Remembering Yesterday and Yester-Years

It’s early Sunday Morning, Father’s Day, and I’m taking in the sound of the melodious rainfall. I look out my back window and my eyes go right to that yellow rose bush being watered from heaven. Don’t tell me otherwise! Sure, I know there’s scientific reasons for rains, but on this day, Father’s Day, I’m imagining my “love” reminding me he remembers – and so do I.

That little yellow rose bush has fully bloomed twice this season already, and here it goes again. Of course, it reminds me of the man of my dreams and my reality – my sweet husband and the father of my two children, the grandfather of my seven grandchildren. Oh, how blessed we were to have known and loved this man. Our wedding included yellow roses, every home we ever lived in (even the two homes since his passing on) has had a yellow rose bush planted there. When my babies were born, yellow roses were at my bedside. So, of course, the rain and the yellow roses compounded my awareness that he isn’t here, but, oh, yes, he is. He lives so big in our hearts.

Just a memory to spark so much gratitude for those little things in my life, that on a day like this, I can rejoice and be glad and not sad. Oh, how I would love for him to still be here with me enjoying our family together. He’s not – but I am. I’m not done imparting the best of me, the best of us, to these I love.

My crew in Austin sent me photos of their fun times and this crew in Frisco, celebrated with huevos rancheros for breakfast, online church, Hutchins Barbeque for lunch, piano serenades from Payton, and great fun playing the fishing game that Papa gave Payton 13 years ago. What a day! Yes, we would have rather been real fishing, but since we couldn’t, the game brought back some of the best memories.

I’ve loved the photos many of you, my social media friends, posted of their dads and husbands – those who passed on, those still alive and well, and even those who have a baby “still cookin' in the oven”. I know your journey and my journey may be completely different, but if we'll all practice gratitude and watch for all the sweet kisses from heaven like I did when I heard the rain and saw those yellow roses, you, too, will see the beauty all around you. You'll laugh with children, you'll start being a light to others, and you might even dance in the rain. It's been raining a lot lately, so why not put on those dancing shoes -- and DANCE?
“You have turned my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with a garment of joy.” Psalm 30:11

Happy Father's Day! Fathers and Fatherless

My blog today is dedicated to all the wonderful fathers, father figures, and male mentors who have touched the lives of your own kids and others you’ve mentored and coached. We appreciate you! And, for the rest of us, let's be sure to celebrate our fathers in words and actions. So, I’m taking my own advice and celebrating all the fathers today!

Father’s Day brings precious memories and so much gratitude -- for my own sweet daddy, my dear father-in-law, and my precious husband who are celebrating this Father’s Day with “Our Father Who Art in Heaven”! Okay – they've certainly one-upped us on a grand celebration with the second-to-none Father. And Happy Father’s Day to my two incredible sons: Ryan Wuerch & Larry Wallace, amazing, devoted fathers who lead their families by God’s example to them. Thanks, and well-done, guys, for blessing me with my seven beautiful grandchildren and thank you for all the men and boys you coach and mentor!

And, as celebratory this day is for those amazing fathers who love and adore their families and model what a good father is, my heart goes out to the fatherless today. Over the last several weeks, I’ve heard, repeatedly, that this is a “fatherless” generation which lies at the root of the problems in our society. It is a story of shame, loneliness and rejection. A story that desperately needs to be heard. Fatherlessness is both a personal tragedy and a growing epidemic, and is the engine driving gangs, riots, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide. But, there is a solution if only those of us in faith communities would rewrite this tragic story.

The “He's a Good, Good Father” song provides answers that only a good Father can provide. When my daddy became so ill when I was eight years old until he passed on when I was fifteen, it was my good, good Heavenly Father who sustained me. When my precious husband passed on, it was the love of my Heavenly Father where I found solace, comfort and peace. Oh, that this fatherless generation could find their true identity in the love of our Heavenly Father. We’re finding out that He's loving and caring and so close that we can be embraced by Him -- any time, anywhere.

As the song goes, we’re finding out He’s perfect in all of His ways…to us. He loved us before we loved Him. He has always been this way. This Father sent Jesus because He wants all of us to know that He loves us all exactly like He loves His Son. Jesus’ desire was that every person knows love by the love He shared among His followers. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35). We are wising up to those “Love one another” words.

Maybe today, you don’t even know your earthly father, or if you do, he may not have been very present in your life. Maybe, like me, your dad was with you for just a short period of time. Like mine, your dad wasn’t there to walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. Maybe your dad is still here and your relationship is and always has been strained.

Dads, in my opinion, you are the most powerful force in the lives of your children. Thank you for not being passive. Thank you for understanding and taking responsibility for your power. Thank you for being living examples of our Heavenly Father's love. Thank you for having real-life conversations with your boys and having date nights with your girls. Thank you for showing them and the fatherless children what respect, honor, and integrity look like. I pray God leads our strong, loving and caring men to reach out in love to those who need to see Father God in the flesh and come to know the love of their good, good Father.
“He is a father to the fatherless." Psalm 68:5

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.” ― Lydia Maria Child

Since He's All-Sufficient, I Don't Have to Be

As an independent gal for almost ten years now, I like to call myself self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-reliant, self-sustaining. But, even as I type those words, they sound very “self”-minded! Lord knows – I want to be others minded – NOT self-minded. For example, when offered help out of my son’s big duly Ford F-350, I have been known to say “not yet” – as I slowly maneuver that 3 feet down out of the back seat by myself.

But, I did take hold of my grandson's hand when we were traversing the canyons and caverns of Reimer's Park. I'm no dummy! I really do know when I need to humble-up and admit when I need help. But, I loved it when I saw a tree branch that we could turn into a great walking stick to help me scale those boulders. Back to my independent self again! Oh, I get it! I, undoubtedly, will relent from my self-reliance the more mature I get. I'm already doing that when I get up in the morning and move slower than I once did. That's why I quickly get to my morning walk to get these body-parts moving and grooving.

I’m revisiting the times when my sweet mama had to depend on us more as she “matured”. She was super independent and only after she fell at age 94, did she submit. Then there’s my dear 97-year-old mother-in-law, who had been independent for years after dad passed away, but is now extremely dependent on her kids and her walker and even sometimes, her wheelchair. It came with great difficulty to relinquish her independence, but now she gladly allows us to help her out.

Funny how, in this independent mindset that we hold on to for so long, we become almost too good at being self-sufficient. I’m guilty as charged. Fortunately, there have been very few things that I couldn’t do myself, especially in this age of being able to google just about anything. DIY is my go-to in most instances and thank God for the internet that has been my bestie in so many occasions. In fact, last night I used Google to figure out how to fix the loose stitching on my sewing machine. And, whoa-la, it worked. Stitch – fixed!

Self-sufficiency might be an admirable quality to strive for, but now I'm thinking I need to guard myself against becoming too good at it. I’ll admit it – asking for help humbles me. Perhaps I need humbling – because this self-sufficiency almost crosses the line of being selfish in accepting the kindness of others and may even keep them from being blessed.

And, perhaps, our self-sufficiency keeps us from an intimate, close relationship with our Lord Who is the ALL-Sufficient One, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9.8).

The All-Sufficiency of God means He is a God of infinite riches of wisdom, goodness, and power. And His “all-sufficiency” is available to His kids as a treasure chest of blessings. That means we can let go of our self-sufficiency and receive the all-encompassing sufficiency of our God.

Our Heavenly Father longs to have that close relationship with us. He wants us to ask Him for help. He wants to save us from a lot of the mistakes we'll make without His wisdom. It’s easy to rely on our own strength, our own ability, and our own wisdom — so much so that we no longer reach out to our Father and let Him in to help us. It’s so easy to start to leave Him out of our daily life, decisions and activities, and only run to Him when there’s a big crisis. Even in the thick of our daily challenges and struggles, God is right there to lay His gentle hand on our shoulder to say “Let Me help you with that.” He’s hoping we will let Him help. He never stops loving us or wanting that relationship with us, even when we feel like we should have it all together by now. I don’t like calling out for help to anyone, but I’m seeing that there are times when I must. In the same way, God is a mere call away when we call upon Him.

Psalm 91:15 “Call on me and I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble. I will deliver you and honor you.

When God's Plans are Way Better than Ours

In 1986, we moved to Canada on a ministry mission. It was a 100% faith-venture for all of us, including my mom. We had no idea what the future would hold, but we knew Who held our future. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

I’ll limit the adventures of the next seven years to this one story that helps explain that scripture in our lives and, perhaps, in yours. Our daughter had a huge Oklahoma basketball career ahead of her and was chosen for the Junior Olympics BB team. In Canada, women's basketball was not quite there yet, so good-bye basketball. (FYI - the girl's still got game!) 😉🏀

We realized this girl needed grooming after having been a basketball “jock” for many years. On the bench, she would sit with her legs spread apart. I would hand-signal her: "Close those legs!" We put her into modeling school to help with poise and stage presence. Someone noticed this bubbly, outgoing, singing-machine girl and recommended that she try out for the local Miss Teen Winnipeg Pageant. She did and went "all-in"! Within days of the pageant, the directors deemed she would be the sure winner so they disqualified her from the competition. The reason? Her southern drawl just didn't epitimoze a girl from "the Great North". Though she was a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada because of her dad’s Canadian citizenship, the ball dropped on her aspirations...again.

Her daddy (her coach and number one promoter) was steamed at the bias and prejudice against his girl. He was on his way to getting legal counsel when God reminded him of that scripture above. It was heart-wrenching at the time, but “oh the plans God had for her”. Not long after, an aunt called us and recommended that she try out for the David Foster Coca Cola World Chorus that would represent many countries at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Staci was one of 8,500 Canadians chosen by David Foster to represent Canada. She went on to be a soloist at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The next year, at age 18, after training her voice to be less “southern”, she won the Miss Winnipeg Manitoba Pageant and won the talent portion of the Miss Canada Pageant,

I could go on and on about the doors that opened to our girl. Who knew that a huge step of faith would open so many doors? God did. It’s been years since those seven years of “Canadian plenty”, but I often find myself thinking about those years when my plans don’t unfold as I’d hoped. When I’m praying for open doors, yet they remain closed; when I’m pleading for a “yes,” but the answer is “no”; when I’m asking for change, but everything seems to stay the same. I remind myself of the truth that my daughter once learned: A frustrating “no” may be setting the stage for a forthcoming “yes.”

We have a loving Father who knows things we don’t. And sometimes, He needs to “wreck” our agenda in order to render His. It takes faith to believe that promise when life isn’t going as we’d expected. But I’m learning that we don’t need to know all of God’s ways to accept His will. We simply need to trust His heart. God is for us, not against us When we remember who God is, we can better embrace what He’s doing, even if He says “no.” Someday, when we look back at our lives through eternity’s lens, we’ll want to throw our arms around our faithful Father and say, “Thanks for spoiling my plans, Dad. Yours were even better!”

The Last Word: “And Many More.....”

Are you one of those who has to have the last word? If so, then at the conclusion of singing "Happy Birthday" to someone, you probably added the big finish: “and mannny more!!" I always sing “and many more” under my breath in hopes that my quiet wish might help to safeguard the birthday boy or girl’s longevity. I know it’s not a sure-fire-guarantee because life has taught me we can never be sure of “many more”. So, each and every birthday we have with our loved ones is a gift. I realized this when my sweetheart received the diagnosis that changed his “many mores” to only “one more.”

“No more” is a sad thought, and I suspect if you’re reading this, you understand what I mean. Even though their passing means our loved ones never grow a year older, to those of us who are still here on this side of heaven, their birthday continues, for us, year after year. Though they’re gone, their birthday still belongs to them. And, to us, there’s no such thing as “no more”. We’re still here on this earth to REMEMBER there will be “many mores”. I’m here to tell you – significant days like birthdays, anniversaries and other special celebrations mean we still love our loved ones despite their absence. That’s one of the things I love about FB and seeing posts about loved ones, years past their “going home” date. We are fondly remembering.

All of that explanation is to give justification for celebrating my one man: the one love of my life once again on this, his birthday. Our family celebrates each other’s birthdays by pulling out the “Special Plate” and telling the honoree what they mean to us. I have it out this morning with biscuits, chocolate gravy, bacon, and eggs made for the boys and I. We'll be celebrating Papa and sharing what he meant to us. We're keeping his memory alive. As for me, I’m looking up to heaven and singing "Happy B/D and many more" to my Sweetheart! I'll let you listen in as I say to him:

“My Sweetheart, you are still so loved, honored, respected, and admired by me and all those who knew you. I’m celebrating you and the mark you made on so many lives, the least of whom is ME! I am more today than I could have ever dreamed possible because of you.....your relentless urging, pushing, prodding, and encouraging me to be all I could be. You always made me feel beautiful -- especially when I didn't feel it. When I didn't believe in myself, you believed in me! I am so thankful for the amazing husband, father, and grandfather that you were. You always gave yourself so freely to so many. I will never forget the precious, caring and giving way you treated others. You not only opened the door to them, but you fed them and clothed them and tolerated them and truly gave them the Father's love. You really were a "life enhancer" and a beautiful example, on earth, of Christ's love. There's not enough room here to tell you how much you meant to me, but one thing's for sure, you received your ultimate reward by getting to go on the fast track to heaven. My greatest determination is to be there with you someday and have the ultimate in birthday bashes with you there! And, to all my FB friends and family -- YOU ARE ALL INVITED!!!

By the way, maybe it's time you and your family have special plate days, too. It is sure a confidence builder to those we love! And, maybe it's time to get out the special plate for your loved ones in heaven and reminisce and celebrate how they made a difference in your life. It will keep their memory alive, and bring gratitude back to those who helped make you who you are today!

Abba, Father

The Life Group I’ve started attending uses the devotional book “100 Names of God” as a resource for study and discussion. When I first attended the group, and it was my turn to share about one of my favorite names for God, I shared that it is Jehovah Shalom – God, my peace. I went on to describe how the God of Peace has been so close and dear to me and I’ve realized that peace is my most treasured possession – one that I protect with everything that’s in me.

I was thinking about my Father God this week and remembered the time, when we lived in Shawnee, OK and I worked at Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative. I was in my early 30s and was their member services newspaper editor, before internet and the ability to send our projects via email for print, so I had to take my copy for print to Okmulgee, OK – about an hour’s drive away. On one particular day, I was feeling especially wimpy. I don’t remember why, but I do know that I was longing for a daddy (my daddy passed away when I was 15) to just be able to crawl up into his lap, feel his embrace and cuddles, and hear him say, “Everything’s gonna’ be alright”. As I drove, the tears began to flow as I almost immediately sensed God saying “Baby, I’m here” and I envisioned me crawling up into His lap as He spoke those comforting and loving words to me. It was then that I realized He is more than a Father figure Who is stoic, stern and untouchable. That day I realized God is as close as I welcome Him to be in my life. I realized a daddy’s intimacy with his little girl. He was WHO I needed Him to be at just that moment.

Galatians 4:6, says “And because you are sons (and daughters), God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son (and daughter), and if a son (and daughter), then an heir through God.” Jesus came to earth and hammered home the Father/Child relationship to us. In His prayer to His Father, Jesus said, “And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26). What name was Jesus referring to? It was the name “Father”. If there was anything close to Jesus’ heart, it was to introduce God as “Father” to us. He even showed us how to pray "Our Father, Who art in heaven......"

Once, He said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11) Jesus wants us to always have this image of God in our minds —that He is our Abba, Father. Why? Because He wants us to know that there is nothing more important or too insignificant for the Father when it comes to His children.

Back to that image of a daddy with his little girl. What if a little girl had a splinter embedded into her thumb and never told her daddy about it, but just kept enduring the pain. Her daddy would have been so concerned that he’d ask, “When did you get this?” “A few days ago,” she would answer. He’d reply “Why didn’t you tell Daddy about it?” And what if she replied “I thought you were too busy and that I shouldn’t bother you?”

If you were that father, wouldn’t it break your heart to hear your child say this to you? A splinter may be a small thing, but there is nothing too small when it concerns our children because if it affects them, it affects us, too. And, here’s the very good news. No matter how old we are, we are still God’s children, so we should never think that our problems are too small for Him. If it is important to us, it is important to our Father, too.

I pray that today, wherever you are, and whatever you’re facing that you slow down long enough to go to Abba, Father and allow Him to hold you, embrace you and reassure you “Everything’s gonna’ be alright! I am with you, and I will always be here to remind you ‘You are mine and my banner over you is love.’ Trust Me. I’ve got this! And always remember…..Father knows best!”

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers out there! Father’s Day brings me precious memories and so much gratitude for my own sweet Daddy and my precious husband who were incredible, devoted and loving fathers. They get to celebrate this Father’s Day together in heaven. And I'm so thankful for two of the most amazing Dads ever -- my two precious sons: Ryan Wuerch & Larry Wallace -- amazing fathers, who lead their families by God’s example of love to them.

I asked my two youngest grandsons “What makes someone a good dad?” Of course, they thought about their own dad, when they said, “They are kind, they play outside with you, they give you love, they work hard for your family, they’re strong like my daddy, they love you, and my dad flips his eyelids inside out, and he makes us laugh.” Oh, my! The sweet joy they bring me.

One of my all-time favorite songs for dads AND moms is by Phillips, Craig, and Dean, “I Want to Be Just Like You” – a prayer from a dad who wants to do his best to be like Father God, because his little boy wants to be like him. These words touch my heart so much.

Following these lyrics is the link for this beautiful song. I pray you are so impressed by God's love, that you, too, want to be just like Him.

I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE YOU
He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug; He calls me Dad and I call him Bub, With his faded old pillow, a bear named Pooh, He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you."

I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight; trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light; I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see. He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me.

Lord, I want to be just like You; 'Cause he wants to be just like me,
I want to be a holy example, for his innocent eyes to see.
Help me be a living Bible, Lord, that my little boy can read.
I want to be just like You; 'Cause he wants to be like me.

Got to admit I've got so far to go; make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know. Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try, with all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right,

But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best; being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness; 'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees, and the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me.

Right now from where he stands, I may seem mighty tall, But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best Father of them all. Lord, I want to be just like You; 'Cause he wants to be just like me, Want to be a holy example; for his innocent eyes to see. Help me be a living Bible, Lord, that my little boy can read. I want to be just like You; 'Cause he wants to be like me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z8bXcBRIU0

Web Worms or Heart Worms

Day 250 of Photo Inspirations -- Web Worms or Heart Worms
While we were walking this week, my friends and I were surprised at the web worms that were consuming gorgeous trees outside our community.    Those web worms are uninvited guests and have invaded and taken over those trees.  They  are attacking and defoliating trees, often eating every leaf a tree has to offer before deserting it to crawl off and build their cocoons, leaving the tree looking lifeless as a bug in a spider’s web.

As I understand it, web worms are having a really good year because of all the rain we had in the Spring.  The Fall web worm, despite its name, makes its first appearance in Spring. The hatch starts in mid-May or mid-June.  Most people don’t notice the Fall web worms’ webs in Spring, because of the season’s lush tree foliage, but now, that first generation’s activities are becoming increasingly evident as you drive along city streets and country roads.  A sudden awareness like that can make you think some kind of overnight event has occurred. But, these Fall webworms hatched weeks ago. Their webs are noticeable now because the larvae are getting big, too.  Those worms were subtle, but now they’ve taken over. I sound quite learned about web worms, but once again, thanks to the internet for my brilliance!  LOL!

I was thinking about those uninvited guests who came in with such subtlety – unbeknownst to us, but today they have ravaged those trees. Entomologists give options, and one of which is cut the limbs off and destroy the webs and the worms.  Another way is to burn them off  and then there’s treatments available in earliest Spring.

As I thought about these web worms and their sly strategies to take over a tree.  I thought about the little subtle ways the enemy of our souls strategizes and manipulates and does tactical warfare to take us out.  Just think about those annoyances that we encounter:  those  nagging, annoying, ugly and even destroying circumstances and challenges that we face, and even take to heart.  Those things that come in which such subtlety that we make no big deal about them, yet they are still "bugging" (no pun intended) us.  But, we just casually allow them to remain.  And, in the meantime, the enemy uses all of those "issues" to eventually take us – our families, our marriages, our businesses, our relationships, and our children down.  Those are the matters-of-the-heart "worms", that left to themselves…..can ultimately consume us.

But here’s the triple threat, counter attack way to be sure we have the heart “worm” killer applied right in the places it needs to be.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the TRIPLE THREAT -- are our DEFENDERS and trusting in their SUPER POWERS -- will cause us to be immune to the attacks of any enemy.
 
Psalm 63:4-8 says "I will bless you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. At last I shall be fully satisfied; I will praise you with great joy. I lie awake at night thinking of you -- of how much you have helped me—and how I rejoice through the night beneath the protecting shadow of your wings. I follow close behind you, protected by your strong right arm.”

For doubling up the protection, apply Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose LEAF DOES NOT WITHER. Whatever he does prospers.”

Yes, those who have those beautiful trees who want to be rid of web worms, must go to drastic measures to see them destroyed.  And, those of us who desire to be rid of those things in our lives -- the heart worms -- that have tried to destroy us….we  generously applying God’s Word to our TREES……and to our lives and hearts.

Child Like Faith -- I Wanna' Live Like That

Daddy says, “Jump! Trust me!” A leap of faith means the child has to put aside all inhibitions and fears. But, no problem. She has child-like faith. That faith that shows all-out, undaunted trust that her Daddy is going to catch her. And she jumps to her beloved Daddy. No fear – only trust! And sure enough, she lands, safely in her father’s arms.

Remember that kind of trust? We had that trust because of the secure relationship we had with our parents. We completely trusted in their words and promises. Did we ever think our father would miss us, and we would fall? Not hardly. We believed, and we had faith because we trusted in who He was to us.

I know there are those who didn't experience the love of a Godly father like this, but I know how we all can know this love. That’s the kind of faith we can, and should, have in our Heavenly Father. Having childlike faith isn’t perfect faith. There's room for doubt, but the doubt doesn’t win – hope, trust and belief prevails! What pleases Him the most is our heart of sincerity that says, “God, I know You have my best interests at heart. Please bolster my faith in You." He answers that kind of prayer. Bottom line, no matter how impossible our situations may seem, if we have that unwavering faith of a child, we believe He can accomplish anything.

And, there is something so precious about the thought of getting to be a child again, and knowing we have a Father who will take care of us. He can bear the burdens of life while we can just enjoy ourselves, like we did when we were children, without having to worry about the nitty gritty details. God will take care of all that. We don’t need to perform, we don’t need to be constantly striving for this or that; the burden is on God’s shoulders -- not ours. I wanna' live like THAT!

Goodness & Mercy Following & Favor Chasing

Really? God's goodness and mercy are following us? His FAVOR is chasing us? Isn't that just like our Heavenly Father -- pursuing us and chasing us with His desire to bless us and do good things for us? It's not just enough to be followed by His goodness and mercy. No, He is relentless in pursuing us -- every single day, and He wants to catch us. So, let's look for Him. We'll surely find Him as we notice those times when God's goodness and mercy catch....like just feeling that kiss from heaven when a prayer has been answered, or being hugged (REALLY hugged) by someone that God used to do the hugging for Him, or getting a sweet surprise phone call, or winning an unexpected prize, or maybe it was the extra patience we were given when dealing with a difficult situation. Let's slow down enough today.....so goodness and mercy and God's favor can catch us.....and not let us go!