“Life is Special”
Good Day!!!! Hope each of you are doing well. I am enjoying some very nice rain today.
I was in OKC for a night, last weekend. Had a very special time with Liam, my grandson! Spending time with Michael, Mason and Kimberly was also pretty special. We took several walks and set around and visited. I always have enjoyed time with my kids. Also had lunch with my Mom and Mac and that was nice. Drove up there with Mason and drove home by myself. First solo road trip I have done in over a year and I survived.
Let me remind you about a very special event that is coming very soon. On November 6th in Denton TX. there is a 5k that has been planned. I use to love to run and this will be very interesting. Very hard to see myself running 3 miles but I will finish the run. My kids are going to run with me and this will be a very special morning. Here is the website and you can check it out. I am hoping to have many family and friends at this event. www.livealegacy5k.com
I experienced something very special Monday morning in Edmond. I met Kelly at a coffee shop, literally almost in the middle of the two houses we both grew up in. I met Kelly, I believe in my freshman year shortly after we moved to Edmond OK. We first met at the church that she and her family attended. We ended up there and I met her in the youth group. Over the years of high school and college we were good friends. She met her Kelly in college and I met my Natalie in college. Her husband Kelly is truly a very special guy. We were around them some at the church we both attended. I ended up getting into youth ministry around 25-26 and over the next many years I have never gotten to spend much time with her.
We talked for over 2 and a half hours, Monday morning. It was one of those conversations that to me, seem like you had been talking for about 15 minutes and you look at the watch and it has been hours. No reason for me to go into all the details about our conversation, but I was reminded of a few things that are very important to me. In some ways these things have been important, but today with a terminal brain tumor, there are many areas “that have more importance than ever.”
I use to be a guy that sat with many different people for hours. I enjoyed it often, as a man in ministry and a counselor, much of that time was me encouraging, listening and helping them move forward. I loved that time and also gave away a lot of time. Today with my health issues and the chemotherapy, I have been much more selective with, how I share my time! That has been odd for me, but I realize today how important that is. Kelly was so gracious, our conversation was so valuable and it wasn't just about me!!! I love that. She shared her story. She told me about her husband who I have know since college, she told me about her kids. Her daughter is about to get married. She told about “herself.” I really don’t always want to sit around and simply talk about ME!!!!
She also told me a beautiful story about how, some of her girlfriends support each other and how that matters. That was so important because it was a beautiful reminder about how our lives, when lived well are not just about us. Good healthy life styles are lived with family and friends and we are helping each other live lives well, in the good and the bad times.
I can tell you so much more about our conversation. Many beautiful stories and thoughts, but that last thing is so important to me. My good and special friends are “men and women” who are open and honest about some of the challenges and the joys in their life. But the key for me really is focusing on our “walk with God” and “honest, open relationships with key friends in out lives.”
We were not created to do life “ALONE.” There are parts of this process, I have to sit with God and discuss, pray, trust Him and there are parts of this, I must have my wife, kids, family and friends. I am a blessed, blessed man.
I am also so grateful for some time with my friend, Kelly!!!!!
Each of you remember, “YOU ARE LOVED AND OF GREAT VALUE.”