A Norvell Note

June 1, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 20

Cherish Every Moment

I knew the news was not going to be good when I went in for the diagnosis. There were signs of decline, but I hoped it was just my imagination. It was not my imagination.

I sat with the Specialist as he looked at the screen. He looked up, and the conversation went like this.

Specialist: “I’m afraid it’s not good news. There is nothing we can do.”

Tom: “Oh, it is? I was afraid of that. Is there anything we can do?”

Specialist: “No. I’m sorry.”

Tom: “How much time do we have?”

Specialist: “Hmm. It’s impossible to know for sure.”

Tom: “What is your best guess?”

Specialist: “Hmm. Maybe four months. Maybe less.”

Tom: “How much less?

Specialist: “Well, the best we can hope for is four months. It could be four weeks, or two weeks, or a week. It could be a couple of hours.”

Tom: “So, we’re at the end, right?” 

Specialist: “Correct. There’s nothing more we can do. Your Apple Watch is dying.”

I appreciate that the Apple specialist was kind and compassionate as he explained the problem and the eventual outcome. But as he gently explained that I would need to replace my Apple watch, I was laughing on the inside because the conversation sounded like we were discussing a human being, not a piece of technology.  

As I processed the finality of the Specialist’s words, I reflected on the fleeting nature of technology and the impermanence of the devices that accompany us through life. The end of my Apple Watch was a reminder that while gadgets may fade, our memories and experiences endure. I resolve to try to cherish every moment, no matter how brief, and to live fully in the present.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

May 25, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 19

Never Will I Leave You

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.” 

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:4-6, NIV)

I know a wife who is grieving the loss of her husbands needs to know that in her grief and sadness, her God will never leave her. Knowing that truth will not change or fix the reality or undo her pain, but as time goes on, she will be able to grasp how important that truth is.

I know a husband who buried the love of his life for more than six decades and knows the truth of those words. Although he will weep when he wakes up to his empty house, he depends on God to be true to His word and help him through the day. 

I know of a family that needs to understand that even though the matriarch of their family is gone, God is still with them and will comfort them if they will allow him.

I think of another family struggling to find peace, knowing God is with them and will never leave them when what they want is more time with their daughter.  

Life is full of death, loss, and what seems to be endless goodbyes. Some of us know that reality all too well, so we hold on to God’s promise that HE will never leave or forsake us. 

I pray that you also know and draw strength from His love, constant presence, and abiding love and that HE will never leave or forsake you. 

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

May 18, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 18

More Than We Can Imagine

At the end of a beautiful prayer for the church in Ephesus regarding knowing and understanding the love of God, he offers praise “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine” (3:20).

Think about that for a moment. God can do more than we can ask or imagine. I don’t know about you, but I have a pretty good imagination, and when I start thinking about what I would like God to do, my imagination goes wild. 

In my imagination, God heals all sick children, and there would be no more childhood cancer. 

In my imagination, God ensures that no children anywhere in the world will go hungry, and no political leader will ever do anything to stop providing food for children on the other side of the world.

In my imagination, God will eliminate all arrogance, pride, and bigotry in all Christian communities and organizations, and the world will recognize us because we love one another.

In my imagination, life would be simple, easy, and joyful. I will never have to say goodbye to someone I love, and I would shoot par on every golf course I play. 

In my imagination, God can help me understand and accept what He does that I do not like and help me realize how deeply He loves me. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

A Norvell Note

May 11, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 17

Don’t Let This Rattle You.

“Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me.”  (John 14:1)

These are simple words Jesus speaks to comfort His disciples, knowing their world is about to change dramatically. We need to hear these simple words often, as we live in uncertain times when our world can change dramatically in a heartbeat.

Your portfolio shrinks as the stock market takes another significant drop. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

You receive the dreaded letter of rejection from the college of your dreams. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

You don’t get the promotion that you feel you deserve. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

The test reveals that your dad has Alzheimer’s. “Don’t let this rattle you.”

These are simple words that may sound empty, but the power of the statement comes from what follows: trust. Trust God. Trust Jesus. 

When your world is falling apart, trust God. 

When you don’t know the next step to take, trust God. 

When you are confused and afraid and don’t know what to do, trust. 

Simple words for difficult times. “Don’t let this rattle you. Trust God. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved