A Big Thumbs Up – All is Well!

That fiasco last week of trying to find a replacement for my daughter's peace sign hand that I accidentally broke, led me to this “thumbs-up hand”. Of course, I had to buy it for sweet memories’ sake. In this photo, my husband was talking to our children shortly after surgery and giving them the "All is well -- thumbs up sign". From there, I went into wimpy-mode, shedding a few tears, as I pulled out the album I made him for his 60th birthday, and saw the words our children and close friends and family wrote to him. Perfect timing because today is that sweet man’s birthday. Please indulge me as I remember the love of my life in the letter I gave him on that 60th birthday. He might be looking on as I share this with you today. I hope so because I still mean every word. I'm sure he'll also be running with our son, Ryan, as he runs his "virtual" Boston Marathon today:

My Sweetheart......Happy Birthday!
It is difficult to put my thoughts around the notion that you are 60-years old. How can that be? I still remember feasting my eyes on that good looking, dark-haired boy in the choir. Little did I realize that he would one day be mine. All I can say to that is "God bless the day I found you!"
I hope you know how much you are loved, honored, respected, and admired by everyone. This is a time of celebrating a man that has made his mark 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 pushing and encouraging me to be all I could be. You have always made me feel like a sexy, voluptuous, and beautiful woman. When I didn't believe in myself -- you believed in me! I am so thankful for the amazing husband, father, and grandfather that you are. You have always given of yourself so freely to so many. I will never forget the precious, caring and giving way you treated my mom. You always made her feel like a queen. You went above and beyond in the love you had for my family -- you not only opened the door to them, but you fed them, clothed them and gave them truly the Father's love. You really are a replica of Christ's love. There are so many adjectives for this man named "Ronald Wuerch" and so many reasons why I celebrate your life of 60 years, but here are just a few. I love Ronald because.....
• He plays the piano and sings so beautifully
• He can build a house from ground up and make it a home for many
• He can fly an airplane
• He can fix anything
• He has so much wisdom and creativity
• He is a gifted storyteller
• He is a great fisherman and campfire builder
• He cooks great spaghetti
• He is the world's best masseuse
• He helps around the house
• He is so giving to those in need
• He is so thoughtful and romantic, and always holds my hand in public.
• He never makes me feel bad about an impulse purchase
• He is my greatest cheerleader
• He sees the good in everyone and has led our family in the optimistic, positive faith message of God’s Word that has caused ultimate success in each of our lives.
• He is really my best friend, lover, confidante, my hero, and the love of my life. I cannot imagine living one day without him.
• And there's not enough room here to continue with all that you are to me......but I want you to know that I wish you dreams come true, desires fulfilled and blessings beyond what you could ask or think.......because, my Love, you deserve it all!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY DARLING!
Love, Donna

Lord, Please Give Me PEACE about this PEACE Sign

While being my kids' dogs' sitter, I've enjoyed the inspirations at their home for my blogs. After I blogged a few days ago about the peace-sign hand on my daughter's wall where she does her video shows, of all things, when going to look at one of the books under it, I knocked the hand off the shelf and it broke into all these pieces shown here. I was dismayed, especially because it was purposed for that spot. I found a tag under the bottom piece, tried to order it from that store, but all their stores were sold out. When I couldn't subtlety get a replacement, I called and confessed to my daughter. In her encouragement-mode, she said, “Mom, don’t let that broken peace sign steal your PEACE. Don’t worry about it!” I tried to keep my peace. After all, my blogs carry a common theme -- living in peace.

I would not be denied. I tried the internet and found the exact peace sign figurine on Amazon and ordered it. It came the next day, but to my chagrin, it was in an envelope instead of wrapped in a box -- broken into pieces (seen in this photo)! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I sent the photo to Staci. She replied: “Devil can’t break my PEACE!” And, he won’t break my PEACE either. I reordered it again and my intention with this blog was to show it -- all tightly back in place!

Oh, but not so! The second one came to me the next day – same packaging – and broken. I talked to a kind young man at Amazon support who assured me via his personal email to me: “I sent over your feed back to the company you purchased the item from to make sure your item arrives in perfect condition.” I keep reminding myself “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Me” (Isaiah 26:3). I knew the PEACE sign would get here, tomorrow, and this time – the day I leave for Austin to take care of my two youngest grands for a few days. Dogs-sitting to boys-sitting!

Thursday, September 3rd: Doorbell rings. Buddy, the 85-pound Australian Shepherd is barking like a wild, man-eating machine. I peek through the blinds. Oh, it’s the Amazon guy with my package, but OH NO! It’s packaged the same. I quickly open the door to nab the delivery guy before he leaves the package and Buddy rushes past me and nabs the guy for me – on the leg! Dear God! Help! The guy gets out through the gate as I am pleading for his forgiveness. I ask to see his leg and thank, God – only scratched. That was my fault – Buddy is a great guard dog, but his protection isn’t needed when it’s a friendly visitor. We typically put him in another room when a stranger comes to the door! But, here’s the absolute determining factor that satan has zeroed in on my peace zone – to steal it from me. The PEACE hand in the same packaging, is also broken. And, poor Buddy, with his ears back is in time-out!

I pour my heart out to Staci about this inability to maintain my peace. What is wrong with me? I say it again – my President is running an entire country and has so many reasons to REALLY be stressed-out – and here I am in this little Peace Zone space – losing it. Staci says “Mom, let it go! Let the peace come. Maybe this is all for good. I have let it go. Maybe someone might be watching one of my shows and see that peace hand and for some reason it offends them.” She gives me so much reinforcement that I need this day. So I do let it go! Lord, have mercy! I have conquered way more stressful situations than this. I get it. The enemy's goal is to steal our peace that comes from our Prince of Peace.

So, here I am crawling, limping, and wimping back into my Peace Zone. I’m getting bandaged up, wiped up, and straightened up to be God’s girl of peace, sweet peace again. Why shouldn’t I be in peace? God promised it to me if I would live in that place. It’s a choice I must make daily. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” I shall go forward — embracing these sweet days with these doggies and onto my people in Austin. I’m choosing to be care-free and unafraid and daily living in my peace zone! I’m sending that peace out to you today – AND NOT, with that very breakable peace hand sign!

We Become What We Feed Ourselves

Being here at my children’s home while they are away to care for their two furry critters, sure gives me plenty of content for my blogs. You see, my girl cherishes the things and the people that helped get her here to this time and place. Everywhere you look around here, she has vignettes of treasured memories.

Case in point is this vignette of the peace sign figurine. If you’ve ever seen one of Staci's videos, you’ll see her use that sign at the end. Under the figurine are books written by three of her favorite authors and speakers who impacted her life. "Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren is one of my favorites, too. We believe we are here on Planet Earth at this time and this place, intentionally, by God for purposes beyond coincidence. We believe that before we were born, God wanted us to discover the life He created for us to live – here on earth and forever in eternity. I love what St. Paul says in Ephesians 1:11 “Because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.” I am forever grateful to know we are products of His divine purpose for our lives.

Next in the stack is “The 360-degree Leader” by another of her favorite authors, John Maxwell. Staci would tell you that her business acumen has come from her thirst for knowledge by reading and devouring successful leaders’ advice and training. She has been driven to be a devoted Christ-follower and leader in the marketplace and books like this have helped her become the leader worth following in her faith, her business, in relationships and her personal life.

And, the book at the bottom which represents the foundation (besides the Bible) of her positive, optimistic, can-do attitude, is "Over the Top". That is just one of the many other books she consumed by her mentor and beloved father-figure while travelling with him for twelve years, Zig Ziglar. Before we were introduced to Zig, we were his followers, so much so that we became little Zigs. His life philosophies, motivational speaking, his Christian witness and his personal “walk” made him our mentor. We raised our kids on those principles and I attribute much of their success to what we spoke into them and lived before them. My husband taught those principles in his own "Born to Win" seminars in churches and organizations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Belize. We desired that others achieve what we knew were life-changing principles. We wanted to pay-it-forward and make the difference in people’s lives, too. “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” — Zig Ziglar

Even in something as simple as dog-sitting, we can find reasons to be grateful for who or what made us the best we can be. It’s reminded me to be thankful for the blessings of ups and downs that showed us how to navigate the waters and come safely to the other side. I’ll bet you’ve had wisdom and knowledge poured into your life that helped you navigate, too. Maybe you can think about them right now and thank God for His plan and purposes that caused you to be the amazing person that you are today!