It's Been A While...

Wowsers! I have some explaining to do. Are you comfortable because it may take a while to read this entry!? I will try to keep it as brief as possible.

Well- the reason why a new post has been so long in the making is because our computer decided to blow up. It died. This was about 2 months ago. It took 6 weeks to get our computer fixed! That felt like a lifetime, and I don't know how we ever lived without our computers previously. (It's true! We rely so much on technology such as cell phones and computers that when we have to go without them, it's a struggle!) Anway... My computer just recently got out of the hospital, and I'm ready to renew my commitment to be a devoted blogger!

Late July and August have NOT been my favorite months, to say the least. It all started with the ice machine. Our ice maker on the refrigerator decided it didn’t want to perform its task anymore. Shortly after that, the air conditioning went out in our Dodge. (Keep in mind that we had just replaced some parts in our Honda for its air conditioning for $250). By now- we were getting a little annoyed. And by the way…the air is still not fixed. We’re rolling in Vegas with nature’s air conditioning which isn’t always that great! After the air went out on the Dodge, our computer stopped working. The entire hard drive had to be replaced. Following the computer, our DVD player stopped working, and the toilet seat broke!

I think our belongings had a conspiracy against us! What do you think?

Shortly following all of these collective stresses, I received a phone call early morning on Monday, August 4^th that my father had passed away in his sleep. I was completely shocked because it was certainly unexpected. He went to bed early the night before because he wasn’t feeling well and slipped into a diabetic coma shortly after. He never woke up.

The worst part of receiving this news was that I didn’t even cry. My dad was never my favorite person, but once I started to think about the plan of happiness and what this life is all about, I began to cry. Now, these tears weren’t because I had a life filled of fond memories and love for my dad, but rather quite the opposite. I cried for him. I cried because his life on this earth was spent wasted. He was the only one who had the power to change his life, but he never did. I hope that he is getting a second chance in the Spirit World even though it would appear as though he had many chances on this earth. He had the gospel. He knew it was true because he would always say that he did, but his actions showed that he loved his drugs more.

With absolutely no intentions of being rude, I am thankful for my father’s example in life of how not to live. I am completely inspired to LIVE my life the BEST I possibly can. I know that I will fall down many times, but I will always fight to get back up. Death really is meant to be a celebration and reflection of our journey, not our regrets. Life is short, so make sure that you LIVE for Him. We live to die, and we die to live. This I know is true.

The Dash

The Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?