P.S. For a Life Well Lived

  In a little less than an hour from my writing this, Ben and I will be heading to the wake of a young woman from our church. She was only 36 years old and had endured a lifetime of health issues. She had even faced death once before when she needed a double lung transplant and in the twelfth hour a donor was found. You would never know she dealt with so much though by talking to her or by being around her. She was radiant in every way and illness was not something you would associate with her unless you knew her story.
  When Ben and I met Jess and her mother close to fifteen years ago, one of the immediate first impressions we got was just a deep sweetness about her. She was genuinely kind, genuinely joyful, and genuinely hopeful. More evident than anything else however, was the fact that she genuinely loved God and sought to honor Him in everything she did. She was deeply loved and admired, and set an example of unshakeable faith in the face of adversity. Even those of us who weren't in her inner circle of friends, couldn't help but be permanently impacted by watching her faith walk.
  Hundreds of people joined together across the country and likely around the globe, in this last leg of her race and faithfully prayed for another twelfth hour miracle. We had seen it done once.... surely we would see it again. When I saw the post about her passing from her husband, just minutes after he wrote it, I couldn't help but cry. I know she's in heaven and healthy again and worshipping, but from a purely selfish standpoint...this world needs more Christians like Jess...our loss of her is truly Heaven's gain.

  As I sat processing the realization that she was gone, I had an intimate conversation with Holy Spirit and asked Him to speak to me through scripture and give me something in that moment of sadness. As always, He was faithful...and He brought me to a chapter of the Bible, in a very specific translation. He told me this was her P.S. to all of us....and as I read it, I understood why. As a creative writer, I removed the verse numbers and I want you to read this imagining two distinct voices, the voices of those here left behind, and her voice as she steps into eternity.

  I encourage you to think of your loved ones who you've lost that you know you will get to see again when you get to heaven, and think of this as the P.S. at the end of their life's letter as well....and be encouraged by it like I was.

Isaiah 12 

The Voice translation (VOICE)

US: In the face of such grace that day, you will thank God.

JESS: Thank you, thank you, thank you, Eternal One,

God of our people, of our promise

For establishing an end to our punishment,

for taking me back with kindness, and comforting me.

See, God has come to rescue me;

I will trust in Him and not be afraid,

For the Eternal, indeed, the Eternal is my strength and my song.

My very own God has rescued me.

US: With joy in each step, you will drink deeply from the springs of salvation.
You’ll want to sing out that day,

JESS: Give thanks to the Eternal; call on His name.

Spread the news throughout the world of what He has done

and how great is His name!

Sing praises to the Eternal!

Everyone, everywhere should know that God acts in amazing ways.

You who live in this God-blessed place, this Zion, shout out and sing for joy!

For God is great, and God is here—with us and around us—the Holy One of Israel.

Love,

Fran

Joy All Ways

Faith Fully Furnished - The Camera

I love antique/vintage cameras....actually, I love pretty much all antiques...but cameras are my absolute favorite. I have many in my collection, but until I find the perfect place to display them all in the new house, I only have one out. That one is out because it has a purpose, it's one of my memory verse reminders. 

A cameras purpose is to capture a moment in time...a memory. So I use mine to remind me to be thankful for all the amazing people and things I've been blessed with.   

 Philippians 1:3 The Voice 

Whenever you cross my mind, I thank my God for you and for the gift of knowing you.

Love,
Fran
~Joy ALL Ways~

Throw Back Thursday - Year in Review

  This will be the last TBT from the old b+ blog days. Life got in the way and while my friends and co-authors continued writing there, I faded off into the sunset that year. It was interesting to me though as I re-read this last post that the things I remember being so overwhelmed by that year, seem so distant now. I remember the events, but perspective has long faded the stress and other emotions attached to the memories. My friends on the blog and I were members of a web community back then called 43 Things. It was a goal posting and tracking community where we would cheer each other on while making some great long term friends as we all "did life".

  Every year the 43 creators (a.k.a. Robots) of the community would post stats to show us our progress from year to year. It was a great tool for future planning as well as a great reminder to not get sidelined by the things you hadn't yet accomplished by remembering what you had. On the original blog entry I had posted a screen shot of my year in review...but with the end of the original web community long gone, that image was lost and with it any ability to find it again. Some of the things I recall going through that year though, were...we bought a house, that turned out to be a cursed money pit, our car died and had to be replaced, I became violently ill and almost died, we went from 0 debt to living on credit cards just to make it from week to week. Surviving at times with no heat in the house and almost no food for weeks and months on end....and that wasn't the worst either. It was a rough year that caused a lot of emotional, mental, physical and even relational stress in our lives. I recall many times wanting to just walk away from everything and start over. However, I also recall being faced with the decision to either be crushed by my circumstances or to daily fight to choose joy....no matter how seemingly miniscule it may be.

  In the almost 13 years since I originally posted this entry below, Ben and I have survived many other difficulties including job losses, deaths, betrayals, homelessness and now cancer. However, through it all.....God has ALWAYS been faithful, He's always been good, and He's always come to our rescue and sent provisions and encouragement. Yes...in the moments of crisis we can get knocked down...and even have pity parties...but it is STILL TRUE TODAY.....that in spite of all the bad....the good STILL far outweighs the bad if you look for it instead of simply dwelling on the bad.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 The Voice 

We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them. We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. We are persecuted, but we have not been abandoned. We have been knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Love,
Fran
~Joy ALL Ways~

Sunday, December 18, 2005

My year in review

Interesting. To see the robots post stats like this and help me see things in a new light is very interesting. To be honest….this has been by far the hardest year of my life. It seemed like no matter what I did at every corner was some kind of trial. I’m even going through one now as I write this. I have had to battle my way through so much this year….even to live,after almost dying this past April.
I guess this website has really helped me put things in perspective and has helped keep me focused on the positive and the good things instead of all of the bad. The bad things….though very bad…were STILL far outweighed by the good….....and that definitely is something to be thankful for. So maybe…maybe 2005 wasn’t the worst year of my life after all…..maybe it was the best because it taught me that even in the face of adversity life is worth living.