Yesterday we had a successful tree hunt. We “shot” a real nice one this year! The tree hid well from us, but didn’t try to run. We began the morning at one Christmas tree farm that is very popular. Too popular, in fact, and that means that the trees are smaller than we would prefer. We did, however, run into our good friend Jim, who was just coming out of the tree farm with his own Christmas tree. We had a nice, brief talk, then we went on our way, but after nearly an hour of searching, we ended up going to a second farm, and there the trees were better. Since Hannah could not be with us, we did bring Melody, her golden retriever, who was very happy to get out and explore. She even posed for a picture with the boys in front of the tree!
It was good that we went, and we had a good time as well, even though it was only 22 degrees outside, and very blustery. The day did begin with a few tears. The reminder of our loss is unavoidable. We are stuck “celebrating” all the” firsts”. The first snow has fallen without Hannah, the first Thanksgiving has been celebrated, and now we have our first Christmas tree. It’ amazing how things can change so quickly, and how, although we seem to think that these traditions are the special things that bring us happiness, it is actually the people that we share them with that make them as memorable as they are. As I have said before, there is a certain amount of dullness to things right now.
The boys are doing well. I think that they lean on us and as long as we hold it together, they do the same. A good marriage has been the biggest blessing through all of this, second only to the Lord actively involved in our lives. The theme of our wedding, all those years ago, was Ecclesiastes 4:12 which states that, “A threefold cord is not quickly broken”. We began prioritizing God in our lives right from the beginning. Perhaps surviving these hard times and gaining some level of “victory”, begins with preparation. When things fall apart and the storms of life rage around us, it’s good to have a strong foundation already established. The Boy Scouts of America have the motto, “Be prepared”. If this is important for tying knots, starting fires, knowing which mushrooms to eat, and learning other survival skills, then how much more important is it at times like these? Again, we have come full circle to the real key to all of this. As Hannah did, we need to live intentionally. Intentional living involves preparation and evaluation. We need to be conscious, actively examining our lives, and always looking for ways in which we can improve. Then we need to be willing to make changes. It’s been said that the definition of insanity is, “Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result”. How true that is in life. We cannot expect change without making a change, that would be crazy.
I know nothing about the man, Zig Ziglar, but he is credited with a quote that says, “Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation”. “Opportunities” in our situation can be difficulties too. So, bringing it all together, Success in the good times and in the bad times will come if we are prepared, and preparation begins with assessment, evaluation, and a willingness to make changes. Live life intentionally and be prepared!
We are blessed.
Hannah Helps 