Good Morning Girls!  I had the most wonderfully awesome time in Duluth with my sisters and mom.  It was filled with memories (old and new), laughter, delicious food and not a lot of sleep!

I was so thankful for the lesson the Lord taught me during my emotional meltdown the Thursday before we left.  The lesson of being "present" in all circumstance.  It definitely made me enjoy many moments much more.  More importantly it saved me from a few moments where I could have easily spiraled out of control into the depths of the pit......

Duluth holds many memories for me as a kid.  I went there every year with my mom and dad.  As I walked along the path lake side looking out at the ships on the water I was suddenly hit with memories of my dad.  As a kid we would walk to the lighthouse, watch a barge come in and then go to the museum that had all of the old scuba diver and other nautical items.

My dad was into these things BIG TIME.  As a kid I loved listening to him talk about the stuff and teach me things they do not write on the descriptions posted by each item.  However, as I got older, I developed the common teen-ager attitude of "this is BORRRRRRING.....I have heard this a million times.......can we leave now?".

On Sunday morning I would have given anything to have my dad tell me about the nautical items.  In my mind I  heard him say as I heard him say a million times "Can you imagine how long it took to get that big heavy suit on?  Can you imagine how hard it must have been to walk in that thing?".  I was hit so hard by the memory that I had to sit on the nearest bench and just take it all in.

I sat there looking at the ships in the middle of the lake.  I thought of all the memories here and how thankful I am to have them.  I thought of how nice it would be to have dad sitting there on the bench next to me.  I thought of how nice it would be if my life wasn't so chaotic and I wasn't so conflicted.

And then I felt in my spirit "Your life is chaotic.  You are conflicted.  Your dad is gone.  BUT you are here.  You are here on this bench.  You are here in Duluth.  You are here on vacation.  It is nice to look back but you can't go back.  It is nice to look ahead, but you can't skip ahead.  So stay here.  Stay present."

I hate to say the thought that came next because you will think it as corny as I did.  You will especially think I am nuts when i tell you that though I have heard it many times before and read it on fortunes, bumper stickers, t-shirts, and coasters, the voice I keep hearing it in is the voice of Master Oogwa in Kung Fu Panda.  I have heard it in my head many times since last Thursday but have not mentioned it because it sounds so cliche.  However, I am starting to learn the value in it so I will tell you the part that runs through my head every time I find myself needing to pull myself back into the present.  And that is......

"Today is a gift......that's why they call it the present"

It may be a corny line put on organic yogi tea bags, but I am finding it to be true.  The more I stay present the more I am able to enjoy my life right where I am at.

and the moments I am not present.....well we can talk about that tomorrow..........


Psalm 118:24  This is the day (right down to this very moment) the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it (which is hard to do if you are somewhere else)

Love, grace, and the gift of the present day to you all-
Jen