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    Squeeze the Moment: Making the Most of Life's Gifts and Challenges
    Squeeze the Moment: Making the Most of Life's Gifts and Challenges
    Squeeze the Moment: Making the Most of Life's Gifts and Challenges
    Ebook178 pages1 hour

    Squeeze the Moment: Making the Most of Life's Gifts and Challenges

    By Karen O'Connor

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    About this ebook

    Every day is filled with opportunities to seize joy. Yet true joy cannot be forced. It springs from the hearts of those who are content, grateful, and at peace with themselves, with others, and with God. Though trials and challenges are a part of every life, joy can be developed, cultivated, and then practiced on a daily basis. Karen O'Connor offers seven keys to finding true joy in Squeeze the Moment. Learn how to look at life in a fresh way, full of gratitude to God, and to squeeze the moments--the happy ones, the tragic ones, the predictable ones, and the unexpected ones--for all they're worth.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBaker Publishing Group
    Release dateFeb 10, 2006
    ISBN9781441225535
    Squeeze the Moment: Making the Most of Life's Gifts and Challenges
    Author

    Karen O'Connor

    Karen O’Connor is a sought-after speaker, a writing consultant, and an award-winning author of more than 75 books, including Gettin’ Old Ain’t for Wimps (more than 500,000 copies sold). She’s appeared on national media, including The 700 Club and 100 Huntley Street.

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      Book preview

      Squeeze the Moment - Karen O'Connor

      California

      Precept 1

      Do Something for Someone Else

      DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE WHO DESERVE IT, WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO ACT.

      PROVERBS 3:27

      HELLO! you may be shouting at me. "That’s my whole life—doing things for other people. I don’t need to hear more about this one. In fact, you can skip it."

      I understand. I agree with you. But I’m not talking about the usual fare: preparing meals, making beds, running kids from piano lessons to soccer practice, visiting your mother, writing a report, babysitting a neighbor’s child, covering for a coworker who’s out sick. You probably do all that and more, and you do it well. I’m referring here to the kinds of doing that hold an element of surprise, spontaneity, serendipity—the kinds of things that knock people’s socks off. Doing something for someone you love or even for someone you don’t know well, or at all, that will bring a moment of unbridled joy—the kind that will spill into your life as well.

      That’s what happens when we do something for someone else with intention and attention, as the stories on the following pages illustrate. You’ll meet a woman who does something for her husband that blesses him—and her! A young woman learns about kindness from an older woman’s spontaneous generosity in the laundry room, of all places! A mother realizes what her daughter really needs and gives it to her. Two women become partners of the heart, blessing one another with daily prayer. A woman welcomes a new neighbor into the community with a gesture that is both caring and practical. And a woman discovers how to bless loved ones with heirloom jewelry.

      A WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER WHO CAN FIND? SHE IS WORTH FAR MORE THAN RUBIES.

      PROVERBS 31:10

      Roll in the Hay

      Kate, guess what Jerry gave me for Christmas? Colleen asked her friend as they walked around the lake in their community one early morning. Kate noticed the excitement in Colleen’s tone.

      I have no idea, Kate said, smiling. But from the sound of your voice it must have been pretty special. A new car? A cruise? What? Now I’m really curious!

      This, said Colleen, as she plucked a large shiny coin from her pocket and handed it to her friend. Read the inscription, she said. It’s adorable.

      To Colleen, from Jerry, Kate read aloud.

      Turn it over, her friend urged, obviously eager to see Kate’s reaction.

      Love token. Good for one roll in the hay!

      Read the small lettering, Colleen prompted.

      No expiration date! Kate burst out laughing. This is adorable, she agreed, especially coming from unassuming Jerry. What got into him?

      Colleen carried on, telling Kate that she and Jerry had lost the joy in their lovemaking. They seemed to be going through the motions without any passion. Maybe it was that way for lots of couples married more than 25 years, but they didn’t like it.

      So Jerry decided to throw me a curve, said Colleen. I was blown away.

      Kate was dying to ask Colleen whether she had redeemed the token, but Kate decided not to go that far.

      Colleen returned the token to her pocket, and the women continued their walk, moving on to other subjects such as aging parents, grandchildren, the latest movie and the upcoming women’s retreat at their church.

      After an hour of walking, they had broken a good sweat, hugged each other good-bye and went their separate ways. As Kate drove home, she noticed she was beginning to feel agitated and then jealous—jealous of Colleen and Jerry. She wished that she and Ken could still be playful like that. But it seemed their love life was over. The day the doctor confirmed prostate cancer, they knew they were in for some changes. Ken went through a series of tests and then an invasive and painful biopsy that left him, well, impotent. There’s no other word for it.

      During the past several years, he had blood tests and checkups to monitor the development. Surgery was not recommended for several reasons: his age, the small amount of cancer discovered and the fact that the cancer appeared well contained. It was Ken’s decision not to go under the knife. So far, his choice had proven to be a good one. Kate was happy with it, too.

      Ken and Kate talked often about the impact of Ken’s condition on their marriage. One day, they were fine with it; the next, they were sad and depressed. I don’t even remember the last time we made love, Kate muttered, as she pulled into the driveway. If only I had known it at the time, I could have paid more attention! I could have preserved the memory, to turn to when I feel needy or sad or wanting. It’s easy to curl up and throw a pity party. I don’t want to do that. It’s so self-defeating.

      Kate parked the car, took a deep breath and decided to stop whining and just be happy for Colleen and Jerry. They had rediscovered the joy of sex. They had done something for one another—and it was no small thing. Jerry took a risk, Kate thought aloud. Colleen could have laughed him off. But she responded in just the right away—happily surprised and appreciative. Jerry did something for her, and she did something equally wonderful for him.

      Kate walked into the house, set down her jacket and purse and heated a cup of water for tea. I should do something special for Ken, she thought. Something witty, outrageous even! Kate felt herself growing excited just thinking about it.

      Maybe we can’t have sex anymore, she thought, but we can still make love. We have an amazing life, great kids, beautiful grandchildren, good jobs, a lovely home and a God who cares about our every breath! Nothing can get in the way of that—not cancer, not fear, not worry, not self-pity, not regret. Love is so much bigger than the physical act.

      Suddenly Kate jumped to her feet. Even Missy, her cat, stirred at the sound of her shoes hitting the tile. A fabulous idea crossed Kate’s mind. I can’t wait to spring this on Ken, she said as she stroked Missy. But first, I need to call Jerry and Colleen and get some info about where to purchase a certain item!

      I can just see the look on Ken’s face, Kate mused with a chuckle, when I present him with an unexpected gift—a love token that says, To Ken, from Kate—Good for one ‘roll’ in the hay. No expiration date!

      Action

      Surprise your spouse (or a dear friend) with a special treat—something he or she will love but probably won’t expect. Jot down some ideas. Take action on one—or more—of these ideas!

      Reflection

      Dear God, teach me to be spontaneous and generous with everyone I encounter today—from family and friends to coworkers, even strangers. A smile, a nod or a word of encouragement may be just what they need to brighten their day. May I be Your lamp unto their feet.

      Inspiration

      A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.

      —Pearl Buck

      THEREFORE, AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, HOLY AND DEARLY LOVED, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE.

      COLOSSIANS 3:12

      Folding Clothes

      One of my favorite pastimes during the 1980s was spending a quiet weekend with my husband, Charles, at our little hideaway in Idyllwild, California. We loved to hike in the mountains, rest under shady pine trees, sit on an outcropping of rocks, talk and pray. And one of my least favorite activities was packing up and leaving.

      As we wound our way down the mountainside to the freeway and then home to our apartment in San Diego after one of those special weekends, I resisted what lay ahead: piles of dirty laundry to wash, fold and put away; phone calls to return; mail to sort and read; and a calendar reminding me of deadlines and appointments for the coming week. In other words, back to reality!

      We pulled into our parking space and unloaded the two duffels stuffed with dirty clothes and hiking boots. Our regularly scheduled wash time in the apartment building where we lived at the time was Thursday morning from 10:00 to noon. However, at times such as this, when we had extra loads, we were expected (house rules!) to fit them in after 10:00 P.M. and before 6:00 A.M.—outside the regular assigned hours.

      I was so exhausted from hiking and driving that I could hardly see straight, so I walked right into the laundry room and threw everything into the two washing machines available. Then I went upstairs, cleaned up and fell into bed. I forgot all about switching the clothes from the washers to the dryers—until I sat up straight in the middle of the night and realized what I had done. If I didn’t make the switch before morning, I’d mess up the schedule for the entire

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