Dear Reader:

These past few mornings it has been easy to be in love with my life. The weather is gorgeous, the first signs of spring are peeking out, all is right with the world.

My neighbor, Vickie, got a text from her brother telling her how much snow they recently had (he lives in Michigan) and she said she couldn’t help herself…she sent this picture back saying that it was just a typical “Charleston Cold” winter here too!

Even the tea olives bushes that I planted a couple of years ago are tall enough now to bloom and they smell so good if you are sitting on the deck. That had been my motive for planting them…I wanted all the senses to be awakened in the garden…not just one visual one. After four years my garden is starting to leave a lasting impression on all the senses.

Leaving a lasting impression….mother was very big on that. If she told me once, she told me a million times that we only have one chance at a first impression, so make it a good one. Her advice never wavered: “Stand with your back straight, look the person straight in the eyes, speak confidently loud enough to be heard but don’t yell, and always have a firm handshake.”

I must admit it was good advice and came in especially well with interviews…I got more positions that I applied for than I didn’t and I have to thank mother for that.

My favorite “making a quickly needed lasting impression” is found in the romantic comedy, Jerry McGuire, when Tom Cruise is desperately trying to win Rene Zeillwigger back. While giving it his best shot, she stops him in mid-apology with the famous words… “You had me at Hello.” (9 second clip) Now that kind of charisma impression is impressive!

You Had Me at Hello – Jerry Maguire – YouTube

Quinn Caldwell/Steven Lighty had an interesting take on a ‘lasting impression’ in a written devotion …particularly in its history.

“Leaving an Impression”

Once upon a time, sovereigns and nobles would wear signet rings on their little fingers.  The rings themselves were symbols of power and identity, as were the impressions they made.  After writing a letter or document, the noble would drip hot wax on the closed document and then press the signet into it.  The impression left behind in the wax proved that the document really was from the one whom it claimed to be from: “The King was here.”

In our participation in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus through worship and service and learning, we too are being molded to fit God’s hand.  We too are wrapping ourselves around God’s little finger.  We too are becoming signs through which God tells the world, “I am here.”

I think holding hands with someone is one of the most intimate, caring gestures in human society. Wasn’t it wonderful of God to create our hands with individual fingers that fit perfectly with another person’s hand? The thought and details that went into the creation of ourselves and our world continue to be completely mind-boggling to me.

And since the night of May 27, 2008 -the night God extended His Hand to me…I have never been without a hand to hold…I am molded to God’s Hand and it fits ‘like a glove.’

So until tomorrow… like the beautiful hymn, “Spirit of the Living God” reads: Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.

SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD.flv – YouTube

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Linda Carson, my former oncology nurse, chose the “perfect word” SMILE for her 2017 word. She has learned, from former patients, how important a smile is/was in their lives as they went through chemo treatments to fight cancer. Yesterday she wrote and updated me on two more incidents (God Winks) that have re-enforced her decision to choose the word SMILE.

...”The day you talked about pictures of our word, I had two for you, but they were so small, you really couldn’t see them.  But first, I addressed a card to a friend I hadn’t heard from for a while and when I went to seal the envelop, on the back of it was printed smile!  Like its a brand of note card and I didn’t even know. 

Then on Ladson going to work was our famous dump truck, Keep on Smilin‘!  It was another day of some frustrations, but because of both of those winks, I kept smiling and remained calm seeing what God was doing in the situation.  Although, not always obvious, I know He is always with me and present. What a comfort!”