Hi everyone,

Please add my daughter to the list of people
to pray for - she has left home to go live in the mountains with her boyfriend. She is only 17. Apparently this is how she plans on dealing with what is going on in our lives...I am heartbroken.

Here is a poem that I gave her when she broke up with her first love...and now, I find, I can relate to it also:

After a while
you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand
and chaining a soul.

And you learn
that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t mean security.

And you begin to learn
that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises.

And you begin
to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open,
with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.

And you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans.

After a while
you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn
that you really can endure...
that you really are strong,
and you really do have worth.