I also found a recent trip to Anniston very refreshing.  After speaking to hundreds of people and sharing my story of surviving,  I was touched, encouraged and inspired by the stories of others.

    My speech focused on finding our mission in life.  Just about everyone has something they are good at.  I believe God has a mission set out for all of us.  Many people find joy when they figure out what that mission involves.

     I was touched when a woman came up to me to tell me about her two missions.  She said she'd had cancer and survived.  She had begun to volunteer to help others who were newly diagnosed.   She also lost her husband, and decided to help encourage others who'd lost a spouse.

      When we walk along a bumpy road, we know how it feels, we know the needs we have, we know the thoughts and fears that can go along with the ride.   It's that experience that helps us know how to better minister to others who are walking the same path.  We know the small things that are really big during a crisis.

        Sometimes ministering means providing dinner, sometimes its simply a smile, a conversation and words of encouragement.  I am taking a cancer fighter called femarra.  It can cause achy joints.   As a runner, it can be challenging to keep one running.  But I find moving helps the stiffness.

       But after that speech where I'd hoped to offer a helping hand and encouragement... a lady came to me to tell me she was a survivor too!  Somehow we got on the subject of femarra.  I asked her about her side effects.  She said, " Oh in the beginning it hurt my joints but all that leveled off."

        I wanted to jump up and hug her!  It was music to my ears.  There I was to inspire others... and there they were inspiring me.  After she said the achy feeling eventually subsides, I felt better.  In fact in the last couple of months, I have been able to wear high heels again!  Running has been better.  So if you are going through some side effects from your cancer fighting drugs... hang in there and know it can get better!

        I thank God for people who are willing to open up, share their experience, to help others!

        As a family, we recently visited Smith Lake near Arley Alabama.  It was beautiful!  Our dear friends invited us to get some r and r at their lake house.  For  my hubby Doug and I the r and r stands for rest and relaxation.  My favorite part was a wicker swing on the deck where I actually got some reading in.   For the boys, r and r  means recreation and recreation.   Every new adventure is another opportunity to find fun.  From the fishing, to swimming to the boating, there were plenty of giggles, splashes and laughs.

    So we went and enjoyed the sites and sounds of the lake.   The boys enjoyed fishing off the dock, boating with Mr. and Mrs Wade and once again dining on the catfish at the Arley Coffee Shop!   It happened to be our anniversary so for our years of wedded bliss, Doug and I earned lemon ice box pie!  Once again, we found the friendliest service and great food in Arley.

     The area is charming, with everyone warm and eager welcome us with southern hospitality, it made the weekend even more of a dream.   But there were a few moments that hit me.  One was talking to Sheriff Rick outside of the Coffee shop, and watching the orange glow of the sunset fill the sky.  Since my cancer battle, sunsets and sunrises have a special signifigance.  It was probably among the top five sunsets I've ever seen. 

      The next moment that hit me between the eyes was when our friend at the Lake Mr. Wade insisted upon giving us a couple of pecan seedlings.  He was telling us how he had one that grew and grew and grew.  It produced so many pecans, you'd could barely eat them all.  But he said it took about eight years for the seedlings to grow large enough and  mature enough to produce pecans.

     Eight years, I thought is a long time in a microwave generation.  We are so used to buying it today and using it today.  But how wonderful to plan for the future and plant something that might give back pecans for decades to come.  The Wades home was filled with pictures or their grown children, grand children and great grandchild.   Just like the pecan tree, it takes time to grow a family.  But the time is worth reaping the sweet harvest.

   I visualized how old the boys would be as they picked up the pecans.  I imagined and hoped perhaps the tree could be planted ina place that their children and grandchildren could enjoy the pecans.

        As I was daydreaming and processing the long term benefit of putting this seedling into the ground today, he said what I was thinking.  "Your youngest should still be in the house when this produces pecans."  What a great thing to pass on to our children... a tree that keeps on giving whether we are here or not..

     That's sort of how it is with passing on wisdom,  and faith for our children.  It's planting a seed that  hopefully even after we are no longer there by their side... will continue to feed them spiritually.

You can actually see the story by going to Matters of Faith on our website.  He pointed out that the rain can be one way God causes us to pause.  He said God can use the rain to get our attention. 

    Let's face it rain can be inconvenient for most of us.  But for the homeless the rain just presents one more hurdle to jump. It makes street life much harder... having to get place to place walking in the rain.  But on the way to a local church to find lunch,  Donnie remarked to his friend that it had been raining every day.  His friend pointed out what a blessing the rain was, because it makes you stop.  It may be God's way of getting you to reflect on him.

    So now when I see the rain coming, it reminds me of what a blessing it really is to be able to pause.   Sometimes storms of life also cause us to take a break in the action and appreciate what we have and count our blessings.

   What was so amazing about this homeless man was that he was so grateful for everything he had.  He said the rain reminded him of how much God provided for him.  He has clothes and thanks to area churches he is blessed with food.

  How great it is to appreciate what we have, not focus on what we don't have.

God Bless,