Pro-cras-ti-nate
verb [intrans.]
-delay or postpone action; put off doing something.
(I’m really good at that!)
Our friends from Chicago came to visit us this weekend, Porter and Sharon. It was SO good to see them! We have been friends for at least 12 years now.
We met at church in Illinois, and have walked through much life together. It is pretty amazing that we have kept the bonds we have since most of our relationship has been long distance.
We lived close to them in Chicago for 2 years, then moved back to Nebraska to live closer to family. Boy, it was hard leaving our friends!
The first few years that we lived in different states, we made it a point to see each other at least a couple times a year. Then we started poppin’ out babies, and our visits became more like once a year.
Now, after having 6 kids between the 2 of us couples (3 each!) we see each other about every year to year 1/2. It has been so fun seeing our kids form bonds with each other. They have 2 boys, 10 and 7, and a little girl who is 5.
This trip, just Porter and Sharon came. They are huge John and Staci Eldredge fans, (and now, so are we!), and it so happened that John and Staci Eldredge were going to speak here in Nebraska, so the pull of that, and, of course, our lovely selves, was enough to get them here!
The latest book the Eldredge’s have authored is a marriage book called “Love And War.” We loved hearing them speak, learned much, and I plan on buying the book!
Seeing them did my heart such good. You see- they shouldn’t be here. It truly is a miracle that they are.
Last summer, they were on a road trip as a family and were in a very serious car accident. “No one should have lived” is the message they received from police officers, paramedics, doctors, insurance agents…everyone who saw the accident was amazed that anyone walked out alive.
Our great God did a miracle for our great friends.
Porter and their ten-year-old son were both thrown from the van, that was going 85 mph and had rolled several times.
Porter landed on the highway, in the middle of the night, tried to move and passed out from the pain.
He doesn’t remember much but does remember hearing his family, hearing his wife comfort their son, and thinking he was done, as he heard a large semi pass him in the opposite lane.
Sharon was heroic in her actions.
She gives God all the credit for how her mind worked during that time. Her husband is on the street, her son is gasping for air where he landed in the grass, her other son is terrified by the absence of his daddy and brother and the sight of the deep wound on his leg.
Their little girl was shaken and very scared, but unbelievably, not physically hurt. Sharon did what she needed to do for her family, and did not succumb to the shock until she was laying in the ambulance, knowing her family was in good hands. She was amazing.
There are so many beautiful stories of how God met them in this horrific time. They are continuing to make beautiful stories as they allow God to use them to tell their story, and as they continue to heal.
Physical healing has come quickly, especially when there should not have been any.
Despite a head injury, back injury and many contusions from glass and landing, Porter is doing well. He is the same smart, loyal, wise, Godly, active and caring man we knew, which is truly a miracle.
Even when seeing them in person, it was still hard to fathom what they had been through. Other than a few scars, the only evidence was strength of character, which truthfully, was very strong to begin with.
Their kids have all healed and are doing well, thanks much to parents who had the wisdom to allow them to talk and process whenever they needed to, and to a big God who has taken care of them.
Sharon is also doing well. There is a deep beauty within her, a beauty that has been refined by fire and made new by her Protector. She has such feminine strength, a steadfastness, a firm grasp on the one she calls Saviour, and an eager anticipation of the ‘what next?’
I personally can’t wait to see what is next for these great friends of ours, but I know without a doubt that God kept them here on this earth because He is not done using them, to radiate Him.
I truly didn’t want to let go when we hugged them hello, or as we said goodbye. It was a gift to hear from them, in person, what they had been through. I am so thankful to have them in my life.
So how does this all relate to procrastination?
Well, two ways:
First, life is short and fragile. Do not put off, do not delay, telling those whom you love that you do.
My prayer is that through text, facebook, email and the phone that my friends will continue to know how much they are loved. Keeping in touch over the phone is NOT my strength, but combined with text and email, they just might get sick of me.
Second, having company is a GREAT way to stop procrastinating and get things done! Here are a few things I accomplished because we were having visitors:
*my oven cleaned (it was nasty. beyond nasty.)
*sheets washed (they were not nasty, but gettin’ there)
*hair cut-I wanted to look my best for our night out
*laundry room cleaned up
*couches spot cleaned
*car picked up
*leggings bought for my ‘going out with friends’ outfit
I think I will purposefully have some more “anti-procrastination days” and tell you all about it. Maybe you can join me? It could be our chance to do those “little things” that we have been putting off.
It is always amazing to find out that the “thing” I have been waiting for the perfect time to do actually only needed 10 or 15 minutes to complete. All we have to do is take the first step and get started or keep inviting great company over, like mine…
…don’t you wish they were your friends?:)
