I Shall Not Pass This Way Again

I shall not pass this way again --
Although it bordered be with flowers,
Although I rest in fragrant bowers,
And hear the singing
of songbirds winging
To highest heaven their gladsome flight;
Though moons are full and stars are bright,
And winds and waves are softly sighing,
While leafy trees make low replying;
Though voices clear in joyous strain
Repeat a jubilant refrain;
Though rising suns their radiance throw
On summer's green and winter's snow,
In such rare splendor that my heart
Would ache from scenes like these to part;
Though beauties heighten
And life-lights brighten,
And joys proceed from every pain, --
I shall not pass this way again.

Then let me pluck the flowers that blow,
And let me listen as I go
To music rare
That fills the air;
And let hereafter
Songs and laughter
Fill every pause along the way;
And to my spirit let me say:
"O soul, be happy; soon 'tis trod,
The path made thus far thee by God,
Be happy, thou, and bless His name
By whom such marvelous beauty came.
And let no chance by me be lost
To kindness show at any cost."

I shall not pass this way again;
Then let me now relieve some pain,
Remove some barrier from the road,
Or brighten someone's heavy load;
A helping hand to this one lend,
Then turn some other to befriend.

Oh God, forgive
That now I live
As if I might, sometime, return
To bless the weary ones that yearn
For help and comfort every day, --
For there be such along the way.
O God, forgive that I have seen
The beauty only, have not been
Awake to sorrow such as this;
That I have drunk the cup of bliss
Remembering not that those there be
Who drink the dregs of misery.

I love the beauty of the scene,
Would roam again o'er the fields so green;
But since I may not, let me spend
My strength for others to the end
For those who tread on rock and stone,
And bear their burdens all alone,
Who loiter not in leafy bowers,
Nor hear the birds, nor pluck the flowers.
A larger kindness give to me,
A deeper love and sympathy
Then, O, one day
May someone say --
Remembering a lessened pain--
"Would she could pass this way again."

Eva Rose York

As Long As You're Glorified

Health challenges and unanswered questions have been circling me lately. How quickly you feel your own frailty and humanity when health and energy are no longer at your beck and call. It is a helpless feeling to be praying for healing and yet acknowledging that God may not choose to answer in the way you would want. While discussing this with God today, the words to this song came to mind. Never had they been more meaningful.

Ultimately, what I long for is that God's will be done in and through my life. I have nothing to fear as long as I abide in His love. Let health or illness come, joy or sorrow, sun or rain...as long as He is glorified.

You cannot control what happens. Whether your life seems charmed or tragic, you are not forsaken. God is still at work. Whether you receive the best news or the most horrifying, He is still holding you. May these words soothe your soul like they have soothed mine.

As Long As You're Glorified

"Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain?
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain?
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought?
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt?

chorus
Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled?
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well?
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night."

- Sovereign Grace Praise

Ireland - Part II

In this video you will see the Cliffs of Moher, Dun Aengus fort on the island of Inishmore, Blarney Castle and Cobh. All places that became very dear to me during my visit to Ireland.

Ireland

How is it possible to feel at home in a place you've never been? It is strange and wonderful. There you are in a place entirely new and yet there is a comforting feeling of peace and belonging. Ireland is such a place.

Paris had filled my days with excitement. Every second was filled to overflowing. My eyes drank in the sights as my mind feverishly plotted how to see everything on my list. When our 4 days in France drew to a close I was happy, but quite exhausted. With a weary body I dropped into my seat. We took off and I calmly stared out at the clouds thinking how nice it would be to see my dear friend who I hadn't seen for a year. How lovely to be all together as a group! I was ready for some green instead of city. At that moment I was content, but not overflowing with boundless excitement. I was too tired for that.

Alternately I dozed and chatted with Mom about inflight magazine articles. As we started the descent into Cork I closed my eyes to rest and wait. Just then, Mother poked me and said "Look!". I glanced over in time to catch the first glimpse of a landscape greener than green and golden in the afternoon sun. It was a "Moment". I couldn't take my eyes away. The lower we flew the more I could make out a patchwork of farm land, small cottages and the coastline cliffs. For the rest of the landing I was glued to the window, speechless.

There are moments in life. You know...the "Moments" that freeze frame in your mind. I treasure them. I hang them up on a memory hall of fame. They are moments when you have great clarity about life. They are moments when a part of your soul finds a match in that place of beauty. They are moments when you know its the end of life as you know it.

My time in Ireland was filled with such moments. The day I stood on the cliffs of Inishmore and heard the waves crashing against them was the end of life as I knew it and the beginning of life where that sacred moment is forever a part of me. As I looked out over Killarney a little piece of my soul found a match. Ireland didn't just make me feel at home, it made a home in me.

I believe there can be more than one place on this planet that feels like home. And when your heart finds a home, it never fully leaves.

Final Thought:
If an earthly place can so quickly embrace us and feel like home, how much more will our eternal home be like finding the resting place we've been searching for all our lives? I can't wait!

Paris

The sun, with all it's rosy colors, was just coming over the horizon as the plane descended into Paris. I was drinking in the morning rays of brightness as most everyone slammed their window shades shut, hoping for a few more moments of sleep. I was too excited to think of sleep. Anxiously I leaned forward and back, straining my eyes to see through any remaining open windows. A quick glance around revealed a crowd of passengers that regarded this glorious morning arrival in Paris as calmly as one might wait for toast to pop from the toaster. I settled in to enjoy my excitement solo. Smugly I decided I would enjoy it on their behalf. It felt very much like taking a delicious dessert off someone's hands. "Oh, you don't want it? Here! Let me take that off your hands. All the more for me!"
When I caught my first sight of the Eiffel Tower from the air, bathed in purple sunrise splendor, my excitement knew no bounds!

Paris: a classy city of dichotomies. My eyes were enthralled with the lovely architecture, flowering window boxes and cozy cafe's. My nose was assaulted with the occasional stench that inevitably plagues big cities. My ears were drawn to the soul moving resonance of Notre Dame's bells pealing out the hour. My body was often surrounded by the press of humanity that flocks to this City of Lights. Though braced for rudeness, I continually stumbled upon a deep kindness in local Parisians that astonished me. At the end of the day, when I summed up her pro's and con's, Paris still shone with a charm and beauty that was undeniable. Every garden begged to be explored. Every bench practically asked to be sat on. Every bakery enticed with thoughts of fresh bread.

At each and every turn, during my exploration of Paris, I was carrying on a lively inner conversation of discovery.
"A bridge! I've always wanted to see the bridges of Paris!"
"O look! A castle! No that's not a castle...it's just a beautiful building that looks like a castle, like ALL the beautiful buildings in this city!"
"Dodge the asian tour group."
"Wonder if I can see the Eiffel Tower from here?"
"I'd sure like a crepe..."
... so on and so forth.
Some of my thoughts were less touristy and more filled with profound contemplations. Often, while silently riding the metro I wondered at the fact that all the people around me were carrying on their own inner dialogue, yet in a different language. What might their thoughts sound like to me? What might my thoughts sound like to them?
Because of it's fame as a place to vacation, Paris is a melting pot of cultures like none I've ever experienced. An afternoon of simply watching people would be exceedingly fascinating.

There is something freeing and spectacular about seeing a city from up high. The Eiffel Tour is striking and iconic, yes. But let me say, the view from it is far more striking and lovely! I was sore for days after tackling it's many many steps, but the memory was priceless. The weather that day had been positively miserable. Cold. Umbrella destroying winds. Driving rain. We were just about to call it quits when the sky cleared and revealed an evening of balmy breezes and a freshly washed, blue sky. It was perfect!

When I was 15 years old I distinctly remember dreaming about the Louvre Museum. I took every virtual tour online I could find, willing myself into the scene with my powerful imagination. Walking it's halls was surreal and awe-inspiring. The masterpieces of people long gone are still there, inspiring the masses of people that pass through every day. If a legacy of art could make such an impact, how much more powerful the legacy of a life of faith? Deep thought.

We took a reprieve from the bustle of Paris. Out of all my time in France, this day will forever stand out. After the noise and crushing masses of Parisian streets, the unbroken stillness of the french countryside was a taste of heaven. Without another person in sight, we wandered the gardens of the Chateau. The chestnut trees were blooming. It started to mist a light rain. The air smelled fresh and ethereal. I kept breathing in as deeply as I could, eyes closed, trying to imprint the smell and moment into memory. It's still there. I think it always will be.

Abide With Me

My family has a tradition. Every Friday night as we welcomed the Sabbath we would kneel in a circle, join hands and repeat the Lord's Prayer. Afterwards, still holding hands and with eyes closed, we would sing the first verse of "Abide With Me". What could be more lovely than inviting Someone you love to stay with you?

May the beauty of God's presence abide with you throughout this taste of heaven called Sabbath.

"Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me."


SDA Hymn 50

Walk With Me

I recently read an article about obedience. How easily that word can sound harsh and exacting to my sensitive ears. Too often I associate it with my failings and the with-holding of love or stinging punishment I fear will follow. Where have my idea's of mindless submission or struggling effort come from in regards to obedience? None of these characteristics fit with the character of God. Instead it has more in common with the flawed obedience humans demand of humans. Is obedience really that way? Is it the proverbial older brother charging up a hill yelling "Follow Me!" and the younger brother desperately trying to match him step for step with his shorter legs, only to tumble down crying in frustration? I'm beginning to see it in a new light. What if obedience wasn't a performance or a test of my abilities after all? Let me try to explain.


What if obedience was a gift, like a Christmas gift, a birthday gift, a "just because I love you" gift?
What if obedience was a promise, a sure thing, a "don't worry I've got this" assurance?
What if obedience was an invitation, an outstretched hand , a "come walk with Me for the rest of your life" kind of proposal? There are so many things obedience could be when you start fitting it into God's context of love. It's a safety railing on a high bridge. It's the hard decision to be selfless for the sake of one you love. It's the trusting of One greater than you to be who they say they are. Here is a quote from the article that got me thinking in the first place:

"God promises all that we need for life and godliness; with no exception. And when the Bible says all that we need, it means...All! Our good and gracious Father does not give us a little sliver of grace for obedience, and then leave us exhausting ourselves in futile attempts to draw strength from the well of self-effort. He gives the full measure of grace needed to victoriously live the Christian life, not just sometimes, not just when our "if only" ideals become reality. Right now, in your current situation and season of life, God has made available to you all that is needed for glad obedience. It is when we are relying on our own strength and power to obey, and not on the power of Christ, that we find ourselves failing and faltering...allow [God] to build you into a woman [man] who walks in instant, joyful obedience unto the Prince of your heart!"
~ Elsje Zornes, Set Apart Girl Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

Did you see it? The words "promise", "give", "build"...God's actions. God promises. God gives. God builds. What do we do? We rely. We walk. Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments."(John 14:15) Another way of saying that would be "If you love me, you will walk with Me". Now when I think of obedience I think of safety, of love, of a couple walking with their arms around each other.

Lord,
do thou turn me
all into love
And all my love
into obedience
And let my obedience
be without interruption

--Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

Instrument of Peace

I have always been so blessed and inspired by this prayer. It is the repeating cry of my soul: "make me an instrument of peace and love".

It's All About The Thai Sauce

Perhaps it's because I was missing a favorite Thai restaurant in my native Tennessee or perhaps I just wanted to put peanut butter in something, but I found myself craving Thai food.

Thankfully, just like a good neighbor Pinterest was there to inspire and instruct! My daily schedule is often very hurried and unpredictable, so I couldn't spend too much time on making my Thai noodle dreams come true. Therefore, when I came across this easy recipe I was excited! The most time consuming part was chopping the veggies and cooking the noodles.

Obviously I enjoyed my Thai creation. I do have two suggestions, however. Watch the amount of hot pepper you put in the sauce...it's easy to underestimate its spicy factor. Secondly, it calls for an inordinate amount of oil. I don't like feeling like I'm oiling my insides, so I found creative ways to decrease it, while increasing other components such as soy sauce or water. It didn't hurt the flavor and made it sit much easier on the stomach.

I'm still in my Thai noodle craving stage. In fact I just turned leftover spaghetti into an Asian inspired dish. Not bad. But then again, I'm not too choosy.

Here is the link: http://asmallsnippet.com/2011/03/spicy-thai-noodles.html

Enjoy!

P.S. Someone needs to teach me how to link the picture so you can just click the photo. Is that possible??

For There Is Hope...

"For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
Yet at the scent of water it will bud,
And bring forth branches like a plant."

Job 14: 7-9


Jesus Said...

"But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

John 4: 14 NLT



"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live"

John 11: 25 KJV

Lost treasure

Have you ever lost anything important? Something vital to your existence? Take a minute to recall that terrifying feeling when you first realized you had no earthly idea where your keys were. Or what about the time you checked your pocket for your cell phone only to find it had fallen out in the plane that just took off. Not exactly your best moments were they?

I recently lost something vital to my existence. Thankfully keys and cell phone stayed accounted for, but my wallet went AWOL. At first its disappearance was only mildly disturbing. With Pollyanna optimism, I was sure it would show up. However, the serious nature of this situation hit with force when my car registered "E" on the dash and I had no way to fill it up. When I ran out of milk and resorted to eating popcorn for breakfast I knew I was in trouble. I had a job! There was money in a bank far away, but I had lost my only access.

Finally, I began to search in earnest. I looked all the usual places...and then some unusual places. Under mattresses, in the refrigerator, in closets I never open. I looked places I knew it wouldn't be, just because I was frantic to find it. That missing wallet affected everything. I never knew what a "passport to living" that wallet was until it was gone.



Over and over we are told to seek God - seek His kingdom, seek His face, seek HIM. There are multiple stories in the Bible of lost or hidden treasure to illustrate this "seeking". Our connection with Christ is far more valuable than keys or a wallet. To lose that connection is to lose Life itself.

Look at Matt 7: 7. It's full of action. To ask you must find someone to ask and formulate a question. To seek you must get up and go looking. To knock you must find the door you want to enter. There is nothing passive about it. The Gospel is a gigantic treasure hunt. God is seeking the treasure of His lost children. We in turn are seeking the treasure of our Heavenly Father.



In one of my favorite verses God promises "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 I have always struggled to understand the last part. What does it mean to do something with "all your heart"? With a little consideration I realized I have seen examples.
The climber spending years preparing to scale Mt. Everest. The athlete giving their all for an Olympic medal. Protestors putting themselves in line of fire to demand freedom. Yes, I've read about it in Hebrew 11 and in the accounts of the Reformation.
So I know what it means. But have I experienced it?

I've never identified with those die-hard treasure hunters who buy the expensive scuba gear and plan their whole lives around finding that buried pirates chest of gold. They put all their eggs in one basket and let everything else go in order to pursue their all consuming passion. This doesn't faze them, however, because of the worth they place on the treasure.

Maybe it's time I become one of those over-the-top treasure seekers. Maybe it's time I wake up and feel such a longing for God that will send me on a journey of wholehearted seeking after Him. The worth of the Treasure is beyond comprehension.

When You said, “Seek My face.” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord I will seek.”
Psalm 27:4, 8

I see the Moon...

The moon is beautiful tonight. Driving back from town I could hardly keep my eyes off it and on the road. A good friend shared this song with me and now it often comes to mind when the moon is especially bright. Reminds me of the people I'm longing to see.

"Can you see the moon tonight
Sugar-white perfection
Radiant beams of purest light
Our hearts’ connection
Carries me back to a lullaby
The sweetest song in my memory
Of Mama’s voice on moonlit nights
To hush her babies, singin’...

I see the moon, the moon sees me
The moon sees the one that I want to see
God bless the moon, and God bless me
And God bless the one I’m longing to see

Did you ever notice the man in the moon
He’s the master of reflection
Somehow he knows and imitates
My heart’s expressions
Some nights he’s melting in clouds of tears
Or shining my smile like the bright sun
But look, tonight the moon looks like
He’s missing someone."

~ Chris Rice

Waiting for Beauty

I AM so very impatient for Spring to come with all it's loveliness and warmth. It is a difficult thing to have so much you want to express and yet have neither the time or energy to articulate it. In such moments a simple picture shares it's own message...it's worth a thousand words, so they say. So, I'm sharing a picture with you. Patches of snow still dot our yard, but someday the flowers will come again...someday.

In The Morning

"Weeping may endure for a night...


...But joy comes in the morning!" ~ Psalm 30: 5

"Oh, we see the gleams of the golden morning
Breaking through this night of gloom,
Oh, we see the gleams of the golden morning
That will burst the tomb."
~ Hymn 205 Gleams of the Golden Morning

For my friend Caitlin. I can't wait to see her in the Morning.

Change

Sometimes changes come at unexpected times and in surprizing ways.

Just a little over a week ago the beach was almost in my backyard, warm and sunny.

Now my backyard is more along these lines...cold, snowy farmland. This is why a walk with God is such an adventure. Like any well-crafted story, each chapter of life has twists and turns that you never saw coming. Only weeks ago I was firmly planted in the beautiful state of Florida. Only weeks ago I was helping with the church Christmas program, looking for work and spending time with my Florida friends. That was my new home. I loved it.

Then suddenly in a proverbial "blink of an eye" my plans and life changed. I had been praying for guidance. I had been praying for God to open a door. But this?! This was not what I had in mind! I needed a job...IN FLORIDA, not MICHIGAN! I was faced with a choice. What do I do when God answers but not in the way I thought He should? It didn't take long for me to decide. There is no place I'd rather be than right in the middle of God's Providence.

Thus, how I found myself driving through ice and slush to Great Lakes Adventist Academy to be their School Nurse and part-time Assistant Girls Dean. Even though it required a sudden and painful move, I had the peace of knowing I was walking through a door God Himself opened. Change is seldom comfortable, but I am thrilled to be working with young people! My utmost goal is to show them the heart of God and connect them to the Lover of their souls - Jesus!

Following God is not always easy or painless. Sometimes you may be called to do, go, or be unexpected things, but hang in there! "God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly" (Steps to Christ pg 96). In every change He is faithful. Trust His heart of love.


"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8 New Living

Calling Her Blessed

This is for my Mommy - one of the most beautiful, giving women I know. I am so thankful for my wonderful mother! Why am I thankful for her? Well, let me put it this way...

When God gives good gifts some come in great numbers and some are so precious there is only ONE. So far, God has given me approximately 9 ,125 sunrises and more exciting , magical moments than I can possibly remember. But I have only ONE mother. Put in poetic words...

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

I love my one and only mother. Quite a lot!

I love that she let us have chickens, ducks and bunnies when we were kids.

I love how she would lay her cool hand on my forehead when I was feeling sick.

I love how she read me stories of missionaries and took me to South America to experience service.

I love that she can fix toilets, wire plug-ins, hang sheet-rock and anything you could possibly think of! (Her best kept secret...She is Superwoman!)

I love how her "Mom-hugs" comfort me when I'm coming unglued and how her shoulder is always there to lean on.

I love that she reminds me to pray when I lose my keys or am struggling to make a big life decision.

I love how she sings "The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength" to herself when she's having a hard day.

I love that she thinks I'm funny and laughs at the silly details of life.

I love that her favorite place to be is the woods with binoculars around her neck and a bird book within reach.

I love that she is the best road-trip buddy I've ever found - always up for the "road-less-traveled" kind of adventure.

...I love so many things about her!

Here is the best part! Her love is unconditional! She dealt with my annoying childish habits, nursed me through several bouts of stomach flu and has seen me make a fool of myself on more than one occasion. Still, she loves me. There is no question. I'm the blessed one. Proverbs 31:28

Song of Praise

To Live : In Praise

You know those days when everything goes wrong? One of those days came my way recently. I had just left the doctors office after being told I need to keep off my foot for several weeks. While trying to find my way through Jacksonville's confusing interstate system I was pulled over. As soon as the officer let me go I sought refuge in the nearest parking lot. Checking my email, I found 6 more job application rejections. It was too much. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. "What is going on God?! What am I supposed to do?"

Over the course of the last week God has answered that prayer, but I was not expecting the answer He gave. "Praise. Praise Me". He wasn't asking me to try harder or scheme longer. In the midst of all the confusion and uncertainty God wanted me to sit back in awe of Him and give thanks.

One morning He took me to Psalm 67 and the quote "The Privilege of Praise" in Patriarchs & Prophets page 289. Yet another morning He led me to Mary's praise session in Luke 1 : 45-55.

"My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior...For He who is mighty has done great things for me."

I realized Mary probably still had questions and fears, but she praised God in faith of what He had promised. Powerful.

What would it be like to serve as a continual fountain of adoration and praise?...praise that is neither dependent on situations or circumstance? When I think of living in praise I think of a shelter. I think of it as a place of joy that "no power of hell nor scheme of man" can disturb. I think of a flower with its face turned to the sun. I think of a mind kept in perfect peace as the thoughts are centered on Him who is worthy of all praise and worship.

Beautiful concept isn't it? But concepts stay concepts unless there are practical ways to bring them to life. Here are a few ideas on how to live in praise...

- Count blessings instead of sheep when you fall asleep

- Look through a photo album or journal and remember. He has been faithful!

- Sing a song of praise in the car

- Notice the small, everyday miracles (i.e. I'm breathing!)

- Post up a quote or Bible verse that inspires you to give thanks

Ultimately...
-Behold God. His tender heart. His creativity. His mercy. The natural reaction will be a life of praise.

E is for ...

E M I L Y !

I happen to be housemates with a real "keeper" kind of friend!

Eating Breakfast

Grocery shopping at Publix

Riding in the car

Leading Juniors SS Songservice

...it's all more fun when she's around!

Whether we're chatting about our day or each curled up in our own corner of the living-room listening to an AudioVerse sermon, she's pretty nice to be with.

When I count my blessings instead of sheep tonight, she'll be one of them.

The Best Is Yet To Come

Imagine you're sitting around a table loaded with good food. After prayer the salad is passed around, fresh and colorful. Looking around the table you see all the good and wholesome things coming your way. Everything seems more delicious than the last, but just when you think it couldn't get any better someone says "Save some room because the best is yet to come!"

The week has been long and hectic. Projects took longer than you thought, you're behind on your schedule and unexpected events turned everything on its ear. Then you glance at your phone...4:32 pm, Friday. You smile. Just a few more hours before the "day of rest and gladness" arrives. There is no question in your mind... the best is yet to come!

An elderly couple approach newlyweds who still cant say the word "marriage" without smiling. They congratulate them and share a few funny stories of their first years as a couple. As they walk off hand in hand the old man calls over his shoulder "If you kids think you're in love now, just you wait! The best is yet to come!"

I could go on and on. There are countless examples of the better things to come. But
sometimes I wonder, "Can it really be true?". In the moment, the future can look foggy and unfamiliar. All I have is the happy memories of the past. But, here is the beauty! It IS true! Even though I cannot see the future I can roll out of bed with a smile knowing the best is yet to come!

It's such a great feeling! Ultimately, life on this earth is not where it all ends. In a huge, gigantic way, Heaven is the ultimate "best" to look forward to. Even in the earth made new I expect we will be saying "the best is yet to come". Every day spent in God's presence will be sweeter, our knowledge of his love deeper, our appreciation of beauty fuller. No matter what joy or sorrow comes our way in this life, we have a beautiful, brighter day to look forward to!

Now I can live so much more joyfully in the present! It's great to live in anticipation of good things!