525,600 minutes

This is a song from the Broadway musical "Rent".  One of my all time favorites.  Zack sang this song at his Christmas program this year.  He and I had major discussions about how do you measure a year.  All that happens in the course of a year. 

One year ago today I went to court and in the stroke of a pen my 32 year marriage was over.  Mark didn't even show up.  That told me what I meant to him.  My son Nick went with me. 

So 525,600 minutes...how do you measure, measure a year?
In day light
In moon light
In nights when there is no sleep
At the beach
In the mountains
with family
with friends
on road trips with mom
on the other coast with family
in sunsets on my back porch with a glass of wine
in quiet
in lots of kid laughter!
in watching stars on my back porch
in searching for constellations
in hugging puppies
in crying in fur
in puppy kisses
in youth mission trips
in youth overnights and long talks
riding bikes with the kids
riding a roller coaster of emotions
in early morning cups of tea
in sleepovers
in sleigh riding off the roof
in hot cocoa on cold days
in baby steps taken and in major miles jumped
in many tears..........many tears and more tears
many cursing tirades
in hatred
in bitterness
in betrayal
in learning truths
in burning bridges
in faith
in church
in friends
in acquaintances
in work family
in new family additions
in baby smells and coos
in family long talks
in Jennifer wine nights
in new holiday traditions
in the power of prayer
in dreams and wishes
in comfort
in making my home mine
in dirt poor and paydays!
in lost hope and found hope
in God found and God walks
in the dark face of fear
in meeting God face to face
in strength and maturity
in maturity of boys into men
in ocean breezes
in art and creating
in a sense of who I am
in realizing my potential
in the sneak peak of a new life
in dreams
in new hopes


The song is called "Seasons of Love"  and this past year has been a season of love for me.  I have found it in so many places and in so many ways and I know and praise God that he is in the midst of it all.  I see his signature on all of it and feel him present.  I am blessed beyond all belief and am humbled by that thought.  I wish for each of you a "Season of Love"
Amen and Amen

kroger parking lot

So the story continues....135 kids at a lock-in at church..and we run out of pop about 1:00 am...so i took off for Kroger..not a soul in the parking lot...i went inside...every time I rounded a corner with my shopping cart I would run into an older gentleman...nice looking with gray hair...we would laugh about being the only people out...when it was time to check-out he was behind me in line...

The cashier asked what I was doing with so much pop to which I replied...all the kids at church, come out and join us...the older man was behind me in line and he laughed and talked about having so many kids he couldn't count them and so many grandchildren, too many to count...to all of this the cashier and I had several smart remarks. He told me to wait and he would help me out...

He had credit card issues so I went on to my car...as I was loading my car with soda he came and we talked...he said "I've never been to a church only once, because I am Jewish.  I go to synagogue, he said.  We talked about how Christianity is based on Judaism and he told me "you have been blessed for the good deeds you do".   He talked about being Jewish and as he left me he said words over me that were in a foreign language...I laughed and said " I hope that was good" to which he replied "you've been given a Jewish blessing" Of all of those words I only remembered something that sounded like Marakesh...

He got into a beat-up blue pickup truck with a large air conditioner in the back end...I looked to see where he was from and there was no license on the truck.  He was parked right beside me. 

I thought no more about the encounter until Sunday at church.  Our Sunday school lesson talked about Abraham who was given the promise of so many children he would not be able to count them.  This is when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.  Later at service Greg's sermon talked about Jesus being a good Jewish boy to which I stopped and wondered, could it be?  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  In my darkest moments God was with me.  Physically he was with me..he was telling me...I am here.  I truly believe that night I met God face to face.  Tomorrow more on that Jewish blessing.