A full day

Dear Family and Friends,

10:25 What an enjoyable day! 1) Ken is back and we walked the 3 mile lake route, 2) Nikki and I took the girls to Sabbath School which was lots of fun for Keanna and sleepy time for Kallie, 3) Lunch with Bob and Carrol at the good old Olive Garden, yes Bob had discount coupons!, 4) short nap at home, 5) BBQ next door with Lois and Ray celebrating his birthday, he made me Boca burgers, yum!, 5) met their two friends who are so nice and friendly, 6) we went for a ride in the boat, my first time in nearly 3 years and we had a very relaxing time, the weather was perfect, the water was calm, Steve has the boat running perfectly, Brett had it clean and wiped down, we arrived back at dusk, totally enjoyable 7) now back and ready to sleep.

What a treat it was to get to have lunch with Bob and Carrol. Carrol is a walking miracle and to see her in action is just plain wonderful. While the service was a bit slow today the food was good and the fellowship unsurpassed.

The mail brought one more check today for which I am thankful and of course a couple bills which I could have done without. The black bug is now working well and is cooling like it has always done in the past which is perfectly. As I consider the past week it could have been worse. I am so looking forward to that day when Marilyn can fly west. She will be a great help with organizing papers, helping put Nan's desk in order, I've not touched it since December and its time to use that computer to control my personal finances, write checks and keep records straight. Nan did such a good job over the years of caring for so many things and I deeply appreciate the fact that she was my pardner for all these wonderful years. I really think I could not have asked for more than she gave, she did and what she created. She was the spark plug for our marriage, the social director, meal planner, vacation organizer, purchasing agent, bill payer, important date rememberer and a class act to be with at all times. She was a lover, a fighter and a wonderful mom. Miss her, heck yes, will I survive? yes unless my heart does not cooperate.

We all face challenges, my challenge is to learn to live successfully alone and incorporate those important things I believe in as cornerstones of my experience. For some of you your challenges are different, perhaps they are how to continue to live with someone you have gotten so used to that you no longer feel lucky to have them or how to make important changes so you will be proud of your life again, maybe you have let some of the things that used to inspire and motivate you slip away and now you are on autopilot. Let this be a wake up call, a life lived on autopilot is not worth living, find the groove again, the zest, the core beliefs that once quickened your breathing, your heart beat, take a chance on waking up, stepping out of routine and being who you really want to be again. Do you feel like a loser? Do you think that is how people around you think of you? Or do you feel invisible? Like if you disappeared no one would miss you? Well maybe its time to make some noise, think some new thoughts, raise new questions, push back and be who you were created to be. In this life there are leaders and followers and some times we should be one or the other, we follow our Lord because He made us and knows what is best and we lead our families, our friends by our love, our example, our courage, our refusal to just conform. If you had a month to live how would you live tomorrow? What would you say differently to those who treasure you? How would you use your free time?

Well Tim, do you have answers to these hard questions, not a chance but perhaps its time to try to find some answers instead of spending so much time in depression and despair. The cards have been dealt, now what!!!

Thanks for letting me impact your life, yes I mean your life. While you have it, use it, spend it in generous living for those God has placed in your path, under your roof, in your sphere of influence.

love to all,

Tim

PS Photo is of Lois, the mature one, and her friends who of course I cannot remember their names. People who know me well know my memory is extremely poor. These are very nice ladies. In the photo we are just back from our wild boat ride.