Hallelujah! We Are Not Alone

Dad saved his change in five gallon water jugs.  Unlike myself, he would always throw some bills in his jug too, just for good measure. When one was full, he would start another.  He always said that he was saving for a family vacation. The funny thing is that he never wanted to go anywhere.  After he died, Mom said she was going to cash in his change for a family Thanksgiving vacation. It took several trips to the bank to get it all counted and deposited. Let’s just say, it was a pretty good “chunk of change”.  She then rented the large Smoky Mountain cabin pictured above. Not all were able to make it, but most did. The fifteen of us stayed busy and made memories.  We went sightseeing and shopping, rode coasters and go-karts, and had lots of conversations with tons of laughs. It was bittersweet without Dad being there.  We all knew what his reactions would have been. He would have approved of Amy’s dressing, loved the scenery, been impressed with the craft...

  Have you ever wanted to be like someone else?  Maybe it would be nice to have their job, their money, or their talents.  Maybe they don't have any health issues or it seems that they just don't struggle with life as much as others do.   A couple of my family members are Type 1 Diabetics and rely on insulin pumps with constant maintenance, just to survive.  Several friends and family members have other serious health conditions, while some rarely even have to go to the doctor. Some people can pick up any musical instrument and play it with very little effort, while I struggle to keep rhythm. Others can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound and it seems if I even look at something sweet my pants immediately get tighter.  Why is life like that?  Why can't we all have it easy?   The truth is... More than likely, the people we desire to be like have their own struggles that we may know nothing about.  The old saying,  Look...

  My Dad was a Master Carpenter.  Not because of any certificate or degree he held, but because he was trained by his father and skilled from many years of labor.  Also, because he had the right tools for the job.  The last time I was home, I went into his shop and took some pictures of the heavy duty, commercial grade tools that still remained. They looked lonely.  Mom has decided to keep the shop as it is for the family to use and it's rented occasionally by one of his former crew members when he has a large cabinet job to complete.  It isn't the same without seeing Dad in there, wearing his faded denim shirt with his pencil sticking out from the side of his camouflage ball cap.  Even so, it was peaceful and comforting to just hang out in the place that he spent so much of his time.   Recently, one of the houses that he and his crew built was listed for sale. As soon as I saw the photos, I knew the house. It was the big one on Judge Rd outs...

What is the greatest gift you've ever received?  I have gotten lots of nice ones throughout my life.  Sentimental things are at the top of my list. Jewelry that belonged to my grandmother, handwritten cards, handmade items from my kids and my friends, etc.  Probably the most prized item I now own is my Dad's Colt 45 Gold Cup given to me by my Mom after he passed away.  He had acquired it from my Pop.  It's top of the line and in pristine condition, but it isn't the value of the pistol that means the most to me.  It's that I know who had it before me and how much it meant to them.  Sometimes the gift itself isn't what matters most. I've been involved with Operation Christmas Child, a division of Samaritan's Purse, for almost 20 years.  If you aren't familiar with the ministry, shoebox gifts are packed with items for children in other countries and then distributed at events where the Gospel is presented to them.  Each child is also given the o...