All the Days of My Life

  "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days, all the days of my life". When I begin to account the goodness that has followed me all of my days, I have to include two very special people.
Don and Mary Neal have blessed my life and those of my family for as long as I can remember.
  The memories begin when I was 4 and we began attending First Bible Church. Mary was always smiling, even when she sings, she smiles. Don was this big, handsome man with such presence, but he never knew it, you know, impressive without trying AND he was Angie's daddy. A benefit of having Angie as my friend and growing up in church with she and John was that I also got to spend time with Don and Mary. They just make you feel better.
  Time in there home, fellowship at church were all times of sharing and caring that will always stay with me. They have been my leaders, teachers, pray partners, co-laborers, parent stand-ins and precious friends forever. It is hard to narrow the memories down to just a few words.
  Don brought me home from the hospital after the birth of my son Brennan. My Dad would have done the honors, but had a long standing commitment out of town (Babies don't always come when you would like) so, Don said "What time do you need me?". I remember how sweetly he took baby Brennan from the car and up the walk with Jim trailing behind with all the bags and flowers and such. After he had placed Brennan carefully in the house, he returned for me, escorting me up the sidewalk with my arm in his like I was a queen. Remember now, I had just had my third baby and wasn't feeling very "queenly". Don made me feel special when it really helped to feel special. He just does that.
  Now Mary, how can I tell you all the times Mary was just what I needed. It was November of last year, Sunday morning church and life as I had known it was over. On Friday evening my grandson Asher had died from a "true knot" in his cord at the onset of labor. Samantha delivered him on Saturday morning and on Sunday morning, there I was, in my pew. Mary came to where I was and without any words, sat with me and held my hand during the service, just what I needed her to do. You see, there were no words that could comfort me at that time, but her presence in the pew beside me washed comfort over me ten-fold.  It is what she allows the Lord to accomplish through her that makes Mary .........Mary. It is what sets both she and Don apart from others. They have truly been a precious part of all the "goodness" that has followed me.
  Don and Mary are making a move to Tennessee. When John and Angie were in school in Nashville years ago and Don and Mary made so many quick trips there to support their kids in their current musical or drama event, my daddy would say "They need to move down there". He would be pleased they finally are. I am excited for them, the willingness to make a change like this at their age is a good indication of their "zest" for life and Angie will have Mom and Dad close after so long. Wonderful.
  I will miss them. I am thankful for phones, e-mail, snail mail and Facebook. Maybe they won't feel 5 hours away. I will still need their touch of "goodness" to follow me. God bless them and continue to use them. Nashville has no idea how blessed it is about to be.

"Anti-Social" Media

  I caved under pressure. My children insisted for months that I start an account on facebook. Reluctantly, but with a little excitement, I did.
  You see, I have family living in other States that are on facebook and I truly was anxious to keep in better touch with them and I have, but I have also found that some of the things I thought less attractive about facebook and "social media" in general to be real. 
  You shouldn't say (or post) everything that pops into your brain, especially when you are angry with your husband, annoyed with your child or someone just cut you off in traffic. People post "rants" about issues that follow their agenda without thought to the "friends" feelings on the other end.  Folks are also losing their sense of privacy, it went when cell phones became popular and people began having personal phone conversations in the middle of the grocery store!
   It is fine to "keep up" with current technology, but forgetting manners and being thoughtless of others just to say what WE think benefits no one. Our expression on facebook should be as purposeful and polite as if the person was standing before us, but wait, maybe the problem is that we have forgotten how to carry on a conversation where one person speaks and the other responds,where we are truly interested in the other persons thoughts and concerns or what THEY are trying to communicate.
  I don't have an answer, but as a Christian woman I know that we have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in an appropriate fashion. I want to always uplift and encourage my "friends", both believers and non-believers. As always, it's a choice. Are we being salt and light?
  As for my facebook experience, it has it's place. I love hearing from my kids, nieces, nephews, sisters and friends living away. The daily "little things" they share are priceless. I'm delighted when I hear the latest words of wisdom from a toddler or someone shares a funny video. Prayer requests are one of my favorite posts because I might not have known without FB. Just remember as we are to keep our tongues under control we should also "bridle" our keyboards, both can be deadly.