100 Blessings

"It's better to be happy than sad."  Simple, beautiful words spoken by my 100 year old great-great-aunt Pauline Sorenson.  She told my family and I this past weekend as we celebrated her birthday.

I couldn't help but hear her soft voice and listen to family members stories about Pauline and wonder what my life might look like after 100 years.  Would I have saved an eight year old boy from drowning?  Could I be the first woman to do something amazing, like Pauline who was the first woman deputy sheriff in the state of Iowa?  Would people say I loved others like Jesus?  Would I even be alive at age 100, because as reality sets in I'm not even guaranteed tomorrow.

So many times this weekend, I was holding back tears, mainly from happiness, joy, and complete awe.  Pauline saved an eight year old boy from drowning when she was fifteen years old.  This young man went on to serve our country in two different wars and was at her party on Sunday.  He had kept in contact with her, visiting her on her birthday and sending her a Christmas present every year.

She loved her children, grandchildren, and great grand children endlessly.  She spent time teaching them to garden and cut down sunflowers.  She devoted time to make hundreds upon hundreds of outfits for Barbies.  She never spoke unkind words about anyone, always finding the good in a person.  She sent me newspaper clippings she found of my high school and college basketball teams.  She wrote letters to my sister Emily who would regularly correspond updates of our life. 

Pauline was one of those people that would be in Bob Goff's book Love Does.  Love overflowed out of her because of the way her eyes were focused on Jesus.

Happy 100th Birthday Aunt Pauline!  I am so thankful for the way God has used you in so many people's lives!







-Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis
Lexi