A Surreal Experience – In a Time Warp

6-17pm (Late post due to internet failure!)

I had a bit of a surreal experience last night. It was bedtime and Mike & I had just turned off the lights. As I snuggled down into my bed and felt the warmth of my husband lying next to me, in the darkness I said, ‘Yay, I have my husband in my bed.’ He has been there for 28 years, but I was simply appreciating his presence and his health and his warmth! Straight after I said it, my mind returned to Beach Road, Mouille Point. It was probably about 5 weeks before our wedding. I recalled a memorable conversation Mike & I had while sitting in front of the sea at the Mouille Point parking area…

It’s a fabulous spot to watch the waves of the cold Atlantic Ocean breaking against the rocks…

At the time we had very little privacy. I was living at Somerset Hospital Nurses’ Home and Mike was living at (and running) the YMCA on Queen Victoria St. Regularly, before he took me home at night, we would sit in the dark and talk about our lives and our future together. This particular night, we were counting down the days to our wedding. We laughed together and said in 2 months time we must come down here and do this again. One of us said, “You know what will happen? We’ll get here and spend 30 seconds here and then say, ‘Nah! Let’s go home to bed!'” It’s probably about 28 and half years since that conversation. It came back to me as if it were yesterday and that’s where it became surreal. I had these two mental snapshots in my mind – side by side – then and now – only it wasn’t yesterday and today – it was nearly 3 decades ago and today!  How is it possible that so much time has slipped under the radar since that day? How fast the years have passed. I pinch myself that I have a daughter who is nearly 27!

The 20 years I spent at CCfm went by in a blur. So much attention was focussed on it, that I woke up this morning wondering if I did a good enough job as a Mom. My children seem okay! They are Christ-followers, but you don’t know what goes on in their hearts and minds. When I speak to them about this, they reassure me, but I still wonder if  I really did spend enough time with them? You can’t get those years back. You can’t take back the next 60 seconds.  Go do something useful! Love someone. Make a call to a friend. Send a text message to someone you are praying for. Fill your days with loving God and loving people. Amidst it, make a living, provide for your family, protect your marriage, love your family with all you’ve got. Try slow life down so you can enjoy the moments.

Be prepared for eternity. Trust Jesus to take you there. It’s better to know the Healer than to have the healing.

Psalm 90:12

“Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

Keep the smile going!

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂

Gratitude Pic….and like there’s no stopping time, there’s no stopping the vine…remember this…it was 8th September…

This is what it’s grown to…