Just Keep Waiting

Oh my goodness….

My waiting started Friday, it was ok for Saturday and Sunday was a normal stay at home kind of day. Monday came and I was able to work from home which made waiting doable, until the unthinkable happened. Though I love hearing from this wonderful person, she called me Monday morning to tell me a beautiful soul went to be with the Lord. At that moment, nothing else mattered, the waiting didn’t matter, the working from home didn’t matter, the fact that I had just complained about being cold didn’t matter. What mattered was that my good friend (who is like a mom to me, in fact I call her momma Mary) and her family were mourning the loss of their son.

I can’t tell you when I first met David, Mary’s son only because he was part of the momma Mary package. I moved to this little town 18 years ago and have known Mary and David for 16 of those years. David accepted me as his sister from day one. Over the years David had his ups and downs with different illnesses he has had to endure, but they never seemed to stop his smile from shining through. David’s life wasn’t easy for him, and Mary and her husband Len gained quite a few grey hairs from the adventures he decided to go on, but that is what is important, he lived his life. I wanted to highlight David because he lived joyfully. He knew the Lord, he smiled often and he loved big. I can’t tell you how many times I felt my ribs would break because of how hard he hugged, but I wouldn’t trade those hugs for anything. He had a caring heart, he pushed through his struggles and made a name for himself doing photography and just recently publishing his first book Relic Power So It Begins. How often did I choose not to do something because it would be hard? I wish I could tell you it wasn’t often, but I would be lying.

When I look over the past years of knowing David he was courageous in what he chose to do. He pursued his passions and didn’t let people tell him he couldn’t do it. I want to be like him and I will work to do so. While waiting is not easy to do, especially when you are waiting on a test that will tell you if you have a virus and you don’t feel sick at all it is while in waiting that big things can happen. In the last few days of waiting I have been able to get stuff done around the house, though it doesn’t sound spectacular the things that were accomplished were on a “to do list” for a while. I was able to have good conversations with my kids and better understand what this “waiting” has done to them. I have been able to look at my normal routines and see that a change needs to be made. It has made me sit down at my computer to write out my needs, wants and future goals are. This waiting has also enabled me to sit, to read, to enjoy the normal hustle and bustle of family life at home. I am able to see what is important and plan for ways to keep what is important in the forefront of my life instead of on the back burner where it usually ends up.

To really live is a choice. To live Joyfully is a tougher choice. To have joy (not just happiness) means that through good times and bad you find your peace in what you believe. I believe that God cares for me and for those around me, I don’t live a perfect life, and there are things I still hold close that I don’t talk about with anyone other than God. Over the years my hubby and I made the choice to live our lives to the best our abilities. We have gone on trips, we have surprised our kids with even bigger trips, and we have done things (like skydiving) that most parents wait to do until their kids are grown. I have tried business ventures that have been successful and others that haven’t be quite as much. We as a family have taken chances and have set goals that we have met.

David touched a lot of lives with his smile, his charm, his ability to put others before himself and for that I am grateful. He made people better and want to be better. I am glad that I called him my brother and that he blessed my life, I hope that I can remember to smile like he did and hug like he did (when we can hug again). I am still waiting, waiting to hear the results of my test, but I will chose to enjoy the moments I have while waiting because I will be busy soon enough. Until next time:

Life is a game, play it; Life is a challenge, Meet it; Life is an opportunity, Capture it. ~ Unknown.