walking down memory lane...

i'm feeling reflective today,

brought about, in part, by the death of Annie,

mother of my dear friend, Rhoda.

 death has a way of putting a pause in life,

causing me...

to take a look back...

to take a look forward...

 to desire to leave a legacy behind that speaks...

to want to change today so my tomorrow

is better than my yesterday.

this week i found several cards that took me down memory lane,

 given by special people,

 who cared enough about me in the good and difficult moments of life

to give them to me.

this one was given to us on our 25th wedding anniversary

 from our oldest daughter, Judith.

by the way, we celebrated our forty-first last month... 

that opens like this...

and is tucked on a shelf in our bedroom.

this one was given many years ago from DIL Martha

where the inside says this...

'happy mother's day from one domestic goddess to another'

love it!

many years later the domestic goddesses still reign!

in fact...

by now we deserve the 'domestic goddess crown!'

the next two are from my friend, Rhoda,

who is compassionate and caring..

and who was really there for me when life was hard.

a hug from a faithful friend...

...making life sweet.

this one was given at a time when life was a dark, lonesome valley -

and all the billows and waves threatened to drown me...

but if you look closely,

there's a person standing at the door of the lighthouse,

calm, serene, safe,

 the waves couldn't touch him -

that was me.

Jesus is my Lighthouse...

forever and ever, amen!

thank you, dear friend!

in today's world of twitter and texting,

of e-mails and instant messaging,

have we lost a connection that keeps on giving

 long after the reason of why it was given?

...just wondering...

...blessedness!

ox