What a Day This Has Been!

"What a day this has been. What a rare mood I'm in -- why it's almost like being in love. There's a smile on my face, for the whole human race -- why it's almost like being in love!" Old song that I was singing at the end of yesterday!

That's because I sat out to live out loud with others, yesterday, on our 51st Wedding Anniversary, instead of having any woe-is-me moments. Too much "living and loving" opportunities! I knew God would have me on assignment this weekend. Friday afternoon I drove to Tulsa, gave hugs to my precious mother-in-law and headed out for a night with the girls -- my dear single women friends in Hyde Park, where I lived here in Tulsa. What a great time we had catching up! I loved hearing that most of these gals have found their "home" church with a pastor they respect and love, attend regularly and are continually inviting others to join them. They've become missionaries! That makes me smile so big.

Yesterday morning, Mom declared "I woke in up in the middle of the night because my toe was hurting so much. I sat on the side of the bed and looked at the clock. It said 3:16 -- John 3:16 -- I said 'Thank you, Lord, for giving me your one and only Son. By His stripes, I am healed!" I love it. She knew God was loving on her at 3:16 am! What a blessing it is to have these sweet times of "heavenly" love together! Mom continues to be such an inspiration to me and everyone else!

I headed out to meet with my two "walking" buddies from when I lived here. We walked and prayed back then, and yesterday, I rejoiced at so many answers to those prayers. In particular, my friend whose daughter recently gave birth to twins -- a double miracle and answer to our prayers.

My next assignment was to go visit my precious friend and mentor, Sister Marie Pierre at St. Joseph Monastery. She hadn't been feeling well (she's 88 now), and I think my little visit and our time talking about God's goodness perked her up. I was thrilled to help her with a project she's working on, and love on her -- and her making me so loved. She loved my husband so much, so it was perfect to visit her on our anniversary.

As I left Sister Pierre, I saw an Estate Sale sign, and I stopped to check it out, and I'm so glad I did because, here on my anniversary day -- when my sweetheart always gave me yellow roses, along with planting a yellow rose bush at every home we've lived in, as well as yellow roses being our wedding flowers -- was this porcelain yellow rose that called out my name. I knew God nudged me to stop to be romanced by Him and my Sweetheart. Of course I bought it. I knew it was heaven-sent!

After taking Mom a meal from Cracker Barrel, the finale of my day was Sheila Michie's, my dear friend's birthday celebration. What joy it was to be a part of this night of blessings -- in particular, seeing my sweet friend with her adorable grandson, who is full of energy and joy, lots of singing and laughter, as well as meeting the priest that my Hyde Park girl friends say "is the best" -- small world -- that he would be a friend to my friends and show up for this night of celebration!

I'm here to tell you -- we have choices to make everyday. The choice to be an introvert and stay within our walls and give ourselves pity parties for what we don't have, or we can go from person to person, home to home, street to street, and city to city -- to spread good news -- that Christ came to give us. Eternity awaits us....but why go there until it calls our name. Why not LIVE STRONG, in the Land of the Living as long as God gives us breath on this side of eternity?

"Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the LORD's favor in the land of the living?" Psalm 27:13