitched on a pillow - but a keystone to living right, and He expects me to live it.

Finally, He expects me to walk humbly with Him. Not ahead, not behind - but side-by-side.

Are you living up to the expectations God has of you?

I Found God At The Bus Stop (re-run)

In honor of all of the parents watch their kids head back to school - especially this year, where I saw my youngest off onto his first school bus to kindergarten, I'm re-posting one of my favorite posts: Finding God at the Bus Stop. I wish I had been as contemplative THIS year - but in truth, we almost missed our first bus - it came early! :) Anyway - I hope you enjoy this Everyday Places rerun:

You know - it goes against a parent's very nature...

Let's walk our 5-year old to the bus stop. Sling an oversized backpack stuffed with school supplies on their little backs - throwing them completely off-balance. Put them on a giant vehicle with no seatbelts (let alone the Federal-approved, safety-tested carseat that has been a constant since the child was born!), driven by a complete stranger to a school with only 1 adult per 25 kids!

Yet every September, parents of kindergarteners gather at the bus stop with their cameras in one hand and the small fingers of their child in the other... waiting tearfully... and sometimes fearfully for the big, yellow bus to come around the corner. And every September, those cameras capture the brave 5-year olds who climb that first enormous step onto the school bus and turn around to flash a smile at the proud parents waiting at the curb.

The parents brains are swimming with
How in the world did my baby grow up so fast?!
What if they can't find their classroom?
What if they are scared?
What if the teacher won't let them go to the bathroom?
What if they cry all day long?
What if a kid picks on them?
What if they pick on someone else?


We're proud to see our smallest kids start that long journey of "SCHOOL" - yet fearful because this is a journey that we, ourselves, have traveled. We know what lays ahead on this road... the fun times, the hard times, the studying, the games, the tests (both academic and social), the angst, and the joy. We've seen and done it all. Some of us wouldn't go back and repeat school life even if we were paid a million dollars... yet we still have to send what is most precious to us - our children - through this journey because we know how important it is and that it is a necessary step in their life.

Did you ever wonder if this is the way God feels when a new baby is born?

Everyone one of us is a precious child of God - loved by Him before we were ever born:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message)

God has marvelous plans for each of His children - but He also know how hard it can be on Earth - He lived it through His own son, Jesus. Yet God still places His children here to go through the journey of life... knowing that sin will tempt them, that tragedy might strike them, that hardships will try them. But knowing all along that the amazing experiences each child will have on Earth will be worth the trip.

So when you make that long walk to the bus stop and give up your child to the journey of school, remember that God is with you AND with your son or daughter. He is walking alongside you both, holding your hands, guiding you, and loving you. Just like always.

Death Is Nothing At All

Today is funeral day - My grandma-in-law passed away on August 1st after a 6-mth battle with colon cancer. It is a blessing, really - she was too old for chemo, too frail for radation, and despite surgery, the cancer had spread. Moved to a nursing facility (which I lovingly refer to as "Geriatric Jail"), she was quite unhappy and even tried to ESCAPE twice! (LOVE that moxy!) So going home to Jesus, her husband, her son, and her granddaughter, Julia, is truly a reason to celebrate.

Despite everyone knowing she is "better off," there is a hole in our hearts. She was a mother, a grandma, a great-grandma, a guardian, a daughter, a sister, a friend. She is reunited with many of her loved ones, yes, but still many live here on Earth and feel the loss.

My favorite "death" poem was one that my Aunt, Great Annie, loved as well - because as long as we keep the memories of our loved ones close to our hearts, their death is nothing at all...

Death Is Nothing At All

"Death is nothing at all...
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me the easy way
which you always used. Laugh as we always laughed together.

Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be the household word it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was;
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of your mind because I am out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near just around the corner.

All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before -
Only better, infinitely happier, and forever..."


--words attributed to Carmelite Monastery, County Waterford, Ireland