Success and Failure Blog

One Christmas Eve back in the mid-90′s I headed out to Kensington Avenue with my good friend, Shirley. She had called me a few days earlier to invite me on a very special mission. So, I said yes, as I was always ready for a bit of intrigue.

Packed in her trunk were about twenty gift bags filled with toiletries like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. Shirley had prepared each bag with loving care and a silent, yet thoughtful, prayer went up as every one was completely filled.

Kensington Avenue is located in one of the ugliest areas of North Philadelphia known as the “Badlands”. I used to live and work just five minutes from the strip. After dark, and after most of the shops along this street (covered by the Elevated Train track overhead) were closed, out of the shadows crept the prostitutes who were ready to begin their workday. Dressed in dingy, skimpy clothing, with tired and vacant eyes and slouching shoulders, each girl began her silent sales pitch.

As we began our journey down this dimly lit avenue, bundled up and tucked safely in Shirley’s car, I could recall the words she spoke to me over the phone. It went something like this: “These girls just need to be touched with God’s love. Who else is going to do it? We’re His hands, Summer. I just want to make sure they know that God knows who and where they are, and that He loves them.” How could I resist?

One by one, as we inched along the street, we gave the bags away with a few words of hope. I wish I could say that they all responded with immense gratitude and that many decided to walk away from their lifestyle. But, no miracle happened that night. None that I could see anyway.

But, the memory of that evening is branded in my mind. And I thank Shirley for the invitation.

In 2002, I helped start a ministry to prostitutes along the railroad tracks in Zone One of Guatemala City. I’m no longer with that ministry, but my husband and I have maintained a relationship with one of the ex-hookers I’d met there. Her name is Sheny, and she’s HIV positive. She’s got three kids and we help them throughout the year with food, clothes, school supplies, etc. Sheny’s got a job, but only earns the equivalent of $200 a month, which barely provides for the rent, food and medication she needs to keep from dying too soon.

She’s got quite the story, Sheny does. Her life history makes mine seem like a fairy tail – and I didn’t have it easy.

I’m not tooting my own horn or patting myself on the back by sharing this with you. The truth is, it’s a sacrifice for me to give of my money, time and energy. Oftentimes, I’d rather stay inside my cozy home and enjoy being with my husband and son. But, I’m always haunted by the fact that there are millions of people hurting in this world.
So I give.

I wish I could give more. I wish I could do more.

We have gifts nicely wrapped under the tree for Sheny and her kids this year. Nothing fancy, really. Just blankets and some toiletries. But, we’re happy to give, because we know that through giving God’s love is communicated.

Shirely’s still living in Philly, giving of herself constantly.

How will you spend your Christmas? Will you give to someone in need? Who do you know that’s hurting?

It’s a challenge.

Don’t do it to make yourself feel good or to ease your conscience. Give because you know someone needs it. Open up your heart and life and pour out kindness and gentleness and mercy.

Don’t think you have anything to give? Everyone has something.

Our budget was extremely tight this year, what with the newborn baby and all. But, It’s worth it to love someone else, no matter what the cost. So we’ll be in debt for a couple of months. So what.

Give.
Help.
Love.

Merry Christmas!
Summer

(Originally written December, 2007)

Though few like to admit it, a catastrophic illness or other major setback can leave anyone on the brink of homelessness. And, features like this shows that many homeless are families with nowhere to turn.

What is the key to helping such people?

Many try to blame or credit the policies of one party of another, but Jesus said “The poor you will always have with you.” This doesn’t mean that they will be poor on purpose. This just means that in this fallen, sinful world, circumstances will not be rosy for everyone. Jesus was exhorting us to care for the poor and love them as His disciples loved Him.

When we look at Matthew 26:7-12, in fact, we see in the context that a woman had come with a box of ointment, and poured it onto the Lord. (Note that this was *not* the same woman who wiped His feet with her tears. This woman was in a totally different situation and poured the box on His head to boot.)

She was criticized and it was mentioned that the box, full of a very special and expensive ointment, could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus then remarked that the poor would always be with us. Further, He said that she had done this in preparation for His burial, as He was soon to be crucified for our sins, taking our punishment, dying, and then rising from the dead. She had done this to show her love for the Savior.

When Jesus says that we will have the poor with us always, but we will not have Him always, He is not saying to sell everything and give to the poor, though that is one option if a person feels led to do so. He is also not saying that things of value are what the poor are seeking. That is looking only at the outside, at the box this woman had.

God wants us to look upon the heart, though – that is where He always looks. And, it is on the heart of this woman that Jesus wants us to look. Because, in seeing how she loved Him, we can see how we ought to love and help those who are homeless – or just really poor.

It is most important to give them hope. Yes, soup kitchens are wonderful, and most churches that follow Christ and seek to make a difference in their community will provide some kind of help for the poor. It may not be a soup kitchen, it may be something else. The key is, it will be something that will not only minister to the peoples’ physical needs, but to their spiritual.

A number of Proverbs and other Biblical sayings mirror the concept of this famous saying – “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Jesus certainly gave people fish and other great things – He healed the sick, cleansed lepers, raised the dead, and many other great miracles. Peoples’ physical needs were met. That was wonderful. It was satisfying for a while. But,t he 5,000 who were fed the loaves and fish wound up hungry again. Lazarus, who was called out of the tomb, died again. And so on.

Jesus called people to receive His spiritual blessings, though. He wanted people to recognize that they had needs which went beyond the physical. He wanted people to do as the woman at the well in John 4, when He told her He had water springing up into everlasting life, a well which would never run dry. This woman responded, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come here to draw.” (John 4:15) While she was still focused a little on her physical needs, she was starting to realize that there was also a deep longing in her.

So, you may ask, what does this have to do with the poor or the homeless?

These are not just people who have no money or homes. The poor and the homeless are people with a deep longing for something better. If we ignore or scold them, we are making them feel worse. If we only give them nourishment or a gift, they will be satisfied for a while, but they will feel empty again, just like the woman at the well had to come to draw water each day. By providing hope for them, however, we can truly shower that love upon them that Jesus wants us to shower upon them. The riches which will matter the most go beyond the mere cost of an alabaster box of ointment.

Some will complain that there are people who use the system and are poor on purpose. There are a few of them, but that doesn’t mean all are like that. But, let’s look at them for a moment. They are that way for the same reason he woman at the well in John 4 kept going after different men; she’d had five husbands and the man she was with now was not her husband. Jesus didn’t condemn her, though – he went to her to provide her with something better.

Those who misuse the system are like the Samaritan woman with her men when she hadn’t experienced the unconditional love and goodness that comes from a personal relationship with jesus Christ. There is a God-sized hole in each of our hearts that only Jesus can fill. He showed her the way to let Him – who is the way, the truth, and the life – work in her heart so she could follow Him and be an example of Jesus to others in what she did and how she behaved. In the same way, those who misuse the system need to be shown, in a loving way, how serving the Lord is so much more fulfilling, because they can earn for themselves treasures in heaven. They need to be shown it’s worth it, and encouraged to become more productive.

However, the main thing we must be concerned with is those who are not poor by choice. Because, as noted in the beginning, there are many like that. They have likely tried, some given up hope. We don’t know which someone is, so we should presume that the poor person is trying. By showing them the love that Jesus has for them, we are giving them hope, which as noted, is the main thing.

For each group, of course, the adage applies that we should not only give them a fish, but where applicable teach them to fish. However, merely teaching them to fish, so to speak, isn’t enough to truly restore hope to them.

All of us have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. We are all poor in our lack of a relationship with Christ until the moment when we call out to Him, “Lord, save me.” Just as the many poor, diseased, and so on called on Jesus in His earthly ministry, each of us must realize we need His perfect gift of salvation.

Rich and poor alike, then, must recognize that God has a plan for their lives, a plan which first of all includes them letting him make them new on the inside, cleansing their sins through His finished work on the cross. Then, they will not be building treasures on earth, where moth and rust can corrupt, and thieves can steal; they will be building treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust cannot corrupt and thieves can’t steal. Where our treasure is, there is where our heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

That plan is not just to get them to Heaven, though – He wants to help each of us believers right here on earth to get throughh everything and to feel His love and closeness all the time when we remain close to Him.

Part of that personal relationship is being able to take all our cares and concerns to Him. He wants to help us through this world becasue that is how we can show others what He has done for us so they can have that peace and comfort. The old say is that we’re just beggars teling other beggars where to find bread.

By showing them how to follow Jesus, then, we are helping the poor, the homeless, and so on to realize they don’t have to despair about their situation. They don’t have to keep waiting for a handout and thinking this is all there is. They don’t have to fret thinking that if they don’t find something they’re a failure. Because, you know what? If they are only going for something in this life, they are going for something that will get old, wear out, and so on; something that will not last forever the way Heavenly treasures will.

That makes them just the same as the rich. If they are only focusing on a small shack, they are in the same position as the rich person only focusing on a million dollar home. They are focusing on an investment which will not last. Whether we have $1 or $1 billion when we die, we will all answer to God. And, what He will ask is this – Were your sins washed away by the blood of Calvary’s cross? Did you call on Jesus to save you with something like this – “Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner and don’t deserve Your perfect heaven. But, I know You died for my sins and rose from the dead. Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Savior, I turn from my sins and call on You to come into my heart and save me. I believe you took all the punishment for my sins and and I trust in You alone to get me to heaven when I die. I Jesus’ name, Amen.”

The words aren’t what saves you, of course, it’s Jesus who saves when you call on him.

But what you might be asking is, how will this help the poor and homeless now? Well, remember that Jesus didn’t just tell people to follow Him, He gave them things, too. But, that giving needs to be with an attitude of, “Just as I am giving you this physical thing, be it food, clothing, or whatever, Jesus has something spiritual that is special for you.” People will be much more likely to listen if we give a thing with our message.

Or, at the very least, if we give a kind ear, so that person can tell about the spouse who took all they had, or the cancer, or the house fire, or the lost job. Then, they will see that someone cares about them and who they are inside.

Then, we can show them Matthew 6:33 and the verses before it. How that if they seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, all these things will be added unto them; the things Jesus is talking about in the previous verses are necessities, like food, clothing, and shelter. They may mean a job for someone. They might mean a friend. Whatever that need is, Jesus can meet it, but he wants them to realize His love and Lordshp It is Jesus who provides us all with every need, it is ultimately His love that lets us have whatever we have.

And, that is true of rich and poor alike. Some people are in a position to do moer for Him. But, the peson who is in the center of His will – whether that will is for them to be rich or poor – is in the safest place they can be. Because, he wants us all to tell others of His great love and the great hope which is in Christ Jesus; a hope that is there for everyone, which we celebrate this time of year.

Running to the Keep

I’m truly fascinated by castles. In fact, I love everything medieval. I love stories of knights and maidens in distress. I enjoy learning about how things worked between lords of the land and the common people. It’s truly like learning about another world, and at the heart of it all are grand and glorious castles. One of my life’s goals is to one day be able to tour some of the castles scattered around the world, but especially those in Europe.

When I think of castles, I think of security, especially when I think of the keep. The keep was the innermost section of the castle that was heavily protected from all outside forces. In order for an enemy to breach the keep, they had to get past the moat, the outer walls, the inner walls and so on. It was, by far, the safest place within the castle.

Not only was the keep protected, but it was also provisioned. It contained a well and a large supply of food. The idea was that even in times of attack, the people within the keep could not only survive, but also thrive.

God’s promises are like a keep. They provide an area of protection from the attacks of the enemy. Not only that, but they also provide sustenance so that we may thrive during our time of shelter. With God’s promises, we can weather storms and face trials that would otherwise utterly defeat us. By claiming His promises, we can withstand Satan’s fiery attacks.

The key, however, is that we must first know God’s promises before we can claim them. To discover those promises, we must open up the Word of God. We must meditate on what God has said He will do for us. We must commit those promises to memory so that we can pull them out whenever we have need of them. But above all, we must believe that those promises are true. Claiming a promise without truly believing it is ludicrous.

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? – Numbers 23;19

God has proven to us time and again that His Word can be trusted. While others may let us down, God will not. Though commercials may make false claims, God doesn’t. While the promises of a friend may not hold true, we can have faith that God always keeps His promises. It may not be in the way we would like, but He will not go back on His Word. He is faithful. His Word is true. He can be trusted!

Need shelter today? Run to the keep of God’s promises. It is there you will find both protection and provision to carry on with the race you’re attempting to run.

The Entire day of May 21st commenced and ended- Rapture-less! This date will most assuredly go down in history as a day of misguided beliefs! The world makes mockery of the bible and the biblical prophecies of the Rapture. Nay Sayers claim to hold victory in their adamant stand against the reality of the Rapture and future apocalyptic events. While the forces of evil rage unsuccessfully against all who claim the promises of God to be real and indisputable, there is a larger group of people who are successfully deceived. These people maintain that world will never face judgment or tribulation from God. Sadly the rapture-less day of May 21st lends false support to the ongoing claims of non-believers, atheist, and other worldly views. Happily, true Christians are unscathed by mockeries, false claims, false predictions, false prophecies, false beliefs and worldly views! God has given to us a Truth and that Truth is everlasting!
True Rapture Believers are not displaced or dismayed by the lack of Rapturous events on May 21st. Fully Expecting Christian people look forward joyously, ever still and with increasing faith to the Glorious Rapture! As the May 21st failed predictions reinforces for scoffers and unbelievers the self-affirmed skepticism, it strengthens the cords of faith, hope, and love for believers world-wide! The desires to live freely without fear of future judgment, is falsely assumed by non-believers due to these uneventful predictions. While Bible Believers hold firmly to their unswerving beliefs in the Rapture!
For Christian Believers, the failure of May 21st does not rest upon the bible or God. These failed predictions are not failed prophecy from God they are attributed to man’s failure and lack of understanding. These failures and shortcomings are man’s alone and do not attest to contradiction of the bible and Christian beliefs. Uplifted is the Truth which is Christ Jesus and admonished is the holy bible and Living WORD of God which is also Christ Jesus.
I must share with you what all biblically sound Christians know to be true. No portion of the bible tells us when Jesus will come and the Rapture will take place. There is no set time written within the bible that these events are set to take place. There is no alluding to it or helpful derivatives of conclusion to be gleaned from the bible. There is no help for anyone on earth to learn of this vital information on their own. There is no way to make accurate calculations or reasonable deductions of when the Rapture will happen. In Matthew 24:36 we learn:
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father.
We also are told this:
1 Corinthians 15:52 (New International Version)
52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
The Day of the Lord
1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
It is not necessary to know when the Rapture will take place in order to be ready for this event.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 (New International Version)
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
The day of the Rapture will come upon believers as a thief. True believers will not be caught off guard or surprised they will be waiting and fully expecting and joyously prepared to meet Jesus.
Lastly we are encouraged and fully educated in how the Rapture will take place:
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Please do not let anyone or anything deceive you! The Rapture is still set to take place. I believe, as many others do also that it will not be long before it happens. Yet we must proclaim only what the bible tells us. That being said, we know that no one can accurately predict the exact day and exact hour. Only our Heavenly Father knows that.
To believers, keep watchful and remain vigilant knowing that it is in Jesus that we are made ready. And to non-believers, I give the same word of advice. If you want to be ready for this great day you must first believe! Turn to Christ Jesus in prayer and ask for forgiveness of all your sins. Please ask Jesus to come into your heart and make you a new creature without spot or blemish. Jesus WILL Accept you. He loves you, no matter how bad you may think you are or how terrible you image yourself to be. Your prayer of true repentance is beautiful to Jesus and precious! Accept Jesus as your Savior and know that in Him you are safe! I pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hearts and minds and eyes of all, and I hope that I have brought the bright light of Jesus to shine TRUTH upon the subject of the Rapture.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing in Christ Jesus,
Pam Shekailo

Mary was the Mother of Jesus. She was a virgin and conceived Him miraculously by way of the Holy Spirit of God. She carried Him inside of her. She felt Him Move and kick as He grew and formed within her womb. She labored and went through the pain of child birth. She brought forth Jesus, her LORD and Savior. Jesus is the Messiah and the LORD and Savior of all mankind. She raised Him in the ways of God and taught Him according to the great wisdom of God. She changed His soiled clothes; she bathed Him, nurtured Him, and loved Him with all her heart.
I know that our Heavenly Father prepared Mary to be the Mother Jesus needed. God chose her from all women to be the Mother of God. Yet, I am certain Mary wondered if she would truly be a good enough Mother for Jesus. After all, she might have said to herself, “how could an earthly woman ever be good enough to raise the Son of God?” What thoughts went through her mind? What feelings did she have about this most amazing parenthood? Did she fully understand what would come of her son, the Son of God?
She sang to Him, played games with Him Kissed all His boo-boos, helped Him to study and learn, celebrated all His birthdays, and wanted the very best for Him. This is not at all unlike all loving Mothers. She knew His purpose was from our Heavenly Father. She knew Jesus did not belong to just her. He was the Father’s Son and He was to be the Savior of her people and all the people of the world, from the beginning and for all time. How must that have felt? How did Mary cope with all the knowledge she had and all the knowledge that she did not have?
Did the Father in heaven prepare her for what Jesus would do and accomplish in life? What went through her mind as her son performed great miracles and grew up to be free of sin and full of love? How wonderful it must have been to see her son Jesus mature into a wonderful and loving Man. I am sure she didn’t want Jesus to ever grow up; just like most Moms’ wish their precious babies could stay that precious forever. Yet I also think she dreamed of Him living a long and full life and she believed in Him to do great things and change the world! Just as all loving Mothers believe their children are truly gifted and special.
She was the Mother of Jesus! She was with Him when He was born and she was there for Him throughout His whole childhood. She had to let Him go when He reached the age to fulfill His destiny, and all the prophecies that had been foretold. Yet she was His Mother through it all. She was there with Him as He died upon the cross. She witnessed His love for her, and for all of us in everything Jesus ever did or said throughout His life. She then witnessed her dear Son’s death. How horrible it must have been for Mary to watch her son die on that cross for her sins and for all the sins of every person in this world. I don’t know if anything can prepare a Mother for such loss. As a Mother I know I am prepared to go before my children. I cannot even imagine how awful it would be to lose one of my children that way.
She was a great Mother and a great example for all women. It is my prayer that all Mothers will learn by Mary’s exceptional example and raise their children to love and be reverent of God. Remember they are not just your children. All children belong to God. We are all God’s Children. Know that God chose you from all women to be a Mother to your children and will prepare you to be the best Mother you can be.
As a Mother, you will have to let go of your children and allow them to become the great men and women of God they were born to be. You may even have to face tragedy along the way. Know that as a child of God, He will help you to endure all that comes your way. The love and Strength of God is what makes us strong, compassionate and loving Mothers.
It is also my prayer that all of our children come to believe in Jesus and accept them as their personal Savior. I pray our children will be saved.
I also say a special prayer to all the Mothers that have lost a child or had miscarriages. I pray that God will comfort you and fill you with all the joy and hope that Jesus’ life and death brought for all of us.
You see Jesus died but that is not where His story ended. Jesus was buried in the tomb, but His body did not remain there. Jesus was resurrected and now lives in heaven with our Heavenly Father.
If you have sorrows for the loss of a child allow God to comfort you. Know that the story of your child did not end there either. Your child is now in heaven with God and one day you can be reunited with them.
Everyone, please honor your Mothers and show them how much you love them.
Happy Mother’s Day Mary! Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

I met Darlene through a comment she left on my web page about “A Gift for Henry”. I came to find out that she had lost her husband, Steve, due to congestive heart failure and that he had died in her arms a few years ago. Knowing this I could only imagine how painful this time of year must be for her and wanted to do something to let her know that God sees her hurt and pain and that He cares. Three wishes is God’s special gift to Darlene this Christmas.

Three Wishes

Darlene regarded the Christmas decorations in her local grocery store glumly. She hated this time of year. Absolutely hated it! All it did was accentuate the sadness that she always carried in her heart like a heavy lead balloon. As a kid she had enjoyed the holidays as much as anyone else but all that had changed three years ago when her husband, Steve, had died in her arms of heart failure.

She sighed, fighting back the tears that welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. She wasn’t going to cry in the check-out line! Not in front of all these strangers!

The box boy stuffed the last of her groceries into the bag and Darlene hurried out, her head down, her shoulders beginning to shake. She got into her car, her hands trembling with the grief she tried to suppress and yet couldn’t. She let her head drop onto the steering wheel and allowed the tears to come. She missed him. She couldn’t help it. Even after a few years, there was still a big hole in her heart that just wouldn’t heal.

Oh, Stevie…she thought to herself, not for the last time. If only we had had more time together…if only your heart hadn’t been sick…if only…

Darlene violently brushed the tears from her cheeks and started the car. She didn’t want to go down that road again. She had to get home, unload the groceries alone without help and get some dinner for herself. The very idea depressed her beyond belief. She turned the key in the ignition and maneuvered out of the parking lot. She made to turn right, but the car suddenly had other ideas. It turned left. It shocked her so much she just gaped. Then the gas pedal depressed itself and the car began speeding up and driving itself. Darlene sat back and watched in shock as the car continued to steer, turning down streets she was unfamiliar with, stopping and starting without assistance from her, wondering where on earth her car was taking her and why. For some reason she felt no panic but a few times she caught the shocked glances of people in other cars as she half-heartedly smiled and waved at them as her car turned a corner without her assistance. Once or twice she gripped the steering wheel and tried to steer the way she wanted and to brake but the car was completely unresponsive.

Why fight it? She thought to herself and sat back to watch what would happen. A half hour passed, then 45 minutes and the car was on the main highway heading north. Before she knew it, she had nodded off to sleep.

She awoke when the car came to a stop, not remembering what had happened and wondering if she was asleep, dreaming she was awake. She looked around and found herself and her car in a tiny parking lot in front of a little cottage, brightly lit with cheerful Christmas lights and a wreath on the door. There was nothing else in site.

She got out of the car feeling stiff from her unexpected nap. She went up to the door of the cottage which was bright red, and knocked. Hopefully whoever lived there would let her use the phone or give her directions on how to get back home before the milk spoiled. She knocked twice.

“Come in, Darlene!” said a voice that made her heart skip a beat. A voice she had not heard in years but a voice that was dearly beloved and familiar all the same. Heart pounding, she walked into the little cottage. There was a fireplace with a cheery fire crackling away, a Christmas tree with ornaments that looked strangely familiar and her favorite Christmas music playing on the stereo that she hadn’t played in years because it had hurt too much to listen to it.

“Welcome, home, sweetheart!” said the voice again and Darlene felt arms wrapping around her like a warm cocoon.

“Stevie?” she sobbed, turning around to face what must surely be a dream or a ghost. “Is it really you?”

“Yes, dear,” he responded with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry we had to bring you here the way we did and that it took so long but I hope the memory we make will be worth it to you.”

“We? Memory?” Darlene repeated, completely bewildered. She stepped back out of Steve’s arms for a moment and rubbed her eyes, unable to believe she was seeing what she was seeing. Steve stepped forward again and gently took her hands into his.

“I’m sorry I have ruined the holidays for you.” He said, he eyes truly sorrowful. “I didn’t want to leave you at all, you know, but my heart wasn’t made to last as long as everyone else’s. Can you forgive me?”

“It’s just that I miss you so much.” Darlene said, the tears spilling down again. “I have wished so often that I could just have you with me just one more time, just a little bit longer…”

Steve took her face gently into his hands and smiled at her. “Wish granted.” He whispered and embraced her again. This time Darlene did not pull away. She melted into his embrace and allowed herself the luxury of breathing in the scent of his hair and his clothes without all the medicine smells that he had used to carry later in life when his heart began to fail. After a few moments, Steve parted them with a smile and reached for one of the grocery bags. “Here, let me help you with that.” He said, hefting it up easily.

“No! I’ll get it!” Darlene protested, falling back into the routine of doing most of the lifting herself because of his weak heart.

“Not necessary!” Steve said, grabbing both effortlessly. “No more bad heart!” He led her into the tiny but charming kitchen and took the groceries out one at a time. Instead of the dull, boring regular items she always got, she stared in amazement as Steve pulled out their favorite beverages, foods, and treats they used to share one at a time. It was a gourmet feast and it was already prepared and hot. Together they sat down at the table where candlelight glowed and ate and talked for hours. Then they cuddled up onto the couch together in front of the fire and the tree, listening to soft Christmas music together.

“I don’t want this moment to end.” Darlene said at last, knowing the moment for her departure was approaching soon. Steve laid a gentle kiss on her forehead and held her close.

“Do you remember our last moments together?” he whispered.

Darlene choked on her sobs, the raw wound opening up again. “Of course I do! How could I ever forget a moment like that?” she said, her heart aching. Steve held her closer and looked deeply into her eyes, his face serious.

“Darlene, I always knew I would not live very long and have a normal life span. I also knew it would be unfair to whoever I married and my kids because of it… but I was selfish asked God to grant me three wishes: 1) That I would be able to marry the woman I love, 2) that I could be a father (no matter how they turned out), and 3)…”

Steve paused, his own eyes filling with tears.

“Three?” repeated Darlene, wondering what it could be.

Steve sighed deeply and held her closer. “…that when it was finally my time to leave this earth and go to heaven, I would die in the arms of the person who loved me best in this life…You.

“God gave me all three of my wishes and now He has granted this one for you. He has given you one more memory…a little more time…just a taste of the joy of our being reunited in heaven so you can still go on with your life in this world and grieve a little bit less, knowing how well I loved you and how I still love you and that I’m waiting for you. The time is growing short when we will be together again forever but until that day comes, I want you to live each day knowing that I’m still loving you and caring about you. Try to find joy again in the little things again and I’ll be right there, sharing it with you. Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll try.” Darlene smiled weakly, wishing she could stay in that little cottage with him forever.

“Now lay your head on my shoulder and go to sleep,” said Steve, holding her close, “and when you wake you’ll be back to your regular life but remember that you always carry my love and my heart inside your own.”

“Okay,” whispered Darlene, clutching him tightly. “I’ll remember. I promise.”

“That’s my girl,” Steve smiled, caressing her head until she fell asleep.

Darlene awoke with a start and looked around her. The cottage was gone and so were the tree, fireplace and Steve. She was back in her little home but there on the table was the most beautiful arrangement of snow-white and deep red flowers she had ever seen. She picked up the tiny envelope and withdrew the little card that had Steve’s handwriting on it and instead of crying…she smiled.

THE END

For we do not mourn as those who have no hope for we know that if Christ is raised so also shall we be raised, and our loved ones who died in faith as well so that we can look forward to being  reunited with them.