“I opened two gifts this morning… They were my eyes…” ~ Unknown

Haloes! J

“I opened two gifts this morning…  They were my eyes…” ~ Unknown

Romans 8:26-28 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Psalm 119:114 

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

“God is fighting your battles, arranging things in your favor and making a way even when you don’t see a way…” ~ Unknown

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do…  Explore. Dream. Discover…” ~ Mark Twain

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose.  I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?' I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze.  'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.  She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'  'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.  'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!'   she told me.  After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.  Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she revealed in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football  banquet.

 I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.'  As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.  We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!  There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.  Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change.  Have no regrets.  The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did,  but rather for  things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.'  She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'  She   challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.  At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.  Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the   wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Dis nooit te laat om te doen wat jy nog baie graag wil doen nie.  Al wat jy nodig het is 'n WIL om dit te doen, en geloof in God en jouself - dat Hy jou sal voorsien van die krag wat jy nodig het, sodat GEEN berg te hoog sal wees nie.  Geen uitdaging te groot sal wees nie.  Jy kan ENIGE iets doen deur God wat jou krag daarvoor gee.  God sit drome en ideale in ons hart.  Moenie dat "bang wees vir teleurstelling" maak dat jy uitmis op AL die blessings wat Hy vir jou het nie.  Good things are worth fighting for.  Goeie dinge val nie net in mens se skoot nie.  Ons moet bereid wees om te veg vir dit wat ons wil hê. Moenie eendag wanneer jy oud is, spyt wees oor verlore kanse wat jy nie aangegryp het nie.  Ek't hierdie week so 'n awesome aanhaling gesien wat ek graag vir jou wil gee vandag - "Think about the stories you wanna tell when you're 75, then go out and live them." ~ Hudson Crider

Blessings!

 Anel xx