As I rounded a corner during my run this morning, I was overwhelmed by this beautiful sight. It has been a long winter in Tennessee, but spring is here! Winter is over! There are signs of life everywhere.

Over 2000 years ago, as three friends rounded the corner on a mournful walk, they were overwhelmed by an even greater sight. The stone was rolled away. The grave was empty. Winter was over! The angel said, “The one you seek is not here. He is risen!

Has it been a long winter in your life? Look around you. There are signs of life every where. LIVE!

FOREVER!

On Monday, my 9 yr old granddaughter, Kialee, and I drove the back roads of Tennessee looking for things to photograph. I relish investing my life and time encouraging each of my grandchildren to nourish and develop their gifts. By looking at the pictures Kialee took you can see that she indeed has a gift. One special moment in this day stood out to me. We were looking at the pictures Kialee had taken when I came across this picture.

Wanting to be the consummate fountain of photographic knowledge, I pointed out that she had not included the entire bridge in the picture. To which Kialee responded, “I wasn’t taking a picture of the bridge. I was taking a picture of the shadow of the bridge. Isn’t it beautiful?” I was stunned by her observation. All true artists have an eye for contrast, texture, light and shadow. Kialee understood a principle that is not only the secret to great photography but also to healthy living.

True joy comes from seeing beauty not only when sunshine floods our lives, but when difficulty casts shadows in our path. Life is full of shadows. I need to follow Kialee’s example and learn to see the the beauty in them. After all, without light there would be no shadows, only darkness.

Thank you for our time together Kialee, and for what I learned from you.

Last night I drove my Avis rental car from the mountains of Colorado into Denver 12 hrs early, to avoid getting caught by an approaching storm. This morning I woke to find an eighth of an inch of impenetrable ice covering my Avis rental car.

After fifteen minutes with an ice scraper, standard equipment in this part of the country, I finally managed to find the windshield, started the car and headed to the airport. Time was tight and I was getting a little nervous.

About five miles from the Avis rental return, I stopped to fill up with gas. With the car running and the heater turned up full blast, I opened the door to a forty mile an hour wind pelting me with freezing rain. The wind tore the car door from my hand and slammed it shut, locking me out of the running car. Peeking through the window I could see the keys smiling at me from the ignition.

Instantly I was resigned to the fact that I was going to miss my flight. What a positive thinker I am. I called my wife Diane and told her to alert our friends in Canada that I would not be coming.

Diane suggested that I call Avis. “They might send someone with a key to pick you up.”

“Fat chance,” I thought. What a positive thinker I am!

I called.

A friendly voice answered the phone. Friendly? How strange and alien that seemed in today’s business environment. After I explained my problem the friendly voice asked me a series of questions.

Name?

License plate number?

Date of birth?

Mothers maiden name?

How long since you’ve changed your socks? Okay, I just made that one up.

“Mr Davis,” he said, “I’m going to make your day. On the doorpost of your car is a key pad. Punch in the number 9627 and you will be on your way. I did and I was. Before I hung up I thanked the friendly voice and the voice said, “It’s my pleasure. I love helping people.”

In my travels I run into many wieners and some wonderful winners. Today Avis was a winner. And the real “winner” award goes to………………….. the friendly voice on the customer service line.