I took a walk today down the bike path where the fire from four weeks ago has left its mark. The leaves on the tall trees have all but disappeared and what is left on the branches of those trees has turned to brown and become brittle. The underbrush has been burned away in the flames and now you can see the creek. A month ago, it was hidden by brush and weeds.

It is quite beautiful, all cleared out and cleaned up. One thing strikes me, however, and that is the undergrowth already coming back. The fire was merciless as it made its way through the woods, burning everything in its path. However, within four weeks, life is coming through the scorched earth.

It amazes me. When I look at what stormed through there – raging flames, devouring and burning to ashes, everything in its path. Doesn’t it sometimes seem those are the kinds of moments, days, weeks, months, years we are experiencing? Doesn’t it sometimes feel like we are being devoured, set aflame, burned? And yet, through the burn, through the flames, God is still growing us. The things in our life that clutter us up so that others can’t see what’s going on sometimes need radical attention. Sometimes the flames of heaven need to burn away the underbrush that so subtly grows and before we know it, the forest is covered and no one can see anything.

If you’re going through hard times, remember… God is in the process of perfecting his people and He’ll stop at nothing to do the job right, even if it means sending them through the fires of life. He sees something beautiful and wants the world to see it, too.

Have you ever read 'Piercing the Darkness' by Frank Peretti? Remember how nothing is coincidental, rather, orchestrated to come together by a sovereign God for the good of those He loves? Orchestrated as part of His perfect plan?



Do you suppose the Cambridge police/Police Officer Sergeant Crowley/President Obama/Gates scuttlebutt is merely a divine distraction to get attention away from the healthcare issue? Is Gates a pawn in the King's game of chess? Could this be?

Let's find out -

Leave a comment.

This is my absolute favorite homemade dessert. Yum! I've tweaked it a bit, but it originally was my grandmothers and she was a wonderful cook.

Grandma's and Sherri’s Simply Simple Blueberry and Peach Cobbler

Heat oven to 375̊.

Fruit Mixture:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3 cups peaches (skin removed), sliced

½ cup chopped, roasted almonds (optional)

1 cup sugar

4 T flour

Topping:

2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

¾ - 1 cup real butter

⅛ cup raw sugar (optional)

¼ cup chopped, roasted almonds (optional)

Fruit Mixture Directions:

Wash fruit. Remove skin from peaches. Cut into pieces in large bowl.

Mix berries, peaches, nuts (optional). Gently stir in sugar and then flour. Pour into ungreased 13x9 inch glass baking dish.

Topping:

Mix together in a medium bowl sugar, flour, and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add to sugar/flour mixture ‘til crumbly. Distribute evenly over berry mixture in dish. Pat generously with butter. Sprinkle with raw sugar, if desired.

Bake for one hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. If desired, drizzle individual servings with blueberry syrup for a nice effect and sprinkle with chopped roasted almonds.

Makes approximately 12 servings.

Since summer is now in full swing, here is one of my favorite coffeecakes to utilize all those yummy blueberries! Enjoy!

Revived Blueberry Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup real butter, softened

⅓ cup milk

2 eggs

1 – 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons flour

Topping:

¼ real butter

¾ cup flour

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ cup pecans, chopped

Blueberry Syrup

Heat oven to 350̊ . In large mixing bowl, combine all flour, sugar, softened butter, milk eggs, softened cream cheese, baking soda, salt, vanilla and pecans. Beat together on low until ingredients are well mixed.

In a medium bowl, toss together (lightly) the blueberries and flour. Stir gently into the batter. Spread evenly into a buttered (or greased) 13x9 inch glass baking pan.

Topping:

In a one-quart saucepan, melt butter on low. Remove from heat and stir in flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter. Sprinkle pecans on top.

Bake for 50 minutes (or until lightly browned).

Allow to cool slightly. Serve onto individual plates. Drizzle syrup lightly over servings.

Makes approximately 12 servings.

Today is my mom’s birthday. And on my mom’s birthday, my dad is reading my blogs. And while reading my blogs, he has come across an interview that Judy, my blog partner at Parkinson’s Journey had done over a year ago. And in that interview, Judy asked me who the most influential person in my life was. I replied my mother in-law. Sting.

I did an article at one time on raising kids (If I Had Only) and regrets that we often have of not doing the things we ought to have done or thought we should have done. In that article I spoke about how many people in our kids’ lives influence them – for good or bad. It takes several people, not just one.

So, I sit here thinking about the sting that was just inflicted through my interview reply, to my dad, and now my mom. And these are my thoughts.

I don’t remember a lot of my childhood, for various reasons, I suppose. But I do remember some things.

I remember one time going to the beach with my mom, my aunt Donna and uncle Jim and cousins and my dad having to work. But after he was done working, he met us there. I remember him, with the sun just beginning to make its way to the horizon, diving into the crashing waves. I remember thinking, “My dad is fun!”

I remember going camping with my mom and dad and my brother - going up and down sand dunes in my dad’s jeep. Thinking, seriously, that I was going to die. That we are teetering on the edge of death, climbing this hill that seemed positioned at a ninety degree angle. If we didn’t fall out, we’d be killed at the top because there’d be no time to stop before we careened down the other side, undoubtedly crashing at the bottom. I lived, but look back now and was glad to have had the opportunity to do what many never did.

Speaking of jeeps, I also remember my dad letting me drive his to school my senior year in high school. Every day. It was pure bright orange and always in mint shape. It had a white cloth top and big chrome wheels. And it had a motor that made that beast jump the second your foot came even close to the gas pedal. I was the envy of all the guys. At least, that was what I was told later.

Sometimes as kids, we feel cheated and unloved by our parents. I look back at that and feel loved. That jeep was my dad’s pride and joy and to think he let me drive that twenty miles to school said something. I didn’t realize, however, until later just how much it said.

My mom is much more quiet and reserved than my dad. My dad thinks (and has always thought) that she was the most beautiful creature on the earth. I would have to agree she is beautiful. I think she could have been a model. Many people say I look like her. I don’t think I’m half as beautiful as she. But, my mom’s beauty far surpasses just her physical qualities.

I remember getting mad at her once and saying ugly things that to this day, I still regret. I remember the words that came out of my mouth and how they broke her heart and she never stopped loving me. Not even just for that day.

I remember when my dad would go camping with his jeep club, my mom would take my brother and me to Taco Bell. That was a treat then, and I thought we had the best mom in the world.

I remember when we moved from Southern California to Northern California. Before she had to go back to work, she took us to the beach every day and we’d stop at Marianne’s Ice Cream Shop for an ice cream cone. Then she’d let my brother and I sit in the back of my dad’s Ford truck all the way home, as our ice creams quickly melted in the summer heat and dripped down our arms. I thought my mom was the best.

I remember when things went wrong in my life how they not only hurt me, but they hurt her just as much. I can understand that more now than before, having kids of my own. She always had a hug and we’d both cry.

There’s something about a mom. They influence you – but anyone can influence you. They love you - but no one can love you like your own mother. I see that with my mother in-law. I know she loves me, but there’s something about her own daughters that I could never replace, even if they were to hurt her unbearably. The love she has for them would never become greater for anyone else.

That’s just how it is with a mom, I think. Sure, my mother in-law has been a big influence in my life, but my mom could never be replaced and if the truth were known, she’s been a bigger influence.

She took me everywhere with her – to see Elvis (taught me what fine music was), to my first movie (taught me what a Princess was and a good nanny [Mary Poppins]), took me shopping (taught me how to spot a good deal), the Laundromat (taught me how to be responsible), the beach (taught me how to tan just so and not burn), Taco Bell (taught me how to spoil my kids) and so much more.

More importantly, my mom taught me how to forgive. She taught me how to be classy (I am not saying I am). My mom taught me how to be thankful and gracious. She taught me manners that kids today have never even heard of. She taught me how to be patient and loving and kind. She is a woman of gentleness and grace. She has a heart of forgiveness that never closes up.

When I was in my mid-thirties, my mom and dad moved to Montana. That was one of the hardest times of my life. There’s something about your mom moving away and there is a closeness of any sort. You feel like a part of you has left and that you’ve been left behind. I’d take the kids up in the summers to visit. It wasn’t as often as I would have liked, but it’s what we could do. The good-byes were always hard.

We finally moved to Idaho, feeling God prodding us to go a different direction and while that enabled us to see ‘Gramma and Papa’ more often, it didn’t seem often enough. Our intentions are always good at doing the things that matter most, but we are better at allowing distractions to guide our intentions away from what is really best. So, work and activities became obstacles of not getting over to see them as much as we should have.

Now we’re in Oregon, near where my son and daughter in-law live with my little granddaughter. And I often wonder if they’ll move away or we’ll be called somewhere else. My daughter has left to take a job in Southern California so a piece of my heart is down there. My youngest son stayed in Idaho when we moved, so I left another piece up there. I now know what my mom’s heart has gone through.

If I could take back things that I have done or said to my mom (or dad) that was less than kind, I would. I think anyone else would do the same. The last person in the world I think you want to see hurt is your mom. There’s just something about a mom. So, since I sent my mom a birthday card on Mother’s Day (by mistake, but I liked what it said), I guess this is sort of a ‘mom’s day’ tribute on her birthday. It should’ve been said long ago.

So, Mom… Happy Birthday and I wish I could be there. Since I can’t, I just want you to know you mean the world to me and even though I don’t tell you often enough, you have been the best. Thanks for all you’ve done for me, even when I was ungrateful. For all you taught, even when I wasn’t wanting to learn. For loving me when I was unlovable and always being so forgiving in the tough places. Most of all, just for being you – a true beauty in every sense of the word. You remain (and always will be) the one I admire and often wished I could be more like. You have gone through fires and have come out as gold.

I love you more than you can know.

Happy Birthday.

And dad, it’s not your birthday, but I'm telling you now - don’t think you’re any less important, because you’re not. After all we’ve been able to talk about lately, you've gotta trust me on this.

You're gonna have to act fast, but here's a link to a great giveaway if you love children's books. By actor, author John Lithgow, it's "I Got Two Dogs". In fact, it comes with a CD with him singing a song, just for the book. Hurry! Click here:

We arrived in September and the yard was filled with maple leaves from the tree that stood center in the main part of the backyard. What wasn't covered in leaves that had dried and died, was covered with weeds of every size and kind.

After much watering, tilling the dirt and watering some more, the soil was loosened to make ready for the seeds and seedlings. We planted every thing by seed, starting the lettuce, pumpkins and more in six packs or 4" containers we had kept from when we had bought some flowers that you can see planted in the ring around the bottom of the tree. The edge was made from the bricks that had served as a hearth that the woodstove sat on. We sold the wood stove and broke up the bricks and mortar (quite a fun activity until the neighbor said some bad words 'cuz they thought we were too loud). Who goes to bed at 9:30? We put off finishing our smashing event the next morning.

We planted two crops of corn. The first one fed the birds, the second is about 4 1/2 feet tall now.

Clara's playhouse began at the north end of the yard (first picture) and eventually was moved to the south end (picture 2). I lined the path to her playhouse with sunflowers. Above are the pictures that I've taken to watch the progression of their growth.

Clara played in her playhouse the evening of June 26, and she let her hands skim over the tops of the sunflowers as she walked through to get to her little house. They came to about her chest at that time. That was two weeks ago. They are about a foot over her head now (even more, I believe) and after not being here for about a week or so, I wondered if she'd still like walking through them.

She did! She thought it was pretty cool. The sunflowers still have some growing to do. I am anxious to see their bright, sunny faces when they bloom. Have you ever noticed they follow the sun all day? That their heads turn? I'm not sure they will make it to bloom. The birds are already eating the leaves. Imagine when the seeds begin to come in...

Quite literally, this is... planting gardens! Didn't God do a fine job? So far we have had fresh lettuce salads since about four weeks ago, we've had about a handful of sweet strawberries, a green pepper, three artichokes are growing, the zuchinni is about ready to be picked, the potatoes are growing, there's lots of blooms on the pumpkin vines, we've had noodles with fresh pesto three times (using the fresh basil), and the tomatoes are beginning to yellow. The onions and carrots are taking their time, but that's okay. The beans never came up and we got one sugar pea pod (they were hidden behind the hollyhocks and didn't do so well).

All I can say is to reiterate that God did a very fine job in the garden. A fine job indeed.

I feel lost –

as if walking around in circles,

not knowing where to go

doing the same things

over and over again

and again

Lost, as if my life map has been destroyed

No path in view, no fork in the road, no trail

My sense of direction has disappeared or been severely impaired

And I don’t trust myself to take a step

For it was me that brought me here.

I don’t know where to turn

Fear and despair are becoming regular companions

coming and going

but this time

they seem content to stay.

My God, my God, King David cried –

Why have You forsaken me?

The same song he begins in despair

Is the same one that he ends with hope.

We will proclaim His righteous…

for He has done it.

To have that trust Lord,

To have that faith

To have the focus to cry out to the only One who can work

And then to have peace

because of faith

That gives me the assurance that You have not left

That You have not finished what you began

That You are faithful

That You are God.

In You alone my heart finds rest.

I was driving down one of the side streets last Saturday morning and came to a stop sign. After the cars coming in the opposite direction passed by, I accelerated to the other side of the street. That is when I noticed a tan house for sale. It was not a house out of the ordinary - nothing special. It didn’t capture my attention. It was the sign that hung from the front of the fence that caught my eye. It hung against the wire fence that surrounded the rather plain backdrop. A plastic sign and certainly nothing to write home about, but it was the words that called for my attention.

The first time I saw them I glanced at them briefly, but they beckoned me for a closer look. Making sure of what I had read, I read them again, only for some reason, this time I read them aloud as I drove past. It was at that moment, when I heard them audibly, that God spoke directly to my heart.

“I’m gorgeous inside.”

That’s all it said. But, have you ever said those words in the quietness of your own presence? Have you ever whispered that to your heart?

I’m gorgeous inside.

I looked at that house and there was absolutely nothing extraordinary about it. It was very plain and very simple. The landscape was turf and a few flowers thrown in here and there. Definitely, nothing spectacular. And then I thought about how that house represented me. I am nothing extraordinary. Nothing above plain and simply put, very simple. I have flaws that others notice and an interior and an exterior that needs a lot of fixing up.

But, I’m gorgeous inside.

It reminded me that I concentrate on what the world sees - what I see - instead of what my Creator sees. He sees a soul that has been made clean and pure by the righteousness of His beloved Son. When He sees me, He sees His Son.

I am gorgeous inside.

I am a reflection of my Maker. The apple of His eye. Made in His image and righteous in His sight.

I am gorgeous inside.

I know because He told me so. And He announced it to the rest of the world on a plastic sign, hanging on the front of a wire fence, on a street named Mt. Carroll, in a town called Coeur d’Alene.

I've been in therapy a lot this week. I feel good about it, thanks to Michael J. Fox and his ice skates. You see, I didn't know that a pair of ice skates could be so healing.

Most of you who follow me know that I have PD. Some of you think it's not so bad and then some who know me really well know that's not so true. Some have questioned the recommendation and urging of my doctor to go forward with DBS (deep brain stimulation) because, after all - I'm not so bad.

A dear friend of mine went with me to one of my last appointments with my MDS (movement disorder specialist, aka neurologist). I like to take someone with me, as I usually can't absorb all the information he gives me (aka lack of memory!). This visit was in preparation for the DBS. I didn't know that. I also didn't know that I wasn't supposed to have not taken my medications that morning, but I hadn't anyway since my appointment was at seven and I don't take them on an empty stomach since they tend to make me queasy. So I brought them with me to take afterward. Fortunately, I did bring them, as that was a part of the doctor's plan as well. (I didn't know that, either. Perhaps it was a prime example of the infamous, "Great minds thinking alike".)

My doctor did a complete PD exam - off meds. I didn't realize that off my meds, I could not count backwards from ten to one, but also, the tremors on my right side are predominantly worse than those headed over to my left. There were other factors as well, but let's just say that what has become subtle to me as I learn to live with this little monster, became strikingly obvious that day. And Fondra, thanks for going with me that day (and so many others!) and seeing the vast difference between the ons and the offs, reassuring me I’m not crazy.

Then he had me take my meds (all eight of my morning ones) and thirty minutes following, he repeated the exam. I passed with excellence. My medications kick in pretty fast and the way my doctor schedules them, the dosages work well and they make me work well. Some ask why I take so many. My doctor, whom I trust explicitly, has explained the use for each one. I could probably get by with less and stumble more, shake more, forget more, and more and more - But, I kind of like not having to struggle as much as I've seen others who have PD struggle who take maybe eight pills a day total. We're all different. And that's okay.

Anyhow, some people I know think I'm not too bad off. Compared to some, I completely agree. But then, who exactly are we comparing ourselves to, anyhow? That's why I like Michael J. Fox's ice skates. Those shoes symbolize to me how all of us with PD are different.

When MJF (Michael J. Fox) skates, he is a different man. He doesn't have tremors. He doesn't talk funny. His brain still operates according to a decrease in dopamine but for a brief time, he can forget about that. The therapy session he has out on the ice is healing and rejuvenating and for that brief time, his little monster has to sit on the sidelines and stew.

When I go out to my garden, I put on my version of Michael's ice skates - my flip-flops or crocs. I don't wear tie-up shoes anymore because my little monster controls the muscles in my fingers and won't let them move to tie laces. Others don't think I struggle because I just slide right into my shoes and they're right - I don't struggle with that anymore.

When I'm in my garden, I push myself. I begin to feel better mentally. I begin to loosen up physically. I dig holes and watch the worms wiggle for shelter. I plant seedlings and tap the soil gently around the roots so they are not traumatized. I water them carefully so that they don't dry out and wither.

I do this for about an hour at a time, some days more, often days less. I used to skip lunch and stay out all day. That was before my little monster came to stay with me. Now he begins to make me hurt within an hour to a point where I can't do more - not that my heart isn't in it. I deal with a lot of pain, whereas others with PD deal with more movement limitations that may not have pain, or very little pain, associated with it. I'm grateful that I have a high tolerance for pain. My OB-GYN and the nurses aiding him, when I was in induced labor for 21 hours with my first child (without drugs I might stupidly add), confirmed that. I wasn't real knowledgeable as to the degree of freedom that stuff gives a woman until observing the effects it had on my daughter in-law when she was in labor. She was smart. I wasn’t.

Anyhow, I love my garden. I love watering it, cultivating and weeding it and I love to watch it grow and bloom. That's what I do now - enjoy it as much and as long as I can. I know that one day the possibility of pulling weeds and digging holes may be few and far between and that's why I put on my ice skates now. Did I say ice skates? I meant crocs. When I am out in the dirt, I feel like Michael feels when he is on the ice - free. The tremors cease until I stop. I forget about the pain and push myself until I can't do anymore, because if feels wonderful to be able to move my muscles, if only for an hour.

When my hour, two hours, thirty minutes are up, I sit on the bench and take off my skates, er, I mean, crocs. I sit there and take a deep breath and thank God for giving me that time in the dirt. That time of working alongside of Him and loving every second of it. Then, as the stiffness begins to set in, I go inside, take some medicine for the pain, pull out my computer, and begin to write. And as I do, I thank God that He has given me that, too.

I am so grateful for life. Life is hard – so very hard – but I am thankful for life. Little things can make it so worth the pain…

a little smile when the day has been long
or a soft but definite ‘hello’ when you’re feeling alone

a helpful hand when you’re tired
a glass of water when you’re thirsty

a drop of rain on a very hot day
or a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day

a plate of cookies when you think you’ve been forgotten
a bouquet of flowers left on your doorstep

a remembrance of your favorite verse at just the right time
and the sound of a child’s innocent giggle

the sound of a river rushing to the ocean
or a creek as it finds its way through the hills

the feeling inside when you finally finish
and the excitement of finally beginning

the shapes and colors of each different rose
and the thorns that protect each one

the way a caterpillar waddles up a stem
curls up tight and comes out a beautiful butterfly

a father playing with his children
and enjoying it more than his children

Isn’t it funny how life seems so hard? Yet, when you begin to focus and dwell on the good things, life isn’t so overwhelming, after all.

The storm clouds began rolling in early last afternoon. They hung around silently for a while. Then about an hour ago, the sky darkened and the thunder began to roar and I sit here now and watch the lightening strike in the distance and a shiver goes up my spine every time.

That could be me standing at the end of where that bolt will strike. No one could blame God if it were to actually strike me. I am a sinner, just like the next person. I have lied and cheated (I’m sure at least once in Monoply I didn’t pay my hotel bill before checking out and moving on). I’ve said things I shouldn’t have and I’ve gotten mad when I had no right to be. I could go on but you get the idea. There are many reasons I don’t deserve mercy.

For every bolt of lightening that fills the sky with its powerful splendor, there is a reason that I have no right to stand before a holy God. For every lightening bolt that fills the sky, there is an equally powerful burst of thunder that shakes the heavens and renders me speechless.

I used to think thunder was God’s anger verbalized throughout the skies. I could add that for every bolt of lightening that highlighted one of my sins, there would follow a burst of holy anger to condemn me. God’s judgment would be served.

I never noticed the rain. I sat in the dark of the storms, guilty of everything that was pointed out, for all to see and mock me. I wanted to run and hide. Stay out of view, just like Adam and Eve. I dodged the bolts and feared God’s thunderous voice. Then one day, I did notice the rain.

The lightening had lit up the sky and the thunder roared. God was mad. Drops of rain began to fall from the sky. Large drops of water, touching my skin and covering me as each drop fell faster and more frequently. Within moments, as I stood in the open space and let it fall on me, for some reason, I couldn’t move.

I stood there, letting the water pour down on me, enjoying every drop. As each one fell, I basked in the wonder of the merciful favor and grace of a loving God. Knowing I deserved the wrath of God, I was granted grace instead. Grace that was washing over me. Grace that was washing me clean. A grace that at one time in my life never saw for fear of the thunder of God’s wrath. A grace that was covering every spot of me, penetrating even the darkest of places. A grace that healed and cleansed from the inside out.

I now look at storms differently. The thunder roars and the lightening strikes and I smile. There are places in my life that God’s lightening exposes and I am pierced with conviction to be clean. His voice thunders, calling me to come. I no longer flee in fear, but run to Him and as I do I am made new by His healing rain that pours down upon me. The healing rain of Christ’s blood that washes me clean.

Thank you Lord, for the storms that no longer cause us to want to run and hide in an unhealthy fear of You, but that teach us to have a holy fear of the God You are. We come running at the sound of your voice. Thank you for standing with open arms as Your healing rain pours over us. Thank you for grace and mercy. And thank you for the storms.

It’s great fun to reconnect with people, but I’m beginning to see why one loses contact with friends they once knew. Time is a significant factor in one's ability to do relationships, past and present, justice.

I love Facebook. The reconnection rate is much greater than if you tried to scan the internet looking for who knows who. However, I’m beginning to see that reconnecting is becoming frustrating for me, in a sense. When I find someone who had a significant place in the prior years of my life, I am quite excited to reconnect with them. I want to know what they’re up to and all the rest that comes with catching up. The frustrating part? I feel I cannot and have not done justice to the relationships I have reconnected with. I feel I have left school mates, cousins, acquaintances, church family, etc. hanging by a thread after my initial communication. I want to do more than say, “Hey, I found you – what are you up to?” I want them to know I interrupted their life because they played a significant part in mine. But, life as I know it doesn’t leave much time to give adequate attention to each contact individually… yet.

So… I guess the purpose of this post is to say, if anyone out there has received a “Hey – what are you up to?” from me recently, it is my goal to follow up. Hopefully I can fit it in between the brain surgery, dirty dishes, writing projects and tonight’s birthday celebrations. Until then, know I’m thinking about you and in some way or another, you’re special to me.

If you’d like to know a bit about what Ken and I have been up to recently, you can catch our ‘journeying journal’ on Facebook in the groups section entitled, Where in the US of A are the Woodbridges Wandering Today.

Chip Ingram gave a sermon once (or two or three or 4 times) that was titled, “The Best Advice I Ever Took”. It consisted of five relevant pieces of wisdom, which he considered life changing. They were (if I remember correctly!):

1. Do your own dishes
2. Write it down
3. Do it now
4. Set your alarm
5. Take out the trash

Doing your own dishes meant: clean up after yourself; leave things better than you found them; and, do not expect others to clean up after you – clean up after yourself.

Write it down: Lists, calendars, journaling – they all have a purpose. To keep you on track, focused, and mentally healthier.

Do it now: Don’t procrastinate. If something needs doing, there’s no better time than the present. Don’t allow things to pile up – materially or emotionally. Take care of things when they come up and don’t put it off.

Set your alarm: Start the by putting God first. Begin by setting your alarm five minutes early and meet with God. Second week – ten minutes. Work your way up to thirty minutes of quiet time with the Lord. Be on time.

Take out the trash: You are a temple of God. We are to glorify God in our bodies. If there are things that dishonor him (the thoughts we think, the words we use, the bitterness we harbor, the things we view, the things we listen to – whatever grieves His spirit, whatever trash exists in our life – take it out. Get rid of it.

These are five pieces of advice and wisdom that were life changing to him and if you know anything about Chip Ingram, you know he is a man after God’s heart and has been a vessel used by the Lord through which He has changed thousands of lives.

I was thinking about these five points the other day (I’ve personally listened to this message countless times to refresh my memory, for if taken seriously, they are life-changing for everyone), and wondered what five pieces of advice I would take from my life experiences that would be notable enough to share with someone else. The following is what evolved...

1. Dance with your children. When my first son was born, I was getting ready to leave the hospital and the pediatrician came in for a final check on his newest patient. He sat on the edge of the bed and said, “There will be a lot of folks who will have a lot of advice to give to you on how to raise this boy. Some of it you will be able to use and some of it you will listen politely and need to let it go in one ear and out the other. The best advice I can give you is to dance with your children.”

I took that literally. I danced with my oldest son, my daughter and my youngest son. We have giggled, and laughed, and on my son’s wedding day, I cried. I have danced my kids to sleep and soothed them when they were sick. Those have been some of the best memories of not only my life, but also my kids’ lives.

2. Bloom where you are planted. I have been in situations that were tough. I have moved to places where I didn’t necessarily want to be. However, if I truly believe in a sovereign God, then I will believe that wherever I am, whatever I am going through – God has me there for a reason.

Sometimes we are in a place we don’t want to be whether emotionally or physically. We can complain, fight it, or we can bloom. A plant does not bloom until it has been planted, taken root, grown a sturdy, strong stem and branched out. We will not grow either unless we ground ourselves in the soil of God’s word, take root in its truth, grow strong in faith and branch out – reach out – to others. That is when we bloom. When we do bloom, we are beautiful because of the grace of God and leave a fragrance that others are drawn to… the fragrance of God.

Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song entitled, Bring It On. Bring it on is a ‘male’ version of saying, bloom where you are planted. The chorus states:

Bring it on!

Let the lightning flash,

let the thunder roll,

let the storm winds blow,

let the trouble come,

let the hard rain fall,

let it make me strong . . .

Bring it on.

Nothing happens to us that is not approved by God. Therefore, there should be nothing to fear, nothing to dread. That is so much easier said than done, however it is true. Yet, we do fear, and we do dread, and we do worry and get anxious because we are human. However, God is there to go through it with us, to make us stronger, to make us purer, to perfect us.

The soil we are standing in may feel like quicksand, it may feel like clay or rock, but I have seen many flowers come up through the toughest terrains and surrounded by gravel, rocks and the scorching heat of the sun, they were absolutely beautiful. So, wherever you find yourself… bloom there, where God has planted.

3. Don’t look back. We can easily be caught up with regret. We wish we had done this or wish we had not done that. We wish we had gone here or had not gone there. We wish we hadn’t said that or wish we could take that back. Regrets, one after another. The past is a tricky thing. It can be full of wonderful memories. It can also be full of memories that haunt us for a lifetime. What can we do?

Don’t look back. Paul says in Philippians that all of us who are mature in Christ (and isn’t that what we, as Christians should desire?), to press on in our lives – forget what is in the past and strain toward what is ahead of us.

We spend so much time looking back. It does not do us any good in our Christian walk to live in the past. Christ is waiting ahead of us, not when we look back. He is coming for us in the future, not in what has been. Turn off the tapes that hold you back. The tapes of regret that go around and around in our minds and play repeatedly. Record some new ones that tell you it is time to move on. It is time to lift your head, look heavenward with joy, and… press on.

4. Eat dessert first. I like this one because it frees your spirit. It is a grace inducer and it allows you to realize that life was not meant to be a list of rules. Sure, there are rules and laws - commandments even - that we should obey for the good and protection of humankind, but God loves through grace and not a thick book of rules and regulations.

A few years ago, my husband and I were driving to Canada for his aunt’s funeral. We had driven all day and had not stopped for anything to eat so we would not be too late in arriving at the hotel. When we did arrive, I was really hungry. We walked over to the restaurant next to the hotel and sat down. The waitress came for our order and I asked how long it would be before dinner would come since the place was extremely busy. When she said about twenty minutes, I asked if I could order dessert and get that first.

Now, I could have waited for dinner without starving to death. We, as Americans, tend to exaggerate our hunger anyhow and most of us do not truly even understand what it means to starve or be ‘hungry’. However, I was… hungry. However, that was not the only reason I ordered dessert first. I had never done that before. I was 45 and finally rid of guilt over certain things and was finally testing my wings.

How many times did your mother tell you not to eat something because you would spoil your dinner? We have learned and perfected how to take those tidbits of instruction and turn them into lifetime laws that strangle our joy and riddle us with guilt when we have disobeyed them. That is not how God intends for us to live. Yes, He laid down the first laws – the Ten Commandments – but He did it for our protection. He told us not to lie, steal, and covet for our own good, not because He didn’t want us to have fun. He knew the consequences of what could and would happen if we committed adultery. The commandments were given for our protection. To love Him with all our heart and soul and mind would keep us from straying from Him and falling to temptation and regretting our choices.

The pie and ice cream… eating dessert first. It was grace. Defying guilt and manmade laws. It’s a wonderful thing.

5. Love your neighbor as yourself. I have to confess that I did not really grasp this until a few years ago, but when I did, it was life-changing for me. Christ was (and still is) pretty wise.

It is nearly impossible to love someone else unless you have learned to love yourself. When you do love yourself, you have a joy that cannot be quenched because you are content with who you are. You like yourself. When you do not have that attitude, you can feel like no one else likes you and it is a downward spiral. When you are content with who you are, you are content with most every other area of your life and if someone else does not ‘like’ you, you move on and don’t allow it to become an issue. You can love someone else without conditions because you have learned to love you. You’ve learned to be easier on yourself. You have learned to forgive yourself and believe that God made you for a purpose and God does not make junk. Love yourself first and you will love your neighbor without a problem.

Five snippets of advice from life. You can take it and use it or listen politely and let it go in one ear and out the other. It won’t bother me. I’m busy blooming and dancing with my granddaughter.

I will never forget the time I came home from work in the afternoon; I was feeling not only emotionally beat up by Parkinson’s but also physically. I had been home on disability and had gone back to work, which was grueling every morning for me. One particular day stands out in my memory; I was too ill to continue my day at work and had to leave after only being at work a few hours. I called Judy on my cell phone en-route home in tears. I felt not only disappointed and betrayed by my body, but embarrassed to admit to my employer that I was having a hard time working a full day. After I had been home for a while my telephone rang; it was Judy on the other end giggling and telling me that when my front door bell rang to open it and sign the paper and please add a tip…I said "What???" she continued to giggle to the point she was in tears on the other end and gasping to catch her breath and then blurted out to me "what kind of pizza do you like??" Yep you guessed it the bighearted Tennessee wild woman ordered me lunch…all the way from Tennessee…I have never had anyone do that for me! Not only was I surprised but so was her credit card company when they called her concerned someone in CA had gotten a hold of her credit card and was using it!! Looking back upon the memory of that very day showed me the heart this gal has for her friends.

Last week Judy made a trip out to the west coast and Marian (another CA gal) and I were on the list of visits…we had a grand time with Judy, Sherri, Marian and myself…No one but Judy could preplan the fun she had in store for us…she went out to the car and returned with a bag filled with small cups of different colors of Play dough…giggled and said "OK everyone pick 3!" We laughed, we sculpted, it was great fun to see four women ranging in age from their 40’s and 50’s so young at heart, each intensely immersed in creating masterpieces! Judy you truly are a wonderful, energetic, vivacious woman…thank you for your friendship!

Spring is here in many areas across the nation and products to boost your garden and lawn's appearance are lining the shelves. A recent lawn weed and feed fertilizer company boasted the following advertisement for selling their product:

*Kills Weeds.

*Builds Strong, Deep Roots.

*Improves Lawn's Ability to Absorb Water & Nutrients.

As I passed the product on the shelf, I thought how this could advertise God's word and yet, I wonder if we, as a nation would spend a millions of dollars if this historical and we advertised this great book as fertilizer.

A fertilizer has many uses, such as nourishing and stimulating the soil. Compost is widely considered a valuable fertilizer, using a mix of decaying organic matter, such as leaves or manure, which aide in improving soil structure and providing nutrients.

I find that rather interesting. Dead organic matter helps provide valuable nourishment and promotes growth in plants. Isn’t that also true in the Christian life? It is not until we surrender and die to ourselves that God can grow us and we begin to bloom.

As fertilizer nourishes the soil, so God’s word spiritually nourishes us. As Christians, we will not grow without feeding upon His word and spending time with Him regularly each day. Strong roots anchor deep into the soil, protecting us from falling over in high winds and heavy storms. We may take a beating as the rain pelts against our spiritual bodies, but we will not be uprooted. We will stand erect when the sun shines once again, often producing a stronger faith that is clothed in beautiful blooms.

The same is true in the life of a believer. When we spend time in God’s word, we grow deeper in our faith and learn to stand firm in the midst of trials and tribulations. We are rooted deep in the things of God and are able to withstand the harsh winds and bitter storms of what we call ‘life’. We are strengthened in such a way that when the storms do come, having been grounded in Him, we are not shaken or moved.

Fertilizer is also a great agent in killing weeds. God’s word is also a great agent for warding off temptation. When a believer faces various trials and temptations, it becomes easier each day to mistake sin for ‘fun’. He has distanced himself from God’s standards and therefore, his decisions in morality become blurred. Roots that once were strong and firm now shrivel and begin to fade from lack of nourishment and the inability to absorb water which sustains life. When we spend time with the Lord, we are nourished by the Water of Life - the only true source that brings life eternal.

While we are feeding our lawns this spring, let us take a glance at the condition of our own ‘growth’ and see if it may need some fresh nourishment. Are leaves a brilliant green? Are we shining in our lives so that others notice? Are we budding or blooming? Is growth evident? Are the weeds we have allowed to grow, whether we view them as large or small, being eradicated?

It may be time to visit God’s garden shop and grab a bag of spiritual fertilizer. God wants to do a miraculous work by bringing forth new growth and beauty, just as the flowers are beginning to do this spring. Will we allow him to fertilize our hearts or go on until we fall over in the next storm?

Heavenly Father, I confess I have allowed the things of this world to distract me from soaking up the words and truth of Your word. I have allowed roots to loosen that once grew deep into the things of You and grasped instead, other things of this world. Help me to take root in You and not to sway when the trials and temptations in my life distract me, vying for my attention. Teach me to feed upon You alone. May everything I desire fade away as I die to self and allow you to live through me and may the blooms of my life bring you glory, as others see beauty in me, because of You.

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Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb here and make a confession by saying that every once in a while I insert a dollar bill into the slot of the little green machine at the grocery store, in hopes that the numbers on the little white piece of paper that pops out of another slot might have the winning lottery numbers on it.

Well, I think I know the answer. It came to me just the other day. I was reading about Ed McMann – you know, the guy that we all have waited years for to show up on our doorsteps with a big, fat check from Publishers Clearing House. Did you know he filed for bankruptcy? The guy from Dick Clarke’s show – the guy with the big, fat checks didn’t budget his income too well (and he had a great income!).

I’m sure he thought at one point in his life he had it all. Then he lost it all.

Sometimes I feel I’ve lost it all. Life can seem desperate. Yet, I look back at what God has provided and when I stop to think about it, He has done nothing less than a miracle in our lives.

We received, according to our taxes, lower than poverty level in income last year and yet – we wanted for nothing. There’s only one way that can happen. God’s faithfulness to provide for our every need. And… He did.

We search the aisles of the market for something to fill the hunger in our lives. We search the internet for something to fill the loneliness, only to turn it off with the empty feeling still intact, deep within. We flip through the channels on our HD TV’s only to come full circle to where we began, having found nothing. Why is it that we look for and to everything else in this world to satisfy us before we turn to Him?

I popped a dollar into the machine and after retrieving it, I walked toward the car and hoping this would be the little piece of paper that would solve my despair. Before I got to the car, I realized what I was doing. Little pieces of paper are not the answer. There is absolutely nothing or anyone that can nor will ever take care of me the way my Daddy above can or will ever do. No lottery ticket is the magic key. There is no magic key.

The key, I realized as I sat in the car thinking about it, is faith. After all, who or what am I trusting in – God or a little piece of paper with the wrong numbers on it?

One of my favorite hymns is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. All I have needed, Your hand has provided…

What I need, He’ll provide. It doesn’t mention the state lottery. If I don’t win the so that I can help my daughter pay her school bill, perhaps that’s not my burden to carry (although I carry it quite well). Perhaps I need to just trust Him for everything, large or small. I have this feeling that to Him, size isn’t an issue and He can take care of it.

His faithfulness is great. His provision, just as great. I think I’ll just rest in that. No more little green machines for me. Anyone for a game of poker? Just kidding.

When my son was born, until the age of almost three, he had constant ear infections. After the third or fourth time, it became easier to identify that another was coming on and I could get him to the doctor before it became too painful. Most of the time.

I do recall one experience of having that motherly instinct of knowing he was getting another and taking me in. His regular doctor was out and another doctor saw him. He assured me after checking him briefly that there was no cause for worry. I wanted to assure him that I was most certain he was wrong.

At twelve o’clock that night, my son woke up screaming, his ear filled with pain. I did everything I could to help him. I gave him Tylenol. I held him. I rocked him. I cried with him. He screamed in pain until morning.

A few weeks ago, I had an ear infection. It began with a gradual achiness followed by intense pain and pressure for about five days, at which time I felt it was going to burst and to be quite honest, I almost wanted it to just to relieve the pain and the pressure.

No one ever gave me Tylenol. No one held or rocked me or saw me crying in the dark when I could not sleep because the pain was so intense, but then, they did not know because I was not crying out in agony.

This is what I learned…

When my son, at the age of two, was in pain, he writhed in discomfort and screamed for release from the grip of his ear infection. Oh how I wanted to comfort him and hold him tight so that he knew he was not alone. I rocked him to try to soothe him and as I held him closely, I cried with him, wanting badly to be able to take his pain away.

When I was in pain a few weeks ago, for the most part, I kept it inside. No one else needed to hear how much it really hurt. No one could rock me and comfort me and it made me think… Isn’t that what God wants us to do with him? Yet, we try to keep the pain in our lives and the heartache we experience hidden deep inside, when all the while He is waiting for us to cry out to Him for help.

I was chatting online last night with a friend and he was saying that one of his friends was not going to be able to do an event that they had planned for this year. He said the other person had been having some recent struggles and had to cancel. Then he withdrew and ‘disappeared’ (not literally) from his network of friends. My friend made a comment that went something like this: “I’ve told him there’s still a spot for him on the team, but he’s got to walk through the door.”

I liked that. We sit and cry but we do not run through the door screaming to God for relief. We do not writhe in pain when it hurts so bad inside that we think we cannot tolerate it for another minute. A foreclosure on the only home you have known. A divorce. An illness. The loss of a loved one. You lose your job. The list goes on.

When a child cries out in pain, the parent responds immediately. When he whimpers and sits off to the side, if the parent does notice, s/he probably knows it is not a life-threatening issue or the child would be screaming as loud as he was able. The child that is crying out for mercy gets mommy or daddy by their side - immediately.

I am not saying that if we talk to God politely, He is going to ignore us, but there is something to be said about crying out to Him. Sometimes that is the only thing we can do. Sometimes that is the best thing to do. To become like a child and let Him hold you and rock you. Let Him soothe you and wipe the tears as He wraps you safely in His arms.

He is waiting to love you. It is up to you to walk through the door.

Sometimes we beat ourselves up when something goes wrong. We convince ourselves that if we had only done it this way instead of doing it that way, things would have been better. If we had only said something different, we would have been more helpful. If we had only…

It is so much easier to listen to the negative tapes recorded in the recesses of our brains than to listen to the truth tapes.

My daughter in-law tells the story of when she was young and sitting in the living room where her dad was watching a baseball game. Every now and then she would glance up from her book when he would holler for his favorite team or express disappointment over an error made. She was inattentive to the specifics of the game, for the most part.

The game was almost over and it was tied. The pitcher threw a ball, a hit was made and an easy catch was missed. She was watching.

“He lost the game for the whole team,” she exclaimed.

“What?” her dad questioned. “Weren’t you watching the game?”

“Yes. But he lost the game for the rest of the team at the end.”

“No he didn’t. Didn’t you see so and so in the third inning miss that catch? In the fourth inning one of their best hitters struck out. There was an error in the fifth. It takes the whole team to win and it takes the whole team to lose. The sole responsibility of whether they win or lost never rests on one player alone.”

For some reason, she took that tidbit of wisdom to heart and shared it with me the other day. It was something I needed to hear.

Often when things take a bad turn in someone's life that I am closely connected to, I examine what I could have done differently. I examine what I might have done wrong. I often tend to blame myself for the bad stuff because if I had only…

The truth is that the consequences in the lives of those we love, do not rest on the teachings and training of just one person. It does not rest on the influence of just one individual. A popular saying a few years back was, “It takes a village to raise a child”. There is much truth in that.

It takes a whole lifetime of different people, from different walks of life to have an impact on one person. A life is not carved, influenced, or impacted merely by one person.

Parents are responsible for the care, nurturing, training, protection, and upbringing of their children. Though we try to train them up in God’s truth, with wisdom gleaned from our own personal experiences – try to protect them from harm of any sort, the fact is, others are influencing them as well, whether good or bad. Kids are constantly hearing differing opinions and beliefs and deciding for themselves what they want to accept as truth… or not. They eventually come to an age where they will make their own choices, sometimes regardless of what they were taught as a child at home. There is no room for ‘if I had only…’ because at that point there were countless others who had an impact on that one life.

There are many things, if given the opportunity, we would most likely go back in time and do differently. Since we are not able to fix what has been done, we have to accept that we either did the best we could with what we had and what we knew or yes, we goofed big time. Yet still, we need to move on, admit we may have been able to do better, and apologize if it is needed. Make the wrong right. That is where the responsibility ends until the other party responds. You cannot make them forgive you. However, you can forgive yourself and move on.

There is no room for the ‘if only-s’ in this life. They only serve to keep us bound to the past instead of living in the present and learning from our errors so that we can be better in the future. The errors others make in their lives do not rest on the shoulder of one single person. We all make mistakes and we all have watched others make some of their mistakes. We can either learn from them (and some are doozies) or blame someone else (including ourselves) for the poor choices made by someone we love.

If we would stop beating ourselves up, we would realize that we are not the only person that has had a significant influence in another person’s life. The entire village did. In some cases, the ‘village’ (family, church, group, classroom, sports team) needs to gather and make a wrong, right again and realize they all may have had a part to play.

When a coach sits with his team after a game of defeat, he does not single out one specific player, pinning the loss on just him. The entire team gets the talk. The entire team is told where the errors were made. They review where others on the team might have been able to step in and help.

The next time the ‘If I had only’ tape turns on in your head, remember that we can have a significant impact on the life of one individual, but so can many others. Good or bad.' If you honestly feel you’ve had a part to play in another person’s troubles, take what you’re responsible for, deal with it in a healthy way (ask forgiveness, seek counseling, etc) and then… move on. You will not do your team any good just sitting on the bench, telling yourself, “If I had only…” Get up and get back in the game.

A special group of people committing to an epic plan to climb 10 mountains in 10 years to help find cures for Alzheimers and Parkinson's are known as the Regulars. You can read about them by clicking on the links and if you are an avid Facebook junkie, they can also be found on MySpace under "Groups" and Facebook under "Causes" (or, click on the links).

This year is the fourth year in their projected climbs and in July, they are slated for Africa, destination Mt. Kilimangaro. In preparation, one member of their team, Strong Feather Eileen, says, "Now my journey begins as I continue to clear all obstacles from my path and continue to search inside beyond the physical. Mt. Hood taught me many lessons. Mt. Washington has given me confidence. Mt. Kilimanjaro will define me."

The team, led by Enzo Simone, began in 2006 with their epic climb up the highest peak in Continental Europe, Mount Blanc. Their travel around the globe, beginning with Mt. Blanc and ending with Mt. Everest in 2015, is called A Trail Called Hope, a campaign started to raise awareness and funds needed to help find cures for those with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.

We strongly desire to let this awesome team of 'regular' people know that we support them and encourage them in not only what they're doing now, but thank them for what they've done.

One of the team members, Chadd Tabor, knows first hand what it's like to live with PD. "I was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's 3 years ago. I spent most of my time trying to hide it. Now, I am spending my time trying to fight it. When I first started reaching out to fellow PD'ers, several people told me about the Regulars. I read the Bios and watched the videos. It inspired me more than words can explain. Enzo offered me a spot and it blew my mind! Could I climb a mountain? Do I own a decent pair of thick socks? (he he he) Ain't it cold there? Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my! How could a guy in my situation, with PD, pass up an opportunity like this? A chance of a lifetime for the fight of a lifetime. Alot of things can happen to and for me between now and the climb. So regardless of my shaky legs on a mountain or on the sidelines I am thankful for the opportunity to play a part in this amazing adventure. Rock on Regulars!"
(see Chad Taber of the Regulars)

You can read more about each member of the team at their website. You can also read about their upcoming climb, A Trail Called Hope - IV and Team Kilimanjaro at their website, The Regulars.

The Regulars are looking forward to a big year in 2009. Enzo Simone says, "Time flies and our project is now in it's fourth year. We have a dynamic team, and we have raised the bar on what we hope to accomplish. This year Back Light Productions hopes to complete the first of three feature film documentaries to follow our project around the world during our decade long epic."

Black Light Productions, 'a Los Angeles based motion picture company that produces stories that enrich, inspire, and dignify the goodness of the human experience', is chronicling the worldwide epic. 10 Mountains 10 Years, is a documentary feature film following the international team of mountain climbers. As well as tracking 'the greatest advances and climbs happening in the medical community', they are also following individuals battling these two diseases with their caregivers in the long term.

Although science and research move forward and chip away at both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, there is still no cure. In this quest, 'no stone can be left unturned. All must be explored' (Enzo Simone). The next stone to turn and the next area of exploration: Mount Kilimanjaro - highest mountain in Africa.

They will be traveling June 28th and will start climbing on July 3rd for five days. The team will consist of its Team Lead Enzo Simone, and will include Brett Curtis, Jennifer Yee, Eileen Bencivengo/Colon, Eric Buzzetto, Nadyne Perlin, Margaret Fuller, Lori Saviers, Adam Mitchell, Jaymes Brevard, Bill Glover, Chadd Tabor, Luc Thoelen, and Denise Albero.

On behalf of the entire Alzheimer's and PD community, we want to thank all of the Regulars, both past and present for what you have done and continue to do. We leave you with a quote by Enzo Simone.

Inspiration is the beginning of all my efforts (our efforts). When we feel we can do no more, inspiration is the whisper in our ear telling us to stand up and try again. It can be done.

Be inspired. Listen to the whisper. Stand and don't ever give up. Believe in the cause and then... become part of it.

Purchase The Regulars products at: www.cafepress.com/theregulars

Monday was my birthday and my age is irrelevant.

Although a bit under the weather still, I left at 8 a.m. to watch my little granddaughter. We went to WalMart and got bubbles. It took a while, but she finally realized that those big transparent balls floating in front of her were harmless and then she was fascinated. We spent rest of the morning walking outside. That's when it happened. She discovered her shadow.

She tried to catch it but every time she went faster, her shadow sped up as well. She'd turn around and it would disappear until she turned around once again. She'd turn and her shadow would be beside her. She spend at least a good fifteen minutes fascinated by her shadow.

It's funny how something so simple can be so entertaining.

The thing that struck me as Clara watched her shadow move and follow her around is that I want to be a shadow. I want to shadow everything about Christ. The way He speaks, the way He loves, the way He extends compassion, the way He knows the scriptures... the way He walks.

There is a saying, "Don't talk the walk but walk the talk" (or something like that). Often I can get caught up in talking the walk, but am I walking the talk? I think being the shadow of Christ puts a whole new light on that phrase. It places the wanna-be-like Christ person as close as you could be to Him.

For example:

You follow Him. He goes before you. He protects you.

You walk beside Him, taking in His wisdom and learning from Him.

He follows you. You never get too far ahead. He never gets too far ahead of you.

I think I rather like being a shadow. His shadow, anyway.