The Lake of Expectations

I dreamed a dream.

It was a well lit evening with the wash of color across the evening sky, just the remnants of the evening sunset and there we were, the family I knew as a child running around playing and the sounds of laughter and people talking in the distance . And Clint as he was before the accident crippled him for life and I fishing in the Lake of Expectations that mirrored the wash of color from the skys. Occasionally we would glimpse movement below the surface. Our lines danced out onto the surface of the water and back again in rhythmic movements time and again fishing on the surface with us just enjoying the moment.

Suddenly Gary, the child as he was before his accident was beside me saying,
"We are leaving now. I need my turkey you stored for me in your freezer."

And there was the car loaded with all of the family members smiling, laughing and waving goodbye, ready for the journey.....I handed Gary the package I had stored in the heart of my freezer for him and cried and said it was too soon to go, please stay a little longer. But they couldn't and all smiles and waves left me filled with happiness and sadness all merged into one,
standing there next to the edge of the Lake of Expectations watching them drive away.

Life is short.
Our lives are all rolled up, intertwined with each others, the past, the present, the living and the dead, the healthy and the lame.....
Suddenly the time has passed and we are looking back on days gone by.
Days roll into years and years into decades.
The fairness of this life is that equally none of us have any guarantees, any assurances of more....all we have is the moment we are in. Like the cup we choose for our morning coffee. We pick up a cup thinking it is a perfect cup for the occasion and we begin to fill and then we see that it has some flaws, a little crack in the lip, a little chip out of the inside of the handle that rubs my finger just so it causes a little irritation but not enough to stop me from drinking. I add whatever I choose, sometimes, it tastes a little bitter and sometimes, it is sweet but it still gives me a little buzz when I drink it.

So at the start of this new year consider the moment.
Make it count.

Love others,
Smile at strangers,
Give assistant to someone who needs it as you see it.
Make time to see those you love,
Say the words "I love you".
Be a reflection of Christ,
Choose to be the person you know lives in your heart.

Happy New Year!