"By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks." ~ Hebrews 11:4

Happy New Year! It's Friday, January 1, 2016. As many of you know I read a lot of obituaries. No. It's not a recently adopted morbid habit. I've been reading them for probably 35 or more years. I wrote yesterday about making plans and setting goals for the new year. After writing about that I happened upon the obituary of a young man. I don't know him. I don't know his family. But my eyes filled with tears when I read about him, his love for others, and all that he did to try and make a difference during his time here on the planet. Yes. It made me feel very small and convicted but it also encouraged me to look again, for the first time, at what I consider to be important in the life that God has given to me. I know what it did to me and I offer it with a prayer that it will be a motivation and encouragement to us all. Amen. .....More later.

Travis James Dafft, age 24, gained his special angel wings on Christmas morning, December 25, 2015. He was born at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands on February 1, 1991. All his disabilities, trials, challenges that life threw at him he met head on. He needed no words to bring people together, his infectious smile and twinkling eyes could fill a room. In his own way he has been preparing for his trip to heaven by working on a bucket list. He traveled to Mexico, Belize, and Honduras, swam with dolphins, manatees, loved indoor skydiving, ghost hunting in Galveston, San Antonio, spy school, hot air ballooning, if he could do it his mom made sure he could. He spent his last day on earth helping a group of men he befriended needing therapy. Made pancakes and brought them sleeping bags. Watched Christmas movies snuggled with mom in bed. Then went to see It's A Wonderful Life. He awoke in heaven Christmas morning greeted by his grandmother Rosa Lee Sheard. He had a passion for life and living everyday as if it were his last. He is survived by his mom, Teresa M Dafft (Sheard); his dad, Gary T. Dafft; his sister, Jennifer Wright and her husband, Charles (Bill) Bailey; nephews, Jackson, Christian, and baby #4 Bailey; niece, Julianne Baily, his grandfather, David Sheard & Elaine; and his honorary grandfather, Dick Betz; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins; his special buddy, Duke Messer; his special friends in Woodlands Shooting Stars, deaf blind group, Shining Stars, CISD, I run 4 Michael, Celtic Thunder, Ryan & Neil, and TSBVI. A celebration of his life will be held January 2, 2016 at 11:00 am at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. We ask that everyone wear bright colors. Red was his favorite. In lieu of flowers, we are asking you to donate to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in his honor, or an animal shelter in your area.