Happy Heavenly Birthday, Todd

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`*..¸.*☆☆'ℒℴѵℯ~ Happy Heavenly Birthday, Todd. ~ ~

Todd, since you left, all days have not been the same. I think of you every day, but when your birthday, the day you left, or holidays roll around, these days are different.

On these days, I wonder what you would look like. Of course, you know, I look the same.

I wonder what you would be doing. Would you be married and have children? My thoughts are endless.

You are missed and loved by our family, me, and many people who knew you. Love never dies! Our love for you lives on.

Love always and forever, Mom.

Believe Plaque

By Kay Heitsch

This past year I bought a bright red plaque with white letters that said "BELIEVE" and hung it on the front porch. We have a port-hole window, and I see this word every time I go up the stairs.

I can't tell you what a blessing looking out and seeing this word has been. Whenever I was going through something difficult, I would look out the window and read this word, BELIEVE. Just reading this word gave me hope that things would improve. There were times I purposely stood and read the word repeatedly.

Little did I know what an impact this BELIEVE plaque would have when we bought it. Believing can give us hope when things look bad. Believing can remind us to expect the best that is yet to come.

Huh?

By Kay Heitsch

Let God have your life. He can do more with it than you can. ~ Entrust Your Life To The Lord Quotes ~

I needed clarification on the title the Peale Center had given a letter I had written. It read, "She Surrendered To God." Huh? I wanted to understand why they would share my letter with this title.

I didn't realize at the time that I was surrendering to God by asking the Lord to bring something positive out of Todd's death and to use me if needed. I was releasing my need to know when, where, or why. I wanted Him to have complete control.

Our Bible verse says, Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You, I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8

As we entrust our lives to the LORD, know we can trust Him to show us the best way to go.

Let God have your life. He can do more with it than you can.

A Coincidence?

By Kay Heitsch

A few days after Todd's funeral, I heard the name Wendy for the first time. It's interesting how a name can keep showing up.

Everyone was shocked when Todd was killed instantly and unexpectedly in a car accident. Our young nephew, Josh, was no exception. He was having difficulty understanding Todd's death, as we all were. However, the morning of Todd's funeral Josh told his mom that "Wendy" told him everything was going to be okay. He didn't need to worry about Todd. Who was "Wendy?"

A few weeks passed, and I cleaned some drawers in Todd's bedroom. I found a book in one of the drawers that Todd had written for a class assignment when he was in the sixth grade. Much to my surprise, Todd referred to "Wendy" as his "Constant Companion." I don't know if this would get your attention, but it sure did get mine.

Was it a coincidence that the Wendy who gave Josh comfort and the Wendy in Todd's book just happened to have the same name? Or could they both be Todd's guardian angel?

This past year, I went through a difficult time. Several times a day, a friend who happens to be named "Wendy" sent me texts to check how I was doing.

A Coincidence? No, I believe in angels. I believe in guardian angels and special angels on earth who happen to have the name Wendy!

Why Make Yourself Sick?

By Kay Heitsch

For years I stressed and worried about things. If a worrying thought came to my mind, I rolled it over and over. Then, finally, when I thought I had it figured out, for a brief moment, I had some relief, but it wasn't long before something else would come up.

What did this get me? It filled me with stress and actually made me sick. I had indigestion, neck aches, severe pains in my stomach, and the list goes on.

I didn't want to be like this, but I didn't know how to change. I didn't realize my trouble was coming from my thoughts.

It was a great day when I started to read Dr. Peale's books. In one of his books, he said to buy a Bible and highlight everything that caught your attention. I didn't have a Bible, so I bought the cheapest one. It was a paperback Good News Bible. I liked the title, thinking it must be different than the scary Holy Bible. I needed some Good News!

Well, wouldn't you know, verses about worry caught my attention. So I started to highlight every verse I saw. It was life-changing what began to happen. My thinking began to change! I was starting to feel less stressed, and my physical issues began to clear up.

If a worrying thought started to torment my mind, I'd ask myself, "Why make yourself sick?" Then, I replaced the worried thought with a Bible verse, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7.

Our worried thoughts can mess with our minds and make us sick. It's wonderful to know we can give all of our worries and cares to God because He cares for us.

So God Knows

By Kay Heitsch

Even when you don't understand, keep trusting God. ~ We Don't Know What Tomorrow Will Bring Quotes ~

"So God knows" were the words my friend Wendy's text started out with this morning. As I read on, I soon learned what she was referring to.

Yesterday was a disappointing day for her. Wendy had plans to bring her mom to her home for the winter. However, these plans fell through, and it was clear this would not happen.

This morning Wendy shared with me that her 22-year-old nephew was killed in a car accident last night. As sad as this is, if Wendy and her mom had started out on their long trip to Wendy's home, they would have had to turn right around and return.

Yesterday, Wendy and her mom didn't understand why they could not leave, but today they know.

Our Bible verse says, Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

This is excellent advice! We need to trust in the LORD when we don't understand. Because God Knows!

Never Give Up!

By Kay Heitsch

Wow, last night was a great example of a person never giving up.

I don't follow many baseball games, but I have been halfway watching the Word Series while I do my Sudoku book.

Several times during the games, I heard the announcers say that Justin Verlander, a pitcher, had never won a World Series game.

It's not that Justin isn't a great pitcher; he is. He is going to be given the Cy Young award this year. However, even though he is a great pitcher, he had never been able to win a game in the World Series, even though he had pitched in more than one before.

I watched part of the game last night, and in the 1st inning, he threw a pitch, and a batter got a homerun. So I thought, "Oh, here he goes again! I hope he can get over this mental block he seems to have." But before the game was over, I went to bed.

Much to my surprise this morning, I asked Bill if Justin finally pitched a game where they won, and Bill said he did!

Finally, after all these years, Justin won when he didn't give up!

There ya go! This is a great example that it pays to never give up!

This Will Cost You

By Kay Heitsch

I remember well the day I read these words. They made me mad!

Yes, I wanted to be happy but I didn't like the idea that it would cost me. I wanted to have an overcoming life like the people I had been reading about. But quite honestly I didn't know if I wanted to put forth the effort or do what they did to have it.

What was I going to have to do? What was I going to have to give up?

I learned I couldn't win the war without a battle. This life I wanted was going to cost.

First, I tried to have this life I wanted on my own. It worked for a while. It's amazing what pure willpower can do. But when Todd died suddenly and unexpectedly this shook me to the core. Now I needed more help than willpower could give me to be happy and live the life I wanted.

Some people may not want to hear this or do it. But I'm only telling you what has worked in my life. I gave my life totally to the Lord! I asked Him to help me live an overcoming life.

Oh, did I have to give up some things? You bet I did! I had to give up self-pity, bitterness about the unfair, unjust things that happened, the lies told about me, etc. It wasn't easy, and still isn't, but if I was going to have this life I wanted I knew it was worth it.

I have found I've gained so much more than I've given up, but it has cost me giving up the negatives to having the positives.

It also cost me giving myself to the Lord and Him giving me whatever I need to live the life I said I wanted.