Rest and Refresh...

I woke up this morning with the thought of doing some work on my book and getting "caught up" with things. Don't know what that means but we all do it.

We forget to rest and refresh ourselves. Keeping in mind that God rested too. We think if we feel overwhelmed or anxious that somehow we have misplaced our faith. Such nonsense. Taking some time off for yourself gives one the opportunity to rethink, rest your mind and rejuvenate your soul.

Whatever it is for you it means being quiet or still, and for some it means getting physical with exercise. For me I love to take a short, but restful nap as seen here in the picture of my grandson Dylan. Children can sleep anywhere. They can just drift off and have a peaceful rest and wake up refreshed and ready to play for another 5 hours.

So go rest and refresh and let your dreams take you where you want to go.

National Donor Awareness Month...

Extending your hand and your heart is what donor awareness is all about.

April is donor awareness month all over the country. I have been busy working booths, spreading the word, and telling my own personal story of renewed health to all who will listen.

As a rule, most people are not concerned nor do they think about this cause until it strikes them. I suppose that is true with any physical or mental challenge we encounter.

There are many wonderful stories of triumph over disease. You can click on to my valuable resources and go to Transplantcafe.com and share in the stories of so many gifts of life.

It is a term used often (gift of life), but it is the phrase that fits the cause and the very difficult journey of those who are waiting. Watching others waiting reminds me of the 4 year wait I was on to receive the gift of life. Every time the phone rings you jump, and the anticipation of a new organ or tissue is only part of this tedious process. In my first book "Waiting to Die, Wanting to Live" I share how patience and God become my best friend.

During the waiting period you must stay alive long enough and meet certain criteria before the surgery can even be performed. So I think how you learn to wait is how you will relearn to live your life once you receive whatever life saving organ you are blessed to receive. For when illness strikes it takes you out of your normal world and activity. When you begin to regain your health after transplant you hopefully will live it in a different way. I became more grateful, more aware of the joy of peace and how quickly the world can get you off course and we forget. As a recipient I will never forget the gift of generosity and love that was bestowed upon me. I never have or will take my life for granted. A second chance means something special, and you must do something special with your life. I want to make a difference.

To all the living donors and donor families who through a most difficult time managed to give a renewed life to a recipient I say a personal thank you. Thank you seems hardly enough, but I will honor the gift, live life to the fullest and take care of the gift given by another. Please take a moment and reflect and say a quiet thank you to those who gave so unselfishly. Be grateful, be humbled, be thankful. A good way to live your life.

Mom...

I had been thinking of my mom and dad over the Easter weekend and was delighted to see pictures emailed to me by my baby sister Christina, who has a birthday tomorrow. We won't mention her age. Happy Birthday to you. May you have many more.

We must have been feeling the essence of family when she sent some wonderful pictures of all of us in those treasured days we tend to forget about, until someone jogs our memory.

So today I just wanted to say I miss and love you mom. How I wish you were here to share a day with me, have a cup of coffee, and some days I would just like a hug.
We will meet again. Until then I will try and carry on with all the things you taught me. And for sure mom your dream of the girls loving each other is a daily reality. We are friends and sisters for life. Thank you for all you were and are.

Jump In...

It takes courage to walk into an atmosphere that is set against you. However, if you're going to get what you want out of life, out of God or any adverse situation, you've got to be prepared. People may be murmuring in corners, but you have to know that the mission you are on is so important that you cannot afford to worry about what people think. You must go anyway.

So spring into action, and take hold of your vision. See it, believe it and embrace that which is yours for the taking. Jump into the waters of life and be filled. Let your dreams take you where you want to be.

And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40)

Easter and Holy Week...

Resting in the arm's of Jesus as the picture depicts reminds us what Easter and Holy Week are all about. It is a time of letting go and reaching out for a new beginning. Spring is the rebirth of not only the nature found around us, but it is the time of the year to reclaim our rebirth with our faith and love for God and one another.

We have a forgiving merciful God and must remember that his forgiveness is always there for us. We need only to forgive ourselves and receive that love He has for us, so that we may give that to others.

Holy Week means different things to different people. Some celebrate with colorful eggs, chocolate Easter bunnies, and maybe attending church this time of year because it is the right thing to do. Some, like my friend Jen will be confirmed at Easter Vigil this coming Saturday. She will become one with God and be brought into a community of loving people that will share in her joy and her love for God. Her journey has been amazing and will only continue to abound in greater love and joy.
She has made the step up and into God's Love and His word. I am proud to have such a friend. She makes God proud too.

Our relationship with God should be a daily event. It is important that you continually stimulate the mind and refresh your spirit. It is like going to the gym and giving your muscles a workout, and expecting your body to maintain that one time visit.

I think that is sometimes how we visit God. If God becomes an obligation or you are seeking because you feel entitled to what God has for you, then you have missed the very essence of who God is. We must be re mined of why Christ died. His teachings are powerful and loving. And the true presence of God is love. The teachings are simple enough...Love unconditionally, help the poor, the homeless, the ones others can't and don't want to see.

As messengers of God it is important that we know what message to send and deliver.
So if you see someone that has lost their way, joy, faith, job or have lost hope in life itself, it is up to the messengers of God to fulfil that purpose. Lift them up spiritually,financially, and most of all show them love, mercy, lend a listening ear or a gentle hug. Be intuned to what others are seeking and if you can, fill that need.

Try doing something for someone today and truly be a messanger of God. He will reward you with such joy and a sense of peace. Don't miss your opportunity to be blessed by blessing others.

I am of the Kingdom of God, a citizen of Heaven. (Eph. 2:19)