I was a few cars back but I saw him.
Three other cars were in front of me.
There was no place we could go.
We had to stay where we were.

I did not mind a bit.
It was as if I had a front row seat.
The whole thing made me smile.
I had a front row seat to joy.

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It was the day of the funeral of a special woman.
She was the mother of my dear friend.
The funeral was in Philadelphia.
My husband wanted to take me.

I wanted to be there for my friend.
I knew that I would probably not see her to talk to her or give her a hug.
I just hoped that she would see me.
I just hoped that there would be an unspoken word through a smile or glance.

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The mother of my dear friend just died.
She was 93 years old.
Some may say that because of her age, she has lived a full life.
They would be right.

However, full life or not, my friend’s mother will be missed.
She was a woman who I described lovingly as a little spitfire.
And little she was, especially next to my tall frame.
She was feisty, opinionated, funny, sharp as a tack, and she loved to sing.

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It was decided months ago.
My daughters and I would plan a mother-daughter trip.
Actually, it did not start out that way.
It started out to be a trip for sisters; the oldest and the youngest.

When my oldest daughter asked her sister where she would like to go, she said Nashville.
She picked that place without skipping a beat.
Do you want Mom to come? My oldest daughter asked her sister.
That would be fun, my youngest said.

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A goldfinch flew right by me when I was on my walk.
It caught me by surprise.
It thrilled me.
The bright yellow color of the feathers against the green leaves was so lovely.

I remember when we built a front porch on the house we lived in before this one.
I would sit on the porch swing and watch the birds at the bird feeder.
There were quite a few goldfinches that came to the feeder to eat the birdseed that was there.
I am not getting up off this swing until I see a goldfinch, I would say to myself.

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We hear the expression all the time.
We never take the time to ponder what it means.
The expression happened to be the impetus of a question.
The expression is: a lost art.

The question was: What are some lost arts that you wish came back or never left?
The answers fascinated me.
It was as if the question was the dividing line.
You were either on one side or the other depending on what you experienced in your life.

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Whenever we go on a beach vacation, I like to walk in the early morning.
I am not a sun lover since I get sunburned much too easily.
I am not a person who can lounge at the beach for hours.
I like to watch the waves against the shore leaving shells and smooth stones for me to find.

I like to find an empty bench that is near a dock.
I can sit for quite a while, peaceful and still.
I watch as the water laps against the boards of the dock.
I have such a feeling of serenity when I am near the water.

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There he was.
Standing on the bridge.
The same bridge where I see the fishermen.
The same bridge where people often stop to take photographs.

The movement caught my eye.
He was leaning against the railing.
His arms were moving every which way.
In fact, his whole body was moving along with his arms.

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I found a dollar on my morning walk.
I always wonder why that is exciting to me.
It is not about the amount of the find.
It is just that it was found in an unexpected place.

If the dollar is on someone’s driveway or walkway, it is not to be taken.
If the dollar is in the middle of the street, it is difficult to claim.
I picked up the dollar and smiled to myself.
It was the thrill of the find.

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After two weddings last summer, two weeks apart, this is the spring of houses.
Each couple has purchased their first home.
My daughter and her husband just settled on their home.
They are thrilled to begin making memories there; they are eager to see what God will do.

Each couple knows that their house belongs to God.
It is truly His house.
The world will mockingly say, Well then, let God pay the mortgage.
Each couple can just smile, knowing that their jobs are God’s provision for them.

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