Finding myself Lost

My wonderful house-mate and I have just last night been able to check back in with our stranded friends from Lost. We both really enjoy the show, and are emotionally affected by it. For example, at the close of each show, as the house lights go back on, I breathe a heavy sigh of relief, saying, "I'm SO glad I'm not stranded on an island!!!" Throw in mysterious fogs, and monsters, and weird psychic phenomena, and I'm even more grateful for my suburban home. Being stranded on an isolated island has been a fear since the days of Gilligan's Island. I must say, this fear has even affected the way I travel. I always wear my red life-vest on overseas flights. (I've only had a few minor problems with security.)

Walking for a cause

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2008/LosAngeles?
px=3439156&pg=personal&fr_id=1650
The Avon walk benefitting breast cancer research and early detection programs is something I would love to be a part of. Unfortunately, my illness prevents me from being able to commit to the date of the walk, so I have decided to sponsor a friend, Jenna Smith, who is able to walk on that day. Please consider if you might be able to sponsor her also. (Giving up, or even just limiting, your morning coffee stop really adds up!) As for myself, I plan to train with other groups training for this walk as if I was going to do it. So I will be walking 6-12 miles each weekend for the next few months. (And please don't ask me out for coffee!)

A beautiful life

Going through my mom's things, I am learning much about her, and also about myself. One thing that stands out is the extra-ordinary friendships she maintained through happy and sad times, over many years. My mother didn't have any children until she was 42, but she did have a lot of love and nurture in her heart. So she poured all that love and nurture into her friends. For years and years, I have been trying to do exactly that . . . take care of my friends as if they were close family. Now I know why I do that, and from whom I learned. We never talked about that, but seeing her life and her love for her friends made that seem the natural thing for me to do.

Family, friends, fun and faith

I went to the funeral of a wonderful woman today. This much-loved woman was full of love, care, and generosity for her family. Her photo albums were a testament to this. This woman was also an amazing friend. I had the priviledge of reading the last few letters she recieved, and the exchange of true kindness and concern in these letters showed me that she gave a special honor to all of her friends. Photos told me that this great lady knew how to have fun like no other lady. Train trips, cruises, riding a dune-buggy, she missed no opportunity for fun. Her writings show clearly the unshakeable faith she had in Jesus Christ. His love for her was the motivating factor behind the love she had for her family, the care she showed to friends, and the enjoyment of life that she had.
This incredible lady was my mother, and I will pray daily to follow her example of loving her family, caring for her friends, having fun, and living by faith in Jesus Christ.

Reflecting on the Future

As my longtime readers and friends know, I have a bothersome health condition. This health condition is life-threatening only in my head. I have, for the past few years, sentenced myself, not quite to death, but to living only a limited life with not much hope for a normal dotage. I didn't let myself plan for a nice retirement, travelling around in an RV (or more likely a Corvette and a teardrop trailer), with my Valentine. Recently, I've gotten wind of a genetecist who is working on a cure for the condition I have. I now allow myself to think ahead more, and I have allowed myself to think with some anticipation of a normal future. How normal is very questionable, as I see the future-my future-as an adventure, and I am curious and eager to see how it will all play out. My hopes and my questions are simple, such as, "Will my raised flower beds be as nice in reality as I see them in my head?"
A good friend of mine sums up my thoughts well by saying, "Our hope isn't in a cure." My real hope and my citizenship is with God in Heaven, and He holds every day of my future in His hands. Thanks and glory to Him for each day!

Rufus writes Again!

For the past few years, I have not been one to assert a strong opinion. I am a very passive dog, of both a genteel and a gentle nature. However, as I've become more and more comfortable in my blue home with my loving owners, I have found that I can no longer contain my opinions. For example, I have decided to let it be known how I feel about baths. I do not like them. I despise, loathe, and do not like them. In short, I curse baths, and I curse the day they were invented. Notwithstanding my love for society and being petted, for which you need to be clean and glossy (my loving and often dissheveled owners take care to treat me to Nexxus hair conditioning gel to make me a spectacular canine to all who behold me), I make my sweet little mistress run around the yard and chase me. I suppose you could say I take HER for a walk-or run-on bath days. She always succeeds in getting me clean, shiny, and smelling good (with extra volume in my hair) with the end result that I cut a fine figure.