One week ago today we buried my mother. Sherri did an excellent job of remembering and celebrating her life. There was laughter. There were tears. Many friends gathered that morning or had come to visit or call the night before. So many people expressing their love and respect for my mother or for our family.

One month ago we were told my mother's condition was greatly improved. Her labs were within normal range. She would be monitored and have maintenance therapy. So you can imagine the shock when she took a sudden and extreme turn for the worse. Once she took that turn it began a racing downward spiral.

In the two weeks prior to her death, Mother was able to see all of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also got to see many other family members and friends.

The memories many have shared with us have been comforting. The love her sisters showed in her final days should inspire us all. I post this photo to remind us all of the true love shared for over six decades.

The example of the marriage that my parents set really set a high standard. I do not claim it to be perfect. I imagine they had passed some of the hardest struggles by the time I came along. The years I witnessed were probably the ones after they had established the bonds of coming through difficult times and emerging stronger on the other side. (I do not know of any specific problems, but I cannot imagine that having 3 children in 3 years didn't create a little conflict.) I have often said that I never remarried because it was hard to imagine anyone working hard enough to meet the standard set by my parents' example. (and I had not found anyone who could take care of me as well as my parents have all of these years)

I may keep a copy of this photo to use when I counsel couples before they marry. Are you willing to sit with this person day and night, never leaving their side? Will you hold their hand will they are sick?

When you wonder why I take marriage so seriously that I will not enter into it without much consideration, remember this picture and the love in which I was raised.

And as one friend pointed out - this is a beautiful picture of a true love between two humans. Imagine how much more God loves us.

Love to you all.

many thoughts, but so little time to blog

i must admit that after having another pastor "tattle" to someone about my blog and my comments on a friends blog, i have been hesitant to post my most honest thoughts. this cautiousness, coupled with a busy schedule, has kept me from sharing my thoughts with you.

so why do i have so little time? what is so different in the last year or so that i cannot find time to complete baby blankets i started making? or find time to practice the guitar? how do other people have time to play farmville and farm town and mafia wars and yoville and all the other games on fb when i can barely find the time to update my status and read those of my friends? don't i have the same 24 hours that everyone else has?

in a recent class, we had a pretend wesleyan class meeting. when it came time to confess my sin (an optional part of the experiment), i first confessed that i would have never been allowed to be a part of john wesley's class society because being punctual was a requirement. then i confessed that i am not a good steward of the time with with i have been blessed. so my prayer is that i can be disciplined enough to use my time wisely. i guess you better pray for me too because i should actually be working right now and instead i am posting on my blog.

so i will sign off for now to go try to accomplish something with my time.