I'm Marching with my Commander's Cadence

It’s another glorious morning. I’m owning it. With one air-bud in and the other ear listening to God’s creation greet me with a cheerful “Good morning”, I know I’m on point. With that one ear open to the sounds around me, I hear the cadence of my walking. It was almost like I was marching – 1-2-3-4.

A memory flashed through my mind of my oldest grandson at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, TX and our visit down to see him. It was during such a painful time for my husband who, in the next month, would be diagnosed with kidney cancer, and a few months later, pass on. But oh the pride and joy Papa had this day when he saw his oldest grandson in his regal march and cadence with his fellow cadets.

I know there’s something to be said for a great military cadence! I read that besides physiological effects, cadences produce significant physical effects. Singing a cadence while running or marching helps soldiers keep their heads up, take deeper breaths and exhale more forcefully. All that increases oxygen to the lungs and gives the body more energy, which makes their unit healthier and better prepared for the physical feats and tests they had to take. Maybe, I'm feeling some of that today!

To even compare my little walking steps to a military cadence is ridiculous, but on the other hand – in the light of my purposeful listening for my Commander’s voice, maybe not so much. The military listens for their Commander’s voice and so do I. They are “at ease” or are “forward marching” and so am I. I’m either in a “be still and know” stance or I’m moving on with the next task my Commander gives me.

This morning I hear the words “march on”. Usually, I’m power-walking, but this day my march becomes a stroll as I see this dear lady, using her walker, coming toward me as she has many times. In my community, social distancing is a really big deal. We are supposed to stay 6-feet away from each other on our walking paths, so, we always kept our distance.

Typically, Helen (I ask her name this morning), and I just nod at each other with a “Good morning” greeting. But this morning I know I must stop and intentionally speak to her. I ask if she has had surgery and she says: “No, I’ve had a form of muscular dystrophy and couldn’t walk at all, but I’ve purposed to not settle for that, so I walk. Before I could just barely walk in my home with my walker but I didn’t want to stop there. Now I do what I can outside." I tell Helen she blessed me with her courage.

I’m so glad I listened to my Commander when He said to me “At ease”! I get it. Sometimes He wants me to slow down to speak a good word to a neighbor and sometimes He wants me to get on with my day. Oh, how I desire to ebb and flow with Him – in q cadence of the stillness, the easy-does-it times of a slow pace and the forward march times.

Graduates – the World is Your Oyster!

You did it, Grads, and we’re so proud of you! I know it’s not a laughing matter because the pain is real, but this guy amused me with his sentiments about the graduation situation. The other photo here is of a virtual graduation where robots were used to represent the graduates. Can this be the Twilight Zone?

I've sent off dosh-loaded graduation cards to some of my beloved family members because -- well, there won't be graduations-as-usual. I’ve been entertained by the way some of you moms and dads are making sure your graduates are being applauded – signs in yards, drive-bys, photos, and expressions of love and support on social media. Congrats to all of you -- graduates AND parents! It's a great feat to have made it to this Rite of Passage even though all those 12 years (and more) have ended abruptly in a lack-luster way of celebrating you. But, the celebration isn’t the goal – the accomplishments, perseverance, tenacity, fortitude is what matters. So, well done! What a memory you'll tell your kids about one day!

Of course, you were supposed to have had a BIG graduation party to kick-start your accomplishments. But, instead, you’ve already been introduced to the world of complexities and challenges. In the commencement speeches, you were supposed to have heard “the world is your oyster” as you embark on your adult life. Everything is open to you like the metaphor of an oyster that there’s a chance it has a pearl in it. I’m believing that you will find MANY pearls!

Here’s some GOOD NEWS -- you’ve gained a head start on conquering. You’ve acquired a great start on mental toughness and being a winner and winners never quit and quitters never win. Go forth into this world declaring that “if God is for me, no one (or thing) can be against me!" (Romans 8:31) Run your race. You’re in it to win it – regardless of the way your graduation looked. I pray that all of you graduates pursue God's will first and foremost -- being a God-pursuer. Because as a God-pursurer, you'll land right where God intends you to land.

To all Graduates and Dreamers – “Before you ever came into being, God called your name. He formed you with love and intricately designed every part of who you would become. You truly are made "in an amazing and wonderful way" (Psalm 139:14). You are here because God looked out over all of time and space and chose you for this generation right here -- right now! There will never be another you or another opportunity to do what only you are chosen to complete.

So, go out there in boldness knowing that you don't have to be like anyone else. You are chosen for one life — yours. And the wonderful news? Whatever God chooses for you to do, He has equipped you for it. Being chosen means that success is simply obedience and trusting God will do the rest. Being chosen means that you have God as your partner every step of the way. We'll be cheering you on every step too! The best is yet to be for you and we can't wait to see it unfold. Now show off that life by making it the best life it could ever be for God, others and YOU!

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!

Sing and Walk

Pope Francis said “Singing is good for one's soul, so sing and walk. Christian life is a path, but it is not a sad path. It is a joyous path that is done singing and walking’, so SING and WALK!

Those words resonated with me. I’ve been doing that for a very long time. My Mama taught it to me. I watched her, in some of the toughest times with my sick daddy and her having to be the breadwinner for us – sing her way to joy and peace. Singing kept her on that joyous path that Pope Francis talked about. And, singing and walking – that’s me. I will start out walking and before long, I’ll be singing a tune expressing my love to God.

When I was actively running half-marathons, part of my routine included singing as I ran. I started with the letters of the alphabet: A – I’d sing something like “America, America, God shed His grace on Thee,” B – Bless the Lord oh my Soul and all that is within me; C – Count Your Blessings name them one by one, etc. Sounds crazy, but I assure you it would make those 10, 12, 13 miles go by so much faster. Even during the night if I have trouble sleeping, I’ll do the same thing (but not out loud). As Pope Francis said “sing and walk” and even in my case “sing and sleep”!

My music background started as a young child taking piano lessons. That served me well in being able to read music which helped me with learning to play the flute, being in the school and church choirs, then playing the organ and piano for our church, and with my husband, his sister, another young man and myself hitting the road as The Masters IV Quartet.

Our daughter became her dad’s protégé and he coached and hard-wired into her the gift and love for music. He was relentless in being sure those early signs of singing abilities were cultivated, and refined. And, as it turned out, God seemed to extract the best of us and infuse her with the above and beyond in musical talents. I can’t begin to tell you what it does for me and, I know, her daddy from heaven, to see her belting out love songs to God.

I recently read about the health benefits of singing – especially for our memory and elimination of stress. I understand that, because some of those songs I’ll sing when I’m singing the alphabet are old songs I learned as a young child. I get amazed how well I remember all those words. I’m sure you experience that, too!

I believe God hardwired all of His kids with the ability to sing. I’m not talking about being a virtuoso, but I am talking about a joyful noise like Psalm 100:1-2 -- “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing.”

Paul the Apostle said in Colossians 3:16 “Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about God’s kindness. Sing to God in your hearts.” I love that. Another key to success in overcoming and winning in life is singing – and even if we don’t enjoy singing out loud, Paul told us….”Sing to God in your hearts.”

Just maybe you have hidden talents that aren’t for the big crowds, but they are for singing love songs to the ONE who longs to receive our love. Singing is a great way to express our love to Him Who, by the way, is the CREATOR of music. You ask me why my heart keeps singing, why I can sing when things go wrong, 'cause since I found the Source of music, I just can’t help it, God gave the song.

And, I Think to Myself......What a Wonderful World!

I’m loving being in WA and back to my routine of taking my two youngest grandsons to school and picking them up in the afternoon! Yesterday morning, as we headed out of the driveway, we heard on the radio, Louis Armstrong singing “And I think to myself, “What a Wonderful World”. Suddenly, I had a sweet memory. As Louis’ song continued, it was the background as I told them this story:

“It was our first morning home from the hospital, and the doctors had just told us they had done all they could do to help Papa get well. Papa was lying in his bed. Do you remember how he could see the lake from the bed?" Both of the boys remembered. I went on, “I can’t even imagine all that must have been going on in Papa’s head as he looked out our bedroom windows that were open wide that morning. Wasn’t it so cool how Papa and Nana’s window faced the little lake (the accompanying picture is that view)? I’ll bet Papa was thinking about you guys and what fun he had fishing with you down there! It was such a beautiful morning. The water was smooth as glass, the fish were jumping, and the birds were chirping really loud. Then the doorbell rang. It was our new Social Worker, Melvin – a really sweet African American man, who was so happy and joyful. A social worker is someone who cheers you up if you might be sad. I think God picked him just for us. After he asked us lots of questions, I asked what he liked to do. He said he loves singing in his church’s choir, so I asked if he’d sing a song for us. He immediately began singing. He had a great voice, and he was singing this song that we’re listening to, right now. Just think about what Papa was thinking when he heard these words:

I see trees of green, red roses, too. I see them bloom for me and you.
And I think to myself, “what a wonderful world”.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night. And I think to myself, “what a wonderful world”.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky. Are also on the faces of people going by, I see friends shaking hands, saying "How do you do?" They're really saying "I love you".
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow. They'll learn much more than I'll ever know. And I think to myself, “what a wonderful world”. Yes I think to myself, “what a wonderful world”.

Brennan said, “What did Papa do?” I said, “He smiled real big!” Brennan said, “That’s what I thought!” And I replied, "And he's still smiling real big, and he's probably singing "And I think to myself, what a wonderful HEAVEN!" We all laughed because we just KNEW that's what Papa is doing!