Going Home (Multitude Monday 100-120)

Her breaths become shallower and shallower. At first they are deep gasps for breath through long moments of apnea broken only by the sounds of the oxygen tank. Her breathing remains this way for several days. We make her comfortable. We moisten her tongue. We give her medication. We soothe her with words, with songs, with praise, and with His love.

Hospice comes. They are precious, fearless warriors paving the way through the final battle. They say, "It will be today."

And so we wait. We continue with our routine. We, these caretakers, who have know her months, weeks, and some, even just days, and yet our lives are forever intwined with Mrs. Frances, continue with this commission given to us not by her son, but by THE SON.

And then her breathing changes. The breaths are small and close. We are thankful for the expert prayer warrior, who has walked this path with others before, who comes to hold her hand and ours.

The worship music plays, as it has for hours. I choose certain songs that I think soothe or "fit the moment" and then the end is nearer so I leave my playlist on random.

And then it happens. That moment when Heaven opens up. That moment when we as 3 dimensional creatures get the smallest glimpse into the 4th dimension. There is such beauty in these moments that we are simultaneously at peace and yet uncomfortable. We speak of Mrs. Frances seeing her beloved husband whose passing came 22 years before her own. And then we talk of her dancing, dancing, dancing with her GREAT BELOVED. What a wonder and a joy "to shuffle off this mortal coil"! And then we realize that she is truly gone.

And then I hear it....the music.....this song that I have heard before.....sung on numerous occasions.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace."

A message from the Father.....don't worry.....she is seeing MY face.....she is home!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Continuing to count my gifts....

Gratitude - a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation, as for gifts or favours;

the state of feeling grateful

#101 - each breath I am given

#102 - being able to be "useful" and "have purpose" in someone's life

#103 - words of kindness and encouragement from others

#104 - re-connecting with old friends

#105 - finding "kindred spirits" even in unlikely places

#106 - LIMES!

#107 - Knowing that I am redeemed

#108 - Experiencing His grace...over...and over....and over again

#109 - Loving and being loved by some amazing women God has given me

#110 - shopping with my sister

#111 - finding GREAT deals with my remaining "Christmas gift money"

#112 - getting two new coats as part of those GREAT deals!

#113 - laughing about fun, new, "married" topics with my sis

#114 - having a heart-to-heart with my sister....so good!

#115 - connecting with the Father in corporate prayer

#116 - learning how much I need Him...AGAIN....and AGAIN

#117 - living life/planning towards the future with my husband

#118 - 100 ideas for posts in this blogging world

#119 - HOPE that does not disappoint because it rests in HIM ALONE

#120 - Unconditional Love

I have joined The Gratitude Community -- a place to be inspired by others and what God is doing in their lives, a chance to share my own journey of gratitude, and an opportunity to REMEMBER to be grateful in ALL things. So on Mondays, I will add to my list of 1000 gifts of all the graces God has provided in my life. Would you consider joining me? Even if you don't blog, you can join the gratitude community by starting a gratitude journal, mentionning your gifts on Facebook, or sending e-mails to your friends. Let's work together to help in creating a more thankful, joyous world!!

Join me at....

AND

How I Love Thee....Lime....Let me Count the Ways!!

So being "over 30", I started realizing that my metabolism doesn't bounce back like it used to and began making some cuts in my daily caloric intake. About a year ago, I had stopped drinking Coke and started drinking Coke Zero. I was SO proud of myself until recently I read that many of the artificial sugars can cause an increase in appetite! Oh great!

At the beginning of the 2011, I did a detox to start off the year and switched over to water during that time. In that week, I made a discovery, KEY LIME WATER.....thank you, Wal*Mart!
So I have ONLY been drinking water for the past month and it is really all about lime.

Lime - A small, lemon-shaped citrus fruit with a thin green skin and juicy, pale green pulp. The two main varieties are the Persian lime and the Key lime. Key limes are smaller, yellower in color, seedy, sourer, and grow on thorny trees. Read more @ Food.com

So this is my tribute to limes.....

#10 - You are a healthy cold remedy (mixed with honey).

#9 - You are my favorite color.

#8 - You make drinking a gallon of water a day a breeze!

#7 - You promote weight loss.

#6 - You are making my skin shine a little more each day.

#5 - When you are in dairy, like a Cherry Limeade Chiller from Sonic, you are Mmm...Mmm Good!

#4 - You are not harsh on my stomach like your other citrus friends.

#3 - You actually give me a small amount of protein.

#2 - You are a HUGE health benefit in so many ways!

#1 - You make my water taste awesome!

Thank you, Lime! You are my new favorite thing!

{Linked up with Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday}

and

{Linked up with Amanda at Serenity Now}

My 100 Things {100th Post}

When you first start blogging, it doesn't seem possible that you could actually have something to post 100 times, but here I am about 9 months later, sharing my 100th post. I have learned a lot in that span of time, both on these pages and off, and so in honor of the journey, I want to share a "few" random facts with YOU that you may {or may not} know about ME!

Enjoy!

P.S. Your comments on anything humorous or I-don't-believe-that or ME-TOO! are most welcome!!

Lindsey's 100 Things

#1 ~ Not only am I a missionary kid, but I was also born in Haiti.

#2 ~ Maybe I will ask my mom to blog about THAT experience one day.

#3 ~ I didn't meet most of my extended family until I was 3 months old.

#4 ~ My dream, when I was 2 years old, was to be a ballerina.

#5 ~ This fact is ironic considering no one in my family was into it at all, at the time.

#6 ~ At the age of 25, I finally got to take ballet, jazz, tap, & irish.

#7 ~ The theme of the recital that year was called "Dreams Do Come True"

#8 ~ I think God planned it that way just for me......just sayin' {LOL}

#9 ~ I am the oldest of 2 girls.

#10 ~ I wouldn't have been the oldest, but my parents were in a plane crash

before I was born and my 10 month old sister died in that crash.

#11 ~ When I was born 4 years later, the local paper called me "the promised one."

#12 ~ I learned to speak 3 languages before the age of 3.

#13 ~ I spoke English with my parents, Creole with my "nanny",

and French at my nursery school.

#14 ~ I used to confuse my English speaking grandparents

because I would mix all 3 into one sentence.

#15 ~ My French isn't that strong now because I didn't keep up with it,

but I could speak Creole like a native growing up.

#16 ~ I am a HUGE advocate of exposing toddlers to languages

because of my experience (as well as my sister's).

#17 ~ I have ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS loved to read.

#18 ~ My kindergarden teacher told me mom that she never

"TAUGHT" me to read....she just opened the door.

#19 ~ I am not sure how many books I have read in my life

but I would safely say between 750 - 1000.

#20 ~ I do a lot of reading on the internet these days --

blogs, social media, Scripture, devotionals, etc.

#21 ~ I still like curling up with a REAL book the best though!!

#22 ~ I have always had a cat for a pet since before I can remember.

#23 ~ Apparently one cat gave birth her kittens in my bed when I was a toddler.

#24 ~ I woke my parents up to tell them it was happening --

not sure HOW I described that one.

#25 ~ Mimi {French word for cat} came to live with me when I was 8 years old,

and she died when I was 21 and graduating from college.....she "watched" me grow up!

#26 ~ My favorite things in nature {people and animals excluded}

are the stars & the mountains.

#27 ~ Growing up, I used to lie on the {flat} roof of our house in Haiti to look at both.

#28 ~ They both make me remember how BIG God is,

yet He loves me enough to have a personal relationship with me.

#29 ~ I have always been VERY sensitive.

#30 ~ As a child, that meant that I cried a lot.

#31 ~ As an adult, I still cry...LOL!

#32 ~ But that sensitivity now ALSO helps me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as well.

#33 ~ I fell in love with Anne of Green Gables at the age of 9

watching Megan Follows on the BBC mini-series.

#34 ~ I have since read and re-read and re-read and

re-read all 8 of the book series.

#35 ~ In college, some of my close friends told me that

I reminded her of them -- I was in heaven!

#36 ~ Last year, I finally got Anne-hair {red} -- it only took me 30 years!!

#37 ~ I have always loved candy, ice cream, cookies, brownies.....

well, you get the idea!

#38 ~ Sweets are to me what coffee is to most of the world.

#39 ~ As a child/teenager, I was painfully shy.

#40 ~ If you know/meet me now, you probably don't/won't believe me.

#41 ~ I took oral communications {speech} in college

and ending up majoring

in Organizational & Interpersonal Communications

{as well as Psychology} and that helped me

to "come out of my shell."

#42 ~ However, my freshman friends in college would probably tell you

that I was the most outgoing freshman on our floor.

#43 ~ I just can't explain that one!!! :) :) :) :) :)

#44 ~ I have always been analytical.

#45 ~ Again...just ask my mom....I kept her on her toes.

#46 ~ I think that makes me indecisive at times....THAT and my perfectionism.

#47 ~ So my first major in college was "Exploratory" -- for a YEAR and A HALF.

#48 ~ Somehow I still graduated in 4 years, even with 2 majors.

#49 ~ Perfectionism IS good sometimes! :)

#50 ~ I am equally left-brained & right-brained.

#51 ~ This can create a lot of fun in the world OR a lot of frustration.

#52 ~ At ORU, I did a workshop on the 5 Languages of Love.

#53 ~ I have an almost 3-way tie for Words of Affirmation, Quality Time,

& Physical Touch.

#54 ~ My favorite date with my husband -- sitting together,

cuddling, talking about how much we love each other,

and watching a movie...my love cup is VERY full!

#55 ~ I didn't have a lot of "style" in college.

#56 ~ In fact, I purposefully picked an "ugly" outfit my first day of class

freshman year because I didn't want to impress anybody -- silly girl!

#57 ~ Now I love to evoke a sense of personal style.

#58 ~ And it is often uniquely my own.

#59 ~ And I like that....because I am not trying

to prove OR to disprove anything.

#60 ~ One of my all time favorite speakers is Bill Wilson.

#61 ~ I have heard him speak 4 times and his challenges

never leave me.

#62 ~ I have read My Utmost for His Highest over and over throughout the years.

#63 ~ But I have never read it every day of any one year.

#64 ~ I have always been like that with devotionals, even though I like them.

#65 ~ And I am okay with that {I think?}.....little Miss Perfectionist has learned

{is still learning} to walk in grace.

#65 ~ I tried to read a Psalm a day when I was 9 years old.

#66 ~ When I got behind, it STRESSED me out and I felt guilty.

#67 ~ I have had to LEARN to make a plan but to be flexible.

#68 ~ I learned my first REAL lesson on grace in college

when I realized how my life was all about HIS grace and not my worthiness.

#69 ~ But last year, grace became my friend.

{You can check out my 2010 posts for a lot of those details}

#70 ~ My favorite season is fall.

#71 ~ I like the changing colors, the crackling bonfires, the crisp air,

and even crunchy leaves on the ground as they fall.

#72 ~ However, I don't like being cold.

#73 ~ I used to cry in the grocery store when I was a little girl

because I hated being cold.

#74 ~ When it snowed, I was the first in my family

to come in from playing in it.

#75 ~ But I LOVE THE SNOW!

#76 ~ And I love fireplaces.

#77 ~ I also love the color green.

#78 ~ Maybe it's because I have green eyes.

#79 ~ I NEVER wanted to be a missionary growing up.

#80 ~ I couldn't wait to live in America.

#81 ~ At 19, something changed....and the Holy Spirit put nations on my heart.

#82 ~ I have travelled to 10 countries on 5 continents.

#83 ~ I have lived long term in 3 of those countries.

#84 ~ I hope to travel to MANY more countries.

#85 ~ Since there are 250 -- give or take a few -- I have a lot of traveling miles till to log.

#86 ~ My first passport was filled with stamps though.

#87 ~ That makes me happy!!

#88 ~ I am NOT a girly girl. Period.

#89 ~ I love games - video, board, get-together, outdoor, indoor, etc. - SO MUCH FUN!

#90 ~ One thing I have always liked is to take surveys & quizzes.

#91 ~ There is something fascinating about learning about oneself.

#92 ~ I actually don't mind doing over the phones surveys

(I know...I'm strange!)

#93 ~ Even MORE fascinating for me, however, is GIVING surveys or

quizzes to other people.

#94 ~ So I thought I would ask YOU a few questions....

so will you PRETTY PLEASE help me out?

***#95 ~ What is your favorite childhood memory?

***#96 ~ If you could sum up your personality in 3 words,

what would those words be?

***#97 ~ How did you first meet Jesus?

#98 ~ I REALLY look forward to hearing your answers!!

#99 ~ My lifelong goal is to continue to learn how much I am loved by Jesus.....

#100 ~....and then to take that love and love Him & people like He does.

If you made it this far....THANK YOU!!! Please take a few minutes and answer one or all of my "survey" questions....I would love to hear from you and to get to know you better!!

Five Minute Friday: The Power of a Woman

It's Friday! A time to take 5 minutes -- just 5 -- to write out a topic, an idea on my heart and mind. Writing without excessive editing or analyzation to see what comes freely, flowing from the heart and from the soul....

Today's prompt over at Gypsy Mama is The Women.


So here goes....

Ready....

GO.

When I think about the women in my life, I can't help but feel INFINITELY blessed -- my mom, my sister, my grandmothers, my aunts, my girlfriends across the globe. I think about how they have shaped me, how they have blessed me, how they have sharpened me....

How do I put in words (let alone 5 minutes) the power that a woman holds in her touch, her words, her eyes....the power to heal or to hurt, the power to shame or to encourage, the power to shun or to listen....?

So what kind of a woman will I be? Can I be counted among the ranks of these precious souls who have unselfishly poured their very beings into mine?

I remember this song...."Like oil upon your feet...like wine for you to drink....like water from my heart....I pour my love on You...." ~Jonathan Stockstill

And I remember....

To wleld the power of a woman in an inspiring and beautiful way....I have to pour my life at the feet of the Master...there I find rest, joy, peace, renewal....there I am what He made me....WOMAN....fearfully and wonderfully....WOMAN....hand-crafted and fashioned...WOMAN!

STOP.
Join me today at The Gypsy Mama and Serenity Now.

Click over here to read my post honoring specific women who have touched my life.

Redemption vs Religion

As I am focusing on being REDEEMED this year, I stumbled across this message on a friend's Facebook page (thanks, Carole!), and it encouraged and challenged me as well as reminded me what being redeemed is all about.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Justin Bieber Love?

Gotta love him! (My "bokkie" {sweetheart} Arno, that is...!!)

Join me at Wordless Wednesday!

Multitude Monday - #81-100

Gratitude - a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation, as for gifts or favours;

the state of feeling grateful

#81 - my husband doing his tech stuff (learning a new aspect to his future dreams)

#82 - the gift of getting to wake up next to this man every day

#83 - the fact that in 5 short years, he knows me better than almost anybody (mom, sis, and bffs included)

#84 - the support he gives me to do "what I need to do" in this transitional season of our lives

#85 - the knowledge that as CRAZY as things can be or feel...."It's me and you, baby!"

#86 - the world wide web - connecting us to people (old & new) and giving information and knowledge at the click of a mouse

#87 - Facebook - yes! I said it! :) I have connected....truly connected with some people in this last year in a way that wouldn't have happened without this medium to connect or re-connect us

#88 - the fact that with the click of a few words into a search engine I can find Godly Christian women who TRANSFORM my life by their own journeys

#89 - my family - inbox messages, researching health options, remembering me for job opportunities, and mostly through prayer....you guys pretty much ROCK!

#90 - Oswald Chambers -- I know! How random is that? This man has been impacting my life personally for about 15 years....and those lessons stay with me!

#91 - Martin Luther King, Jr. -- and for different reasons than you may think. He said "We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope."

#92 - That quote helped to spur the acceptance of God as my HOPE not having a baby or being where I thought I would be at this point in my life -- HE IS MY INFINITE HOPE!!

#93 - the fact that I could have another 60+ years still on this earth -- what am I going to do with them to make the most of the days my DAD has given me?

#94 - my precious girlfriends --near and far -- you guys enrich my life beyond what I can measure quantitively!!

#95 - Little Macy Hope -- our goddaughter -- getting to hold and to take care of her for awhile in church yesterday was just LOVELY

#96 - watching my bokkie (husband) "enjoy" holding her and walk around with her was such a highlight for me

#97 - Grace - as a theme for life and specifically for last year, I feel that God's love holds greater meaning for me

#98 - The recognition of that grace makes me WANT to give grace more...even in those moments when I DON'T want to (does that make sense???)

#99 - Redemption - everything in my life is used for a purpose -- no waste, no junk -- it will all be redeemed!!

#100 - the greatest love of my life - Jesus Christ - without Whom I would not be able to walk out of the muck and mire that I so often fall into b/c of my sin and humanity -- isn't He just the greatest??

I have joined The Gratitude Community -- a place to be inspired by others and what God is doing in their lives, a chance to share my own journey of gratitude, and an opportunity to REMEMBER to be grateful in ALL things. So on Mondays, I will add to my list of 1000 gifts of all the graces God has provided in my life. Would you consider joining me? Even if you don't blog, you can join the gratitude community by starting a gratitude journal, mentionning your gifts on Facebook, or sending e-mails to your friends. Let's work together to help in creating a more thankful, joyous world!!

Redeemed: From the Law

Last year, if I had picked just One Word that summed up my year, it would be GRACE. From beginning to end, last year was washed and bathed with His fresh & new, sweet-smelling grace. I won't go into all the details in this post, but my blog is filled with posts that reflect His grace in my life in so many ways.

I have been thinking about my one word for this year --REDEEMED-- and how similar to grace it is.

Galatians 4:5 (New American Standard Bible)

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

I think I had one thing in mind when I first began this One Word journey and felt the Holy Spirit nudging me towards this focus, but He is already surprising me (He's funny like that, right?) with how He wants to reveal the depth of redemption to me.

What I love about this discovery is how much I DON'T KNOW. Funny enough, for a perfectionist like me.....THAT is oddly comforting. And I think that is the basis of redemption. It takes YOU out of the equation and puts the focus back on HIM, and then HE brings the gift to YOU.

In a nutshell, HE does the work...not me!

And...I'm good with that! ;)

Gifts of Laughter, Friendships, & Words

We're sisters.

We're Africans. (Ok. So maybe I am a little more Haitian...but well...you know!)

We're shoulders to lean on.


We're prayer partners.


We're BFFs!


And today after 6 weeks of planning, we FINALLY got together and laughed and reminisced....


....and then we gave each other a gift...


....our WORDS!!


Thanks, ladies, for a fun day filled with memories, laughter, and precious words to take home and remember. What a gift!

Love you!

Five Minute Friday: Francis

Lisa-Jo at Gypsy Mama had a cool idea that inspired me so I decided to try it out and join up with her and some other bloggers today.

Here is the challenge from this creative mother of (almost) 3.....

"So, here’s the skinny: I’ve been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

Ala-ka-zam – Five Minute Friday was born."

So here is my first attempt.....

GO.

Her name is Francis. I never knew her name before this week, never even saw her face, but now my life and hers are collided in ways that I would have not expected. Francis is 94 years old, and she is dying.

My job - sit with her, talk to her, make her comfortable, pray for her, sing to her, be Jesus to her.

Her life becomes SO real to me as I meet her son, her granddaughter, and as I answer the phone to friends who call to check in after her stroke. I am their connection, although they don't even know my name. I look around and see traces of her life....the man she loved...the child she raised...the granddaughter she spoiled....the pets she crooned over.

And, then I see more....the tears she cried...the prayers she prayed...the joys she brought into the world...and I thank God for Francis and what her life teaches me as she lies in her bed struggling with each breath. I thank God for teaching me and I thank Him on her behalf for using her even when she doesn't know. Her life still holds purpose and in that, HOPE stirs in me. And I thankful...truly thankful...

STOP.

Hahaha....that was actually quite cool! If you are a fellow blogger, try it out!! Either way, please link over to Gypsy Mama and read some of the Five Minute Friday postings...you just might see something new today in a person you never expected. I know I did! Thanks, Lisa-Jo!

My Hope is in.......YOU!!

And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.

Psalm 39: 7

The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.

Lamentations 3: 24

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13: 12

Don't Doubt in the Darkness....

This season of learning....this season of desert.....this season of the unknown.....this season of waiting is sometimes hard to put into words. I am learning so much and the learning process often makes one feel like more of a failure because you realize, "I have really been living my life ALL ABOUT ME! How did I, after growing up as a missionary kid and then pursuing ministry as a single and then as a married woman, live a life seemingly of service and yet it be so much STILL about me??"

Oswald Chambers, yet again, knocks it out of the park for me today and puts it in words that I wish I could find....enjoy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Vision and Darkness

Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light-that is the time to listen.

The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure.

There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (see Isaiah 50:10-11).

Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God . . .”— El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1).

The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Father, may my confidence and my hope be in You alone -- not in my deepest longings, my unfulfilled dreams or my limitless blessings. May knowing YOU and YOU ALONE be my #1 priority so that other's opinions and thoughts (including my own) "....pale by comparison".

Wordless Wednesday: G-mom & Haylee

(Aunt Paula playing with her 1st grand baby, Haylee)

Please join me over at Wordless Wednesday, Live and Love Out Loud, and A Beautiful Mess today!

On Breathing, Quitting, & Dancing

"Sometimes at the end of the week I’m too tired to be much good for anything or anyone.

I get that “my eyes feel like they’ve been crying” sensation, even when they haven’t. My head aches and my lips can’t seem to absorb enough Vaseline. I’m hungry, but making a meal seems like a gigantic effort and it’s much easier just to sit here on the couch, absorbing all the silence along with the huff and puff of the heater.

It soothes me.

To just sit here and be still for a bit....."

Click here for more about emptiness and breathing from Gypsy Mama.

"The sweat. The fall. The doubt. The belief. The sunrise. The trail. The pain. The end.

The sun was calling over the mountains like a siren to sailor’s death. The mountain called. I responded. Step by step, minute by minute, mile by mile, I endured the hill. Half way up the trail, I lost my footing and slipped down onto jagged rocks, cutting my hand and shin. I debated quitting. I mean, I had already completed a good amount of trail. What would it matter if I continued? Who would know? Who would care?..."

If you click this link here, you can read the rest of this story on NOT quitting by (in)Courage.

"We should write more letters,
and make more mixed CDs,
and ride our bikes around the block.

We should wave at our neighbors
and talk to our neighbors
and bake cookies for our neighbors and then go talk with them some more.

We should smell flowers on our walk to work...."

Over here, at The Art of Losing, check out the rest of this post and remember to "....dance when everyone is watching...."