My Favorite Lines 

“In the Company of Others” by Jan Karon

(Episcopal priest Tim Kavanagh and his wife go on vacation to Ireland)

I read "In the Company of Others" by Jan Karon while on vacation and here are my favorite lines in the book......

• Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in.
• One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.
• It’s just life - quirky and scary and lovely and immense.
• Really listening to someone is a very tender and generous gift.
• Petition God for the grace to adopt a more agreeable attitude toward the day at hand.
• There’s no such thing as bad weather — only the wrong clothes.
• Create in me a clean heart, oh, God, renew a right Spirit within me.  Clean me out, fill me up, please.
• As a curate, he’d tried using words against tears, yet something he thought wise often came out as banal.  Later, he learned to be silent, praying.
• I wouldn’t have minded bein’ poor if I hadn’t been so short of cash.
• He offered the smile he relied on when parishioners commented on his sermon and he realized they’d heard something entirely different from what he’d said.
• Since when do we know where anything might lead?
• There’s nothing so bad it couldn’t be worse.
• “Never waste a crisis,” said Albert Schweitzer.
• Thank you for hearing me yesterday; it is a great gift to be heard.  You really listened, and your prayer - I shall always remember it.  I felt I was starving unto death, and it fed me.
• One pays a price always for what is loved.
• A little fire that warms, is better than a big fire that burns.
• I remember the day he called me at the church office and said, “Preacher, I done fell off a twelve-foot ladder.”   “Good Lord,” I said, “did you hurt yourself, any bones broken?”  “No, sir,” he said, “not a dent.  I only fell off the bottom rung.”
• Wounded people use a lot of smoke and mirrors, they thrust the bitterness and rage out there like a shield.  Then it becomes their banner, and finally, their weapon.  
• There’s no quick fix.  It’s all in increments, the same way roses grow.
• There’s just no way to deal with their suffering, except through love.
• I feel your time would be the greatest gift you could give her. 
• Ask God every day to give you the wisdom and courage to be all He made you to be - for your spouse, for yourself, for Him.
• Pray for your spouse.  You’re a team - think like a team.
• When I find myself in the cellar of affliction, I always look about for the wine.
• God does not humiliate the righteous.  He may fire us in the kiln to make us vessels, crush us like grapes so we become wine - - but he never humiliates.
• Love is an endless act of forgiveness.  Over and over again.  
• Fear pulls you away from peace.
• We all need the company of others.

Iditarod Dog Sled Race - 2015

The Iditarod dog sled races have been going on for 40 plus years, but this was the first year I really took an interest in it.  The race usually starts in Anchorage, but because of the lack of snow this winter in Anchorage the starting of the race was moved to Fairbanks.  The race route went right by a friends house, so Dave and I dressed for the zero weather and stood on the frozen river to watch the dog teams (16 to 18 dogs per team) head out for Nome.  We actually took our two granddaughters out of school for a couple hours so they could witness the annual event.  Read about the sled dog relay that inspired the Iditarod.

I clipped out pictures from the newspaper of all 78 mushers and made a chart - keeping track of each musher's location and race standing.   A couple times every day I would check the race standings at iditarod.com and update my chart.   Racers of interest to me were…..

• Benjamin Harper from Wasilla…..the youngest racer - 18 years old.  This was his first Iditarod race and he actually came in #36.  
• Jim Lanier from Chugiak - the oldest racer at 74 years old.  Unfortunately he scratched in Unalakleet.
• The winner, Dallas Seavey - 27 years old, from Willow.  This was his 3rd win and he won $70,000 in cash plus a new truck.   
• Mitch Seavey from Sterling, Dallas’ Dad, came in 2nd place.  He finished the race about 4 hours and 10 minutes behind his son.
• Aliy Zirkle and her husband, Allen Moore, from Two Rivers, were both in the race.   She came in 5th place and he came in 38th.  
• Anna from Wasilla, and Kristy Berington from Kasilof, are twins.  They stayed together for the entire race coming in at the 28th and 29th positions.  Anna crossed the finish line 4 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Kristy.
• Lance Mackey from Fairbanks is an all time favorite champion.  He and his brother Jason from Wasilla raced together.   Lance had severe frostbite on his hands and had difficulty handling his dogs, so his brother stayed with him and helped him to complete the race.  They came in 42nd and 43rd place……Lance finished 42 seconds behind his brother.   
• Cindy Abbott, 56 years old from Irvine, CA, finished last; receiving the Red Lantern award.  I love that she kept going.  Even though everyone else had finished the race, she just didn't quit.

The race included mushers from Alaska, California, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Australia, Canada, France, Norway and Sweden.

Of the 78 starters, 66 mushers finished the race.  I admire their endurance, tenacity, perseverance, hard work, commitment, determination, passion….the will to not give up.  They encountered -60 degree temperatures, wind, frost bit toes and fingers, and many of them were secluded out on the trail with no other mushers.  These people have become more than a bib number to me.  I feel like I know them....they have become my friends.   

They are an inspiration.....

• Never give up
• Learn all you can
• Count your blessings
• Keep the faith
• Never use the excuse “I’m too old” or "I'm not smart enough"
• Find ways to encourage or help someone else along the way
• Follow through
• There's only one winner but every racer can cross the finish line
• Celebrate big and little victories
• Enjoy the journey