My Constants, "Love, Hope and Faith"

If you are a fan of the TV series "Lost" then you saw last weeks episode where Desmond needed to find a constant in his past life and his present life to keep from dying. His constant was his girlfriend Penny. It was quite a moving episode. This week started out pretty dreary with the weather, cloudy, cold and rainy. I went to work Monday feeling like the mouse in the wheel. I don't always want to do another day. Basically, life is pretty dull. We go to work, we work at home, we struggle to pay our bills, and we go to sleep and start over. Yes, occasionally we have something to look forward to, a vacation, a move, a tax return, a day off work with no obligations. But mostly life is a grind. But how often do we think that we'd have it better if we had a different job, more money, a different spouse (NOT ME OF COURSE), more manageable kids, a bigger house, a maid, a fitness trainer, etc... However, I did find that my "Constants" in life make it more bearable and worth living. Some of my constants are routines. Reading a devotion with Erik before school, listening to my new voicemail from Rog that he left on his way to work, coming home from work on lunch to eat and watch TV, making supper and relaxing on the couch, going to church on Sunday and taking a day off of housework. Roger is my constant. I know I can call him or talk to him about anything that frustrates me, anything that makes me laugh, anything that makes me cry, etc. His love is a constant! Then when I need to complain about Roger I call Traci! (Not very often though:) My faith is a constant, I know that even when I don't feel it I know it is still there. Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hope is a constant. Recently we had some of our hopes crushed. The land we were given by Roger's parents to build on was not buildable. The septic was not approved because the water table was too high. We wasted about $1200 finding that out. Our bigger tax check was wasted! So we thought we had free land, we thought we had extra money to find out we had neither! But I still believe (Have hope) that there is a reason to all this. One reason could be that we are not suppose to move or we are suppose to move somewhere else beside next to Rog's parents! I have hope that something better will happen. Maybe we'll have more land but a smaller house. Maybe we'll stay where we are and get out of debt. Maybe we'll move to Tennesee! It is hard not to have control of our lives but God is in control and I must trust Him. No matter how glum it looks sometimes. Part of having hope is remembering how something that didn't seem good at the time turned out to be for our better. If we remember those times we can have hope that God is in charge and we can trust that all things will work out for the best, somehow.

"I Get by with a Little Help from my Friends"

"I get by with a little help from my friends." -John Lennon
This is true. I have some very valuable friendships:
First and foremost, my friend, Jesus. "We have a friend that sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18 :24) "What a friend we have in Jesus, who all our sorrows bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer." -Hymn
The friends that got me thru school, puberty, boyfriends, graduation, then have been thru life with me. "It takes a long time to grow an old friend." -John Leonard. Thanks Ginger, Pam, Nina, Jody, and Matt.
Roger, who is my best friend. My shoulder to lean on, my fellow dreamer. "There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage." -Martin Luther. Thanks Pooky.
My daughter who I share bond of family and friendship! Thanks Poo-poo-tissue.
Our couple friends who we just have fun with, traveling or hanging out! Thanks Matt and Traci, Ginger and Kelly.
Those friends who lean a listening ear. Those who are honest but supportive! "I can trust my friends. These people force me to examine, encourage me to grow." -Cher. Thanks Traci, Ginger, Nina, Matt, Roger.
Our church friends who have prayed with and for us, who do not judge but counsel us with Godly wisdom. Ecclesiastes 4:10 "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man that falls and has no one to help him up."
Thanks Ed and Jenny, Rodd and Illene, Kevin and Lori, etc...
My buddy, Erik. He is my sunshine. "People let me tell you about my best friend. He's my one boy, my cuddly toy, my up, my down, my pride and joy." - Theme song from Eddy's father.
My son Kevin. We don't share too much in common right now but I hope to someday be his friend. It's hard to be a friend when you are being a parent. Meanwhile I can tease with Kevin and that makes me smile. There has been a spider infestation in our house. I never know where the next rubber spider will show up!
My mom, she inspires me! I'll forever admire her faith and her love for her family!
Grandma Eleanore, who I want to be like. She lives life to the fullest! And never grows old. Thanks Grandma Eleanore.
My newest little friend, Camdyn. You make me smile!!
My co-workers who tirelessly hear my stories, who know too much about me and I them and who make it bearable to go to work! Thanks Connie and Etta.
My clientele who I've become close to. Thanks Lola, Bonnie and Vickie.
Our dog, Maxine. She just wants to eat, sleep and be walked. She needs me!
Then there are those who I may have not talked to in awhile or who we've grown apart, those who are family, those who were family at a time and I still treasure (Grandma Edna, Kari, Teen, Karen, Connie B.) those I've worked with and had fun (Amber and Michelle), those who correspond via e-mail or at Christmas, those who in some way have impacted my life. To all who have touched my life, Thank you.