Who Hit Fast Forward??

Remember when we were kids, and time seemed to draaaaaggg on by? Days seemed unending, overflowing with spare time to do whatever we wanted.

I miss those days.

I just took one of my dearest friends to the airport this morning for a flight home. (Had her there at 4 a.m.!! Shows how much I love her!) She arrived 10 days ago, and I was so excited. Ten whole days to savor her laughter, her presence, her wisdom, all face-to-face. Ten days to sip coffee and share our thoughts, whether deep or crazy. Ten. Whole. Days.

I remember when ten days seemed an eternity. Now? I'm sitting here wondering where the heck they went! How can they be over already?? Seems like all I did was blink, and it was time to say good-bye. As I sat here missing her already, I thought about all we did over these last ten days. We took day trips to lakes and covered bridges, spent a few days with another dear friend, had lots of talks and coffee, played cribbage, talked some more and laughed and laughed. It was, really, a wonderful visit. But it wasn't enough time.

Seems, nowadays, like there's never enough time.

To be with friends.
To cherish family.
To soak in God's beauty.
To revel in my dogs' adoration.
To listen to music.
To read that ever growing pile of books.

To do any of the things I want to do.

As I thought about it, I realized something. I may not be able to stop time, but I can sure decide how I'm going to use it. I can let it all just pass me by, then regret the things I didn't do. Or I can purpose, each day, to take the time for the things that really matter. Whether it's watching a movie with my wonderful dad, sharing a cuppa with my hubby, being with my friends, or just throwing a ball for the doggies...I can choose to take moments each day to savor all the blessings God has given me. I don't ever, EVER, want to look back on my life (what's left of it, anyway) and sigh, "I just didn't have time for that."

I've got the time. No matter what I say or how stressed I feel, the simple fact is, I have the time.

I just need to use it more wisely. And I'm going to.

Starting today.

Peace, friends.

Karen

That's What Friends Are For!

My dear friend, Peggy Whitson, is here from Illinois for a visit. Having her here is such a blessing. I wonder if there's anything as uplifting as friends who have known you for a long, long time. In Peggy's case, the poor woman has had to put up with me since the late seventies. Yes, THAT long.

The woman's a saint.

Few people know me as well as Peggy. And few people can make me laugh as hard or as long as she. And few people can speak truth to my heart and spirit like she does. All of which just makes me cherish her more.

Interesting thing is, we're quite different when it comes to our personalities. But God has used that to help us teach and refine each other. I get her to giggle like a little kid; she stirs me to integrity and transparency.   I'm the Golden Retriever to her Terrier. And I love that. And I love how God also breathed similarities into us. Some of those similarities might seem...bad. We both deal with asthma and fibromyalgia. We both struggle with memory issues. We both are fighting diabetes. But here's what's so cool about it: because we truly understand these things from the inside out, we are able to encourage one another. And laugh. Oh! How we laugh. Like the time we went hiking here in Oregon, up a trail that was decidedly more difficult than two asthmatics should have hiked, and we had to stop every few minutes to wheeze and suck on our inhalers. Not so much because the hike was hard, though it certainly was. But because we were laughing so hard. We joked that we'd probably pass out, or even expire right then and there on the path. But we'd go out knowing we'd TRIED, and we'd be smiling.

Peggy and I share something else: She is a writer, too. Not just a writer, but a really good writer. She sees life in ways that make me stop and think, and she's so honest in what she writes. I love reading her work. Which is why I'm so tickled that, just today, she started a blog, Life in the Fog. I'm delighted to tell you about and, in this small way, share one of God's greatest gifts in my life--the inimitable Peggy--with you. So go visit her blog, and if you like it, go back. And hey, tell her I sent ya.

She needs to know how much she owes me.

God's Gift of Friends

Have you considered how wondrous a gift friends are? How rare it is to find someone who is willing to let you into her life, and to be present for you through thick and thin? Scripture tells us that it's not good to be alone, that we all need fellowship, to gather together and encourage and exhort one another.

It's so easy today to let life fly by without stopping and celebrating those God has brought to us, those who share our journey. So I challenge you to stop, right now, and think about the friends you have. Those who have come alongside you, who have become a part of the fabric of your life.

I'm thinking of one such friend too. The amazing Julee Schwarzburg, who is celebrating her birthday today.

Or rather, those who know her are celebrating it. Because she's one of those rare people who warms and blesses everyone she meets. So this is for my pal, Julee.

A friend who speaks truth to me when I need to hear it, but does so with love and tenderness.

A heart-sister who God has used, oh so well, to bring me encouragement, wisdom, and laughter.

A fellow sojourner who has known me in my darkest moments and still loves me. Without reservation.

Julee, who shares my penchant for adventure, travel, deep conversation,

and moments of silliness.

Who has a powerful love for Scripture,

words and writing, for authors and readers.

Who knows what it is to walk a path of faith and obedience, even when it's terribly difficult.

Thanks, God, for the gift of Julee.

And thanks, Julee, for being who you are--and enriching my life in more ways than I can express.