beWARM

The Challenge: to write a six word love note.

It came from my friend Lois, a fellow Wordie, who is a master of writing,and can whittle a big idea down to a juicy nugget of truth. (Even though her new book is called TMI – Too Much Information!)

My words of love  –  A hopeful start ~ a grateful heart  – flew out of my mind and onto the paper.

Since then, this six word concept has been rolling around in my head.

And the idea came to me that these words could be used in a multitude of ways.

What a thought – that six simple words could hold a powerful message.

Especially in our culture of excess and overstimulation.

I Googled the idea of expressing thoughts in six words, and found entire websites dedicated to Six Word Memoirs, which originated from Smith College having been inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s 6 word story:

For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.

How would you tell your life story in six words?

My off the cuff response to that question:

 Using the voice I’ve always had.

(I hope contractions count as one word.)

But here is another thought…

Why not use a six word message to encourage, delight, or surprise?

Once you get the hang of it, they come pretty easily.

Who would believe it’s even fun?

As the season of Lent begins, the thought of giving ( as opposed to the old “giving up” idea) is very appealing.So each day for the next 40, I will share some combination of six words with someone in a positive way.

Good exercise for mind and heart.

And while we’re on the subject of Lent, here are six of the biggest words ever:

The Way, The Truth, The Life.

Just think of the volumes that have been written on those.

So if you could tell your life story in six little words, what would it be?

Or how could you gift someone with a six word message that would add cheer or comfort to their day?

Your thoughts would be most welcome…

Doesn’t she have the most beautiful smile?

That was the first thing I noticed when I met Miladys last year. She was one of the lovely ladies who attended the restrooms on our eye project in Colombia.

When I saw that Miladys’ right eye was in need of a prosthesis, my heart sank. Lawrence, our gifted ocularist, was not able to make the trip in 2014.

Throughout last year’s project, I marveled at how she glowed each time she smiled. She and the other ladies who so cheerfully greeted us each day were tireless as they restocked paper products and kept all surfaces sparkling clean.

I vowed to pray that 1) Miladys would be back to help us in 2015, and 2) that Lawrence would be on our team, and would be able to fit her with a prosthesis.

God heard my prayers – and He answered them.

Midalys received her new eye on the first day of the project.

We both cried tears of joy.

What I didn’t know was that her eye had been injured due to an accident when she was 2 years old. Had she lived in the states, she would have gotten a prothesis long ago.

Although the results of having a prosthesis are cosmetic, surely the internal effects are monumental. And for some people in Third World countries, missing an eye means not being able to get a job, or find a spouse.

26 people in Cienaga, Colombia were fit with prostheses during our 2 week MMI project.

All were overjoyed – and immensely grateful.

The prostheses were but one small part of the work done by our Dream Team of 70 people.

Over 5000 of pairs of glasses were fitted, and over 200 surgeries were performed.

Patients blind from cataracts could see once again.  Children and adults with strabismus had their crossed eyes straightened. Diabetic patients and those with glaucoma received laser treatments.

Smiles, hugs, and prayers were in abundance.

Our team members were steadfast and enthusiastic, pitching in wherever needed, learning new jobs when necessary.

Serving alongside such devoted and inspiring people always gives me new vision and inspiration.

The real voyage of discovery consists not  in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. ~Marcel Proust

This quote is on the front of the journal I used on our very first eye project in 1995.

Twenty years later, it still rings true.

Surrounding the miracles and bountiful blessings we experience during each and every mission project, one thing is true above all.

Seeing the faithful presence of God is what makes us all believe – in His goodness, His mercy, and His grace.

How blessed we are are that God’s desire is for us to have perfect vision – and that He continues to fine tune our ability to see as we journey through life.

20/20 never looked so good….

How fitting it is to get married on New Year’s Eve; on your Anniversary, the whole world celebrates with you! My Mom has said those words every year – and 65 years ago today, my parents walked down the aisle and professed their wedding vows.

Fulfilling a commitment to love and honor one other for better or worse – for a lifetime –  is no small achievement, especially in today’s world.

Dad, 86, and Mom, 85, have beaten the odds.

Thankfully, they have been blessed with long lives.

But it is their hearts, joined forever, that have sustained their marriage.

Indeed, they had struggles and obstacles on the journey; their quiet strength emerged as they worked through them, often without complaint.

Core values were paramount in their eyes, and their lives reflected their honesty, generosity, and integrity.

Family always came first.  And my sisters and I benefitted from the many sacrifices they made.

Mom and Dad had little, but enjoyed life to the fullest. I love the memories of hearing the evening laughter downstairs when they hosted their card club, and of Dad blasting his Stan Kenton recordings on the new Hi-Fi.

Hearing the stories of how they loved to go dancing, and their weekend warrior trips to New York City to see Broadway shows make me appreciate their adventurous spirit.

And how could I ever forget those drives to Florida (sans carseats!) and our long days at the beach. Memories of swimming and picnics at Geneva-on-the-Lake, rides on the old navy raft included, bring smiles.

I will continue to remember all of the ways they nourished our family, well beyond the food and time around the table. (Though of course, in our Italian family tradition, food still takes center stage at all of our gatherings. :))

Mom and Dad, you have enjoyed the gift of 65 years together – and we joyfully and wholeheartedly celebrate with you!

Mom, you always said you had a “marriage made in heaven” – and that is the truth!

We thank heaven for you and Dad…

for your example, and for your unconditional and long lasting love for each other, and for us.

God has blessed us with you…

..and you continue to bless all who know and love you.

We love you, now and forever, with all our hearts.

Happy 65th!!!

Sigh…who doesn’t love flipping through the glossy pages of the latest fashion magazines?

Admittedly,  discovering the latest trends and must-haves for the current season does hold an allure. Feeling fashion forward is an ongoing avocation – or so the mavens tell us.

I do admire the quality and craftsmanship required to produce those shoes, purses, ensembles, and jewelry with exorbitant price tags.

For the Super Sale aficionados like myself, the thrill of finding “the look” at a discounted price far outweighs going into time payment mode for the sake of toting a swanky name brand on any of my extremities.

A favorite Flash-from-the-Past Bargain Memory: Many years ago during my husband’s medical training, my friend Jacki and I loaded up on clothes for our toddlers when a major department store basement got flooded. Oh how thrilled we were with our bags of $1.99 Healthtex outfits! (dried out, of course)

Aside from the things we are encouraged to wear, magazines offer a plethora of endorsements for products that will take years off of our faces, shine up our hair, erase our cellulite, and basically promise to make us images of perfection (that in reality we will never achieve).

Honestly speaking, who wouldn’t want to have the flawless complexions and incredible bodies of fashion models and celebrities (all airbrushing aside), and the ability to have a fashion indulgence once in a while?

But does all of this stuff really sustain us in the long run?

Try these on for size:

Lavishness  ~ The free offering of God’s ever present, all encompassing love, ready to embrace you, giving you a radiance that emanates from within.

Extravagance ~ Choose from these wardrobe staples: Love, Kindness, Compassion, Patience, Integrity.  Priceless – and never out of style.

The Fountain of Youth ~ A heart and soul filled to the brim with His abiding grace that you can generously offer to all.

Snagging That Fabulous Bargain ~ No Installment plans or credit cards are necessary:

God made the ultimate in purchases for us ~ the sacrifice of His Son.

Dear friends, giving up shopping is not what I am advocating. (At the very least, it would deprive my grandchildren!)

Giving some serious thought (and prayer time) to the closets of our invisible wardrobes, however, is another matter.

Here’s hoping you can discover – and add, with God’s help – your own opulent shimmer and light…

…without breaking the bank.

And then go strut your stuff.

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:4 NLT

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This post marks the 4 Year Anniversary of BeWARM.  Thank you for reading – regularly or occasionally, and for your comments and encouragement.  May you continue to be Women Actively Reaching for More – and may God bless you in new and amazing ways!!!