As the old adage goes… “Out with the old, in with the new!” But what is “the old”? Old is anything that clutters up life or confuses our direction in life. This could literally be the old stuff you no longer use, that pile in the closet you dread going through, that stack of papers on the desk you need to file, or the gazillion of boxes of junk filling up the garage. Or it could be old thinking, old…
I have been granted the gift of life. My heart that tried to stop working daily for seven weeks has been repaired and is functioning well. My lungs that did stop working when a blood clot showed up are healing as my blood flows as it should. My greatest fear is that I will forget this miraculous gift. History is full of proof, from individuals to complete civilizations, we are quick to forget such miraculous experiences. The gift of life…
The Journey of the Heart continues as I share once again the story of the Christmas I spent in Iraq. My Christmas in Iraq was cold and scary, warm and sacred. Few experiences have touched my heart as deeply as that Christmas (though this Christmas is right up there with reaching deep into my heart!). As we remember those serving in harm’s way around the world, and as you remember your own loved ones who are unable to be home for Christmas,…
The excitement, wonder, and fun of Christmas are magical! I love decorating the tree, wrapping presents, and singing carols. I love letters to Santa and hints from children. I love the anticipation on Christmas Eve and the enthusiasm on Christmas morning. I love how my new heart has me feeling like a kid again! Family traditions are wonderful parts of the magic. We love counting down the days with tiny chocolate pieces, Santa slowly dropping down a wooden chimney, and…
The heart is very fragile. The lungs are very fragile. Life as a whole is very fragile. Over the last two weeks, I’ve experienced just how very fragile… “very fragile” can be. Here is the sixty second version… The surgery at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray went well and I spent most of a week recovering in the hospital. I enjoyed a night and a day at home. Then I stopped breathing. Four times in a couple of hours, the…
The words stir the collective passion of America, unlike any other song… If tomorrow all the things were gone I worked for all my life And I had to start again With just my children and my wife We vigorously sing along with the entire song, not just the chorus… I’d thank my lucky stars To be livin’ here today ‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom And they can’t take that away She rings as a glorious foundational anthem,…
Few words echo the united feeling we have as Americans more than Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The U.S.A.” Especially in times of tragedy. Written and released in 1983, the patriotic anthem has found new meaning over the last nearly forty years. “It keeps having a different kind of life,” Lee Greenwood said of his signature song. “I mean during the Gulf War, it was a song of the war for General Schwarzkopf. After Hurricane Katrina, it was a song for…
Nestled throughout the sacred grounds of cemeteries across the country — and on scarred battlefields scattered around the world — our military veterans lie at rest. Our veterans also walk amongst us every day… our neighbors, our friends, our family members. Unfortunately, some of us may not know a veteran. They, and every veteran, are the reason I will share a few stories today. I pause to honor and remember each of those who “Stood to Defend.” “Some people live an…
For the beauty of the earth, skies, and land For the plentiful blessing filling our hand On this beautiful day of sabbath praise To thee, our Lord, our grateful voice raise We Love You Friends! Les & Elisa #SundayReflections
In tribute to Elisa’s mother Julia who finished her mortal journey four years ago today, I share today the thoughts I shared at the time. Just as I felt then, I am grateful Julia chose to see my potential and her beautiful oldest daughter continually chooses the same. What’s a mother to do when her first baby girl falls in love with the kid on the other side of the tracks and decides to get married on their second date?…