In the Now

I just read an interesting book this past week by Kurt Koontz, who wrote about his journey on the Camino de Santiago called A Million Steps. He wrote about the people he met, where he stayed, the sights he saw as he walked nearly 500 miles on his pilgrimage across Spain. He inspired me in his trek and made me want to try something like that. His greatest message, though, was one of the lessons he learned during his walk. He found so many things in life are worries and thoughts about the future--or the past. He learned on this long walk to live in the now.

I've been thinking a lot about that idea. We like to plan and think about tomorrow while right now, things are going on we should pay attention to.

Yesterday, as I walked my first mile since my accident, I enjoyed the sights and sounds in my neighborhood. I reveled in the deep blue sky, the bright orange tropical-like plants with their nearly black leaves, the warm feeling of my hand in Jim's hand. I enjoyed the now.

Right now, I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee in the now.  Does that mean we shouldn't plan and think about what we'll do tomorrow? No, but I think sometimes we focus too much on what's ahead instead of what's going on today, right now.

So today, while I'm with four of my sixteen grandchildren, I'll enjoy them and not think about what I've got to do tomorrow or the next day, or the next day. I'm in the now.

Enjoy your weekend, but also enjoy your now.

Photos from another walk on another now.

True Showers

I've not been around on the blog-sphere lately, for I've been giving birth to a book and that takes time. More time than I ever dreamed. But it's done now and you'll start hearing more from me again. 

Yesterday, Jim and I read from the prophet Ezekiel. I loved the promise of showers of blessing.

         I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; 

                                and I will cause showers to come down in their season: 

                                there shall be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26

Wow! Do we realize that promise came from the God of the Universe? For us? There are many other promises in that chapter we could focus on, yet let's focus on this promise: showers of blessing.

In my book, I've written a lot about my past. About growing up in the countryside in Oregon and Washington. I remember singing in that little church on Sunday nights the song that must have been inspired from that verse:

                  There shall be showers of blessing: 
                           This is the promise of love; 
                           There shall be seasons refreshing, 
                            Sent from the Savior above.....

I can still hear the voices, lustily singing together on Sunday nights. 

If I can list one blessing, it would be the wonderful memories I have growing up in the countryside where berries and nurseries abounded. Where I could run like the wind and ride my bike freely with few cars to watch for. Where I knew I was loved by my parents, who so diligently told me about the Savior mentioned in the song. 

My family during that era. I'm in the upper left.

What's the blessing you could list today? I challenge you to think about it. Write it down. Give thanks to the Savior.