on Mother's Day!


Whitney came and surprised Deanna this past weekend, and it was such a great time! The days preceding, Deanna had been feeling blue over the fact that she would not be able to see her whole family on Mother's Day.

Whitney arrived Friday evening, and was able to spend the weekend, and Lauren came over and was with us most of the time. Deanna thoroughly enjoyed herself!

It is difficult not to be a bit melancholy on special days like this. Memories of the past, and desires for the present, often bring on reminders of what cannot be.

I was thankful this year, that Deanna took those emotions and did something to bless others in the midst of feeling them.

Since BJ passed, the Lord has given us a responsibility to do what we can to be available for others who suffer similar loss. This is not something we have asked for, or even pursued...nonetheless, it has come to us.

This past year, two different families in the Tulsa area, that we are familiar with, suffered the loss of their only son. While the circumstances are not exactly the same as our own, the loss felt by these parents and siblings is.

The intense longing these mother's feel, to maintain connection to their young men, cannot be described in words that others can truly understand.

Deanna receives this visitation, frequently. These mother's who have experienced many firsts over the past months, both had their first Mother's Day apart from their boys. This is can be an excruciating time.

Deanna saw fit to reach out to these women. At the risk of getting into trouble for writing this, I just have to say how thankful I am that she would not sit back and wallow in self pity and pain, but would allow this to motivate her to reach into the experience of friends, and try to stem some of the pain.

Years ago, when Deanna got into the 'cult of Scrapbooking,' (I am so funny) a side of her materialized I had never seen. Her creations are beautiful. She uses that same ability to occasionally create cards. She did so in this case.

We will always have choices in our lives. Making the right ones, reflect a level of intimacy with our Savior, that too few have.

At a time when her own pain surfaced with a vengeance, and she could have become distant and bitter, her choice was to reach out and touch others.

Being an encouragement in the lives of others, will always bring a sense of His affirmation into our own lives...if we are acting from right motives.

The challenge before us is to do likewise. Reach out from the places of pain or joy in our own lives, and be a blessing to others.

This is love.


dad