The Greatest “Once-Upon-A Time” Love Story Ever

Don’t you love that start to a movie or a story because you just know there's going to be a happy ending at the end. I love thinking about my own “Once upon a time” love story, but no love story compares to this beginning…..

Once upon a tree…..a Creator gave His life for His creation. From the very beginning of time…..this true story began….but there was never, and there will never be a “The End”, to this story. It took our Creator stepping up to give His life for His creation so that all of man’s mistakes from the beginning of time, could have a happy EVER AFTER!

Every one of us are writing our stories by the way we live our lives each day. No, we don't have to have a "Once upon a tree"....story, because God lived that story once and for all for all of us. Some of our stories may seem ho-hum, while other stories may be adventures-of-a-lifetime every day, but we can choose how our story reads out. Maybe one of these beginnings would look good in your story:

Once upon a phone…..a devoted follower of Christ shared encouragement and love with his friend, and the friend met the Creator through him. It was a happy-ever-after phone story.

Once upon a greeting card….. there was someone who was hurting so much, but she realized someone else was hurting more than she was, so she shared the faithfulness of God in her card, and they both received renewed strength for their journeys of faith.

Once upon a car…..someone’s friend needed a ride to their doctor, so the driver became a chauffeur for God that showed what “mercy” looks like.

Once upon a dollar…..a kind-hearted soul, gave that dollar, and a hug, to a blind man holding a tin cup.

Once upon a rope…..someone tossed the end to a drowning man and saved their life. That day, the rope and the rope-thrower became a life-saver.

Once upon an altar…..someone gave their time to pray for someone who needed a Savior.

And that brings us right back to the very beginning of the “Once upon the beginning of time” story that has no ending, because in each of those scenarios the answer came with Jesus’ words to Peter “Peter do you love me? Then, feed my lambs. Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep.” And those words to Peter are Jesus’ words to us. “Do you love me? Love and care for my sheep.”

God started it all. He gave His one and only Son’s life for those who come to know Him as Lord. He asks us to be a part of His never ending story. Maybe we are the answer to someone’s prayers and, of course, we are the answer to sharing God’s story enough to give those He loves a never-ending story of their own.

In between the “Once upon a time” and the “happy ever after”…..there’s a whole lotta living going on – living to love and serve others, loving enough to be a light that draws them to the cross where our Savior died and to the empty tomb where He no longer lives, but is seated at the Father’s right hand, interceding and welcoming us to our HAPPY EVER AFTER with Him.

Once upon a Facebook post, someone told this story with the great expectation that God’s story begins in YOU and me!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Living -- Laughing -- Loving

Isn't that what it's all about? Living....really living this life we've been given -- with all its many adventures. Laughing out loud in the midst of the good living and the tough-living-times. AND, most of all LOVING God, others AND ourselves. Sure, there's plenty to complain and worry about but, seriously, why waste time, energy and breath on complaining, when there is so much to celebrate and be grateful for?

Here's what I know: Gratitude begets even more reasons to be grateful; living, really living, begets more out loud living; laughing begets laughter and a life intent on loving and serving God will produce the desire to love and serve Him even more.

So, I MUST give gratitude for the last few days in Austin so that I'll continue to have even more reasons to be grateful. I like that. It's God's laws of reciprocity. "Give and it shall be given." Since I’m with my Frisco family most because that’s where I live, this Mother’s Day was celebrated with my Austin Family. What a sweet time of laughter, reminiscing, Shawntel and I getting the “special plates” at the breakfast table, getting sweet gifts (mine included the lovely 70-reasons I love Nana from the notes at my 70th BD), going to church together to express our praise and thanksgiving for life and being able to give life to our children and those God has called us to – to “mother” and encourage. Going out for Sunday dinner with dear friends – having sweet and almost holy communion as we had a “gratitude” feast when we thanked God for His tender mercies. Life really is about giving life – the abundant life of Christ to others in word and deed. And, what a life it is!

I believe gratitude is taught from those around us. We can teach our children to be grateful for what they have. This family of mine -- we talk daily about gratitude and our blessings. My children understand they are beyond blessed. As we stood in a little circle of eight on Saturday night, waiting nearly an hour for our table at a restaurant, I saw us. I REALLY saw us -- we were a village like no other. At least it seemed that way when we looked at most around us waiting, who were deep diving into their cell phones, unconscious of those around them. We were living, laughing and loving as we talked – sometimes silly talk. We were embracing and holding each other close to our hearts – so much so, that I didn’t even take my phone out to take a photo of this little village of love. The attention to each other mattered.

I felt my husband’s love – living, breathing and laughing with us. After all, if it weren’t for him – this little village wouldn’t be here. We have family, we have a roof over our heads, laughter in our hearts, and lots of love surrounding our every moment. We have memories before his death and memories beyond. Each memory serves as a blessing, for that means we had one more precious day together. We are valuing moments, not material things, and to look for the love and light in each situation.

We can all find fault in this life. We can all wish and want for more, but the real blessings are the smallest moments and memories we cherish. I’m grateful I taught my children to be grateful and, now, they are teaching their children to be grateful for the little things. We are teaching them to be happy at the deepest level in life – love – laughter.

That is a gift every child deserves and every mother cherishes!

Living, Laughing, Loving

Isn't that what it's all about? Living....really living this life we've been given -- with all its many adventures. Laughing out loud in the midst of the good living and the tough-living-times. AND, most of all LOVING God, others AND ourselves. Sure, there's plenty to complain and worry about but, seriously, why waste time, energy and breath on complaining, when there is so much to celebrate and be grateful for?

Here's what I know: Gratitude begets even more reasons to be grateful; laughing begets laughter; God's tender mercies begets even more of God's tender mercies. That's what a life intent on loving, serving God and living for Him is all about. Psalm 103:17-18 says it this way, "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them."

So, I MUST give gratitude for the last week in Austin.....so that I'll continue to have even more reasons to be grateful. I like that. It's just God's laws of reciprocity. "Give and it shall be given."

When God orders our steps (Psalm 37:23), and we respond with "Yes, Sir!" to His orders, it brings us countless blessings. Our steps were ordered this last week. First was Payton and Alexia's NCFCA Speech & Debate Tournament at Austin's Concordia University where I'm always astounded by the brilliance of these young people. Three days of early morning to late at night competitions. It's a work-out but ever so worth it. Then it was three exhilarating days of family fun with the Wuerch cousins: swimming, fishing, Brennan's winning baseball game (10-2), seeing "Captain America's Civil War", and then Mother's Day breakfast, church, and yummy barbeque dinner before heading north for Frisco last night with laugh out loud jokes and stories along the way.

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To say that I feel overwhelmed with God's tender mercies, puts it mildly. I know it must seem so mechanical to read my posts because I'm always posting about gratitude, celebrating life and its great moments. I just can't help myself. The truth is....that's what I focus on, so that's just what I keep getting. Accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative....just keeps the sunshine shining -- whether there's rain or shine! What a way to live!

You Are Living Stones

I have a birds-eye view from my office window, of the house being built across the street from me (pictured here). It’s really quite amazing how – just a couple of weeks ago – there was just a vacant lot. It is gradually becoming a home that will soon have happy occupants inside. For the first time, I’ve become keenly aware of the intricate, detailed, precise artistry of the stonemasons. Each rock is random in shape and size, but is actually hand-picked to connect to its neighboring rocks and precisely placed for the forces and elements of nature that will come, yet those stones will withstand the test of time. I took photos of this house, and put together this collage yesterday. You can see the house at the top, the photo at the bottom left is the brilliant stonemason, and the bottom right is the stone cutter. Patience, endurance, and an eye for the layout to be concise – not to mention, their exquisite craftsmanship certainly entitles them to bear the name "Master Artists".

I'm amazed as I think about us, God’s masterpieces, and His plans and purposes for our lives and what all, and who all, He had in mind when He created us. We may feel like random works of art, but, oh no, He had specific "stones" that would be connected to our lives. He had our families in mind; He had our friends in mind; He had those He would want us to influence in mind; He had our generation in mind; He had the future generation in mind. We were hand-picked to connect to people with the knowledge that what we do and who we are, will withstand the test of time……to eternity. My prayer is “Use me, Lord! Please pick me! Oh, great, Chief Cornerstone, may I be one of your “living stones” used as a stepping stone for others to come to You! (I Peter 2:5 “You are living stones…..")

"We are works of art, and we are artists at work."