New Year’s Darkness

In the daily devotional A Year With Thomas Merton, the reading for today is entitled New Year’s Darkness. Merton writes about the darkness of January and the fact that it had not only been snowing in Kentucky, but the snow mixed with rain made it seem even more dark. But, he finishes the entry by commenting on the peace he also senses in the darkness. He concludes that he would be “foolish to leave such peace with no reason.”

Can we find peace in the midst of darkness?

That’s a question I’ve been asking myself over the past few months. In the midst of darkness when it seems God is no longer speaking or giving direction, can we actually find peace? I have to say the answer is “yes”. But only if we know our peace comes from God at all times. The mystics called it the dark night of the soul. When God is in the refining process of the saint. How we respond to such a dark night determines how long the dark night will last. Or at least that’s what I used to think. Do we respond with despair? Do we respond with anguish? Do we respond with peace? I’ve come to the conclusion that the dark night of the soul might also be a safe place. After all, since we know God will never leave us nor forsake us, we can also find great peace and comfort that even in the darkness, He is faithfully watching over us.

As we enter a new year what are you expecting? Are you expecting great things? Are you expecting mediocrity? Are you expecting darkness? As for me, I’m expecting great things. I received an email from a friend yesterday with a great word of encouragement. It wasn’t a lengthy email, but remember, quantity does not rule over quality.

My friend wrote – “Blessings for 2010 – Year of change secured as a result of the purging over the past five years.”

Those are very encouraging words.

The lighthouse picture above is covered in snow and appears very gray and dark as the light isn’t even on. That picture was taken earlier today in the midst of a storm. I’m believing the darkness is lifting and we’re heading for a brilliantly bright New Year!

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Searching For The Well Done
Dr. Rus D. Jeffrey – Dec 2009

When all is said and done,
Shouldn’t the world be loads of fun?
But along the way we often stray,
Losing focus as well as our way.

The bumps and potholes we find in life,
Many times fill us with loads of strife.
We look to the left and look to the right,
Wondering why help is not in sight.

The path can be strewn with many friends,
Who just might help us with the twists and bends.
But first we must find the trusted One,
Who really knows how to find the fun.

When tragedy enters along the way,
We wonder how to keep emotions at bay.
Should we cry and should we weep?
Or do we simply fall at His feet?

We start the journey as a child,
Living our lives on the edge of wild.
With our parents close at hand,
They’re always willing to help us stand.

The teen years come when we know it all,
Our parents slide back, sometimes letting us fall.
Could it be they really do know,
More than we thought before the winds started to blow.

In due time we fly from the nest,
Wondering just what’s in store for us next.
True love comes and we often wed,
Celebrating the joy of the marriage bed.

The next stop in life is the parent role,
That’s when things really begin to roll.
Life becomes hectic with every hour filled,
We wonder aloud, will anything get spilled?

When mid-life comes and we start to gray,
We begin to wonder about our stay.
By now it’s been close to two-score and ten,
But what lies ahead around the next bend.

Should we turn left, or should we turn right,
By now the sunset just might be in sight.
When we were once young, those around were old,
But now things are different, or so we are told.

Just when we think we have life figured out,
The tables seem turned and we begin to doubt.
Did we go left when we should have gone right,
Did we simply respond out of a sense of fright.

Before we know it we’re back with the question,
Or is it possibly more of a confession?
Shouldn’t life really be loads of fun,
When we find this journey done?

We walked the path at times alone,
While all along not far from a Stone.
Will that Stone become the Rock,
Who gives meaning to life when we stop.

The path is now strewn with many friends,
Who did indeed help us with the twists and bends.
But when did we find the trusted One,
Who’s also known as the Son.

He’s always been there from the beginning of time,
Simply waiting for His time to shine.
The table is set and all is prepared,
All we need to do is cut loose our despair.

While the journey seems long as we search for the fun,
All we really need to hear is “Enter in” and “Well done”.
For the ancients of old always cheered us on,
Even when we thought all was long gone.

At the end of the journey what will we find,
A loving Savior who is really kind.
After serving God’s purpose in our generation,
We too can find rest with in His Holy nation.

Go And Sin No More

“And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in Him. So if we continue to live in Him, we won’t sin either.”
1 John 3:5-6

Wow! Think about that. John is telling us there that if we “live in Jesus we won’t sin.” Let that sink in for a few moments. Many eject from the idea of holiness by having what I call a Paul complex. The Apostle Paul declared that he was the “chief of all sinners.” As a result many today excuse the sin in their life by saying they are just like Paul. But, who are we following? Paul? Or Jesus?

A life of holiness is a life of “sinning no more.” When defining Christian perfection John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said it’s not that we are “without” sin. But we do “sin no more.” When we are in Christ, “we won’t sin.” When we find ourselves struggling with sin, or doing what we know is not pleasing to God, we ask forgiveness, and receive His grace to sin no more in that particular area of our life.

That’s precisely what Andrew Murray is getting at today in the daily journal – The Best of Andrew Murray on Prayer.

Jesus Said – “Go and sin no more…”

After her accusers dropped their stones and slithered away into the crowd, Jesus told the woman “caught in the act adultery” to “go and sin no more.” Did He mean that the woman would never sin again? Did he mean that every area of her life was totally clean and she would never sin again? While He did say she was forgiven, He was also emphasizing the fact that she should “go and sin” in that particular area of her life “no more.”

Michael Brown’s book Go and Sin No More is an amazing book which looks at the whole area of holiness. This is not a book to be read by the faint of heart. It falls into the category of what I call an “Owee” book. There are a lot of “ouch” moments in the book as we discover what it really means to live a holy life.

While this is no easy task, to live a holy life in the midst of an unholy world, we can take heart in knowing it is possible. As Andrew Murray writes…

“By faith as we claim these words – ‘If we continue to live in Him, we won’t sin either” – God the Almighty has pledged to make this promise a reality.”

Andrew Murray Prayer
Dear Father, the life I live in Your Son frees me from the power of sin. As I live in Him help me to claim and live the promise: “If we continue to live in Him, we won’t sin either.” In the perfect name of Jesus, Amen.

Find out more about this Devotional Journey Here

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

A Mirror Image

“The Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature.”
Hebrews 1:3

The Andrew Murray reading for today discusses the letter to the Hebrews. Murray quotes 13:20-21 where we read – “May the God of peace…equip you with all you need for doing his will. May He produce in you…all that is pleasing to Him.”

What does it mean to attain Christian perfection? Is this even something we can attain? Murray writes…

“The thought of being totally equipped to please Him is too high. The promise is too large. And yet, the promise remains, stimulating our faith.”

Daily Perfection?

I must admit some days I feel more “perfect” than others. Have you ever experienced one of those great days where you just know you’re in the center of God’s will and absolutely nothing could knock your faith out of place? But, we also know those days can disappear as quickly as they appear. When this happens, how do we truly “hold fast and hold tight” as the author of Revelation encourages us to do? Could it be this is the time when we find hope and comfort in the words of Murray when he points out “the promise stimulates our faith”.

If Jesus is the “perfect mirror image of God” and if we are being “perfected in Christ Jesus,” does this mean we too are called to be a “mirror image of God”? How can this be?

What do you see when you look in the mirror today?

Where do we turn when we feel detached from God? We keep listening for His voice, but just when we think we’ve heard it, something happens which once again rocks our faith. Where do we turn when we feel like we’re holding on with only fingernails and are looking somewhat ripped up, torn apart and bleeding? In his book The North Face of God Ken Gire quotes C.S. Lewis when discussing times like these. Lewis once wrote, “Why are so many holy places dark places?”

That’s a great question. A few pages before Ken Gire encourages us how to make it through the dark places. Ken writes…

“Although we can’t choose how long we will wait in the darkness, we can choose how well we will wait. I think we all know how to wait poorly, so we don’t need that explained. But, what does it mean to wait well? What does that look like?”

Andrew Murray Prayer
Dear Father, as a sinful creature, it is difficult to imagine that I can be perfectly equipped through the work of Christ. Increase my faith as You make it a reality. Amen

Find out more about this Devotional Journey Here

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

In Search of Balance

In Seminary I had a Professor once explain balance as something very hard to find and achieve. While we all want balance and are in search of balance, finding such balance is very difficult.

The professor explained it this way….

“It’s like being on a boat,” he said. “You have everyone gathered to one side of the boat looking over the edge at something fascinating when suddenly the boat begins to pitch to one side.” Why does this happen? “Because everyone is on one side of the boat. As a result, there is no balance at all, and the boat begins to take on water.”

As a result of the situation, “Everyone screams and they suddenly run to the other side of the boat in an attempt to bring balance. While one would think we understand that balance comes from the middle, no one stops in the middle of the boat.” Actually, the opposite takes place! “Everyone keeps running to the other side of the boat in an attempt to stop the tipping sensation.” Of course simply running to the other side of the boat does not bring balance. “Actually,” declared the Professor, “in the search for balance, the boat suddenly starts to pitch in the other direction.”

Thomas Merton – The Real Thing

On July 23, 1964, Thomas Merton found himself reflecting on the life, experience and doctrine of Ramana Maharshi. I’m currently reading a devotional book entitled A Year with Thomas Merton. The book contains daily excerpts from his journal’s. Today Merton is really addressing the idea of balance. He says he’s fascinated by the life of Ramana Maharshi because his experience.

Merton writes;

“Whatever may be the deficiencies of the doctrinal elaboration, and the misleading effect of some of the philospophical concepts, this is the basic experience – ‘God is the ultimate ‘I’ Who is the Self of every self!’ It is this that Christianity too expresses in and through the doctrines of grace, redemption, Incarnation, Trinity. Sons in the Son by grace.”

For me, the fascinating aspect of those words is not found in the concept of discovering who we are in Christ. Instead, it’s the deeper thought Merton expresses here concerning experience. Merton goes on to say that while Maharshi has flawed doctrine, he has something many Christians don’t have – a true experience and understanding of who he is in God.

As Thomas Merton grew older, some inside the church accused him of heresy. It was statements like the above which started to get him into trouble. Did he really say Mararshi had a deeper understanding of God than Christians? No, that’s not what he’s saying. Instead, Merton is pointing out that in the midst of doctrine, some believers don’t truly experience who they are in God. On the other hand, on the other side of the boat, Merton points to Marashi saying “while his doctrine is flawed” he has an experience that many Christians do not have.

How do we find balance?

That’s really the heart of the matter here. Thomas Merton was once asked who the best Christian was he’d ever met. His response – “Ghandi. The only problem is, he doesn’t realize he’s a Christian.” Staggering words coming from a Monk in the Catholic tradition. What was he saying? Again, I believe Merton was addressing balance here. Was he saying Ghandi was a Christian? No. But he was saying he saw attributes of Christianity in Ghandi that he did not see in other believers.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – “Life is called a journey for a reason.” – As we journey through life, we find ourselves bombardered with many things. Through it all, we seek balance, so we might in turn discover truth.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Withdrawing To Get A Better Look

Dandelion Fluff

Have you ever looked at the life cycle of a dandelion? Those incredible yellow flowers, or weeds, which spring up all over the grass as soon as spring arrives. To some people, they look pretty. To others, they’re a menace to be weeded out and discarded forever. The first life of the dandelion consists of that little yellow flower that just seems to never go away.

Then, for those that do survive the first cycle of life, the dandelion suddenly and magically turns into nothing more than fluff. On the surface, this fluff looks very harmless. When a wind comes along, the fluff is blown away and the dandelion is never to be seen again.

At least for a season…

Impacting Your Environment

The dandelion fluff, which marks the end of a season, or life cycle, for the dandelion may look harmless. But, for those who really know what’s going on, the fluff is merely planting the harvest for the next crop of dandelions. The fluff goes to seed and lays dormant until the dandelion growing season hits once again.

From time to time it’s important for us to step back and see what’s going on in our life. A journal entry from Thomas Merton in June of 1960 says the following;

“To see better means we need to gain perspective. That sometimes means a withdrawal, or a stepping back from the machinery of life.”

Stepping back from the machinery of life…
Just let those words sink in for a moment.

All too often, the machinery of life adds to the chaos and noise of life as we navigate through this journey we call life. From time to time, we must step back so we can gain perspective on what’s going on around us. Or, sometimes we need to step back so we can gain perspective on what’s going on in our own lives. It’s during these times of reflection, these times of stepping back, that we truly gain the perspective we need to make sense of what’s going on around us.

In my final year of Seminary I took a class on the Historical Books from the Old Testament. Up until that time, I usually had little to no difficulty working on the various assignments pertaining to Bible study and Bible study methods. However, for some reason I had a block when it came to working through lessons found in the Old Testament historical books. All I saw was a collection of names, facts, and what I considered to be useless information.

However, one day that all changed as I sat in my Professor’s office lamenting the fact I didn’t see anything! He looked at me and said, “It’s because you’re too close to the material. You’re working too hard in trying to figure out what’s going on.” He then said, “Take off your glasses.” I told him if I did that, I would see nothing at all! He laughed and said, “Take off your glasses, hold them over your shoulder like you’re holding them up for God to use.”

The Professor then said something that totally changed the way I looked at not only the Scripture passage, but even the situation. The Professor said, “Now, ask God what He sees here.”

Wow! What a transformation of attitude in looking at something. I believe that’s what Merton touches on when he says we need to step away to get perspective. Sometimes it’s the stepping away, and even asking God to show us what He sees in a given situation, where truly find answers for the journey.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

#FollowFriday On Twitter Once Again!

It’s another Friday and that means it’s another #followfriday on Twitter! This is a day when sometimes our Twitter streams get very noisy with people making suggestions of some of their favorite people they follow on Twitter. The idea is to recommend people who are worth following on Twitter.

Once again this week, instead of tossing a list of people into a 140 character tweet on Twitter, I’m following the advice of Steve Woodruff on a way to streamline #followfriday. If you’d like to read more about Steve’s suggestion you check out his blog entry entitled Improving #FollowFriday.

First off, if you aren’t on Twitter, you can head on over to the main Twitter website and set up an account. It’s really easy to set up a Twitter account.

#FollowFriday Suggestions For May 8/09

First off, here are some people that are a must follow. Well, okay, the list includes myself and my wife too.

• Follow me on Twitter – DrRus
• Follow my wife on Twitter – MyLovelyWife
• Swoodruff – Made this great Twitter suggestion

Today’s list of #FollowFriday suggestions is made up of people I interact with and have great discussions with. It’s also a little bit of link love here to. The list is made up of people who have give me #followfriday kudos not only today, but in the past. I figure anyone that shows up in my tweet stream on a regular basis and talks with me, and anyone who recommends me to as someone to follow, is worthy of mentioning here too!

• PJIII – Gave me kudos.
• PhotoMemories – Great photographer wonderful interaction.
• Hotsports – Makes me laugh and is a great cheerleader!
• k8dt – Singer and Domestic Goddess!
• ToddBrink – A great guy, who always has something funny to say.
• SweetNote – One of the most cheerful, and active Tweet people I know! Always has encouraging words too.
• Wolfmank – Great photographer in Rochester, NY area.
• molsonfl – A computer geek and part of the really early morning weekday crew.
• nelsonmaud – Blips great music throughout the day!
• hoopycat – His random tweets simply make me laugh.
• kwells2416 – My windy city friend who’s always encouraging.
• zwriter – A NASCAR mom and writes a great blog!
• bobhallam – Always a great encourager.
• brandonacox – If you’re looking for a source of great resources on-line, this is the guy to follow!
• ValerieStevens – What can I say, Valerie is just the best and a lot of fun!
• cindyscottday – Another person who’s part of the really early morning crew!
• Redwolves – Another Rochester, NY guy who likes to stir things up from time to time.
• pauley – Another part of the Rochester, NY crew!
• BrianNeudorff – If you’re looking for weather information, Brian is your guy!
• SkeeterHarris – Another Rochester dude, social media expert, and movie lover.
• CaribPop – My Florida friend who’s the best when it comes to helping people find jobs!
• trillian1117 – Alot of fun, and always interested in what you’re having for breakfast.
• cindyoyo – A great encourager for writers!

Happy #FollowFriday!
Dr. Rus

#FollowFriday On Twitter

Friday on Twitter is known as #FollowFriday. In case you’re not aware of what Twitter is, let me give you a brief description before I go any further.

Twitter is a social networking site. Actually, it’s better known as a microblog because you’re limited to 140 characters per tweet. Instead of filling up this entire post with links scattered throughout, at the end of the post I will give all the links in one place. So, you can read this brief description here, without feeling the need to click on a link. But, you will want to do so later on at the end of this post.

I discovered Twitter a long time ago. I’m not really sure when I joined, but I know I was one of the early adopters. But then again, I usually like to try out new things as soon as they hit the Internet. I played around for a while, but wasn’t really sure what added value Twitter brought to my Internet use. However, as time went on, I started discovering some great new friends. It’s a social network for people to connect on many levels. While some use it solely as a marketing tool, there’s much more to it than that. As a matter of fact, while many marketers may have big numbers for followers, they seldom interact, and for me, I usually ignore their requests for me to follow them. I’m not interested in an endless stream of marketing information.

I’m looking for interaction.

So, how does one find interesting people to follow on Twitter? That’s where #FollowFriday comes in. Usually every Friday people simply tweet out a list of @people they’re following. In other words, it’s a recommendation from one person to follow another person. Over the past few weeks, #FollowFriday has resulted in a lot of noise as people simply send out endless lists of @friend suggestions. I’ve actually started ignoring many of them because I simply don’t have time to look over every suggested person.

What to do, what to do, what to do?

A New Way For #FollowFriday

Just how should we handle the noise of #FollowFriday on Twitter? That’s where this blog post comes in. It’s also where I need to introduce Steve Woodruff, also known as @swoodruff on Twitter. Earlier this week he made a suggestion to start giving not only more information about those we’re suggesting as good people to follow. But he also suggested writing a blog post too. You can read his full post on his StickyFigure blog at Improving Follow Friday. It’s well worth the read, and it’s also a great suggestion.

So, using Steve’s suggestion for Improving Follow Friday, I will start doing a blog post with my weekly suggestions. Along the way, I will also give Twitter user friendly suggestions too.

My #FollowFriday Suggestions for May 1/09

First off, if you don’t have a Twitter account and you’re reading this post, it’s really easy to set up an account. Simply head on over to the Twitter site and set up an account. It’s really easy, and before you know it, you’ll be having a blast interacting with people from all over the world.

• Set up an account on Twitter
• Follow me on Twitter – DrRus
• Follow my wife on Twitter – MyLovelyWife

My first suggestion for #FollowFriday

• Swoodruff – Made this great Twitter suggestion

In the coming weeks I will categorize my followfriday suggestions. This week, my followfriday suggestions fall into the category of People Who Make Me Laugh.

• SweetNote
• earthXplorer
• CindyScottDay
• BruceBrownNC
• Jinxie_G
• hotsports
• QuirkyChic
• MizFitOnline
• k8dt
• wsredneck
• ValerieStevens

And in the spirit of not wanting to leave out a few important people on this my first #followfriday Twitter list…

People I interact with on a daily basis…

• BrianNeudorff
• mom2twinsplus1
• millan
• RedWolves
• jeremyb
• wolfmank
• trillian1117
• Aerocles
• CaribPop
• BobHallam
• sammolsonkasey
• molsonfl

There you go! Happy Twitter following!
Dr. Rus

The Week Starts on Sunday…

Have you noticed how a lot of business calendars these days have the first day of the week as Monday? Actually, calendars have been sliding that way for a while, but I’m beginning to notice it more and more these days. It’s like the entire world is shifting to the idea that the most important thing in life is getting up Monday morning and heading off to work.

But, this simply is not the case.

Job burnout and overall distaste for where one works at is at an all time high. Many people simply are not happy with their lives. Could it be a result of the fact that many are geared to think Monday is the first day of the week? If your mindset is one of work, work, work, then you may quickly discover the old cliche – “All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.”

The week starts on Sunday for a good reason.

Many still believe Sunday is a day of rest. It doesn’t matter if you’re a church-goer, or a non-church-goer. When the calendar starts on Sunday, signifying a day to sit back and relax, the work week goes smoother. We all need a day to rejuvinate and re-energize. Sunday, the first day of the week, sets the tone for the rest of the week.

But, as we find ourselves on another Sunday, we can also reflect on ways we will positively impact those around us in the coming week. There’s no way of knowing what exactly will take place, but as we ponder how we can positively impact our little portion of the world, maybe things will go a little smoother. During the past few weeks I’ve written much about hope on this blog. Many people are searching for hope. For some, we might be the only glimmer of hope and encouragement they might see. 

As you ponder the start of a new work week, why not ponder someone you can encourage along the way too.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

He Leaned On His Staff

Through the years the way we record our family history has changed. In the Old Testament the patriarch of the family always carried a staff. Of course the staff itself had many uses. It was a shepherd staff to keep the sheep in line. It was also a walking stick helping the young shepherd make his way through the rocky hillside. As the years moved along, the staff even took on more of a cane use instead of just a simple walking stick. Whatever the case may be, one thing was sure, the staff stayed with the patriarch throughout his life. 

But, the staff was far more than just a simple walking stick or cane. The staff also contained the geneology and history of that particular family. Etched along the patriarch’s staff were important events that took place in his life. Births, deaths, movements through time. All tracking and keeping a chronological order of the patriarch’s life.

The staff was how the Sojourner kept track of his journey as he made his way through life here on earth.

By Faith, Jacob Leaned On His Staff

“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.”
Hebrews 11:21

We find Jacob’s life, his journey here on earth, drawing to a close in this passage. As he blesses his grandchildren, he’s also leaning on the top of his staff. He’s pondering his mark on this world. He’s pondering his family, and he’s remembering those most important to him in this journey we call life. He’s leaning on his staff, which contains the history of his family. I’m sure his staff was also passed along to his own son. Why? So the memory of the family will continue from generation to generation.

I started thinking about keeping track of our life earlier this morning as I spent some time on Twitter. It all started with s0mething I read on the social network site that said this was 80sphotoday weekend on Twitter. As I read more, I discovered the idea was to post a profile/avatar picture of yourself from the 1980’s. Wow! Now there’s a scary thought! But, I also figured it sounded like fun so I decided to dig around and find an old picture. 

Let #80sphotowknd #80sphotoday On Twitter Begin!

I dug around some old pictures and came across that one from the early 1980’s. Pretty scary hair! But, I do remember that time of my life well. It was the early 1980’s. I was looking forward to graduating, and also starting a career in radio. Little did I know what the future held, but I knew I was having fun and having a good time. I even looked like that when I met my wife! I’m thinking it was the hair that really impressed her. We were married in 1984, and by then, I was working at my third radio station. Time marched on, we had our first child, and then, it was time for another move. The journey this time took me back to college.

Of course things changed, and so did styles.

By the late 1980’s I was trying to look more like a grown up. Okay, the glasses are still really big, but the hair has changed. This time around instead of looking forward to being a radio star, this is a picture taken while I was leading a group of college students on a mission trip into Haiti. Another great time on my journey through life.

How Are You Tracking Your Journey?

We’re presented with many ways to track our journey these days. Some use journals, some use blogs, others use pictures. Whatever the case may be, one thing has not changed. Just like Jacob of old, we’re all looking for a way to keep track of our journey. My New Year’s resolution this year is to become much better at sending out birthday and anniversary cards. The passage of time has a way of rising an awareness that yes indeed, we are all mortal. We are all on a journey, and it’s important to acknowledge, and keep track of events, as we journey through this thing we call life.

It’s been great fun today going through some old pictures. I’ve also enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of some of my Twitter friends looking at their old pictures. It’s true, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks to @erickbrockway You Can Enjoy The Fun Too!
80’sPictureDay Photo Bucket Display
80’sPictureDay You Tube Video

Then and Now

A few recent events have caused me to pay a little more attention to the passing of time. As I get older, I’m also coming to the realization that others around me are getting older too.  This year my wife and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage. My two brothers are 50 and over, my parents have been married more than 50 years, and I’m gaining speed on that number 50 as well!

Then, toss in on top of that the passing of good friends.

The Warren’s have been a fixture in the life of the Jeffrey’s for a long time. As a matter of fact, Duane and my Dad were school buddies. When my parents were married, Duane was Dad’s bestman. When Duane and Shirley were married, Dad was their bestman. Through the years we spent a lot of time together. Duane and Shirley have three kids, and Mom and Dad have three kids. We were also all about the same age. When Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Anniversary a few years ago we were all together. It had been a long time since we were all in one place, so we took a picture of just the kids. (Well, with the exception of Scott. But I’ll have more on that a little later in this post.)

A few months ago, Shirley passed away, and that’s when Mom and Dad pulled out some old pictures. One picture caught my eye, and combined with the one from a few years ago, I ended up with a great Then and Now shot.

Now – From Left To Right
Me, Lance, (Scott), Chris
Girls – Debbie, Jill

Then – From Left to Right
Back – Lance, Debbie
Middle – Chris, Jill, Me
Front – Scott

I’m sure you may have noticed the picture of Scott in the Now picture is actually a picture of Dudley Do-Right. Scott couldn’t make it for my parents anniversary. But, since he’s an RCMP in Canada, I thought it appropriate to have my design guy put in a picture of Dudley Do-Right.

It’s pictures like the one above that help us to remember the passage of time. We are all on a journey. Many people come, and many people go. But the important people can be remembered through pictures.

How are you keeping track of your journey?

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus