Update 4/15/10 Day 157

Dear friends,

Well, May is my anniversary month, and I’m hoping to enlist your assistance to come up with a good idea for an overnight with Hercules. Last year we went early (in March) to the Adirondacks for a stellar day of cross country skiing. Lots of times we like to hike, but that’s out this year. (Canes don’t go well in the Adirondacks. Or the Catskills for that matter). One idea is to go to Oyster Bay, Long Island to visit Sagamore Hill, home of Theodore Roosevelt. But I don’t know anything about that part of Long Island, and I’m not sure there are any pretty places nearby to stay. Anyway, if you have any ideas, email me or comment me or call me! We can stay for one night, possibly two if the price is manageable, and it needs to be within driving distance from home. There is, of course, that magnificent city only 150 miles south, and we do have the dear Hugh and Joelle to give us a temporary home… Mostly I just want not to let my anniversary slip by, especially this year. Especially.

In the final bible study of the spring, Beth Moore read this quote by Teddy Roosevelt. It’s one of Smitty’s favorites:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

Whenever I read that quote, I am convicted by my own lack of courage. I’m struck by the many times I have settled for the comfortable road rather than be “disliked”. I am not one who “dares greatly” by nature. But this I can say: I do know the “great devotion” of wanting more than anything to walk with the Great One. He alone can turn my insecurities into trust and my weakness to strength. He’s the hero who gets the credit. No one has ever really gone into the arena the way He did, and for sure no one else has ever done it (or could) for a world of people drowning in darkness. His valiant effort gives all of us the chance to change. If the car accident helps you and I remember that we have a hot 5 minutes on this planet, it will have done some good. With those 5 minutes, we can be a doer of deeds. Even if we fail. Even if we come up short again and again. And remember what Jesus said “If anyone gives just a cup of water to one of these little ones, he will certainly not lose his reward”. The deeds need not be large. Only packed with love. In fact, if there’s no love in them, they profit us nothing. No matter what it looks like on the outside. Motive is everything. That brings me to my knees.

Time for a little Jughead comic before I close my eyes. Told you the intensity level calls for a little levity sometimes!

Thanks again for your comments and emails. I read every one, even on the days I can’t respond. You really do make my day!

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann