Roses die. The sweet taste of chocolate fades. Even jewelry can lose it's sparkle and go out of style. But some expressions of love live on beyond this single day of giving, enriching the body as well as the spirit. Joe, my 'best buddy' of 10 years, appeared on my doorstep this morning with a shovel and a 5 gallon bucket bearing a gift that I love better than most anything else I can imagine....a beautiful Japanese Magnolia tree, better known in these southern parts as a 'tulip tree.' What an honor....a beautiful tree to grace my yard as a memorial to a friendship and all that it has endured over the years. Gut wrenching times such as the death of his son, Naaman, the near fatal motorcycle accident of my son, Justin, rivers of tears birthed by a broken promise in my life and accompanied by countless late night conversations peppered with the question 'But, why?' Most recently, Joe's newly diagnosed Lou Gehrigs disease has reminded me, once again, how helpless we are and just how big He really is. One of the greatest tokens of love, I suppose, is found in the 11th chapter of John where after the death of her brother, Lazarus, Martha met Jesus as he was coming down the road and said to Him, "....Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." What a gift...a wonderful infinite gift to know that with God it is never, ever too late for ANYTHING.
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