When I lived in Ft. Wayne, my neighbor Jane Ford was a gift to my life. She has given me permission to share her New Year's post, some thoughtful observations on how life's paltry and trivial elements can swallow up what's precious and significant. Thank you, Jane.

We (my husband and I) talked so often of traveling through the southwestern states, a part of the US we hadn't visited. I finally got to go but without my life-travel-companion. Also we talked so often of downsizing and moving to a smaller home so we would be free to pick up and go - well, I did that, but without him. I can't help wishing we would have done more and talked about doing less. It's a new year and I'm encouraging anyone reading this to put aside the fears, and things that bind, and with the Lord's help, be open to experiencing life and opportunities.

"People put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine."

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain'. And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because People cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the parents and grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as well dance!

  --Jane Ford