The Sixty Fifth Year Ends

The Sixty Fifth year ended four days ago.  The year flew by in so many ways and as I mentally recount this extraordinary year, my jaw drops for it was above and beyond ordinary.

I did not even begin to recount within the blog the journeys, experiences and thoughts of these last 12 months.  That statement alone reminds of the adventures that were mine.  They were above and beyond the realm of believable for this lady.  

I experienced miracles that still cause me to catch my breath.  I was protected and blessed beyond description.  I was in mud huts and mansions that few will ever see on either spectrum. 

I began my travels in May of 2015 going to Israel.  From there the travels just did not end. Dubai, Zambia, Honduras, Oregon, Washington, Cabo, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, France, a variety of Caribbean Islands 2x and ending now in Cuba. I traveled by jet, I got to fly first class across the Pond!! I rode or drove in normal every day cars and had a land rover to navigate the deep sand in Zambia. I rode in trucks with very bad shocks.  Eurail took me from Frankfurt Germany to Basil, Switzerland.  A Swiss tram in Basil, a Mercedes ‘cab’ in Germany that was pure luxury and tour busses.   Who does that in 12 month’s time?

The transportation adventures were amazing in their own right. The  countries and islands experiences were  beyond my imagination.  I sat in a meeting with the Vice President of Zambia.  I was summoned with my group to ‘squat’ before a King in Mongu as we discussed the work we do for his people.  We had to remain below his head at all times.   I was 50 miles from Paris when ISIS bombed it.  I had a witch who had joined my women’s retreat and wanted to put a white spell upon me.  A man under my watch on this same retreat fell to his death from the 10^th balcony of a ship.  In between these few sentences were hours of experiences, emotions, fears and delights.   I end my year by being on the first cruise ship to sail from the US to Cuba in over 50 years.  The ship was older, elegant and refurbished beautifully.

I shared this summary of the Sixty Fifth year to say this.  I would not trade what I learned for anything.   There were rough days but each of those rough times were growing times where my help came from the Lord.  I delighted many times with the awareness of God’s protection and provisions.  I met new friends. I had a good friend enter eternity and I feel the loss deeply. I mourn with their families.   I experienced life outside of my Mayberry community and hopefully grew as a human being. 

I will enter this next year that I am calling Route 66. I know that title is not very original but it defines the upcoming year well.  Once again a new path will be forged.  I will do some of the planning but life will interrupt those plans. With a sense of awe and expectation that life should not be ordinary I will embark on each day. 

We each touch the lives of others.  If we stay alert there are grand adventures awaiting us.  There are places to go and people to meet.

Now that is old!

  This old guy Socrates was born in 470 BC!  That is almost 2500 years ago!  2500 years I cannot put my head around this number.  I am dealing with my mortality, my 65th year is closing soon. He too was a living, breathing man.  Life changes, our bodies change and we will soon be gone from this earth. 

The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but building on the new. 

Socrates

As I muddle through this journey called life, I am coming to grips (I hope) with the fact that I am here for a brief moment in time but it is God's time.   I look in the mirror and think who is this person staring back at me.    I am still me!  I become older each day and knowing that God has numbered my days. There is no guarantee of a tomorrow or of a next year.  However, there is this moment and so far this day.  What am I going to do with it?

I am watching my life change.  Is it a comfortable thought? No!  Because I am not the change agent.  However, I want to embrace life and take advantage of each day, I want to remain curious as I was as a child!

I will embrace my next opportunity to engage in the culture.  I will embrace my next opportunity to travel or do missions work or both (they often go together).    Will I be comfortable?  Probably not.

But the alternative to not having a bucket list, not embracing an adventure or engaging with someone who is not of my generation is to die a slow, non productive, selfish death.  God has each of here for a purpose it is not to watch the clock tick until He takes us home.

Mother's Day

I was not going to blog today.  I was enjoying the beautiful weather, the slow pace that the day was offering.  My kids fixed dinner, I decided I really like this.  For I realize life is fragile, short and special moments are not forever moments.  I am savoring my blessings and pondering what another year will bring.

Today is one that so many women hate.  For that I am so very sad.  In my Facebook post today I shared the following for it is a day that we should all take stock of what it represents, life.  

"Mothers Day. What a day of emotions. Some are sad for they are not mothers, their mothers are gone, their mothers never 'showed up', their mothers are .... However, you are reading this because you had a mother and God deemed you worthy to be here. You are an influencer of people mother or not. You are special. So today I celebrate you who have no children but give back to others. I celebrate the knowledge that one Hallmark Day does not determine ones value. I celebrate the awesome mothers who are out there trying to do the best you can to raise little people in this hard world. I celebrate my daughter Christine, who is a great mom, my daughter Becky who is an incredible aunt. My mother who loves her family. My sister who has the capacity to give and to love beyond anyone one I know and to each women who has the capability to change lives regardless of her title.   Celebrate those who are mom's! " 

Today I take this scripture as it sums up the emotions of this day. 

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Romans (Bible) 12:1 

But do not resent,  for that emotion robs you alone.  Life is never fair.  I have learned that the most miserable people around are those who focus on 'what they do not have' and resent that others appear to have that very desired thing.  Look for ways that you can invest in another's life.   A scriptural principle that I yet to find false is below.  Give it a try. 

For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give—large or small—will be used to measure what is given back to you.” Luke (Bible) 6:38-40 NLT

God numbers our days!

My hit or miss blog pretty much sums up my 'planned' life.  Mine is anything but routine.  I love to share thoughts in writing. Does anyone read them?  Unknown.  The writing down of my thoughts seals them for me. 

I have 4 blogs to post in my que.  Because?  I set them aside to post later. The timing of the subject mater is just not quite right.  Today's posting is not one I want to post or even share.  My heart is so very heavy.  It is probably one of the hardest to put into words for my emotions, fears, thoughts are running deep and wild. 

I received a message yesterday from a dear Nigerian friend.  He has been in my life for probably 15+ years.  I met him in CA.  We shared the same breakfast table in a hotel restaurant one morning.  He is a scientist and was there for work.  I was in CA for a women's conference.  Because he was bold enough to bow his head to pray over  his meal, I was eager to know if he was a Jesus follower as I am.  Yes :) Our friendship began, and he has taught me many things about faith, hope and life as an African. 

Our countries were so very different. At the time ours was very stable, a place people desired to come to be safe, find a better life and freedom to worship.  His was fraught with corruption, greed, Islamic terrorists, satanic/demonic practices and more.  His desire was/is to  teach young men how to work, to care for their families, women to be educated and wise. His most important message is to seek Jesus as the only true God who gives a promise of heaven. No strings attached!  No virgins, no working it out, no nothing but accepting His payment for our sins.   A clean simple, true message.

He has warned me over and over for US citizens to watch out for ISIS/ISIL, Islamic fanatics.  "Claudia, they are coming to America. One day you too will be where we are."

In my friends message to me yesterday he sent a plea for me to care for his family, when he is killed.  He sent to me their contact info and shared that I would know he was dead via the media.  He has a huge target upon his back.  He is a leader with strong Christian ties and influence.  He has suspected for a time he would be targeted but yesterdays message to me was filled with sad, serious anticipation that soon he would be leaving this earth.

What would you do with a message like this?  I am thousands of miles away.  I am an average citizen here with no clout.  If I had clout to change anything would it matter?   This is news stuff that affects people you never knew, in other parts of the world, that 'someone' else would help if it was needed. Not your friend!  Not someone close and personal! This global crisis has now landed in my small town, in the US.

He knows his enemy and they are ruthless.  He knows because of his relationship with Jesus Christ, that choice will most likely be the end of his earthly life.  Once again he is teaching me how to live.  Of course he is afraid, for who wants to be murdered?  Of course he wants protection for his family, all good men desire this.  He will remain true and faithful the the Lord.

As I close this reflection, I share that my only way to help is to pray.  Will the reader of this blog pray with me? My prayer is that you will pray safety for those who are bold enough to stand up for evil.  My prayer too is that those who read this and do not know Jesus as the only one to give eternal life and forgiveness for our sins is that you seek Him out soon.  Evil is sweeping this world.  You and I will not be exempt from it claws.  Our only hope is in the one who give to us eternal life, Jesus Christ.  Every thing else offers eternal death.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians (Bible) 1:21

For I am not ashamed of the gospel (God's good news to mankind), for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Romans (Bible) 1:16