Peter was three years ahead of me in high school.
Peter was born in the year John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States of America.
I was born the year Kennedy was assassinated.
His last name came from that proud Eastern European Roman Catholic background. Kozo rhymed with "Bozo". Peter had lots of nicknames... PK, Peety, Pete and "The Koz". But rue the day when that one classmate called him "Bozo." Small in comparison to his teasing nemesis, Peter took this kid out with three quick punches and Peter was never called Bozo again... ever!
Popular with the girls and the boys, Peter was one of those counter cultural kids. He cycled long before anyone had ever heard of Lance Armstrong. He rode his skateboard to school long before anyone had ever heard of Tony Hawk. And Tony loved to sing which made my sitting next to him in the choir "cool." I needed all the "coolness" I could muster when I was in high school and sitting next to Peter in the choir helped a ton.
Back then Peter had long flowing hair. With one of those big combs that everyone used to carry in their back pockets, Peter could be seen frequently combing through the locks that made every girl jealous and every boy envious. Always tanned, Peter's bright smile put everyone at ease. As much as he had the chance to be arrogant and cocky, he was just the opposite - cool, yet humble, gracious, kind and took the time to say hello to anyone who wanted to stop and chat on the quad. Everyone knew he loved Jesus but for some reason that love for the Lord was never a turn off. He was a magnet not a repellent.
No one in his family had ever been to college. In typical counter culture fashion Peter went off to UCLA. We stood next to each other in the choir on his day of graduation. We gave each other "low fives" because a "high five" hadn't been invented yet. And off he went with his flowing hair matching his flowing graduation robe.
In 1982 I was experiencing my first summer home from college. Little did I know that Peter would be experiencing his last. Having graduated from UCLA, Peter was back home in the summer of 1982. Off to the beach on his bike, heading down Newport Boulevard, Peter was struck by a van and killed immediately. Today we have Facebook and the news would have been spread in a nanosecond. In the summer of 1982 word leaked out slower than molasses. By the time I heard the news I was getting ready to head back for my sophomore year. Peter had been dead for weeks at that point.
It's been 31 years since Peter passed away...
Rest in peace Peter...
My iWitness...
Yesterday I found myself walking around Gray's Lake in Des Moines, Iowa. On the far side of the two mile trail around the lake is a wide pedestrian bridge that is one quarter of a mile long. On the railing of the bridge, every eight inches were small plaques affixed to the metal railing. Each plaque was in honor or in memory of someone. Some plaques had fake flowers attached to them. Others had little stickers with a smiley face or a cross.
About halfway across a name caught my eye and I stopped and stared for several minutes...
Peter Kozo
1960-1982
I have a confession to make. I have never met Peter Kozo. Everything you read above was the making of Peter Kozo in my own mind and fantasy.
What I was struck by yesterday as I crossed the bridge was that people like Peter Kozo were remembered. They were gone but not forgotten. And as much as I made up the story of Peter Kozo, there is someone, there is some family out there that can and would be more than happy to tell you the story of Peter. Their stories of Peter would be much more vivid and passionate than my fictional fantasy. There is someone who took the time to buy a plaque so that their son, brother, boyfriend or just friend would be forever remembered on the bridge at Gray's Lake Park. Whoever they are, I thank them for remembering Peter.
Once again I come around to this point... You make a difference.
With each passing day you write a page in the book of your life. Some chapters are incredibly exciting and others terribly boring and uneventful. Nonetheless, You have a story to tell.
People read the book you are writing. They are influenced by you. They are moved by you. They are dedicated to you. They are impacted in ways you cannot begin to imagine by your life, your love, your laugh. And when you are gone, you will not be forgotten. Your footprints on the hearts of so many that you know and don't know will keep walking long after your journey has ended..
And the beauty of it all is that like Peter Kozo, you have a name. A name that you love to hear being called out. A name that identifies you and separates you out from the crowd. A name that sometimes defines who you are and a name that people love to have on their lips.
Most of all God loves to say your name. He loves to whisper it in your ear. He loves to shout it from the mountaintops and have your name clap in the echoes. I love one of God's favorite sayings...
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned,
and the flames shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Isaiah 43. 1-3)
Rest in peace today my friend...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
When Grace comes a knockin'
The temperatures in Dubuque, Iowa are on the rise! Warmer temperatures invite people to leave their wintry cocoons and venture outdoors to enjoy the beauty of God's creation.
We live in a great neighborhood filled with children about the same age as Faith and Joshua. The children all get along as well as the parents.
A wonderful sound that we did not hear very often in the winter time is the sound of the doorbell. The kids troll the neighborhood looking for a playmate. The refrain is always the same, "Can (insert name of child) come out and play?" It's a chorus that will be played out many times this summer. I love it!
Last night Grace came a knockin' (literally rang the doorbell). Grace lives over on the next street. As soon as the doorbell rang, Faith and Joshua responded in Pavlovian style and ran as fast as they could to the door using classic Roller Derby techniques to see who would arrive first. Our dog Lily is barking the whole way and mom and dad are not far behind in the rare case that it actually might be an adult at the front door who just might be asking if we can come out and play.
Grace's standard question was met with, "We're sorry honey. It's too late. Faith and Joshua are getting ready to go to bed. (a short protest from Faith and Joshua was met with the Dendy "Don't Disrespect Me Death Stare!" It's quite effective!)
Grace smiled and said, "Okay" and was on her way as the kids exchanged pleasantries.
Grace will come a knockin' again.
She always does...
My iWitness...
I am pretty positive that Grace, Faith and Joshua give little thought to the amount of courage it must take to knock on someone's door and ask them to come out and play.
They do it so effortlessly and with full confidence that the child on the other side of the door will be ready to run outside and play at the drop of a hat.
What would happen if every time they knocked on the door the ready response was, "I'm sorry. We are too busy to play." How many knocks would it take for them to simply stop knocking?
One of my favorite images of Jesus is found in the book of Revelation...
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3. 20)
Jesus stands at the door of my heart each and every day and knocks gently, repetitively, relentlessly, courageously and lovingly offering His grace saying, "Can you come out and play?"
How many times have I said, "I'm sorry Jesus. I am too busy today. Perhaps tomorrow."
And tomorrow comes...
How many "tomorrows" have passed and will pass with His gentle knock that I no longer even go near the front door because I know He is there? I begin to hide in the recesses of my own home only to become a prisoner in the very place I seek to find freedom.
Oh... will you excuse me please? I need to go answer the door.
Grace has come a knockin' again...
He always does...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!
We live in a great neighborhood filled with children about the same age as Faith and Joshua. The children all get along as well as the parents.
A wonderful sound that we did not hear very often in the winter time is the sound of the doorbell. The kids troll the neighborhood looking for a playmate. The refrain is always the same, "Can (insert name of child) come out and play?" It's a chorus that will be played out many times this summer. I love it!
Last night Grace came a knockin' (literally rang the doorbell). Grace lives over on the next street. As soon as the doorbell rang, Faith and Joshua responded in Pavlovian style and ran as fast as they could to the door using classic Roller Derby techniques to see who would arrive first. Our dog Lily is barking the whole way and mom and dad are not far behind in the rare case that it actually might be an adult at the front door who just might be asking if we can come out and play.
Grace's standard question was met with, "We're sorry honey. It's too late. Faith and Joshua are getting ready to go to bed. (a short protest from Faith and Joshua was met with the Dendy "Don't Disrespect Me Death Stare!" It's quite effective!)
Grace smiled and said, "Okay" and was on her way as the kids exchanged pleasantries.
Grace will come a knockin' again.
She always does...
My iWitness...
I am pretty positive that Grace, Faith and Joshua give little thought to the amount of courage it must take to knock on someone's door and ask them to come out and play.
They do it so effortlessly and with full confidence that the child on the other side of the door will be ready to run outside and play at the drop of a hat.
What would happen if every time they knocked on the door the ready response was, "I'm sorry. We are too busy to play." How many knocks would it take for them to simply stop knocking?
One of my favorite images of Jesus is found in the book of Revelation...
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3. 20)
Jesus stands at the door of my heart each and every day and knocks gently, repetitively, relentlessly, courageously and lovingly offering His grace saying, "Can you come out and play?"
How many times have I said, "I'm sorry Jesus. I am too busy today. Perhaps tomorrow."
And tomorrow comes...
How many "tomorrows" have passed and will pass with His gentle knock that I no longer even go near the front door because I know He is there? I begin to hide in the recesses of my own home only to become a prisoner in the very place I seek to find freedom.
Oh... will you excuse me please? I need to go answer the door.
Grace has come a knockin' again...
He always does...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Alcoholism
My friend is an alcoholic.
My friend has read my iWitness blog before and if this friend reads today's blog, my friend will probably pray for my alcoholic friend, never believing or even thinking that this blog is about the person that my friend sees in the mirror every day.
I will not even delve into the ins and outs of the why's and how's of Alcoholism.
Let's just all agree that it is devastating, destructive, divisive, denial producing and down right damning for every person whose life is touched by its long reaching tentacles.
My dad was an alcoholic. For how long? I don't know but I would venture to guess for about the last 62 years of his life. Highly functioning and yet, he lost his business, his marriage, his friends, and his standing in the neighborhood and community. I am grateful for the friends and family that stood by him even when he couldn't stand by or for himself. You know who you are... THANK YOU!
You know my alcoholic friend. It could be you. It could be your mom or dad or brother or sister or son or daughter or your business partner, or boss or husband or wife. It could be anyone...
I wept over my friend today. My friend didn't know that I wept. And if my friend would ask me why I was weeping and I gave a straight answer there would be a fight, a screaming match, a slamming of doors, a full onslaught of denials and accusations. It would not be pretty. It would get ugly fast. The tension scale would go from zero to sixty faster than a Porsche 911. The very thing that has held our friendship together would snap in an instant causing irreparable damage.
And here's the tension. There is so much invested. There is so much to lose. There is so much to gain. There is so much at stake. There is so much love and there is so much pain. And the question hits me like a "two by four..."
"What's the right thing to do?"
I know what Jesus would do...
Can I do the same?
There will be a temptation for you and others to flood my inbox with suggestions. Please refrain. I've heard them all and tried them all. And that's another reason it's so damn frustrating. Until my friend decides to do something, nothing can be done...and nothing will be done, other than my friend's life spiraling further and further out of control...like a whirlpool sucking everything down into its unrelenting vortex.
I have another friend who is a recovering alcoholic. Emphasis on the word, "Recovering!" This friend will read this post and this friend will "like" it on my Facebook page. And because my friend is going to "like" this post, I will get to see my friend's face on my Facebook page... my friend's beautiful face with a beautiful smile exuding the joy of life from a lovely heart. And the reason that I will smile and probably shed a tear is because I can vividly remember when my friend's life was on the brink, on the edge and now my friend is back, back to being the better self, with the family totally intact and life moving forward in all sorts of incredible ways. I love stories like this of restoration and redemption!! Praise the Lord!
My iWitness...
I have talked about two friends...
One is an alcoholic.
One is a recovering alcoholic.
What's the difference between the two?
A world of difference!!
One is recovering. The other one is not.
One grabbed God's loving hand and is spiraling upward.
One let go and is spiraling downward toward a rock bottom landing.
They both make me cry... but for a host of different reasons.
"O gracious and loving Lord. There are so many things in my world that I have allowed to have control over me. Help me to be bold to recognize and call them by name those things that have taken over my life and my world. Help me realize that I cannot overcome these vices, these demons, these destructive behaviors without You. I can do nothing without you.
And for my dear friend and friends who are being held captive by alcoholism...O Lord... my heart aches, my eyes weep. Open their eyes and allow them to see life in a new way, that being dependent on you leads to freedom and being dependent on alcohol leads to enslavement and destruction."
Don't raise a glass for my friend...
Raise a prayer instead...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7. 21-25)
My friend has read my iWitness blog before and if this friend reads today's blog, my friend will probably pray for my alcoholic friend, never believing or even thinking that this blog is about the person that my friend sees in the mirror every day.
I will not even delve into the ins and outs of the why's and how's of Alcoholism.
Let's just all agree that it is devastating, destructive, divisive, denial producing and down right damning for every person whose life is touched by its long reaching tentacles.
My dad was an alcoholic. For how long? I don't know but I would venture to guess for about the last 62 years of his life. Highly functioning and yet, he lost his business, his marriage, his friends, and his standing in the neighborhood and community. I am grateful for the friends and family that stood by him even when he couldn't stand by or for himself. You know who you are... THANK YOU!
You know my alcoholic friend. It could be you. It could be your mom or dad or brother or sister or son or daughter or your business partner, or boss or husband or wife. It could be anyone...
I wept over my friend today. My friend didn't know that I wept. And if my friend would ask me why I was weeping and I gave a straight answer there would be a fight, a screaming match, a slamming of doors, a full onslaught of denials and accusations. It would not be pretty. It would get ugly fast. The tension scale would go from zero to sixty faster than a Porsche 911. The very thing that has held our friendship together would snap in an instant causing irreparable damage.
And here's the tension. There is so much invested. There is so much to lose. There is so much to gain. There is so much at stake. There is so much love and there is so much pain. And the question hits me like a "two by four..."
"What's the right thing to do?"
I know what Jesus would do...
Can I do the same?
There will be a temptation for you and others to flood my inbox with suggestions. Please refrain. I've heard them all and tried them all. And that's another reason it's so damn frustrating. Until my friend decides to do something, nothing can be done...and nothing will be done, other than my friend's life spiraling further and further out of control...like a whirlpool sucking everything down into its unrelenting vortex.
I have another friend who is a recovering alcoholic. Emphasis on the word, "Recovering!" This friend will read this post and this friend will "like" it on my Facebook page. And because my friend is going to "like" this post, I will get to see my friend's face on my Facebook page... my friend's beautiful face with a beautiful smile exuding the joy of life from a lovely heart. And the reason that I will smile and probably shed a tear is because I can vividly remember when my friend's life was on the brink, on the edge and now my friend is back, back to being the better self, with the family totally intact and life moving forward in all sorts of incredible ways. I love stories like this of restoration and redemption!! Praise the Lord!
My iWitness...
I have talked about two friends...
One is an alcoholic.
One is a recovering alcoholic.
What's the difference between the two?
A world of difference!!
One is recovering. The other one is not.
One grabbed God's loving hand and is spiraling upward.
One let go and is spiraling downward toward a rock bottom landing.
They both make me cry... but for a host of different reasons.
"O gracious and loving Lord. There are so many things in my world that I have allowed to have control over me. Help me to be bold to recognize and call them by name those things that have taken over my life and my world. Help me realize that I cannot overcome these vices, these demons, these destructive behaviors without You. I can do nothing without you.
And for my dear friend and friends who are being held captive by alcoholism...O Lord... my heart aches, my eyes weep. Open their eyes and allow them to see life in a new way, that being dependent on you leads to freedom and being dependent on alcohol leads to enslavement and destruction."
Don't raise a glass for my friend...
Raise a prayer instead...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7. 21-25)
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Paper Chasers
Overlooking the "quad" yesterday at UD, I watched an incredible scene unfold right before my very eyes.
A student was sitting on the bench underneath the Bell Tower. She set her three ring notebook off to her left side. She turned to view something on her right. Her left forefinger drew an "S" on the left side of her face to draw her hair back behind her ear in the afternoon breeze. Her gaze became fixated on the object to her right.
Then it happened. And when it happened, it happened with full force.
Like a Vegas Casino card dealer, the wind grabbed the unsecured papers in the three ring notebook and began dealing them with such rapid force and pace that by the time the student turned to see what was the matter, more than 50 pages had been "dealt" to the waiting hands of the green bladed grass.
She jumped up quickly as the papers ran away from her with the erraticness of a two year old toddler. She grabbed a paper here and a paper there. But in her haste she forgot to secure the rest of the notebook. As much as she was chasing papers in front of her, she was being assaulted by flying papers from behind.
That which was such a bucolic scene became pure chaos in no time!
Here's the even more amazing part of the story. As the papers flew away from this student, unbeknownst to the papers four students were running toward the papers and in less than one minute had them all corralled like sheep in a pen.
In less than 90 seconds life had gone from calm to chaos back to calm again.
Amazing!
My iWitness...
There's an abundance of angles to talk about with this story.
Here's my iWitness angle for the day...
Without the help of four other students, this student would have spent a long time getting her papers back in order.
The winds of chaos blow through our lives everyday. Let's get used to it.
But life can be much more calm when we have friends, helping hands around us to handle the chaos.
We don't have to go at it alone. That is what Christian community is all about.
Helping, supporting, praying, lifting one another up, offering a hand and collecting the runaway pages of life and helping each other put them back in order again.
Let me offer this last observation... Some of the most rewarding times in my life have been chasing down your pages. And some of the most meaningful times in my life have been allowing you to help me chase down mine... Thank you!
Let's keep chasing!
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."
(1 Corinthians 12. 27)
A student was sitting on the bench underneath the Bell Tower. She set her three ring notebook off to her left side. She turned to view something on her right. Her left forefinger drew an "S" on the left side of her face to draw her hair back behind her ear in the afternoon breeze. Her gaze became fixated on the object to her right.
Then it happened. And when it happened, it happened with full force.
Like a Vegas Casino card dealer, the wind grabbed the unsecured papers in the three ring notebook and began dealing them with such rapid force and pace that by the time the student turned to see what was the matter, more than 50 pages had been "dealt" to the waiting hands of the green bladed grass.
She jumped up quickly as the papers ran away from her with the erraticness of a two year old toddler. She grabbed a paper here and a paper there. But in her haste she forgot to secure the rest of the notebook. As much as she was chasing papers in front of her, she was being assaulted by flying papers from behind.
That which was such a bucolic scene became pure chaos in no time!
Here's the even more amazing part of the story. As the papers flew away from this student, unbeknownst to the papers four students were running toward the papers and in less than one minute had them all corralled like sheep in a pen.
In less than 90 seconds life had gone from calm to chaos back to calm again.
Amazing!
My iWitness...
There's an abundance of angles to talk about with this story.
Here's my iWitness angle for the day...
Without the help of four other students, this student would have spent a long time getting her papers back in order.
The winds of chaos blow through our lives everyday. Let's get used to it.
But life can be much more calm when we have friends, helping hands around us to handle the chaos.
We don't have to go at it alone. That is what Christian community is all about.
Helping, supporting, praying, lifting one another up, offering a hand and collecting the runaway pages of life and helping each other put them back in order again.
Let me offer this last observation... Some of the most rewarding times in my life have been chasing down your pages. And some of the most meaningful times in my life have been allowing you to help me chase down mine... Thank you!
Let's keep chasing!
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."
(1 Corinthians 12. 27)
Friday, April 26, 2013
Open Doors
A little after 5:00 pm I walked up to the front doors of the elementary school where my children go to school. They were in "aftercare" - a YMCA sponsored after school program that is offered for parents who are not able to pick up their children right when school lets out.
As I approached I noticed a couple looking through the front doors with cupped hands around their faces. They proceeded to push the intercom button. Quickly the lady pulled out her cell phone and started to dial the school's phone number. The husband kept rhythmically "bobbing" back and forth from looking through the glass and looking at his wife.
My stomach went into a bit of a panic as I thought perhaps I had shown up too late and "aftercare" was over and my kids had been shipped to DHS. I got to the front doors, looked at the couple and then proceeded to say, "Are the doors locked?" At that moment I placed my hand on the door handle and pulled...
Voila!! The door opened!
The man looked at me as if I had some sort of super power and the lady quickly put away her "flip" phone. His comment was an instant classic - "I thought the doors were locked. I never actually tried to open it."
I smiled and said, "Come on in."
My iWitness...
How many times have I heard someone say something to this effect, "Well... when God closes one door, He opens another."
After yesterday I am starting to rethink that old adage.
What if there were lots of doors that God provided for me and I never went through those doors for the simple reason, "I thought the doors were locked. I never actually tried to open it!!!"
Perhaps today we might want to try and open some doors that God has placed in front of us and actually "go through" those doors and start a new God endorsed adventure!
Or perhaps we can stand outside and huddle together, with our cell phones out, looking through the glass, impatiently waiting and wondering, "How much longer until God opens the door for us?"
And that's my Iwitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10. 9)
As I approached I noticed a couple looking through the front doors with cupped hands around their faces. They proceeded to push the intercom button. Quickly the lady pulled out her cell phone and started to dial the school's phone number. The husband kept rhythmically "bobbing" back and forth from looking through the glass and looking at his wife.
My stomach went into a bit of a panic as I thought perhaps I had shown up too late and "aftercare" was over and my kids had been shipped to DHS. I got to the front doors, looked at the couple and then proceeded to say, "Are the doors locked?" At that moment I placed my hand on the door handle and pulled...
Voila!! The door opened!
The man looked at me as if I had some sort of super power and the lady quickly put away her "flip" phone. His comment was an instant classic - "I thought the doors were locked. I never actually tried to open it."
I smiled and said, "Come on in."
My iWitness...
How many times have I heard someone say something to this effect, "Well... when God closes one door, He opens another."
After yesterday I am starting to rethink that old adage.
What if there were lots of doors that God provided for me and I never went through those doors for the simple reason, "I thought the doors were locked. I never actually tried to open it!!!"
Perhaps today we might want to try and open some doors that God has placed in front of us and actually "go through" those doors and start a new God endorsed adventure!
Or perhaps we can stand outside and huddle together, with our cell phones out, looking through the glass, impatiently waiting and wondering, "How much longer until God opens the door for us?"
And that's my Iwitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10. 9)
Thursday, April 25, 2013
The Giant and the Dwarf
Her name is Santana.
She's blonde...
She has a contagious laugh and infectious personality.
Her smile lights up the room.
You can't help but notice her when you walk into a room where she is present.
She's ten years old.
She's in third grade.
She's a dwarf.
Last night, the church we attend had rented out the local Roller Skating rink.
Put me on a set of "quads" and watch out!!
Literally, "Watch out!"
I love roller skating with the music, the disco ball and people of all abilities out on the rink making their way around the rink in a counter clockwise fashion.
I was flying down the backstretch with my orange wheels whirring and I noticed Santana in the far corner standing next to her mom.
Our eyes met
Her smile widened
And her little arms stretched out as far as they could
Her hands were opened wide shouting, "Grab me! Hold me!"
How could I resist...
Compared to Santana, I am a giant.
And there we were... hand in hand, laughing, skating and at one time tripping and falling all over each other. Several times Santana fell and several more times my big hands and strong arms kept her from falling.
The giant and the dwarf...
I loved it!
And so did she...
My iWitness...
I am a dwarf...
God is a ginormous gigantic giant!
And yet...
That doesn't stop Him from reaching down, extending His big hand to hold my little hand and go skating with me through life.
There are times when I stumble, tumble and fall.
There are more times when His big hands and strong arms keep me from falling.
There are times when I want to skate alone.
There are times when I want to skate along.
There are times when I want to skate with someone else.
And yet, there He is, the Giant, always near by with hand extended desiring to skate with me.
What will the day ahead bring?
I have no idea other than this I know...
I will put on my skates, listen to the music, stand in the corner and patiently wait for the Giant of Giants to come and take my outstretched hand and hold me for the ride of the day!
As I hold His hand, I know that He holds mine!
The Giant and the Dwarf...
I love it!
And so does He!
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16. 11)
She's blonde...
She has a contagious laugh and infectious personality.
Her smile lights up the room.
You can't help but notice her when you walk into a room where she is present.
She's ten years old.
She's in third grade.
She's a dwarf.
Last night, the church we attend had rented out the local Roller Skating rink.
Put me on a set of "quads" and watch out!!
Literally, "Watch out!"
I love roller skating with the music, the disco ball and people of all abilities out on the rink making their way around the rink in a counter clockwise fashion.
I was flying down the backstretch with my orange wheels whirring and I noticed Santana in the far corner standing next to her mom.
Our eyes met
Her smile widened
And her little arms stretched out as far as they could
Her hands were opened wide shouting, "Grab me! Hold me!"
How could I resist...
Compared to Santana, I am a giant.
And there we were... hand in hand, laughing, skating and at one time tripping and falling all over each other. Several times Santana fell and several more times my big hands and strong arms kept her from falling.
The giant and the dwarf...
I loved it!
And so did she...
My iWitness...
I am a dwarf...
God is a ginormous gigantic giant!
And yet...
That doesn't stop Him from reaching down, extending His big hand to hold my little hand and go skating with me through life.
There are times when I stumble, tumble and fall.
There are more times when His big hands and strong arms keep me from falling.
There are times when I want to skate alone.
There are times when I want to skate along.
There are times when I want to skate with someone else.
And yet, there He is, the Giant, always near by with hand extended desiring to skate with me.
What will the day ahead bring?
I have no idea other than this I know...
I will put on my skates, listen to the music, stand in the corner and patiently wait for the Giant of Giants to come and take my outstretched hand and hold me for the ride of the day!
As I hold His hand, I know that He holds mine!
The Giant and the Dwarf...
I love it!
And so does He!
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
"You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16. 11)
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Impacting others...
Yesterday I had the privilege of wishing a close friend of mine, "Happy Birthday!"
I noticed on my friend's Facebook Page that she was also wishing her daughter, "Happy Two Year Anniversary!"
That's right! Her daughter got married on her mom's birthday.
My friend met her daughter for the very first time two years ago at her daughter's wedding.
Her daughter was 34.
My friend was 54.
Do you remember when you were 20?
Do you remember where you were when you were 20?
At age 20 this dear friend of mine gave birth to a baby girl.
For 34 years she wondered about and prayed for this little girl.
Two weeks before the wedding date of April 23, 2011, my friend sent me a message asking for prayer. She was nervous about going to see her daughter for the very first time. She knew that she would be the outsider at the wedding party in Tennessee. She was scared.
Here's what I wrote back to her... (I have changed the names out of respect for their privacy)
"Mary! I am thrilled for you and this great opportunity. Will you be nervous? Absolutely! Will you be scared! no doubt!! Will you come through this with flying colors! You bet your bottom dollar!!!! You will do great! Be your wonderful, happy, funny, serious, outgoing self and be the woman God is calling you to be at this wedding.
Remember, just in case anyone forgets, that that wedding would never, and I mean NEVER be taking place if it were not for you!! Cindy's mom may have given her life, but you my dear Mary gave Cindy that which no one could ever give her... you gave her breath! Without breath, there is no life, without life there is no bride and thus no wedding!! Everyone gathered together at the wedding will be there because of you!! You are the reason they are all gathered together from near and far. Sure... they have no idea who you are, they don't know you, they will simply nod and smile at you, but make no mistake young lady... everyone in attendance is there due to your invitation to invite this beautiful young lady into this world so many years ago!!
Praise the Lord for you Mary!! If anyone should make you feel uncomfortable at the wedding, please get their name and address and let them know that some boy from Southern Oregon is going to track them down and kick their ass!!
I love you Mary! You are an incredible child of God and this journey you have been on for so long is coming around the home stretch to meet the one whom you gave up out of great love!!
Go get 'em girl!
Love,
David!"
Well... the wedding went great and the reunion was blissful and two years later they have become great friends...Praise the Lord!
ps - I didn't have to go to Tennessee and kick anyone's ass much to my disappointment!! LOL!
Do you sometimes think that your existence, your decisions in life, your very presence in the midst of others does not have an impact?
Let me invite you to think again...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!
I noticed on my friend's Facebook Page that she was also wishing her daughter, "Happy Two Year Anniversary!"
That's right! Her daughter got married on her mom's birthday.
My friend met her daughter for the very first time two years ago at her daughter's wedding.
Her daughter was 34.
My friend was 54.
Do you remember when you were 20?
Do you remember where you were when you were 20?
At age 20 this dear friend of mine gave birth to a baby girl.
For 34 years she wondered about and prayed for this little girl.
Two weeks before the wedding date of April 23, 2011, my friend sent me a message asking for prayer. She was nervous about going to see her daughter for the very first time. She knew that she would be the outsider at the wedding party in Tennessee. She was scared.
Here's what I wrote back to her... (I have changed the names out of respect for their privacy)
"Mary! I am thrilled for you and this great opportunity. Will you be nervous? Absolutely! Will you be scared! no doubt!! Will you come through this with flying colors! You bet your bottom dollar!!!! You will do great! Be your wonderful, happy, funny, serious, outgoing self and be the woman God is calling you to be at this wedding.
Remember, just in case anyone forgets, that that wedding would never, and I mean NEVER be taking place if it were not for you!! Cindy's mom may have given her life, but you my dear Mary gave Cindy that which no one could ever give her... you gave her breath! Without breath, there is no life, without life there is no bride and thus no wedding!! Everyone gathered together at the wedding will be there because of you!! You are the reason they are all gathered together from near and far. Sure... they have no idea who you are, they don't know you, they will simply nod and smile at you, but make no mistake young lady... everyone in attendance is there due to your invitation to invite this beautiful young lady into this world so many years ago!!
Praise the Lord for you Mary!! If anyone should make you feel uncomfortable at the wedding, please get their name and address and let them know that some boy from Southern Oregon is going to track them down and kick their ass!!
I love you Mary! You are an incredible child of God and this journey you have been on for so long is coming around the home stretch to meet the one whom you gave up out of great love!!
Go get 'em girl!
Love,
David!"
Well... the wedding went great and the reunion was blissful and two years later they have become great friends...Praise the Lord!
ps - I didn't have to go to Tennessee and kick anyone's ass much to my disappointment!! LOL!
Do you sometimes think that your existence, your decisions in life, your very presence in the midst of others does not have an impact?
Let me invite you to think again...
And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!
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