“We need to tighten the belt, here.” Belt? His words bring to mind the fact I have gained a few pounds—and I need to buy a new pair of jeans.

Always a writer, the following thoughts, recorded back then, were found today in my jammed-packed files:

“Making money stretch seems impossible. The car suddenly needs repairs, a wisdom tooth decides to raise its ugly head, and an insurance premium is due.  It feels like the bills rule, here. 

“I just yelled at my teenager for leaving the front door wide open, cooling the entire house. Dollar signs are seen in red. Then, when asked to drive nine miles out of my way to take a kid home who had stayed overnight, the needle on the gas gauge seems 10 foot tall.

“Good Friday finds me less than in a prayerful mood. Discouragement has come to spend the day. It’s best I stop everything, read some Scriptures and pray. But now, to pick up the phone to stop the ringing.

“It’s my friend, reminding me of this being Good Friday.

 ‘Listen to this,’ she says,’ I found three Scripture for starting this amazing day.’ (She sleeps late.)

“I didn’t hear the second passage or the third, as the first verse struck a bullseye: “The wages of sin are death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.” Yes, everything seems to cost. Expenses do win, sometimes, when push comes to shove. But here, in one short verse I see the Truth. The greatest of all gifts a believer ever receives is the gift of eternal life—and it’s free! Given without a single fee—and tax free! There, simply to be cherished and received.”

Yes. This day we call “Good Friday,” allows us to once again rejoice in what Jesus, our Lord, has done for us. His destiny was known to Him. In a brutal process of being questioned and “tried,” Jesus was given the opportunity to defend Himself before Herod Antipater, ruler of Galilee, and then by Pilate, procurator of Judea. With both, Jesus chose not to protect Himself. He knew by laying down His life for us He would become our Redeemer.

All who ask for forgiveness from sin receive His merciful touch on our lives. Restoration, lasting peace, joy and righteous living result.

Jesus said to look at the way the birds are cared for and to observe how beautifully the flowers are clothed. He promised to provide for us as we learn to trust. Sometimes, I think He looks at me and says, “Hey, you of little faith….” But, there is a smile on His face. Love is felt. When I truly seek to comprehend—it is God’s Holy Spirit living within. Following His lead will see every genuine need is met.

It is easy to become so filled with the temporal—what’s going on every day of our lives—that we cannot “see the Divine.” Yes, there will always be bills, maybe more than can be paid. But fear, frustration and anxiety need not rob us of the peace intended, once we realize how loved we are.

Surely all the little creature comforts and all the things I think are needed will continue to take their hits, but God help me to remember all that is free: sunshine’s warmth . . . a child’s smile .. . a good night’s sleep . . . the love of another . . . my very heartbeat. But the best is yet to come. Eternal life. All because one Good Friday, many lifetimes ago Jesus embraced the pain, the sorrow, the desolation and chose the cross. All because of us—and what we really need: peace and joy in the truth that the Lord Jesus has done so much for us. Undoubtedly, He is going to bring us through!  

I can’t help but think of my husband, Gary, who married me with three little boys to raise, ages 4, 7 and 9. Sure, he fell in love with me, but also he was a handsome guy with a good job as a ticket agent for Greyhound Bus Lines. There were women he may have preferred, but he chose me, one who had come out of a great struggle from a calamitous marriage, with hundreds of dollars still owed to her lawyer. He opted to come alongside me in life, making sure I, with my sons, had a nice home with everything we needed to help a family do well. He gave himself to us, out of love, yes, but he stepped in not knowing how it would all come down. He was, and is, my knight in shining armor—with amour in his heart. God saw it and blessed him. And, blessed us. As Christmas approaches, it is especially grand as we were married on Christmas Day and are about to have our 54^th anniversary. (Our “living room” marriage took place while Gary was on a brief Christmas leave from the Navy Seabees.)

Because of Gary’s sacrificial love, I could now know “our” family would be OK!

Early in our marriage. I experienced a sudden, life threatening illness—taking me right up to heaven’s gate. Yet, a risky surgery brought me back. Gary was beside my hospital bed for hours each day, then home taking care of the needs of three little boys. While spending much recuperation time in bed, I discovered that journaling, prayer and dream work were of great help as I sought healing. Consequently, these practices, coupled with studying the Bible, have continued throughout life.

Dreams can be teachers. A recent dream portrayed elements that show up within the lives of people who “truly live.” The dream infers that the “giving” we do in life will majorly influence what takes place once we reach the eternal realms of heaven.

Prior to this point in life, I’ve come to believe life is all about “how” we love . . . and that the more we love in this life the more we are like our Creator. Within last night’s dream another piece is added. The pictures and symbols portrayed that there is a very different “end result” in the next life when we give strictly from the heart, versus having an ulterior motive of gaining worth, needing something back, or giving out of fear of being “dissed if we don’t.”

This will be surprising to us in the next life, as we may not expect what comes. 1st Corinthians 3:9-14, came to me immediately after the dream, which speaks of us being “co-workers in God’s service . . .” Verse 12, says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.” Wow! There will be a fire—to put our works to the test!

The dream showed how giving of ourselves and our abilities—not to be seen or admired, nor to gain power or appreciation—and not out of fear of any kind . . . but simply out of love, can never be destroyed. This is a giving that will STAND the heat of fire once our earthly lessons are over. I saw clearly in the dream that only what we have done on earth out of love will matter. And, speaking of the rewards, these will be empowerments. After the dream it was easy to believe our rewards will fortify and increase our natural abilities, expanding these magnificently throughout eternity. New, enriched understanding of all we have learned while here on earth will be ours. It brings joy to imagine what all may be ahead for us.

Thanks be to God for the gift of life and love—and thanks for the memories.