WriteOnRideOn

HOPE for Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T15:58:00.004-07:00

I wish you a very Merry Christmas

and hope you and your friends and family

have a wonderful holiday.

May you carry the spirit of Christmas with you

everywhere you go!

And may you always hold onto that spirit of true joy

and stubborn, relentless, unquenchable hope

and strong unconditional love

and childlike, trusting faith

that only Jesus can give.

And may the wonder and peace of that first Christmas

fill your heart and life

especially this Christmas and through the coming New Year.

God bless you and encourage you.

Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noel! Buon Natale!
Merry Christmas!

Joy to the whole world...the Lord has come!

We are never alone, for truly God is with us--Emmanuel.

This Christmas, no matter what kind of year you have had,

No matter who joins you this holiday season

and no matter who is missing---

may you take comfort in knowing

that no matter what,

there is always HOPE.

~Christmas can be such a mixture of joy and heartache.~

I know that all too well, for that is my life story.

But every Christmas, I take great comfort

In knowing that God loved me so much

He came to live among us

To walk through this life with us

So that through every joy and every sorrow

We would know
beyond a shadow of a doubt

That we are never alone.

So, this year, though my heart always aches

For the people I love who are no longer here,

Still, I rejoice for I have so many loving people in my life

And so many blessings

And so much yet to do

And too many people who need compassion.

There are people who need you, too.

Together, one person at a time,
we can make such a difference.

So let your light shine.

You never know who may need the light and love

Only you bring to the world.

This Christmas season always reminds me

That Jesus came to show us

The power of true love, unquenchable hope

And the healing power of compassion --- love in action.

And there is no force greater than the power of that strong love.

So this Christmas, may your heart be assured that
you are loved with that strongest of loves
and that you are valuable and irreplaceable
and may you look forward with HOPE.

TRI to TRIumph!

2010-09-06T12:11:00.000-06:00

TRI to TRIumph

*By Janet Lyn*

*****

Ever since I was a little girl, my life has been about survival and endurance.

It is one thing to survive and endure.

It is another thing

to learn to overcome.

And it is still another

~ and far better ~ thing

to triumph.

*****

The summer season used to be an emotional landmine of sorts for me.

July marks the birthday of my first brother, Craig, the brother I only got to share life with for 2 years and 2 months before he died suddenly in a senseless car wreck.

August now marks the painful anniversary of the unexpected, sudden loss of my only sister, Linnie, just 2 summers ago.

Sept. 5 marks the anniversary years ago when I was 5 years old of the day I survived the car wreck that killed my brother Craig and my Mom Barbara.

Sept. 11th marks my sister Linnie’s birthday. The day she was born

was absolutely

one of the most joyful days of my life.

Now, her birthday is both a reminder of her and all the birthdays we will no longer get to celebrate ~ and the painful reminder of the 9/11 attacks that devastated our beloved New York. My sister was born in New York and we grew up there, so what happened there affected us deeply ~ and especially for her, since after that fateful day, she no longer felt joy on her birthday, like many who were born on Sept. 11th.

*****

But this year, Sept. 5 was no longer a day of sorrow or grief for me.

I awoke smiling and singing this year on the sweet sunny summer morning of Sunday, Sept. 5, with a deep peace in my heart.

I even had an opportunity to sing and share a song I wrote to try to encourage people and share the unshakeable hope I have that comes from the unconditional, amazing love that only God can give.

And I smiled again, as I saw that God has given me the strength and compassion to use what I have gone through in my life to reach out and try to help others.

*****

For so long, my life was about survival.

Even my birth was about survival because I was not planned. And yet, in God’s perfect design, I most definitely am no accident either.

When I was 5 years old, I survived the horrific car wreck that killed my Mom and my first baby brother.

I survived a childhood in which my father was largely absent, even when he was there.

I survived psychological, emotional and verbal abuse from family members that no child should ever have to endure.

As an adult, I survived 2 more near-fatal car accidents: one on a steep, icy mountain road in Colorado when the car spun out of control and almost went over the edge; and another in Dallas when the car in which I was a front-seat passenger slammed into a telephone pole after being struck by a hit-and-run drunken driver.

Several years ago, I survived an armed robbery in which a loaded gun was pointed directly at my head the whole time.

And then 2 years ago, I survived the devastating death of my only sister.

*****

Yet I have never wanted anyone’s pity because that is not how I live my life. I do not feel sorry for myself. There isn’t time for that.

Life is for living, not for dwelling on regrets.

I share what I share because that is my life; that is my story.

I cannot change the things that happened in my life and I will not take away from the present or my future by giving too much thought or time or energy to those things in the past.

I share my life

because I believe with all my heart

that my experiences and what I have survived allow me to share

my firm hope that has endured

and the reason I still have joy in my life

and the reason I can still love with all my heart.

*****

My whole life has been about survival and endurance. About never, ever, ever giving up ~ no matter what.

That’s why I think endurance sports such as cycling and Triathlon appeal to me.

Physical endurance requires mental, emotional and even spiritual endurance ~ and that is what my life has always been about.

*****

And so this week, I am embarking on yet another adventure that will test my endurance on many levels.

Yet, I’m not doing it for that reason.

I’m doing it to shout to the world that unconditional love can help you overcome anything and go on to live life with joy.

I’m doing it to shout to the world that there is always hope.

On the morning of Saturday, Sept. 11th, I will travel to West Texas for my very first Triathlon.

It’s a sanctioned U.S.A. Triathlon and a Sprint Triathlon.

It’s called Tri To Make A Difference.

My sole surviving brother ~my amazing, wonderful brother Dave~ plans to fly out for my first Triathlon so he can cheer me on and give me a big hug after I cross the finish line.

My brother being there will be absolutely the best part of my Triathlon.

I chose to train for and do this Triathlon

because it is on our sister’s birthday, Sept. 11th.

It is my way of honoring her life and celebrating her

and making her birthday a day of joy

instead of a day of sorrow.

Our sister also was a nurse

who loved working with children,

and this Triathlon is 100% dedicated to helping children in the local area with medical needs.

It was started by a local family whose child has severe medical challenges.

So this Saturday morning,

I will swim 400 meters in a lake,

then ride my bicycle 10 miles

up out of the canyon and then back down to the lake,

then run 3.1 miles

along the lakeside and back for a 5K run.

And then I will cross the finish line, with my arms held high in victory and triumph

and the biggest grin

anyone has ever seen

and probably tears streaming down my face.

On that morning, I will not only Tri.

I WILL TRIumph.

*****

Because this year, I have learned firsthand that real, unconditional love gives you courage

like you’ve never known.

Because when you believe in yourself

and you have loving people who believe in you, too, and a God who believes in you,

you really can do anything.

Because if you let love give you courage and you dare to dream big dreams

and then you’re willing to do the hard work

and get strong enough to follow your dreams, all things are possible.

Because our lives are not about ourselves.

Our lives are about making a difference

in the lives of others.

There are people in this world who are dying because they have forgotten they are loved and we are called to love and to remind them of the incredible, life-changing power of real love.

We are called to share hope,

the kind of hope that endures, overcomes, triumphs.

*****

For life is not merely about survival

or even endurance.

Those are simply the first steps.

Life is about learning to persevere

and overcome.

Life is about daring to dream.

Life is about daring to believe that God is good and that He loves you ~ no matter what.

Life is about reaching beyond survival

to reach for victory.

Life is about working hard

and holding on through the struggles

so you can

triumph.

Whatever you are going through,

there is

always hope.

Always.

My life is living proof of that.

*****

“Do all that is in your heart,

for God is with you.”

~I Chronicles 17:2~

*****

"Live a life

worthy of the calling

you have received."

~Ephesians 4:1~

*****

This Sept. 11th,

in whatever way you can,

I hope you will try to make a difference, too.

Make a difference in someone’s life

by sharing hope and love and joy and compassion.

Make a difference in your own life

by choosing courage and daring to believe that you matter

and that God has amazing things for you ahead.

And wherever you are on the morning of Sept. 11th this year, smile.

Because a lot of you are the reason

I’ll be smiling as I cross that finish line.

Your unwavering support and encouragement and good thoughts and prayers helped me find and hold onto my courage during a rough couple of years.

And my grateful heart wants to thank you.

~With faith, hope and love,

anything really is possible.~

~Believe.~

~Much Love, jl~

I Am Still My Mother's Daughter

2010-05-08T00:22:00.068-06:00

I Am Still
My Mother’s Daughter

**By Janet Lyn**

I am my mother’s daughter

For nine months, she carried me;

For five years, seven months and one day

She loved me and nurtured me,

And then she was gone.

But I am still my mother’s daughter.

***

I have tried and tried

To remember

But I still can’t remember her voice.

I have tried and tried

To remember

But I still can’t remember her smile.

My memories are a handful

Of aging photos in a book;

It’s the only way

I can remember how she looked.

***

I am almost twice as old

As she was on her last day here.

I have walked a road she never walked,

Her road ended much too soon;

Her path was not so clear.

***

Yet I am still my mother’s daughter

And I hear her when I sing.

An angel with a tear-stained wing.

For I am still my mother’s daughter.

*******************

***Dedicated With Much Love***

to my Mom Barbara

~Thank You for all your love~

***Author's Note***

I was very blessed to have a Mom who loved me deeply and sang with me and took really good care of me and was proud of me, even though it was only for a short while. I know that mostly because of all my Mom wrote in my Baby Book and what relatives have told me and what I remember of life as a cherished little girl when my Mom was still alive.

My Mom Barbara and my first younger brother Craig, who was 2 years+2 months old, died in a senseless car wreck when I was 5 years, 7 months and 1 day old. I was also in the car and sustained injuries.

Growing up without a Mom and living life without a Mom was certainly not my choice. I miss her. But my loving, merciful, compassionate God has turned that severe tragedy and profound loss in my life into a profound and lifelong compassion in my heart for children in need and a deep understanding and empathy for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

I was 6 years old my first Mother's Day without a Mom. So Mother's Day used to always be one of the most difficult days of the year for me. But now I see it as an opportunity to share God's love and hope with others and to look beyond my own life to find ways to help others, especially children in difficult family circumstances.

This year for Mother's Day, I am blessed to be invited to share a reading of my poem "I Am Still My Mother's Daughter" and play guitar and sing another original song "I Was Made To Worship You" at two different churches on Sunday morning. It will be a new experience for me on Mother's Day. I am hoping and praying that it will encourage and bless other men, women and children, knowing how God's love can sustain us and redeem our lives.

Some of you are blessed to still have your Mothers in your lives this Mother's Day. Some of you are doubly blessed to be Moms. Some of you are like me and have the great joy and privilege of loving and blessing other people's children. Some of you will be missing your own Moms this Mother's Day.

Whatever your situation, you are not alone.

When we share our stories,

we share the joys and sorrows of this life

and we help each other survive.

We live the power of love.

~Me and My Mom Barbara~

~Safe In The Arms of Love~

**Happy Mother's Day**
~Love, jl~

Scenes From A Sunny Saturday Cycle

2010-04-25T20:33:00.000-06:00

***Saturday, April 24, 2010***

Saturday afternoon brought warm sunshine, clear blue skies

and practically no wind

(which around here means winds of 25mph or less).

True delight for cycling.

The kind of day made for riding a bike outdoors.

So I did.

Setting off cycling for a Saturday afternoon ride along country roads surrounded by farms and ranches, I found so many reminders of

why I love to ride

and why I love living in the country

now here in the great Southwest.

Even though I always thought of myself as more of a city girl, I realize now I've probably always been more of

a country girl at heart,

now more than ever.

There is so much beauty all around,

up above, below on the ground, out on the horizon.

Beauty.

Wild beauty.

(Please forgive slight film on camera lens.)

Wildflowers of all colors are blooming along the roadsides. Bright oranges, yellows, whites and more. Such raw beauty.

Whenever I ride my bike around here, I always smile and wonder why people still think New Mexico is desert.

We are definitely not desert.

We are rich farmlands and large cattle and horse ranches.

We are long, peaceful country roads.

We are wide open spaces

under endless, deep blue skies.

I love watching the changing seasons as I ride my bike.

This is one of my favorite times of year.

Spring planting and the ground is green with growth.

On Saturday, I met up with the three horses I'd seen under a shade tree on another ride earlier in the week.

(Yes, we even have trees in NM.)

This time, all 3 horses came close to the fence for a better look

at me on my steel horse

as I looked at them.

And then, as all good stories do,

this one ended with true love ~~

and a kiss.

(I told you I'm a country girl at heart.)

Ah, I love country life.

~~Janet Lyn~~

***What makes you love where you live?***

Learning to be content with what you have

and find the unexpected joys all around you

brings a peace and sweetness to life

wherever you are.~jl.

I'm NOT GONNA QUIT!!!

2010-04-20T18:13:00.011-06:00

“I’m NOT GONNA QUIT!!”

By Janet Lyn

Copyright April 20, 2010

It was the shout of determination heard ‘round the world.

“I’m NOT GONNA QUIT!!”

And it came from a 9-year-old boy riding his first road bicycle in his first criterium race.

This weekend I was profoundly moved and completely inspired by this cyclist who is not quite yet a pro.

But in every way that counts, he is already a pro at one of life’s most important lessons.

He knows how to hang in there and persevere, to finish what he started, to endure no matter what.

He knows that what’s most important is to never, ever give up.

Even if you are not a cyclist or a fan of cycling, this cyclist will inspire you. I guarantee it.

His name is Preston Franklin. He is 9 years old and he’s a third-grade student in Knoxville, Tennessee.

He didn’t even start riding a bicycle without training wheels until a couple of years ago ~ when he was in the first grade.

Preston won’t turn 10 years old till Dec. 23rd. That means whenever he races, he will likely be the youngest racing against other boys with birthdays much earlier in the year. He’s allowed to ride in the 10-year-old category, though, because anyone who turns 10 before Dec. 31 of the race year can compete as a junior cyclist.

When Preston raced Sunday, April 18 in the Dogwood Crit in Tennessee, he was up against other cyclists who were much older than him.

For those not familiar with cycling terms, a crit ~ or criterium ~ is a race similar to riding laps really fast around a pre-determined course with tight corners where racers vie for the best spots.

The Junior Division of the Dogwood Crit, in which Preston raced, featured a course with steep uphill climbs, tight corners and 25 minutes of solid racing outside the Civic Coliseum in Knoxville.

He raced lap after lap for 25 minutes against a field of 15 other riders who ranged in age from 10-18 years old.

But even at his tender young age, Preston was as ready as he could be. For Christmas and his birthday, Preston got his first real road bike, a brand new, shiny Felt.

He had trained indoors during the winter with his father, Vic Franklin, who loves to ride bicycles and even became Tennessee’s state road cycling champion at the age of 18.

Vic is Preston’s main hero when it comes to cycling and life.

Garmin-Transitions procyclist and reigning and five-time U.S. National Time Trial Champion Dave Zabriskie comes in a close second. Meeting “DZ” in person at the recent 2009 Nationals gave Preston extra motivation and inspiration for his own cycling.

But his Dad and his family remain Number One in young Preston’s life.

“I have two inspirations: Dave Zabriskie and most of all, my Dad. My Dad is tied with the rest of my family for the rest of my life for being the most important in my life,” he said proudly.

Preston receives plenty of encouragement from his Mom, Anita B. Franklin, a true and dedicated cycling fan who follows cycling races passionately all year long and knows more about procycling than most men or women. Occasionally, she even rides her own pink bicycle with a basket and pompoms.

That’s why both Anita and Vic Franklin wanted their only son’s first experience with racing a crit to be exciting and fun, with no pressure.

“He wanted to do this race,” Anita said. “We were concerned that he might be turned off to cycling if he didn’t do well or if it was too hard on him.”

Preston also had cycled outdoors on his new road bike whenever he could. He even rode in the wind and rain and mud on a recent family vacation to the North Carolina mountains with his father and Dr. Rick Clayton, a Georgia chiropractor and avid cyclist, in conditions they described as like riding a bike most of the time in Belgium --- meaning it was tough, very tough.

But Preston Franklin is one tough kid.

“Life is not easy, and you don’t want your child thinking it’s easy,” Anita said, as she explained why she and her husband have always encouraged Preston to try new challenges.

Athletics has been a particular challenge for Preston, in part because he deals with asthma. He’s tried T-ball, judo and soccer. With cycling, he feels like he’s found a better fit.

But he’s also a really well-rounded boy. He excels at academics and plays piano well. He’s active in Cub Scouts. He dreams of getting into M.I.T. and becoming an inventor and designer.

A lot of people know Preston and his family because the whole family --- including his grandparents, Jane and Mark Franklin (Vic's Dad Mark is also a longtime cycling racer) and Jeff Burnett --- is on Twitter. They love cycling. More than anything, though, they love Preston.

So when Preston got ready to start the Dogwood Crit, his parents and grandparents Jane and Mark ~ (Jeff was cheering for him in spirit from a fishing trip) ~ were stationed at all four corners of the course.

Even at the very start of the race, Preston faced challenges and kept on going.

“I was kind of nervous and I was kind of shaking a little,” Preston said, of the daunting prospect of racing in his first crit against cyclists much older than him. “I was like, how am I gonna start? I’m not sure if I can do it in a large group.”

He recalled what happened when he got on the bike and tried to start riding.

“My foot missed the pedal and I had to start again,” Preston said. “I just thought, oh well, I’ll just catch up.”

Preston took off finally and started racing the crit. About the middle of the 25-minute race, he had to come to terms with the fact that he was behind the other riders.

“I was going kinda slow and I knew it,” he said. “But I knew they only take you out of the race if you decide to stop. And I’d been keeping my pace. I didn’t care if I won; it was just for fun. So I kept riding.”

Preston’s Mom, as she usually does at cycling events, was busy tweeting the race play-by-play. Only this time, her tweets were a lot more personal.

At one point, she tweeted: “About to get lapped by big kids. He's still pedaling!”

Meanwhile, Preston said his Dad had been careful to make sure he didn’t feel any pressure and had reassured him that no matter what happened, they were proud of his efforts.

“My Dad said if it was hurting really bad that I could just go to the pit and tell them I wanted to stop,” Preston explained. “My lungs were hurting worse than ever at the end. But I decided I’d do the next lap and keep going. So I just went ahead and did it.”

Anita said she and Vic had made sure Preston knew there was no shame if he had to stop before finishing the race. Their main concern, she said, was that their son would still enjoy cycling after that race.

“I think I looked at him like, ‘Are you okay?’” Preston’s Mom Anita recalled. “I was wondering what he was thinking as he was going around there near the end. I anticipated they would pull him or he’d get to Lap 4 and say that’s all he could do. It was very hilly and the climb up to me was pretty steep.”

His family thought he’d probably stop about that point. But Preston soldiered on.

“When you’re tired and your lungs are burning and there’s your Mom and you could stop and be safe…,” said Anita, stopping in mid-thought. “But he had his hands tight on his handlebars and he looked over at me and yelled, ‘I’m NOT GONNA QUIT!!’ Like he was answering a silent question.”

At that point, about 9:45 a.m. EDT Sunday, Preston’s Mom tweeted:

“He's dead last out here, knows it, and is still riding. Just came around the corner and yelled, "I'm NOT GONNA QUIT!” Ok, If you're not crying, you're made of stone. #dogwoodcrit”

What Preston didn’t know at the time is that when he yelled out “I’m NOT GONNA QUIT,” it quickly became the determined shout heard around the world, thanks to Twitter and the Internet.

What no one knew until now, though, is Preston ~like all true champions~ had made up his mind BEFORE the race that he was going to follow through, no matter what.

“In the car on the way there, I made a silent promise in my head that I wasn’t going to quit, that I was going to finish the race no matter how bad it hurt,” Preston said. “I knew I wouldn’t win but I would finish.”

Preston’s fierce determination to finish his race and not quit immediately resonated with grown men and women around the world and inspired everyone who heard about it, as word got out via his Mom’s twittering.

It even reached his procycling hero, DaveZabriskie, who sent him a tweet Monday night via Preston’s Mom: “Good job man...never quit.”

As any cyclist or true cycling fan knows, finishing a tough race even in last place is no small thing. In fact, the procyclist who endures to the end and finishes the race in last place receives a special honor—the famed Lanterne Rouge (Red Lantern) --- because there is true honor in finishing and not quitting.

For awhile, Preston’s family thought he had achieved Lanterne Rouge honors by coming in last in the race, while still finishing it.

As it turned out, Preston actually didn’t technically come in last after all. One of his older competitors did not finish. DNF. The letters no racer wants to see next to his or her name in any race.

But 9-year-old Preston Franklin finished his race and finished it proudly and triumphantly.

“After the race, he was on Cloud Nine,” Anita said. “He was so happy he finished. His goal was not to win but to finish the race, so he made his goal. Because we love cycling so much, we were thrilled. We were beyond proud.”

Now, Preston is already gearing up for his next race, the Athens Twilight this weekend in Athens, Georgia.

“He knows there’s nowhere to go but up,” his Mom said proudly.

Preston quotes the legendary voice of Le Tour de France ~ procycling commentator Phil Liggett ~ when asked what advice he has for anyone facing struggles in life, after finishing his own tough race.

“Have courage,” Preston said. “Dig deep into the suitcase of courage, like Phil Liggett says.”

Good advice, because like Preston’s Mom said, “Life is not easy.”

Most of us know that all too well.

I’ll tell you one other thing I know for sure though now.

Next time I face something seemingly insurmountable in my own life, I’m going to think of 9-year-old Preston Franklin riding his bike as hard as he could, with his heart full of determination and courage.

And even if there’s no one else around to hear me, I’m going to hold on tight in the midst of my struggles and raise my voice and yell,

“I’m

NOT GONNA QUIT.”

Bravo, Preston.

And thank you for inspiring me and a lot of people around the world.

You are my hero.

***Author's Note:***
For the firsthand version from Preston's Mom, Anita B. Franklin, here's her blog post about what it was like for her watching his first crit race:

http://tdfdivadiaries2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-would-jens-do.html?spref=tw

*All photos used by permission with this story courtesy of Anita B. Franklin, Vic Franklin and Preston's Granny Jane Franklin (Thank You!!)*

***Author's Note 2***
Preston's hero, his Dad Vic Franklin, also raced in the Dogwood Crit on Sunday, April 18 and came in 7th in his division!!
~ALLEZ Vic!!~

Why I Love Easter

2010-04-03T15:38:00.000-06:00

I love Easter.

The power of the Hope of the Resurrection means the world to me.

All that Jesus Christ did for me and you when He freely gave His life and died on the Cross as a sacrifice for our forgiveness humbles me and overwhelms me.

Every year at this time, I remember all over again how much it means to me that Jesus looks at me with all my faults and failures and still He loves me more than I can even comprehend.

The fact that Jesus would have gone to the Cross even if I was the only one ~and even though I didn’t deserve it~ is more than I can take in sometimes.

The mind-blowing power of His passionate, unconditional, neverending love for me and for you takes my breath away.

What Jesus did to conquer death when He rose three days later moves me to tears of gratitude every time I think about the Resurrection.

I HATE death.

I absolutely hate the heartbreaking, gut-wrenching separation of death. To say that death has a sting is putting it mildly for anyone who has suffered great loss.

I have hated death with all my might since I was a little girl only 5 years, 7 months and 1 day old. And Easter Resurrection Sunday has meant the world to me ever since then.

My small family ~ my little brother Craig and me and our parents ~ had been visiting grandparents in New Mexico that summer. Early in the morning on that fateful Sept. 5, we took photos outside my Grandma and Granddaddy’s house in eastern New Mexico before leaving to drive back to our home in the San Francisco Bay area of California.

Four hours later, still in New Mexico, my father lost control of the car on the highway.

My 26-year-old Mom Barbara and my 2-year-old brother Craig were killed almost instantly.

I remember riding in the back of an ambulance to a nearby medical clinic and then to a bigger hospital where they could stitch me up.

As a little 5-year-old girl, I remember going to the funeral home and seeing my Mom dressed up pretty in her casket and my brother Craig lying too still in his little one. I still remember what they were wearing. I remember telling my father we needed to bring Mom some earrings to wear because she always liked to wear colorful earrings to match her outfit.

They were buried three days after they died. The significance of that is not lost on me now. Three days after my Mom and brother Craig died, they were still in their graves.

I hated those graves. And I hated death. I hated what death had done to my family.

They didn’t let me go to the actual funeral.

But I knew better than anyone that my Mom and my brother Craig were dead. And I knew life would never, ever be the same.

And I knew with every fiber of my being that I HATED death. Absolutely hated it.

The following Easter, I was 6 years old. Before that year, Easter had been about “Jesus Loves Me This I Know” and wearing a pretty new Easter dress and a pretty Easter bonnet and shiny new Easter shoes and eating chocolate and carrying a bright Easter basket to hunt Easter eggs.

That Easter when I was 6, everything changed for me. And Easter has not been the same for me since.

I may have been a child but I understood more than some adults did what Jesus’ Resurrection was really all about at that point.

When the preacher read the verses, “O Death, Where is thy sting? O Grave, Where is thy victory?” I knew what those powerful words really meant.

I HATED death. I still do. The agony. The separation. The sorrow. The longing. The loss of someone so dear and so loved.

The pain so deep it hurts in your heart and soul and mind and every pore of your body.

I HATE death.

I hate death so much I want to scream and punch it and kick it to Kingdom come. But I don’t have to. Easter means God already did that for me and for you.

Once and for all, God conquered fear and death on Resurrection Day.

Once and for all, God let the world know that death is NOT the end.

Once and for all, God showed the world the power of HOPE.

That’s the power of Resurrection Sunday, the day we also call Easter Sunday.

It hurts my heart knowing what Jesus had to do to get there. We can’t get to Resurrection Sunday without going through Good Friday and the agony of His Crucifixion.

Still to this day, it makes my heart ache reading about and knowing what Jesus suffered. That people would do so much to deliberately hurt and ridicule and punish Someone so full of genuine kindness and unconditional love still floors me and grieves my heart.

But He did it. He did it because that was the only way to rescue and redeem us.

He did it because that was the only way to show us ~beyond a shadow of a doubt~ how much He loves us.

He did it because that was the only way to prove that death does NOT get the last word.

He did it because that was the only way to prove that HOPE and LOVE are far stronger and far more powerful than any force on Earth.

I love seeing pictures of the Empty Tomb. I love reading about the day the stone was rolled away, once and for all. I love picturing what it must have been like to walk up to the grave full of sorrow and mourning and instead find an Empty Tomb ~ and great JOY.

When the stone was rolled away from Jesus’ tomb, darkness and fear and death lost their power forever.

When the stone was rolled away from Jesus’ tomb, faith, hope and love won the victory forever.

I have seen the caskets and graves of far too many people I love already.

My Mom Barbara. My little brother Craig. All my grandparents and great-grandparents. Several friends. And most recently, my sweet and only sister Linnie.

I have hugged and mourned with too many friends and neighbors over untimely and tragic deaths in their families and circles of friends. I have seen grief take its toll.

Each time I lost someone I love, I have hated death even more.

Each time I lost someone I love, I have loved Jesus more for what He did this Holy Week.

Each time I lost someone I love, I have longed for Easter Resurrection Sunday even more.

It’s my favorite holiday of the year and by far, the most meaningful to me.

Easter Resurrection Sunday tells me that no matter what happens, no matter what it looks like, HOPE WINS.

LOVE WINS.

The significance of what happened this Holy Week changed the world ~and my heart and life~ forever and gave me a HOPE that will never die.

The power of the HOPE of the Resurrection.

~By Janet Lyn~

*Written Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010, for Easter*

*Original photo by Janet Lyn*

*My little brother Craig* *Me and my Mom Barbara*

*My sweet sister Linnie laughing with her kitty-cat*

*Original artwork by Gia Antolini. Used by Permission*

***HAPPY EASTER***

*With Easter Love from Me to You*

Spring is Here~Hope Has Won!

2010-03-20T19:34:00.055-06:00

Most every year as Spring approaches, my heart feels a little bit lighter.

No matter how dark and dreary or cold and snowy the winter days, hope starts coming to life in this heart of mine the closer it gets to the First Day of Spring.

It mirrors the changes in the world around me.

One day it may seem like Spring is never ever going to come again.

And then one day, I look outside my back door and see the first Red-Breasted Robin in the middle of February.

And then another day, I look outside, and lo and behold, patches of green are starting to appear on the cold, wet ground, where only dust and dirt and grimy mud lay the day before.

And then on yet another day, the first tender blooms of color appear as a brave flower shoots up to challenge the winter cold.

Today is March 20, the official First Day of Spring on our calendar.

In some ways, it looks nothing like our traditional idea of Spring outside today where I live.

It has taken all the faith and hope I can muster to really believe Spring has come.

All night on the Eve of Spring and all day today on the First Day of Spring, New Mexico hovered in the icy cold of a Winter Storm Warning.

By 8 p.m. on the Eve of Spring, we already had an inch of cold, wet snow on the ground.

I watched helplessly as that Red-Breasted Robin swayed on a tree branch, looking puzzled by the sudden change in the weather.

I wondered how that Robin would make it through the cold, cold night now that winter had returned with a relentlessly freezing blast of gusty winds and snow and ice.

Blustery winds howled all night, so loud I could hear them from inside my house, where I was bundled up cozy and warm.

I awoke to greet the First Day of Spring bundled up in coat and scarf and wearing my big, heavy snow boots because even more snow had fallen overnight.

As I let my Best Dog Bella out of the house early in the morning, I grabbed a shovel to clear off the back porch steps of snow and ice.

The First Day of Spring temperature where I live hovered at 9-degrees with the windchill. Snow was blowing every which way, so much that it was hard to see. Virtual white-out conditions.

Glistening ice coated every tree limb and icicles hung frozen from my rooftop.

With freezing fingers, I walked into my backyard to take a few photographs to document this First Day of Spring.

And then I saw it.

That same fat, little Red-Breasted Robin perched nearly unseen up in a nearby bare tree. Literally out on a limb. All alone but steadfast. Hanging on. And hanging in there.

It was crazy cold outside. I swear I could see that little bird shivering up on that tree limb. (lower right limb)

But that Red-Breasted Robin stayed right there. Immovable, even in the face of every sign that Spring was not coming after all.

And then I felt it.

Joy in my heart.

A smile on my face.

And something that feels like Hope again.

It didn’t look anything like Spring outside.

It didn’t even look like the promise of Spring.

But it was still the morning of the First Day of Spring.

And I knew in my heart that soon, these last signs of winter would go away.

In their place would be new growth, new beauty, warm sunlight and the singing of birds.

Tonight, as I write this on the First Day of Spring, most of the snow has already melted.

The icy blast of winter has given way to blue skies and sunshine trying to warm the world again. The earth is dark and rich and moist and ready for growth.

Patches of green have reappeared everywhere. Even seeing green weeds makes me smile now. I’m thinking about the garden I will plant in their place soon.

More birds are singing outside in my backyard now.

That Red-Breasted Robin is no longer alone.

And neither am I.

The last 19 months and 2 days have been agonizingly painful for me since losing my only sister.

Some of the years even before that felt like endless winter at times, as I survived other rounds of loss and trauma. Some I’ve written about before; some stories have yet to be written.

There have been many, many times these last 19 months and 2 days when I felt like winter’s chill would never let me go. There were many, many times when I wondered if I would ever be able to wholeheartedly celebrate Spring again.

I still had faith. I have a very, very strong faith in God that has survived the harshest seasons of my life.

I haven’t always trusted Him as easily as that trusting little Robin clinging to the bare branch in faith that Spring would come. But I do have faith.

I still had hope. I have a very, very stubborn hope that has helped me survive season after season of pain and joy.

But at times during the last 19 months and 2 days, I have almost felt guilty having hope and feeling joy.

Lately, though, God has gently been reaching out to me and showing me all over again how great, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love really is.

He has been showing me through the people around me the depth of His kindness and mercy and grace.

And knowing how truly loved I am has made me dare to believe that Spring is really here.

Knowing the depth of God’s loving kindness has helped me dare to believe again in Hope.

Now, like that crazy little full-of-faith Red-Breasted Robin, I’m going out on a limb to hold onto Hope.

Like that little bird who knows God can be trusted no matter what the world looks like, I will not be moved.

At long last, Spring is here.

I am loved.

Hope has won.
~~~By Janet Lyn~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My beloved spoke, and said unto me,

Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

For, lo, the winter is past,

the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth;

the time of the singing of birds is come, and

the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

The fig tree puts forth her green figs,

and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.

Arise, my love,

my fair one,

and come away.

~Song of Solomon 2:10-13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~All Original Photographs Copyrighted~~

(c) March 2010 / By Janet Lyn / WriteOnRideOn
(and all photos for this story taken right in my own backyard)

Awaiting Spring ~~~~~~~ Stirrings of Hope

2010-02-26T08:50:00.023-07:00

Today I saw a beautiful, fat, red-breasted robin
perched on my backyard fence
when I opened my back door.

I opened the door quickly
to let my best dog Bella burst outside
for her first early morning jaunt.
I started to close the door quickly
as the February winter windchill
still sent such cold shivers through me.

And then I saw it.
A red-breasted robin
sitting calmly
atop my redwood fence.
Looking around.
Checking things out.

Obviously well-fed
despite the harsh winter cold
and seemingly endless snow
and days of desolate grayness.

A red-breasted robin.
On February 26, 2010.

And I smiled.
I smiled and watched quietly.
My smile grew bigger.

The first robin sighting.

There is hope.
Spring is coming.
Spring is really coming.
Hope rests in my heart again.
Hope.

There was no time
to run inside and grab a camera.
There was only time
to let the beautiful sight
of the first red-breasted robin
Soak slowly into
My brain and my heart
Stirring my soul
to remember
Hope.

So I stood there
Looking out my back door
Smiling.

There is hope.
Spring is coming.
Spring is really coming.
Hope rests in my heart again.
Hope.

Still and quiet.
Awaiting spring.
Hope.

*Copyright/Janet Lyn/Feb. 26, 2010.

Finding Faith in Hard Places

2010-02-18T19:05:00.003-07:00

I hate the hard places in life. Completely hate them. Can’t stand them. Cry over them. Stamp my feet and throw my arms in the air and holler into the night at them. Rage with angry tears streaming down my face at the hard places in life, the ones where life is completely unfair and injustice continues unchecked.

The times when a child dies. The times when anyone dies “too young” whether they are 2 or 40 or 75.

The times when someone takes advantage of another human being ~~ and gets away with it.

The times when someone hurts another person ~~ physically, verbally, emotionally and/or spiritually.

The times when anyone abuses another person, child or adult, or a defenseless animal.

The times when someone violates someone else’s trust in any way.

The times when someone uses the power of their words to hurt someone else, especially behind their back.

The times when guilt or shame or fear threatens to shut you down. Or someone you love.

The times when a friend or loved one is hurting very badly but there’s absolutely nothing you can do but love them.

The times when your heart hurts so badly you can’t breathe.

The times when someone has to wait and wait and wait for test results that could change a life one way or another.

The times when you do everything you know to do and life still throws you a tragic curve.

The times when you don’t get to tell someone you love how you feel. Or even tell them goodbye.

The times when you lose someone so dear that you have to try to remind yourself to breathe.

I absolutely HATE those times in life.

I do NOT, at those moments, listen to or say the horrible words, “Well, this must be God’s will.” How harmful that lie is!! God’s will is NEVER EVER to harm His children. NEVER EVER. God’s heart breaks even more than ours at life’s tragedies.

I do NOT, at those moments, smile sweetly and count my blessings and say, “Well this must all be for the best.” Are you KIDDING me?

If anyone around you ever utters those lies or misrepresentations, run as fast as you can. Especially if you hear anyone ever tell you, “Don’t ever question God.”

Are you KIDDING me?

God made me who I am. He is not going to fall off His throne because I am hurting and ask him questions. He knows me and loves me.

The God I know and love wants, more than anything, for me to be real with Him. To be honest and truthful with Him.

God knows what I’m feeling anyway. Why would I lie to myself or Him and pretend otherwise?

I’m in good company. Some of the people who loved God most asked Him the most questions.

News Flash: I’m human. All too human.

That’s why one of my heroes of the Bible is David.

David screwed up over and over and over again. He lost his temper. He raged. He sinned. He ~~gasp!!!~~ questioned God.

Just like I do. Just like you all do, if you’re honest with yourselves.

Yet time and time again, even ~~ and actually, especially ~~ when he had absolutely no satisfactory answers to any of his questions to God, David still ended up each and every time declaring his unyielding trust in God. It’s there in every Psalm.

And in the end, despite his many flaws, David was called by God himself “a man after God’s own heart.”

In return, even though David didn’t have the answers, he worshipped God with love and passion and reckless abandon and a stubborn faith that seemed absolutely crazy to everyone around him.

The Divine and ultimate paradox. One I know too well.

A loving God does not expect us to see injustice or experience tragedy and blindly accept it. He certainly does not expect us to never ask questions.

All He asks is that we trust Him in the end. All He asks is that we have faith.

Faith to believe He loves us.

Faith to hold on no matter what.

Faith to struggle and still believe.

Faith even if we can’t see anything happening.

Faith to wait with expectant hope.

It’s hard as hell. But I’m trying to learn.

I hate waiting. Really hate it.

I’m holding onto hope with everything in me.

Because sometimes, more often than not, it takes everything in me, simply to hold onto hope.

Yet I still believe.

David may have said it in more flowery poetic phrases.

Here’s my modern-day version, as real as it gets:

Some days, life just kicks the crap out of you. But you go on anyway. That’s faith.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way sometimes.

You Are Truly Loved

2010-02-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

How would your life be different

If you believed ~really believed~

In your heart of hearts

In the depth of your soul

In the innermost part of your being

That you are truly and unconditionally loved

With a love

that will never leave you or forsake you~~~~

If you really believed you are loved like this~

How would it change you?

A love that will always hold onto you

A love that will never let go of you

A love so amazing

A love so magnificent

A love neverending

A love truly limitless

A love that looks deep

Into the heart of you

And still reaches out

To embrace every part of you

A love that sees everything

You’ve ever done

Yet a love that believes

In what you will become

A love that will hold you

Until you feel whole again

A love that will stay with you

While you find your strength again

A love full of mercy

A love full of grace

A love that makes sure

Your mistakes are erased

A love that knows suffering

Sorrow and pain

A love that will shelter you

Bring you in from the rain

A love that in spite of everything you have done

Pursues you, embraces you

Till your heart’s come undone

A love that reaches for your hand to hold

A love full of warmth when the world is so cold

A love that sees everything

No one else sees

A love that heals wounds

That run way too deep.

A love that runs toward you

With outstretched arms open wide

A love that holds you so close

Hand in hand, side by side.

A love like no other you’ve ever known

A love that somehow feels like you’re home.

~By Janet Lyn

A Leap of Faith ~Diving Deep Into Love ~And Life~

2010-02-13T08:55:00.043-07:00

Written on my birthday February 4, 2010.~jl.

I have so far to go in learning to love unselfishly.

I am finding that the more I go on with God, the more I realize that the less I know.

Especially about love.

God’s kind of love is so very different than the world’s kind of love.

The world says to protect your rights. Insist on your rights.

God says we should prefer one another in love. I want so much to learn how to do that more.

I have dear friends who are happily married and have been for a long, long time. They rarely fight. They still hold hands a lot. They still can’t wait to be together. She told me once that it’s because fights start because one person insists on having things their way. We’re supposed to do the opposite. We’re supposed to prefer one another in love. To try to bless the other person.

Real love wants the best for someone else and is willing to sacrifice for that person.

I wish I was at that point. I really want to be. I am learning.

I feel like I’m on a high dive walking to the edge. Below is a pool so deep you can’t even see the bottom. That’s real love. Unconditional love. Deep, deep love.

But the distance between the edge of the diving board and the leap of faith off the diving board into the deep waters below takes real courage.

And more than a little bit of daring.

It reminds me of when a bunch of friends and I were at a lake with really high cliffs. Some brave ~and yes, maybe crazy~ souls started jumping off the cliff into the inviting lake waters below. Others walked backward, afraid to even try. Afraid to even walk to the cliff’s edge and look down. Too afraid to even see what they were missing.

I love the water. I love to swim. I’m a really strong swimmer so I’m not afraid of the water. But I was afraid of jumping off that cliff. At first.

Still, I walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. My friends who had decided to literally take the plunge were laughing and giddy with joy and splashing in the deep water. They kept encouraging me to try it and see how exciting it could be.

Finally, at a certain point, my desire to dive in and see for myself how fun it really was and my desire to be swimming in the deep waters of the lake overcame my fear.

I was still afraid. But my desire to take that leap of faith and experience the joy became greater than the fear.

So I walked to the water’s edge, looked down below at the water, looked at where the rocks in the cliff were so I could dive away from the danger ~~ and then I did it.

I walked. I looked. And I jumped. I wanted to be in the deep waters. I wanted to swim with my friends. I wanted to experience all the joy I could. I didn’t want to miss it or wonder what could have been.

So I jumped off the cliff and dove into the water. I went down, down, down into the deep water and slowly surfaced. With a big grin from ear to ear. Laughing out loud. Delirious with pure joy.

I think of love that way.

Real love can seem scary to some people or too deep for some to even look into. It’s even scarier if you’ve learned the dangers the hard way. Most of us have bruised ourselves a bit along the rockier cliff sides of love.

But at some point in your life, you have to decide if you want to take the plunge. You have to decide if you want the love more than the fear. You have to decide if you’re ready to face the deep waters of love even with the risk involved.

And then you realize what joy awaits you if you choose love. Until finally you find yourself at the edge of the cliff, looking truthfully at what you have to do to dive deep into love’s waters and finding that your desire for love is far greater than any fear. And far more inviting.

I have to believe that real love is worth the risk. I have to believe learning to really love the way God intends us to love is worth walking away from the fear and leaping in faith deep, deep, deep until you’re surrounded by love. Unconditional love. Amazing love.

I’m still scared. But I’m about to leap headfirst and heartfirst. What waits for me looks worth the risk. What waits for me looks like real love. What waits for me looks like pure joy.

Extravagant love. Unrestrained joy. Delirious joy.

So now I’m diving deep into love with reckless abandon. Singing with all of my heart. Dancing for joy.

Taking the first step. I’m trusting you, God.

I want the love more than I want the fear. And that’s where I feel You most, God. Where Your perfect love casts out all fear.

I LOVE Birthdays ~ Here's Why ~ I Love Life!

2010-01-26T16:37:00.064-07:00

*****BREAKING NEWS*****~~It is now Feb. 4th.~~It's MY BIRTHDAY. On Feb. 4th.***Singing for JOY***Dancing for JOY***I am SO very grateful for life. SO thankful to be alive. SO thankful for a HOPE and a future. SO thankful for LOVE in my life.***

If you know me, you know I have a birthday on February 4th.

Please mark your calendars accordingly.

If you don’t know I have a birthday soon, you don’t know me.

I love birthdays. I absolutely love birthdays.

I love celebrating someone’s life.

And I really love my birthday because I am so happy to still be here.

So I believe in celebrating my birthday as early and as often and for as long as possible.

I let people know it’s my birthday. I let them know in advance. I usually give them at least a month’s notice to remind them, in fact.

My brother and my best friends even may or may not have been known to receive text-messages around this time of year that may or may not read:

***URGENT***~~~3 weeks till my birthday****

(Author’s Note: As of this writing, however, it is exactly ONE week and 2 days till my birthday, though, till my Feb. 4th birthday. Did you mark your calendars yet?)

I don’t do that to get presents. (Disclaimer: With the exception maybe of chocolate, flowers and espresso.)

I do that because I want to celebrate being alive another year.

I want my friends and loved ones who have helped me survive to be part of my joyous, heartfelt celebration. If they want to supply me with chocolate, well, that’s a bonus.

I have survived so much in my life. Another birthday brings more reasons to celebrate.
*Reason 1: I have survived another year.
*Reason 2: I am alive.
For that, I am truly grateful.

That’s why I love birthdays.

I know that’s one reason I love cycling so much, too. It’s all about endurance.

I will never understand people who complain about having another birthday or about growing older. Another birthday means you are still alive.

And if you’re growing older, at least you’re still growing.

Are there lots of things I wish I’d done by now? Of course.

Has my life turned out differently than I expected when I was much younger? Very much so, in some ways. In fact, I’m hoping to at least make it to 102 like my great-grandmother GranJoy did so I’ll have enough time.

Yet all I’ve been through ~and survived~ is what has made me who I am today. And as long as I’m still alive, I still have reason to hope and dream and work toward my dreams.

I figure that as long as I have hope, I have reason to believe there is still time to do some of the things I still want to do.

To be honest, the older I grow, the more what matters most to me is having more time to love and to be loved.

Sure, I have new places I’d like to see and new experiences I’d like to try.

But I know now that nothing compares to love. And if I live to be 102 or more, it still will not be nearly enough time to share all the love I wish I could with the people I care most about in this world.

Maybe that’s because the older I grow, I realize that when I was much younger, I had no idea what love really is. I’m learning now about real love and I want more of it in my life. I want more of it in the lives of the people I care about, too.

Here’s why love ~and life~ ~and hope~ matter so much to me.

I am a walking, living, breathing miracle. Proof positive of God’s unconditional love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and grace. I am so grateful to be alive to celebrate another birthday.

I don’t often share all the details simply because I don’t ever want anyone to feel sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for me. My life is my life. It is, as they say, what it is.

I also do not want my life to be defined by tragedy or by my losses. I want my life to be about love and hope and joy. For even though I’ve lost much and survived a lot, I also have known great joy.

Many have asked about what I’ve survived. I share a little of it now (and I hope to share more of it in book form someday…) in the hopes that it may encourage someone that they really can survive anything.

Or maybe it will encourage someone to look at life differently. Or maybe it will simply make someone look at birthdays differently. With even more gratitude for another year.

In my life so far, I have survived, against all odds~~~

~~~*The fatal car crash when I was 5 years old that killed my Mom and my 2-year-old brother. I was injured but lived through it, with some scars you can see and some you can’t.~After that, the mere fact that I survived my childhood is another miracle in itself. Trust me. There were things that happened that no one, especially a child or teenager, should have to endure. I’ll leave it at that for now, except to say that the fact that I emerged alive and still able to believe in hope and love is truly one of the greatest miracles in my life. ~

~~~*A near-fatal car accident on an icy mountain pass in northern Colorado. I was driving a friend’s car to help them move to Idaho. I lived in Colorado. I was used to driving on snow and ice. But I hit an unseen patch of black ice and the car suddenly went out of control, skidded and headed for the cliff with no guardrails. I literally did see my life flash before my eyes. I remember thinking I wasn’t ready to die. Next thing I knew, the car somehow had miraculously spun around and caught the rear end of the vehicle in a large snowdrift. I was shaken ~ but alive ~ again.

~~~*A third near-fatal car accident when we were hit head-on by a drunken driver while a friend was driving us home in a quiet residential neighborhood. We then crashed head-on into a telephone pole, hitting it mainly right in front of me on the front passenger side of the car. My friend and I were hospitalized overnight. While we were in the hospital, another friend met with the insurance agent, who took one look at the mangled car and asked matter-of-factly, “What was the name of the person who died in the passenger seat?” He was completely shocked to learn that I survived. I was, too.

~~~*Being held at gunpoint during an armed robbery. Six and a half years ago on a summer evening, I stopped to get gas and Gatorade on my way home from work. It wasn’t even late. The next thing I knew, two men ran into the store and one of them pointed a loaded gun aimed straight at my head across the counter. I remember thinking that when he pulled the trigger, I would not be going to the hospital. This time, my life didn’t flash before my eyes because there wasn’t time. There was only time for a one-word prayer, repeated over and over in my mind and heart and, as I later found out, I even said it out loud: “Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.” The two gunmen miraculously fled the store. I could not stop shaking. More shaking and more traumas came later when I had to endure the trial and relive the horror over and over again. It has been a very long recovery from all the trauma but I am determined to not let what happened rob me anymore.

~~~*Losing my much-loved and only sister suddenly, unexpectedly, irretrievably. She left us a little over 17 months ago. I hope I will be able to write more about it someday because she’s one of the sweetest, most caring people I’ve ever known and I am proud I got to be her sister. I should have been a much better sister. I wish with all my heart she had understood how very much I loved her. But for now, all I can say is I will never be the same. I carry her with me in my heart every day. She is the tears I cry at night. She is the reason I am compelled to share hope with others. She was more dear to me than I can ever express. Losing her is the greatest loss of my life. But I made a promise to my dear brother ~the only one I have left now~ that even though I didn’t know how, we would both survive somehow. And we have. And we will. It’s only by God’s grace. For which I am more grateful than anyone will ever know. His love sustains me, even now.

~~~*In between, I have lost all my grandparents, other loved ones and treasured friends whose losses hurt my heart. I have learned the hard way what grief really is, not from some textbook or speaker who knows nothing about it, but from firsthand heartache. That is why I tell others who are grieving not to listen to anyone who tries to tell them how or for how long to grieve. That’s not for anyone else to judge. Loss touches each person differently and each one must find a way back to go on with life. What I know for sure is that if you know someone who is grieving, don’t worry about trying to say something. Hug them and hold them and let them know you love them. Be there for them. Simply be there and love them.

Believe it or not, that’s the short version. There is a lot more. But I hope that helps you understand a little more about where I’m coming from and why I’m so strong in my messages of love and hope and faith.

It’s why I appreciate people who show unconditional love and patience and gentleness and understanding and great kindness more than ever.

One thing I know for sure. I believe with all my heart that one of the main reasons I have survived so much already in my life is so that I can share hope and compassion and love with other people.

I want, more than anything, for my life to be a living testament to the truth that you really can survive anything. God can do the impossible. I can say that because of what He has done in my life, against all odds.

So, now, as another birthday approaches ~ have I mentioned I’m having another birthday on Feb. 4th by the way??? ~ I have so much reason to celebrate.

For me, every birthday is cause for great joy. Absolute excitement. Extravagant joy.

I still have so much to do in my life. I know that more than ever now.

And more than ever, I know I’m being given another chance to learn more about real love. My heart feels giddy with excitement and anticipation at the very thought.

I don’t know what lies ahead for me. But I’m still believing more dreams are going to come true. I believe it with all my heart. My hopeful heart.

Every breath really is a second chance. If you let it be. My life is proof of that.
So, please join the celebration. You’re all invited. Feb. 4th. All around the world. Give thanks for life and hope and love!!!

And if you feel the need to bring chocolate or send flowers or buy me a doubleshot espresso, well, who am I to deny you that chance? I prefer dark chocolate, by the way, with almonds whenever possible and a little cream and sugar in my coffee. *smile*

~~~For my birthday this year, here is my greatest wish~~~Please let the people you care about know how much you love them, as often as possible. Seize every opportunity to show love and to receive love. Hold onto hope, no matter what. You can survive anything. Believe you’re worth the chance to have as much love as possible in your life. You are incredibly valuable and loved with the most amazing love I know. So enjoy this amazing life you’ve been given.~~~Luv, J.

Heart for Haiti~Always Hope

2010-01-16T13:08:00.014-07:00

Today I am writing through my tears, spilled out of love. For my heart is in Haiti.

My heart longs to hold some of the thousands of sweet children who are hurt, traumatized, scared and suffering in Haiti. But I cannot be there.

So I’m doing what I can. It’s not much. But it’s what I know to do. It’s how I can give.

I know others feel exactly the same.

After several days of heartbreaking news, photos, videos and personal accounts of the tragedy and suffering in Haiti, we may feel emotionally exhausted, tempted to turn away, close to compassion burnout.

For those of us not in Haiti, it’s compounded by a feeling of helplessness. We are seeing such enormous need. We don’t know how we can make a difference.

The need is truly overwhelming. But one by one, we can help by doing whatever we can.

Today, on Day 5 after the earthquake, there are still staggering needs in Haiti.

Yet there is still enormous hope for Haiti.

That’s exactly why we have to stay strong right now. Keep giving. Keep praying. Keep getting the word out. Keep believing for miracles. Keep the faith.

Keep holding onto hope for Haiti.

I know how desperate the situation appears in the aftermath of the horrific 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti without warning on Tuesday.

Even the aftershocks registered nearly 6.0.

That alone would cause devastation in any nation.

But Haiti already was the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

There already were flimsy buildings everywhere. Now there are very few buildings standing and thousands of people killed or injured in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

There already was a tremendous lack of resources. Now the need is staggering.

Now there are an estimated 3 million people suffering from the earthquake and its grim devastation in Haiti.

From the moment I heard the news Tuesday, I thought of dear friends who travel regularly to Haiti serving at an orphanage there. I wondered if they were okay. I wondered if the children at the orphanage were alive.

I thought of the thousands of children in Haiti who already were orphaned before the earthquake. Now there are so many more, it completely breaks my heart. I dissolve into tears every time I think of those children alone and scared and suffering.

I finally found out on Friday that my friends are safe and all the children in their ministry’s orphanage survived. There was some damage to the orphanage building, but what matters is the children are safe and alive.

Yet I know that there are millions of people in Haiti now ~days later~ still suffering. Some are trapped beneath rubble. Some are desperately trying to rescue their friends and loved ones.

Thousands upon thousands of people are grieving and mourning their loved ones who already have died as a result of the earthquake, heartbroken by the sorrow of tremendous and sudden, shocking loss.

Haiti’s greatest physical needs now are food and clean water and safe shelter and medical attention.

Every minute that passes since the tragic earthquake, the emotional and spiritual needs in Haiti are growing in magnitude too.

For every child and adult in Haiti, including the many relief workers, the greatest need is for healing from the unimaginable trauma of what they have witnessed and survived and for love, comfort, mercy and compassion.

The graphic scenes of human suffering from Haiti seem overwhelming, but they are real and they are people in pain in need of our help. We cannot turn away.

Seeing the devastation and the depth of human suffering at its most raw as we are seeing right now in Haiti has the power to immediately unite our hearts for one common purpose. Our only purpose at a time such as this.

Wherever human beings are suffering, we each have a duty. It is simple and profound.

We are called to love.

Then we are called to put that love into action. To show compassion. To show mercy. To relieve suffering. To do whatever we can to bring healing. To bring hope.

Love in action is the only possible response at a time such as this.

Please do whatever you can to help the people of Haiti.

***In the aftermath of a horrific disaster such as the Haiti earthquake, the most effective way you can help is by helping well-established, legitimate, reputable non-profit relief organizations who are trained and ready to respond, especially those already working in Haiti.

I have researched and compiled a list of links directly to a few of those relief organizations that I know are working to bring supplies, medical aid and other help necessary to assist the people of Haiti.

Please give where you can. Please pray for all those trying to bring relief from suffering to the people of Haiti through love, compassion, medical care and practical assistance. Pray for transportation challenges as they work around the clock to get needed supplies and more trained personnel into a country where access is crippled.

Please pray for the babies and children in Haiti who are now orphaned or separated from their parents and relatives. Think of your own children as you hold them in your arms. Then please pray even more that God in his infinite mercy will hold the children of Haiti in his arms of love and comfort.

Please pray for all the people of Haiti, who are wounded in heart, spirit and body. They need us now more than ever.

Then please keep praying. Keep believing. Keep showing compassion. Keep loving. Keep hoping. Even in the midst of great heartache, there is always hope. Always HOPE.
~Luv, J.~

Red Cross~
http://www.redcross.org/en/
**To make $10 donation to Red Cross, text-message HAITI to 90999.

Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)~
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
http://msf.ca/

Compassion International~
http://www.compassion.com/

World Vision~
http://www.worldvision.org/
http://www.worldvision.ca/

Samaritan’s Purse~
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Mercy Corps~
http://www.mercycorps.org/

UNICEF
http://www.unicefusa.org/

Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmy.org/
http://www.salvationarmy.ca/

For more info on how to help Haiti, the New York Times compiled a more detailed list:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/haiti-disaster-relief-how-to-contribute/

We Are All Works In Progress

2010-01-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

“We are all works in progress.”

Six simple words. But what a lot of truth in those words.

I was talking about something in my life. I was probably talking about how I have such a long way to go.

And then a sweet friend looked at me, looked right into my eyes and said simply, “We are all works in progress.”

And I smiled.

I’m still smiling.

Because what he said was so profound. And so true. And so freeing.

We all need to hear that. We all need to be reminded of that. We all need to know that we know that. Really know it. Deep inside.

Why are we so hard on ourselves after all? Why do we expect too much of someone else?

We are all, after all, works in progress.

I like that. A lot.

It doesn’t imply we’re not trying. It doesn’t mean we’re standing still not doing anything.

It simply means we need to give ourselves a break.

It means we need to acknowledge God is working on us and in us. And even when it doesn’t feel like it, we are making progress if we’re allowing Him to work on us.

And whether we realize it or not, God is probably working through us more than we realize. Because when imperfect people step up and honor God by being real with themselves and the people around them, hearts can be touched and lives can be changed.

We are all works in progress.

It simply means we need to extend grace to the people around us…and to ourselves.

Grace. Understanding. Kindness.

Kindness and tenderness. What every heart needs.

Really, it all comes down to love. Real love. Unconditional love. Sweet love.

Think about how you feel when you know that someone loves you. Really loves you. No matter what.

Not the kind of imitation love that tries too hard to change you. I mean the kind of real love that truly loves you the way you are.

Love like that settles into you like a sense of peace. Calm. Serene. Joyful.

And suddenly, you feel free. You look at the world differently. You look at other people differently. With more generosity. With more faith. With more courage.

You treat yourself and other people like they are truly works in progress.

You believe in yourself. You believe in other people. You really want the best for them.

You know you’ll get there someday. You know they’ll get there someday.

In the meantime, you learn not to judge them – or yourself. You learn to love.

You learn to accept others as they are. Truly love one another. And truly love yourself.

Just the way you are.

Knowing that when you are loved and accepted, you will become who you truly want to be.

Love is a powerful thing.

Real love looks at you and doesn’t see your faults and failures. Real love sees hope. And progress on your journey.

For real love gives you grace. Abundant grace. Amazing love.

Love gives you courage. Love gives you strength. God’s unconditional love gives you grace and courage and strength to continue on the journey without losing hope.

Love gives you faith and reason to hope. To believe that He is working in you to make progress in this adventure we call life.

Real life brings many challenges. But love, acceptance, forgiveness, grace, kindness~they give us the strength to keep going no matter what , to love others and to love ourselves.

If we can keep that kind of love in our hearts, we really are making progress.

For like my sweet friend said: “We are all works in progress.”

~~~This was inspired by someone who is one of the kindest, yet strongest people I've ever known. Someone who is a living example of the power of kindness and grace. Someone who always reminds me that, "We are all works in progress." I hope his words and what they meant to me bring you hope and help you along your own journey. Be kind to yourself. Extend kindness and love to the people around you. It may be the very thing someone needs to find courage and hope. For me, love is what matters most in this adventure we call life.~~~May your heart be blessed with much Love, J.~~~

A New Heart for A New Year

2010-01-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today, on this first day of a New Year and a new decade, I find myself craving life.

Savoring life. Savoring the simple, profound sweetness of life.

I’m bringing a very grateful heart into this new decade. Gratitude that I am still alive and able to see the beauty of each new day.

I am very grateful to find that my heart is still able to be brave enough to love and that I am becoming courageous enough to find joy even in the face of life’s toughest challenges.

Some people live their lives as cynics, always seeing or talking about or writing about the worst in other people and in life.

I often wonder if cynics have ever really experienced loss or difficulties. It’s hard for me to believe they could continue to be so cynical and bitter if they have ever learned the hard way how precious life really is.

I have survived far too much in my still relatively young life to be cynical or bitter.

I have survived several experiences when others said there is no reason I should still be alive to tell my tale. I have endured and survived losses of people so dear to me that I often wondered how it would be possible for my heart to recover.

But somehow, I’m beginning to think that’s part of why I’ve survived what I have. To tell my tale. To offer compassion and understanding. To offer hope.

For despite all odds, I still believe with all my heart in the power of love. Real love.

I still believe in the power of hope. I believe you have to decide at some point in your heart and life that you will never, ever, ever give up ~ no matter what.

For the fact that I have survived to see this first day of a New Year and a new decade, still able to believe in love and hope, is a miracle in itself. Yet I do. With all my heart.

We are all shaped and become the people we are now by the joys and sorrows we experience throughout our lives and by the people we love and the people who love us.

It’s so much easier to recount the joys and remember the good times, especially the very best times. Those times are a wonderful and amazing part of life.

On the flip side, I’m slowly learning to leave regrets in the past so that I can make even more room for all the good things I believe the future holds for my life and for my heart.

Still, while we cannot dwell on regrets or failures, we have to admit the low points in our lives also are part of who we are now.

We can choose to not be defined by the tragedies and difficult experiences. But sometimes those really are compellingly defining moments in our lives, when we become stronger as we choose to face our challenges, work through them and go on to embrace life.

I have learned in my own life that when tragedy and loss shatter your heart and your life into a billion pieces, it sometimes feels like your heart will never mend. It feels like your heart and life will somehow never be the same.

Some of that is true. In my case, I will never, ever be the same girl I was before some of the things that happened in my life. Each one changed my life in its own way.

And I know my heart will never be exactly the same. The shattered pieces don’t always fit back together the same way.

But I’m beginning to think maybe that in itself is a good thing.

Sometimes life’s greatest sorrows and heartaches and losses cause a heart to regrow into a new heart, if you will. If you let it.

A new heart that’s a bit larger and able to include more people. A new heart that’s a lot more tender. A lot more sensitive. Hopefully, a lot more caring. And yes, along with all that, a heart that’s sometimes a lot more raw. A lot more real.

I’ve come to believe that’s when a heart learns more about what it means to truly love.

So this New Year’s Day, a day that always feels like a new beginning, I face a New Year and a new decade with a new heart.

A heart that knows in new ways the enduring, life-giving value of true friendships.

A heart that values more and more people who are truly kind. I have been blessed to meet a few. I love being near them. They make my heart feel safe. And very happy.

A heart that still ~against odds that sometimes appear on the surface to be insurmountable~ insists on dreaming big dreams and working toward making them happen.

A heart that understands in a much deeper way the power of grace.

A heart that still stubbornly and passionately craves life and holds on unwaveringly to an undying hope.

A heart that is learning more every day about what it really means to love. I hope.

A heart that is learning how breathtakingly amazing it is to be completely and intensely loved with a love that is real and true.

And because of all that and so much more, I face this New Year with a very, very grateful heart.

A New Year. A new decade. New possibilities. New dreams.

Looking up. Looking forward.

I hope you are, too. Happy New Year!!!

***God bless you all in this New Year. May your hearts know much, much love ~or as my Grandma who was born on New Year’s Day would say, “mucho mucho love.” May your homes be filled with more laughter than tears. May your joys outnumber your sorrows. May you follow your passions with courage and hope. May you always choose kindness. May your heart overflow with so much love that you have more than enough. May you have so much love in your heart and life that you have plenty for yourself and an abundance to give to others. May you always, always, always hold onto hope.
~Luv ya mucho mucho, J.~

Bicycle Blessings for Christmas

2009-12-27T19:32:00.047-07:00

Every time I think about bicycles and Christmas, I think about kids.

I especially think about one very special boy who showed us all the true spirit of Christmas without even knowing he did.

This is a true story. It happened one December a few years ago when I was working as a full-time newspaper journalist in New Mexico.

The local Fraternal Order of Eagles held an annual Christmas Shopping Spree, which allowed 100 children, ages 7-12, to spend $100 apiece during a special early morning shopping trip at a local store.

After doing a story about the project, I volunteered to be one of the adults who were needed to shop one-on-one with each child.

I had no way of knowing I was about to witness ~and then be part of~ a true holiday miracle.

As I got my shopping cart that early December morning, a bright-eyed, excited 10-year-old boy named Timothy was waiting for someone to help him shop. Timothy told me he needed a winter jacket, new shoes and toys for his younger brother and baby sister.

We quickly found a warm winter jacket and some new sneakers that fit perfectly.

But just before we reached the toy aisles to look for presents for his brother and sister, Timothy stopped and stared with a grin from ear to ear.

In front of him was a shiny new bicycle with a price tag of $99.99.

“Wow! I could get that bike, couldn’t I?” Timothy asked in awe.

Knowing there were no restrictions on what each child could buy with the $100, I told him that he could buy the bike or whatever he wanted.

He stood there in front of the shiny bicycle, still grinning, as it sunk in that the bike could be his.

Then, he realized it would take all his money.

We talked about how he could definitely get the bike. However, if he got the bike, he couldn’t get his winter jacket or shoes that fit and he wouldn’t have any money left to get gifts for the rest of his family.

I didn’t pressure him either way. I gave him time to think.

Obviously struggling, for a bicycle means a lot to a child, Timothy grew quiet for several minutes.

“Well, I guess I’ll think about it some more, and then I’ll decide,” he said.

In the meantime, he decided he’d continue to shop. So we proceeded to the toy aisles, where Timothy found a colorful pop-up toy to delight his baby sister, some toys for his 9-year-old brother and a couple of small toys for himself.

There were a couple of dollars left, so Timothy proudly chose a beautiful Christmas card for his mother and father.

As the time came to approach the cashier, Timothy looked up at me with a smile and said wistfully, “Well, I think maybe I could get a bicycle another year.”

I smiled and told him I was very proud of him because I knew it was a tough decision.

What he didn’t know was that I cried as soon as I got to my car. Then I started praying through my tears that somehow that sweet, unselfish boy would get the bicycle he wanted ~and needed.

Because I believe with all my heart that every child should have a bicycle.

Later, I sat down to write about my experience volunteering with the Christmas Shopping Spree. I told the true story about Timothy and what he did.

But I didn’t mention anything about my prayers. I didn’t say anything about how every kid needs a bike. I simply told Timothy’s story.

The morning the story ran in the newspaper, I was still praying. And trying to believe.

Hoping with all my heart that somehow Timothy would get a bicycle for Christmas.

Just after 10 o’clock that morning, my home phone rang. A local woman I’d never met said, “I read your story this morning, and I want to buy that boy a bicycle.”

Tears filled my eyes as I thanked her for her generosity.

She had absolutely no way of knowing I had been secretly praying someone might give Timothy a new bicycle ~ because every boy and girl should have a bicycle ~ and because he had sacrificed his biggest wish so he could bless others.

But I also had prayed that because Timothy’s brother was just one year younger, that maybe there was a way his brother could have a bicycle, too, so he wouldn’t feel left out.

An hour after the first woman called, my prayers were answered-again.

A local man I’d never met phoned and told me that he and his wife had read my story and wanted “to buy the bicycle for that little boy.”

I explained that someone already had offered and made arrangements to buy Timothy a bicycle.

Then I decided to be bold. I get that way when I see kids in need.

I asked the man on the phone if he and his wife might consider buying Timothy’s brother a bike so each boy could have one.

“Sure, we’d love to,” he said, and I wept with joy.

The story didn’t end there. By the end of the day, thanks to more generous readers who called, we had made arrangements for new bicycles and helmets for Timothy and his brother, needed items for their baby sister, and even plenty of groceries for his whole family.

It turned out that Timothy lived in the same town as I did. So I even got to arrange a very, very special delivery on Christmas Eve day.

We called his parents ahead of time so they’d know what was happening and so the family would be home.

As a reporter, I had lots of friends at the local Fire Department. Being the great guys they are, they happily offered to help make the delivery with me ~ and make it extra special.

Timothy and his brother were playing outside in their front yard when we rolled up in the big ladder fire truck. One of the firemen and I were riding in the front bucket platform of the fire truck with both bicycles.

I will never, ever forget the look on Timothy’s face as the fire truck stopped at his house and started raising up and then lowering the platform.

First he saw me and recognized me. Then he saw the new bicycles.

His joy was unforgettable. And immeasurable. The pure, simple, exuberant joy of a boy with a new bicycle.

It still makes me smile. And yes, tear up a little bit.

In my mind’s eye, I can still see Timothy and his brother, wearing their new helmets, riding their new bicycles with such excitement through their neighborhood as we drove away that Christmas Eve day.

Even though this story happened a few years ago; in fact, Timothy would now be about 20 years old I guess; it never grows old.

To me, it’s a true story that shows that no matter who you are or what your circumstances, God still hears the quiet prayers of our heart.

Most of all, He hears the hearts of children ~ especially children who think of others first.

I can say that because I saw it firsthand. I experienced a true Christmas miracle of eternal hope, unconditional love, abundant generosity, great joy ~ and bicycle blessings.

***My greatest wish is that this story or stories like it would be repeated year after year, especially at Christmas. It takes so little to give a lot. It’s an amazing thing to be part of this type of bicycle blessing ~ or any other blessings for that matter. We can all be part of giving joy and hope to children where we live. Look around you. Find a need and fill it. Or find someone who can. Even though it’s a couple of days after Christmas, the love and generosity don’t have to end.***
~Luv, J.~

You Know You Live in New Mexico When/If......

2009-10-31T15:19:00.199-06:00

I love bicycles and cycling. I’m pretty sure I established that with my first, and yes, feature-length, blog post.

That said, I love to write about more than cycling because ~gasp, yes, I’m going to say it~ life is about more than cycling. There, I said it. Breathe into the nearest paper bag if you need to, but keep reading.

I love to write about life. I also love to laugh and hang out with people who have a sense of humor. Quite frankly, people without a sense of humor worry me.

So, inspired by reading and commenting on literary agent Rachelle Gardner’s wonderful blog site post~

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/10/colorado-humor-for-friday.htm

~which lists her version of funny, true aspects of life in Colorado, along with other people’s lists about their states and/or countries, I came up with a few funny, true aspects of life in the beautiful Land of Enchantment that is the state of New Mexico.

Okay, so my definition of “a few” may differ from yours. But they’re numbered, brief and easy to read. I promise. (You can trust me. I’m not a lawyer or a politician.)

So without further ado, here is a little original true humor about New Mexico (and sage advice to keep in mind for anyone travelling to NM).

Drum roll please.

You Know You're Really From New Mexico When/If:

1. Your waitress asks if you want your enchiladas "Red or Green?" and you tell her/him, "Christmas" and you both know exactly what you're talking about. (You want both red+green chile.)

2. You look at someone strangely when they don't want green chile with just about any possible food from breakfast to lunch to dinner.

3. You don't consider "Tex/Mex" food to be "real" Mexican food. (I also lived in Texas; I can say this.)

4. You know that real green chiles are NOT those small pickled versions in the cans that some people put on Nachos.

5. You know the hottest green chiles come from Hatch, NM. Natch.

6. You have spent an entire day roasting, peeling and freezing an entire winter's worth of fresh green chile for your home.

7. You know the difference between a luminaria and a farolito and you bristle and/or roll your eyes every time someone uses those terms incorrectly.

8. You know where the best Christmas Eve luminaria viewing is ~ and you know that everyone turns their car lights off as they drive down that street to better view them.

9. It wouldn't be Christmas Eve without a traditional feast featuring a huge pot of posole with all the side fixings and lots of homemade tamales.

10. You actually know what posole is and how to make it.

11. You either know how to make homemade tamales or you know someone who does who sells them by the dozen.

12. The only breakfast vendor who comes to your workplace sells several kinds of homemade breakfast burritos ~ and sells out almost immediately after company-wide e-mail gets sent that says simply, "The burrito lady is here."

13. You can immediately spot a movie or photo that pretends to be in NM but is really shot in AZ by the Saguaro cactus.

14. You know how to spell Albuquerque.

15. You know that the capital of NM is Santa Fe. And that there is NO such thing as Sante Fe.

16. You know it's possible to be living and riding at over 4,000-feet elevation and yet the scenery and roads look completely flat with no mountains in sight.

17. You've used a metal snow flying saucer to ride down huge sand dunes instead of snow.

18. You have a really good sense of humor and even make jokes yourself about the whole "Roswell UFO" thing.

19. You have ever told someone you live in or are travelling to NM and been asked, "Oh, do you have your passport and visa?"

20. You have ever told someone you live in or are travelling to NM and been asked, "Oh, I didn't know you spoke Spanish?"

21. You know that it's possible to have "rivers" that have no water in them ~ even the mighty Rio Grande in some places at certain times of the year.

22. You know what an arroyo is and why they issue warnings to stay away from them during and after heavy rains.

23. You realize you live somewhere that is a major tourist vacation destination for others.

24. You know that Georgia is not the only state that grows good peanuts. You also know where to buy green chile peanuts in the shell in New Mexico's peanut capital city~Portales in Roosevelt County~home of the Valencia peanut.

25. You have a very convincing story for the unsuspecting about how they grow green chile peanuts in the shell that begins something like this: “It all started when research scientists experimented with growing green chile and peanuts very close to each other in the NM soil…”

26. You know where to go in Portales, NM, for the very best chocolate peanut butter milkshakes. ~And that your brother will want to drive there for one whenever he comes to visit NM. *smile*

27. You know where to go for the very best green chile cheeseburgers in most every city you’ve ever been to in NM.

28. You just smile when other people talk about how they think all of NM is a desert. Oh, if they only knew what they’re missing.

29. You know the true story of Billy the Kid.

30. You know what Cowboy Poetry is.

31. You know real cowboys who make their living that way.

32. You know when someone tells you they have “a little ranch” that it is probably huge and stretches for miles and miles and miles.

33. You know a lot of people who own or work on cattle ranches or dairies.

34. You know the difference between adobe and stucco.

35. You know where the Texans go to ski in NM. And where everyone else who’s from NM goes skiing.

36. You know how to correctly pronounce places such as Cerrillos Road, Jemez, Gila, Valle Grande, Llano Estacado, Abiquiu, Ojo Caliente, Penasco, Chimayo, Tijeras and even Tucumcari ~ and where they are.

37. You consider it a normal sight to see hundreds of people of all ages walking along the shoulders of major highways for sometimes hundreds of miles during Easter Weekend to get to Chimayo and the legendary Santuario de Chimayo.

38. You know when the best years are to pick pinons. And that by "picking pinons" you mean gathering them off the ground.

39. You know what Zozobra is. And when and where and why he will burn every year.

40. You cringe every time someone forgets that NM is actually a state in the USA and not a foreign country, but you also laugh and have funny stories to tell about that very same thing.

~And finally~You're really from New Mexico if you know and appreciate the true beauty of:

*Endless blue skies the very color of azure.

*Purple mountain majesty, especially at sunset and sunrise.

*Climbing up on a flat adobe roof to watch the sunset ~or the sunrise~ or a full moon rising above the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

*Starry nights and meteor showers seen from out in the country with no other lights for miles.

*Actually seeing an eagle soar effortlessly through the sky.

*Being invited by a friend who lives on one of the Northern NM Indian Pueblos to come to a traditional spiritual dance and be part of the family feast.

*Living in a state that truly is multicultural.

*The ahhhh-mazing aroma of roasting green chile outdoors in the fall.

*Miles and miles of four-lane highways with wide shoulders that are officially designated “Bike Routes.”

*Being able to see the sky anywhere you are in NM ~ for miles and miles and miles.

To Be Continued. I’m sure.

In the meantime~Look for the beauty all around you wherever you are. Be good to each other. Find as many reasons to smile as you can. Share them with as many people as you can.

~Luv, J.~.