"go in love. go with love. go because of love.
how else will they know our good God?'
how else will we? claudia mair burney

"by this all men will know that you are my
disciples... if you love one another." john 13:35

a week ago, i boarded southwest,
guests of joseph and toni and their two
beautiful children.

as i mentioned in my last blog,
joseph was 10 yrs. old and one one of
twelve children that 24 yrs. ago, along with
11 other children , came as my guests to fly with
me to israel to cheer me through my 26.2 mile
race i'd never run before. now, he was flying me
to boston to meet his incredible family. renew ties.

after all these years...
and the
doubt that i would EVER see
these children again, the clouds parted.
the tears came. joseph, now 42, did everything
to make it a magnificent time. we stacked memories
to never be forgotten. from all the italian food we
could devour (the tangerine, almond tarts i could
NOT stop eating)..snacks in the boat..and diet
cokes and pepsi's wherever we could find them,
it was a dance. a miracle. and very hard to say
good-bye.

stretch your wings. grab a star. take one day at a
time, and allow God to give you an assignment of
love every day. watch the Light. listen to God's
voice. fly. most of all, pray for every opportunity
from God. it is ALL about LOVE. kindness.
planting seeds....until they sprout flowers between
your fingers. and all those around you are changed.
different. where there is pure love, the dance
begins. beauty, fresh and vibrant. live.

25 years, and joseph and i,
and his incredible family, find each other.
the fruit of our labor.

first night in the boat,
i slept in geno's cubby-hole.
brooklyn on the table's fold-out bed.

good-night, geno.
i love you.

i love you,too, ann.

brooklyn,
i really love you.

you, too, ann.

and we went around.
love, shining and clean and untarnished,
bound us together. all tucked into the small
living area. what a gift. fingers touching all
the wounds, and allowing us to rebuild the
walls of so many years apart.

do not be silent.
not quiet.
love is a burning torch.
let it burn. let it burn!

taste and see.
watch and wait.
pour love out to all
who pass your way.
you and Jesus and i and love.
the fruit of labored lives.

a child..joseph.
that.. i took with me,
and 11 other children
from the poor areas of boston..
to israel to run my very first
marathon found me on facebook.

he was 7, 8, 10.
earnest. vulnerable. precious.
beautiful. full of mischief.
i wrapped him in all the love
and warmth and strength of
God's love that i could.

joseph
now, 42. married with two
children. and tomorrow, he
is flying me to boston to spend
the week-end with him and his
family.

melted heart.
joy for the season.
rainbows across the sky
of broken lives everywhere.
the fruit of my pure love for
this little boy. my yearning
for Jesus to transform him.

miracles DO live.
serving Jesus DOES pay.
feel the warmth of earth under
your feet. the awe of a clean, early
morning. the touch of air against your
skin. and decide to allow God to
plant more dreams in you. and see
each one who passes by as His beautiful
creation.

pray for me as i go.
for joseph and his little
family.
with much love,
ann