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On this fourth of July weekend, my thoughts turn to all the men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country and our way of life.

Growing up in a small town where everyone knew everyone, there is one person who will forever exemplify true sacrifice.  Mike Bowen was this person.

Mike grew up right outside my hometown and went to my high school. He was two years ahead of me in school, and he was everyone’s hero. All of us girls swooned when he walked by.  Mike was tall, handsome, quiet, and the quarterback of our football team.  He loved his family, farming, football and one girl.

I shall never forget the day he came into Davis’ Jewelry to buy this girl an engagement ring.  I was working there after school, and it was the most exciting day of my life to that point.  He picked out the ring with care and love.  All of us working in the store, wrapped it for him starting with the smallest box we could find and working up to the biggest one we had!

Mike married this girl, and they were looking forward to their life on his farm, but that was not to be.  It was 1966, and Mike was drafted and sent to Viet Nam shortly after their wedding.

I shall always remember the day the dark sedan pulled into downtown and two men in uniforms emerged.  They went into the salon where his wife worked which was two doors down from my grandmother’s shop.  I watched in horror as they led Mike’s new bride weeping uncontrollably from the salon.  Mike was only 20 years old when he was killed.

There are many names and faces we can substitute in this excerpt.  As we celebrate freedom, let’s not ever forget all those who died so we can enjoy it!

Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith, not sight.”

The beach has always been that place that gives me perfect peace in my soul and body.  Last week, I had the chance to spend two days there with my daughter and her two boys.  Sitting (momentarily) and reflecting on years spent here with children, family, and now grandchildren, offer so many sweet memories.

I began to marvel at how life is much like the ocean.  The tide comes in and washes back out twice a day methodically taking with it sand, shells, creatures, shovels, buckets,etc. and replacing them with new treasures.

Life, likewise, happens with good times and bad, pain, doubts, fear, loss, failures, and replaces these with perseverance, faith, hope, joy, love, peace, memories and new adventures.  The ocean appears to be the same, but each day is different in some way.  Although sometimes life seems to be mundane, each day is different and a gift from God.

This really comes down to one word for me, “faith”.   Faith is defined as: “trust in, unquestioning belief in God; complete trust; reliance on; loyalty or allegiance to”.  When you think about it, the ocean is an example of total faith.  It’s based on a perfect order created and put into place by God. All who live in it, have total faith that each day will bring about exactly what is needed in exactly the right way.

It seems to me that God has promised that to each of us if we would but have the kind of faith which is comprised of complete trust and reliance on Him.

Jeremiah 29:11   “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Entering retirement is a perfect time to reflect upon your life.  I find that I have begun each new phase of life with a sense of trepidation and fear, probably because change is hard for me.  I mean, it’s so bad that changing sides of the garage is major!

Each change, however, has been better than the last.  How could I possibly credit anyone except God for my good fortune?  He has guided this life and placed so many opportunities, joys, blessings and love in my path.

In the early years of our ministry, I used to question God’s judgment constantly asking, “Why Me?” in quite a negative way.  Today, I find myself asking that same question, but in quite a different way.  Now, “why me?” is asked in disbelief when I reflect on all of His blessings.

If we are the sum of all our experiences, then my life up to now has been so full – not perfect but never dull.  Randy has made sure that I’ve not been bored!!  I am still working on making this life count and hoping it will make a difference for good.

Try turning the negative question into positive!

Some roads in life are consciously chosen –others are not chosen, but you travel them anyway.

I embarked on that unchosen road on July 29, 1972 when I said “I do” to Randy.  My new husband, Randy, was at that time a skeptical seminary student giving God’s call for his life a “try”.  Although my life’s dream did not include being a minister’s wife–it did happen.

On that day, at that altar in the Friendship United Methodist Church in my hometown, during the prayer,  Randy turned to me and said these now infamous words…”We won’t ever be rich, but you won’t ever be bored.”

You must know that at that moment, God put two very different people together and set them upon a life path.  Randy is ADD with an attitude, type A personality, direct, a linebacker personality, go for the goal ( you get it).  I am calm (most of the time), low key, go along to get along, and make everyone happy.

With this background, we set out on the ride of a lifetime serving God while experiencing the most unusual, poignant, hilarious and yet touching experiences most of the time carrying friends, family, and congregations along.

If you want to follow, please do.