Life Lessons From Mom - Think and Live!

My mother was a nurses' technical assistant at University Hospitals in Cleveland for 37 years.  She successfully reared six children and still found time to take care of people in the community and so many in her extended family.  She took the time to look pretty, smell good and she was an accomplished cook!  She had a signature smile that would light up a room.  From the outside, many people thought she had it "made!"  Very few people knew the challenges she faced with her marriage and so many other day to day obstacles. 

One day, it was all too much.  Too many life events were happening at once and mom could not see the light of day.  She loved the Lord and her children but this particular day, she couldn't get her bearings and she just felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. A thought popped into her head that she could just leave it all behind and just take a long walk into Lake Erie (we lived a stone's throw from the lake) and not look back.  My mother could not swim.  

Mom worked in the emergency room and typically it was teeming with activity.  This was a slow night and at one point there were no patients waiting to be seen.  She was in the linen room folding towels when she heard a voice say "You've  got a lot to live for, if you just think about it!" She quickly looked in the hall and there was no one there.  She realized that she had heard the voice of the Lord. He was letting her know that no matter how hard things might get, that she still had so much more of life to live. 

She told that story to many people to encourage them to hold on even when things looked bleak.  I thought of my mom's saying this weekend as I watched the University of South Carolina's running back, Marcus Lattimore, writhing in pain from a devastating knee injury.  He had just returned to his starting position after an injury to the other knee.  I can only imagine how discouraged he must have felt.  After just finishing the long rehabilitation with one knee he is facing an even longer road with a more serious injury. 

Marcus must have felt encouraged when he saw players from both teams rush to his side and knell in prayer and support.  By Monday, over a 1000 people gathered on campus to wish him happy birthday and to show their support.  He truly has a lot to live for and God spoke to him through the immediate show of support from so many.  

I don't know what you are going through right now but I do know that you have a lot to live for, if you just think about it!  Take Mother Hubbard's words to heart and live life to the fullest!

DJ

Train up a Child

Everywhere I look I hear someone hating on Tim Tebow!  Every week I am reading a commentary or listening to a sports announcer musing about how “over the top” Tebow is with his faith and why he should tone down his message and just play ball.  We live in a world where negativity is always front page news while the special interest story may not even make the news at all.

People who really know me know that I am not a Gator fan (I am mean, SERIOUSLY—They are the team that robbed my Buckeyes and my child of the National Championship Title in 2006) and I am not a Broncos fan (that same child went on to play for the Raiders-Need I say more?).  What I am is a mom and a child of God who is thrilled that there is a player out there whose walk matches his talk.  I am not talking about the player who gets down on one knee after a big play and then is arrested for a DUI after the game. Nor am I talking about the person who thanks God for his victory and then is ranting and cussing on Facebook (sometimes this happens on the same post).

Tim Tebow grew up in a Christian home where it was common to give back to the community, go on mission trips and do the right thing.  I am not saying that Tebow is a saint, but it sure is refreshing to see a child who was trained well and hasn’t forgotten what he has learned.  That is a parent’s dream.  It seems to be paying off in his first season as a Bronco.  Every week someone tells me that Tebow is just not that good and then has to eat their words when the Broncos win again.  I believe that living right has its rewards. 

We are living in an era where it is hard to find role models in high profile places. Thank you Tebow for not being ashamed of who you believe in and for his parents who seemed to have done a great job training up this young man.