Our pastor/mentor, Kyle Lake, wrote these words to read in his sermon that he never got to preach the day he died.  For those of you new to our blog, he was electrocuted while baptizing a girl who hadn’t gotten into the water yet on October 30, 2005.  He was a great friend to us and spiritual mentor.  He performed our wedding vows and will always be a special part of our lives.  Anyway, I have been reflecting on these words during the past few years, grieving through Curt’s illness and passing.  The part that says, “If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE.  And Grieve well.” has set so well with me.  It’s helped me realize that my emotions are real and valid; that if I press into them, I can work through them, and that is so much for healthy for me than pushing them down.  Kyle was an amazing friend, just like Curt, and is still teaching me how to live to this day!  Hope these words can help you where ever you are in your journey, in the words of Kyle… to “Love God, Embrace Beauty, and Live Life to the Fullest!” 

“Live. And Live Well.
BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply.
Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.
On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day,
roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.
If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool autumn day to
FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.
Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.
If you bike, pedal HARDER and if you crash then crash well.
Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done-a paper well-written, a project
thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.
If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all
because soon he’ll be wiping his own.
If you’ve recently experienced loss, then
GRIEVE. And Grieve well.
At the table with friends and family, LAUGH.
If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke.
And if you eat, then SMELL.
The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven.
And TASTE.
Taste every ounce of flavor.
Taste every ounce of friendship.
Taste every ounce of Life.
Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift.”
? Kyle Lake