In the beginning of August while browsing through the maze of blog posts that I read, I found a strong suggestion from Vicky Archer, in her Blog, http://frenchessence.blogspot.com/ , that if you write, Blog or otherwise, this book is a must. The Artist's Way and companion book, Morning pages Journal by Julia Cameron.
I quickly decided that this was worth checking out, and went to Amazon and ordered the books.
I have been working on the Morning Journal, and the following is what has transpired this month.
When you begin the Morning Pages, you are just supposed to write what is traveling through your mind,"Through it you will be contacting yourself: hopes,fears, dreams,aspirations,and the simple daily life flow."
On Thursday, August 13, I wrote my first ramblings one of which I needed to make contact with several people whom I had a while back, said that we would make a plan to get together.
I think that it is very important to keep friendships close to you. They are gifts that keep on giving of memories, love for one another and blessings when we come together and spend some quality time together.
I followed through and wrote 4 names in a list to contact that day. The first a rather new friend of 6 years. Now 6 years may seem like a long time written on paper, but actually we meet only once a year to share our company and where we have gone in our travels the past year, also share any travel tips and our pictures taken.
We met this couple actually while on vacation in Italy in 2003, in Vernazza, Cinque Terre'.
They were an hour late to catch the train to Florence due to Daylight Savings Time, and we were waiting to check out and head to the train Station to travel to Florence also.
While waiting for the train to arrive, we struck up a conversation,and found that we were both from the San Diego area.
We sat together and while talking, we discovered that we were staying at the same place in Florence! Upon arrival we walked single file down the narrow streets to our destination.
when checking in, we discovered that they had overbooked and Steve and I were taken to their daughter's place to stay. I always wished that we had made plans to see one another there in Florence, perhaps have dinner together, but I thought that we would surely run into each other as we wandered around this magnificent city and saw the sights! Not to be! It would be like trying by chance to run into someone in downtown San Diego!
Luckily, we had exchanged home information and made a plan for our first get together after we arrived home.
Fast forward 6 years to 2009.
We had spoken in early June and decided that we would a date to connect and talk in July, both marking our calendars July 1 to call. Well, life always presents hectic busy schedules and here I was returning a call in August.
It wasn't until a few days later that I received her return call back. We quickly planned a rendezvous for the following Monday in Balboa Park for a wonderful picnic dinner.
Monday came and I was at the store picking up some items to complete the basket that I was preparing, when Steve called me to tell me that our friend's husband had just been found on the side of the road where he had been taking his weekly bicycle ride to Otay Lake. He had apparently suffered a massive heart attack!
If we had not planned this meeting, I don't know if we would have been notified to pray for he and his family, or even known that he had passed, which happened three days later.
The bond of friendship is strong, cords of love care and prayer for one another form this bond.
We all are in shock that a healthy active man could be taken out of our presence and plans for the day and week, and brought into our Precious Savior's presence in the blink of an eye or faster. I feel privileged to know that he was planning to spend the evening with us, but we miss him so. We know that He ran the race well and was in the Lord's will, always helping where he could to share the Love of the Lord with others in need.
We went to the memorial on Saturday morning and attended with around 400 others. What impressed me most was that the family was surrounded in prefect peace that only comes from that personal relationship you can have with Christ. The other thing that touched me was that every person in that room had been touched by their friendship with this couple and their outstretched hand.
Every person they knew felt that special friendship.
How can one love someone only seeing them 6 times in 6 years?
One year I failed to call them when we were in Anza Borrego camping, and who did we run into on the Palm Canyon trail? Them!!
God put us together for this time.
We will indeed continue to foster this great friendship and keep Jim Lovewell in our hearts and memories as long as we are here.
The 4th name on the list was called soon after. We quickly got together, and the day before we were to meet, my friend had a situation that was greatly bothering her, in fact, to tears. She wasn't even sure that she could be a great hostess to me because her heart was so grieved. We were able to talk and pray and encourage,and once again it was God's perfect timing for us to come together. He is so good. I love it when He reveals Himself in these moments and says,
"I AM HERE."
I still need to make the two other contacts, perhaps today is the day for this. God will urge me at the right time.
I think that what I have experienced this month is that it is important to let those you care for and love know that you do love and care for them, from the bottom of your heart. We all do not know when our time will come.
We must be found ready for HIM, and have let those we love and care for know we love them.
P.S. I LOVE YOU!
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