Just a Vapor

Last fall, my sister-in-law Charlotte passed away after a long battle with a neuromuscular disease. A few weeks before Christmas, my friend Karen lost her dad after many years of suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Exactly one week later, her mom passed away from what Karen truly believes was a broken heart after losing her husband of almost 60 years. In early January, my brother-in-law lost his fight with Parkinson's disease.

Seeing so much loss of life recently that has touched people I love and cherish has made me realize that our lives here on earth truly are but a vapor in the grand scheme of time and eternity. As I go about accomplishing the daily "stuff" that consumes me each day, I often wonder now how much of that "stuff" really matters, how much of it really helps my fellow travelers sharing the path of life with me.

If I live to be as old as my mother did, my life is more than half completed. I pray that my first 50 years have been ones that have been loving, unselfish, kind and compassionate. I pray that every single day that I am given I care more about others than I do about myself. I pray that I share the love of Christ in a passionate and driven manner, pointing the way to Him in every action, word and deed of my life. I pray that I surrender myself more and more to God and His plan for my life with every breath that He allows me to draw.

Only God knows the days He has planned for me and what the future holds. While my life is a but a vapor, God has the ability to take a simple vapor and turn it into an amazing manifestation of His breath. Breathe in me and through me, Lord, and use me, simple though I may be, to touch someone for you.

It's About Fun

Last week I attended a visitation for a dear friend who went to be with the Lord. Her name was Pauline, and she was 87 years old. The weekend before she passed, Pauline was out dancing. Yes, dancing. And the week before that, she was playing dominoes. Yes, dominoes.

I came to know Pauline several years ago through my dear friend Ann. My children walked to Ann's house every day after school and stayed with her until I picked them up after work. I've never met anyone who loved to play games more than Ann, except maybe her sister, Pauline. Those two old ladies would play games for hours and hours with my children. In fact, the kids absolutely loved it when Ann would have a "sleepover" for them, and they would stay up half the night playing canasta, marbles, Rook or Monopoly.

I've never been much of a game player, perhaps because I always felt that I had so many other things to do. If I didn't learn anything else from Ann and Pauline, I learned the importance of playing games with my children. Now, when we are all together, I'm the one who often suggests that we play a game. I put everything else aside, and I play with my adult children. I wouldn't take anything the world could give me for those times together ... the laughter, the competition, the conversation, the love that flows around a heated game of Scrabble or Sequence.

Ann left this world suddenly a few years ago from a brain aneurysm. She was only 67 years old and appeared to be in perfect health. The Christmas before she passed away in June, the kids and I took her shopping, then for dinner at a nice restaurant and to see A Christmas Carol. When we took her home that night, she said it was the most wonderful day, not because of the things we did, but because we were together. She said, "It's all about being together and having fun."

As I gazed at Pauline last week at her visitation, I noticed that her family had placed a domino in her hands. Not only did her family realize that Pauline loved to play and have fun, they wanted everyone who came to honor her that day to realize it, too. I couldn't help but smile and think that Ann and Pauline knew something spectacular, something that many of us miss in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives.

"It's all about being together and having fun."