Timing IS Everything

“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese - Willie Nelson”


Happy Thursday Everyone! Wow this week has flown – in the words of my most recent addiction Duck Dynasty “Happy Happy Happy – Phil Robertson”, ready to spend the weekend with my mom and whatever else decides to head my way!

So I got to thinking this morning, shucks, I think about it all the time, and for anyone who has recently spent anytime with me (I most likely cohered) you into watching Country Strong with me – ONLY one of the best movies I have came across in a LONG time!! It is a heartfelt story about love, life, addiction and TIMING! The movie is not only great but offers a great sound track as well, one song in particular that I am fond of -- ‘Timing is Everything’. One of my favorite verses ---- > “And I could've been another minute late, And you'd never would've crossed my path that day, And when it seems true love is hard to find, That's when love comes along, Just in time…timing is everything.” I feel this song holds so true to its lyrics…not only with love but with all aspects of life…and as the song says “people can think its luck, but we know its Grace.” I do not believe anything happens by ways of luck – I truly whole-heartedly know it is because of HIM!

When I met Mike, it was SO not planned…I had been single for several years, enjoying my days with friends, endless summer days at the pool, late night outings of extended happy hours with friends and co-workers, crawling into bed with the entire bed to myself and just no one to answer to except me, myself and I. Well boy did my world turn upside down when this 6’2” tall drink of water moseyed through my front door with a huge smile from ear to ear, a 12 pack of Budweiser (a man after my own heart ;) and a baseball cap backwards…SO not the typical that I was into at that time…but little did I know what HE had planned for me, for Mike.

See a little history on me; at this time in my life, though I was beaming from the outside, I was quickly spiraling into a lifestyle that was no good for me. The drinking, excessive partying was fun, but not responsible and I could not see what I was doing to myself. Once Mike and I met and locked eyes, he never left my side. For I surely at this time did not intend this, but HE had other plans and little did I know, Mike and I BOTH would be each others “wave on wave”. From that day moving forward, we were inseparable and I went from being Ms. Independent to Mike’s Gal, then on to his wife in the years to come. I look back now, and how far I have come, how far Mike had come, and I truly know and believe that TIMING IS EVERYTHING.

On to the ‘C’ word. See I know and still believe to this day that HE timed this as well. Mike and I’s relationship was far from perfect, yet we had perfect love for each other…he was my best friend…my wave on wave. As I mentioned before, I had never been around cancer so I knew nothing of how it is diagnosed, where it comes from and especially how to take care of someone living with it. I was a loving wife, a devoted wife, but I was scared! I prayed and prayed that what I could offer Mike moving forward would help him in his recovery…and I just continued to pray. See that timing thing falls into play again here…GOD knew that I was up for a challenge as Mike was too, and though I was far from having the knowledge of this disease, I had a happy heart and an optimistic soul and attitude – agh! Just what the doctor ordered! For the 1 ½ that Mike lived with the cancer, I maintained a happy household, a happy mind-set for my husband. For those of you who knew Mike, and for those of him that just met him along this journey, other than a few times after his chemo, he was Mike. He was tough, fisherman, hog-hunting, truck loving red-neck…his heart and mind were happy! Even until the last minutes he remained in good spirits…tired but thankful for all we had and for me smothering him with my infectious personality! Timing is everything!

I think of all the people we have met along this journey. The times up at MDA when our appointments were delayed and we fired up conversations with strangers that to this day are some of the best friends that we have, and were great support during this time. Timing is everything. The time we staggered out of a small hole in the wall bar in Pearland only to come across a couple that would soon be so close to us, if Mike were here today, we would surely be vacationing with them every summer!! To this day, they are in my life still and remain a HUGE staple in my everyday healing…for they are fighting the fight as well and offer such hope and strength that remains instilled in me daily…timing is everything. For the friends that have gone separate ways as we all have gotten older, but fell back into my life unexpectedly. The friends that now occupy the time I was dreading was going to be consumed with me sitting at home with a mud mask, growing old alone and withering away as a weeping widow…timing is everything. To an old acquaintance, that once was so distance and a friendship seemed impossible, yet we remained drawn to each other and just let HIM take charge and give into this friendship that has blossomed and because of a mutual friend – Mike (Love you BB)! Timing is everything!

As the days go on, I know it is hard to wrap our heads around exactly how all of this works, how HE just knows what we need and WHO we need at the RIGHT time…so rather than spend endless hours of our TIME, leave it up to the man above…he truly is our time keeper and continues to assure us daily…timing is everything!

XO LC