The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen?
The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."
"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...
"Treasure what you have because you never know when you might lose it."
Christmas Eve, 1999
Some people come into our lives and quickly go...
Some people become friends and stay awhile...
Leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts...
And we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend.
John and his brothers enjoying some Coca-Cola at the waterfront.
People come into you life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
"Perhaps they are not the stars,
But rather openings in Heaven,
Where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us,
To let us know they are happy."
WITH HOPE ~ Steven Curtis Chapman
This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be
But we can cry with hope
Never have I known anything so hard to understand
But we can cry with hope
I saw this song posted on a message board, and as soon as I read it I felt comfort. We all have to keep our hope. "Lo ultimo que se pierde es la esperanza. ~ The last thing you lose is hope." (It's amazing what you can learn from Don Quijote in spanish class). So as long as we have hope we will be ok. John will make sure of that.
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
But now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain, the pain of losing you
We can say goodbye with hope
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end
And we can grieve with hope
Cause we believe with hope
There's a place where we'll see your face again
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's hand
But through the cloud of tears
I see a Father smile and say, "Well done"
And I imagine you, where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
Cause now your home and now your free
We can say goodbye with hope
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end
And we can grieve with hope
Cause we believe with hope
There's a place where we'll see your face again
~I want to thank John for everything he has taught me in the short time we knew each other.
Some are mentioned in "The Basis of Love" but there are so many more and I will be forever grateful.
*Basis of Love
When I have given you reason to doubt, and you trusted me.
I thank you for teaching me honesty.
When I have made the wrong decision, and you have understood.
I thank you for teaching me the meaning of compromise.
When I have fought that never ending battle and you pulled me through.
I thank you for giving me endurance, strength.
When my past has been of scars, and you have over-looked them.
I thank you for you everlasting forgiveness.
These are the basis in the clearness of my mind,
that give me the reasons to thank you for this love that I thought I would never find.
Thank you, John. Love Always, *~Heather~*
The following message is from an e-card I received...
When somebody dies, a cloud turns into an angel, and flies up to tell God to put another flower on a pillow.
A bird gives the message back to the world, and sings a silent prayer that makes the rain cry. People disappear, but they never really go away. The spirits up there put the sun to bed, wake up grass, and spin the earth in dizzy circles. Sometimes you can see them dancing in a cloud during the day-time, when they're supposed to be sleeping. They paint the rainbows and also the sunsets and make waves splash and tug at the tide. They toss shooting stars and listen to wishes. And when they sing windsongs, they whisper to us, don't miss me too much. The view is nice and I'm doing just fine.
- Ashley 
Playing with his younger brother Mike (left) and going on a carriage ride (right).
"There are times when I look above and beyond
Everywhere I go, Every smile I see
There are times when I feel you smile upon me baby
I'll never forget my baby
I know you are there, Smilin' back at me
Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free
'Cause I can see your star, Shinin' down on me."
Every couple has a song, and I insisted that John and I have one as well. Even though he was reluctant about this song, he agreed. He later told me that at first he hated this song and turned it off everytime it came on, but after it was "our song" he grew to love it and always thought of us when he heard it. It was so ftting, too, because we never wanted to miss anything....and so, these are the lyrics to "Our Song."
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing ~ Aerosmith
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch your smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
And then I kiss your eyes
And thank God we're together
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever,
forever and ever
Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
I don't want to miss one smile
I don't want to miss one kiss
I just want to be with you
Right here with you just like this
I just want to hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time
Baby, baby
Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you babe
And I don't want to miss a thing
