In Joy and in Love

In Joy and in Love

Written September 18, 2012

In joy and in love

I serve my God above

Another year has come and gone

Yes, time surely marches on

I sit here on my porch and commune with Mother Earth

In quiet celebration of my birth

So in love with life

Eternally grateful to be Allen’s wife

Happy to be Ashley and John’s mother

They cherish each other – sister and brother

Thankful for each and every friend

Loyal to the very end

I give thanks for my family whether near or far

I love them wherever they are

I’ve known my share of suffering and loss

And I know Satan’s not my boss

No longer afraid to be myself

I placed my worries and doubts upon the highest shelf

For I know whom I have believed

Many blessings I have received

This past year God blessed me with “Nan’s Goodwill Bears”

Because He knows just how much this “bear lady” really cares

I pray for many more years

And I pray for bears to dry little ones tears

I pray for the sad, the sick and the suffering

I’m thankful for my life – a humble offering

Thank you, Jesus for seeing fit that I was born

As I celebrate my Mother’s life this morn

My Mama went to Heaven many years ago.  Had it not been for her I could not, would not celebrate this special day.  Happy birthday to me.  Happy birthday to me.  Happy birthday, dear me.  Happy birthday to me.

No, I’m not full of myself, just happy for the opportunities God gave me this past year and happy for those opportunities to serve Him in the coming year.

Birthdays are for celebrating, not for pretending we’re not getting older …..or on the other hand, “I’m not getting older, I’m getting better

Including the teddies I will deliver to the hospital this week, it will bring the total given since July 22, 2011 to 1,225 teddies!!! To God be the glory!!!!

The Silence Begs To Be Broken

The Silence Begs To Be Broken

silence of a brand new morn
mourn the silence since Woody died
dyed to match the mood of the day
dey who understand me know
no, silence is not my enemy
in a me lies the answer
and sir, ...............

and the silence begs to be broken

written Tuesday evening, April 3, 2012

Author's note: The sound of silence doesn't change.  It is what we attach to the silence which changes the experience of the silent moment.  Sometimes, the silence is deafening, other times, silence is golden as the sunbeams stretching across the horizon on a dewy, spring morning, half hidden by puffy white clouds.  And yet, the silence speaks of tender words of love spoken in echos of memories held forever in the heart. Sometimes, when Woody and I were together, we were happily caught up in silence, cherishing the fact that we were together and words were inadequate to express the love that grew so beautifully between us.  And now, knowing no audible words will be spoken between us, I rely upon the silent memories of his tender, loving words to me, his only sister. God, I feel so privileged to have the honor of knowing him for these precious moments since we first met in 2008.  As I hear the clicking of my fingers upon these keys, I am comforted as true silence embraces me and I am at peace.  All is well; as well as it can be.

I hope the poem and my note above will help you rethink silence and what it means in your life.
Take care.  I must get to bed now.  I will listen to the silence before sleep overcomes me.  Love, Nan

Seek and you will find

The important thing after setting a goal is taking action. Napoleon Hill

Perseverance is a great element of success.  If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8

Just imagine that I had only thought of giving my 12 teddy bears to the hospital ER last year and had not taken action; so many lives would not have been touched;  so many people would not have been comforted; so many times over God would not have been given the glory He so richly deserves.
I did take action and the result today is that with the remaining teddies in the hospital right this moment, when they have been given to children in need, the total given since July 22, 2011 will be 485 teddies.  It boggles my mind at how greatly God multiplied those 12 teddies for His purpose!!
The teddies have not taken over my life.  Yes, it has taken perseverance to continue to seek them out, to clean them, to copy the poems and stuff envelopes, to deliver them to the hospital and I have loved every moment of it all!!!!
These two Bible verses speak volumes to me.  It's just that easy!  Simply believe that someone willing is on the other side of the door upon which you knock to aid you in your endeavor.
Have a wonderful day in the Lord! Love, Nan

Actively Doing Nothing

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Wait..... wait...... wait..... actively wait...... in a state of readiness..... being still, aware, watching, preparing..... actively doing nothing

The power of thought is the most mysterious and the greatest of all powers available.  It can be the most beneficial, or the most dangerous, depending upon how it is used.  Napoleon Hill

Today you are where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.  James Allen

While we are waiting, we are thinking.  Are we thinking thoughts that render us powerless or are we thinking thoughts that are in alignment with God's will, His calculations or our own?  It takes deliberate action to trust and not worry.  During the time of being still, when we bring ourselves to that place of non thinking, our minds are opening up to a greater awareness within the soul.  Sometimes it is best for us to simply be rather than to do.

I want to share with you a prayer from Ruth Bell Graham:
"Lord, when my soul is weary and my heart is tired and sore, and I have that failing feeling that I can't take it anymore; then let me know the freshening found in simple, childlike prayer, when the kneeling soul knows surely that a listening Lord is there."

Confident in herself and aware of her God-given strength ..... she enjoys an inner contentment that isn't based on accomplishments, status, authority, power, or other people's opinions.  This woman of God has learned the value of being as opposed to doing.
Author Unknown

Take care and know that I love you.  Nan

Person to Person

Do not wait for leaders.  Do it alone, person to person.
Mother Teresa

It has been one month since my last message to you.  As I type this note, it is 12:14 am on March 22nd.  I just finished cleaning 44 teddy bears for the hospital emergency room.  I am somehow compelled to sit here and send you this note.  Why? Because I haven't given up on Nan's Calendar; because I haven't lost the fire in my soul to be a vessel God can use; because I still care about encouraging others in my simple way.
I have several quotes I want to share with you that have deep meaning for me.

You give but little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
Kahlil Gibran

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in the thing makes it happen.
Frank Lloyd Wright

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The life given to us by nature is short, but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.
Marcus Tullius Cicero

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.
Unknown

I really learned to practice mustard seed faith, and positive thinking, and remarkable things happened.
Sir John Walton

It has been one month since my dear, sweet brother, Woody died.  Part of me is still in shock that he has passed on.  Sometimes, I understand completely and sometimes, I just want to scream.  I love him so much.   The quotes I have shared with you speak to me of his life and the remarkable man I will love all of my life.  Warm, wet tears slip down my cheeks as I type these words to you.  
Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.  Please cherish every day.  Cherish every minute.  Cherish every breath, not only your own, but all others, as well.  I will dry my tears and in a little while I will go to bed.
You are in my thoughts and prayers tonight. Never forget that I'm not far away.  I'm as close as your thought of me and you are as close to me as my thought of you. Love always, Nan

A Love Everlasting

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and verse 13

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, It is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

My brother, Woody and I met for the first time in our lives four years ago.  God gave us a very precious gift of these four years together.  Ours is a beautiful love story that knows no end.  Woody peacefully went home to be with the Lord this morning, February 21, 2012.  He was 71 years of age.  He died on my only son's 20th birthday.  Woody and John share a lot in common.  Yes, they will always share a very special date, a date to celebrate life.  Both, men of integrity, honor, and with much love for family, love of our beloved America, and love of mankind.  I am so proud of them both; so proud to be Woody's only sister and so proud to be John's Mama.
  Words are so inadequate at this moment to express all the love in my heart.  It is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the time we had together.  I'm so thankful Woody received me with open arms when we met for the first time.  I'm so thankful to God, our Father, who kept us both alive long enough to be united and to get to know each other.  I am so thankful God blessed me with a wonderful son and a wonderful husband.  Allen was the one who, in January 2008,  discovered the details of the whereabouts of Woody, Lin and Gene (brothers, also, whom I love very much),  and our niece, Michelle (daughter of Del, Woody's twin brother, our brother.) I am thankful for the love of their wives, Judy, Woody's wife,  Jeannie,  (who passed away October 2010) Lin's wife, and Marie, Gene's wife.  I grew up knowing I had four older brothers somewhere on the face of the earth.  I knew their names, and that was about all I knew.  They never knew they had a sister until Allen's discovery and until I made personal contact with them, telling them I'm their sister.
This is a loving tribute and celebration of Woody's life.  It is a loving tribute to my precious son, John.
I'll love you both forever and always.  Nancy/Mama

A Sower of Seeds

We are still in the season of Winter.  The sky is cloudy and gray in my world right now.  Dead leaves still lie on the ground among the trees in the woods outside my window.    Below the earth, changes are beginning to take place.  Soon, flowers will bloom and the lawns will explode into a sea of green.  We will sigh deeply into the warm breeze tickling our skin.  Life will be good then.
Life is good now.  Experience the beauty present today.  Live today.  That's really all you have to do.  Yes, there are many things you could do, many things you should do, many things you want to do.  Sometimes, simply doing nothing for a period of time is important.  Remember, relaxation is a natural tranquilizer.  It's important to set goals for yourself, to pace yourself and to enjoy yourself all the while.  It takes work to achieve a goal.  In most cases, one does the work and then gets paid.  It's the same as we grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally.  Do the work necessary now and then you will reap the reward.
How you spend your first waking hour in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.  Remember that as you rush about the house and catch your breath as you leave home for your destination, you set the tone for your activities to come.  Sometimes, going to bed a little earlier and rising a little earlier creates the time necessary to slow down your pace as you prepare to leave the house.  Take time to simply be.  Take time to relax from your labor.  Take time to meditate.  Take time to nurture yourself.
No worries.  Let them loose into the wind and be gone.
Take care and have a wonderful day.  I will.  Remember that I love you.  God loves you more.  Nan

The man who sows a single beautiful thought in the mind of another renders the world, through that act, a greater service than that rendered by all the fault-finders combined.
Napoleon Hill


A Sower of Seeds


written by Nan Forehand
January 31, 2006


in times past, I was a sower of seeds
yes, I used a hoe and I pulled weeds

up before daylight
and toiled until night

in the rain or blazing sun
still the work had to be done

crops of tobacco, beans and corn
at times, my spirit was torn

more than just the crops grew
though I was weak, my spirit grew, too

today, I'm still a sower of seeds
seeds of encouragement for a soul's needs

seeds of kindness for an aching heart
seeds of hope for a soul torn apart

as long as there's life and breath in me
I'll continue to be
a sower of seeds for Thee

2 Corinthians 9:6
remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously