Mother's Day Prayer

We did not realized that I would be back here so soon, but I must share this wonderful news. I believe this may be the best mother's day. My daughter is home. She finally saw through the lies and had enough! My sweet friend told me years ago that I would be thankful for that strong-willed girl one day. She was right; that day has come. Just a couple of days ago, Monty shared our heart-ache with our dear Mennonite friend and Tim told him that he would pray. He told me about this tonight and we attested that "the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much", James 5:16. Today was an answer to many prayers...too numerous to count. Our church family, friends and relatives have brought us before His throne many times and we are truly thankful that God hears those who love Him. So my prayer this mother's day will be in thanksgiving.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

Not How We Pictured It

2011 brought change to our lives that we could not have imagined. One that we still wish was only a horrible nightmare; how we would love to be shaken awake to hear someone say "It's okay, it was just a bad dream and everything is just fine". Instead, our heavy hearts cannot feel relief from the pain. My mind repeats "His burden is light" and "He will not give us more than we can carry" but my everything else feels weighed down with the reality of it. Eight weeks to graduate and our daughter checked out....of our lives, of her high school, of reality and of anything & everything that our family has known for her almost 19 years of life. Still in shock, we don't understand what happened. We are not the first nor the last to feel this agony over a child gone astray. Since the time our Lord shared the story of the prodical son parents have experienced these life-changing events.
However, in the midst of pain & turmoil God placed a precious soul to give us joy...Mason Cole, this smiling, laughing, adorable baby boy. This grandson gift is keeping us from 'losing it' because our sanity is being preserved by this little bundle of love who needs or actually demands our undivided attention. We are all smitten by his charming ways! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Grand-parenthood

This has been a most wonderful day. Our first day to be grandparents and I am already getting a glimpse of how difficult it will be living so many miles away from this precious grandson. Just a little more than 12 hours between us, but enough to make it impossible to have a daily or even weekly visit. However, instead of pining over the distance, I am choosing to fill my mind with thoughts of a time when we can have him near; growing up just down the road from his grandparents the way I grew up, on the same acerage that five generations have now shared with our grandson beginning the sixth. Won't that be 'grand' to have him close enough to see him most everyday! Of course it will; maybe that's how the name 'grand'child began.

As I held this sweet baby and talked to him tonight, he opened his eyes and looked up at me as though he was understanding all that I said, absorbing every word like a new sponge soaking up water; memorizing my voice while providing me with memories to cherish for the rest of my life.

Just My Thoughts

I had a nice 1/2 mile walk down my driveway, for just a little trip to the mailbox, and back with the wind boosting my stride. I enjoyed the warm sunshine kissing my face all the way; days like this make me want to lay in the hammock out back, but I have more paperwork to do. Now, back upstairs in our office, I can see the 2-acre lake from the window with the blue waves rippling toward the shoreline. Looking out across the green pasture one would never dream that it was snow covered just two days ago. I was happy to see that my petunias survived the 'white surpise' with no evidence of even a sting from the cold! We always have that last cold snap @ easter, but could this take the place of that historical event? That would be so terrific! In just under two weeks we will know for sure.

Easter is always good time to gather the family together for an afternoon of food & fellowship. No little ones to hunt easter eggs these days, so we just enjoy a great meal and visit; or maybe this year we can take in a matinee @ the movies to see "The Last Song". Sounds like a fun way to spend the day. All that will be fine, but the first order of the day is our worship honoring the Lord who gave his life on the cross and rose again all those years ago. He is the reason we can enjoy time together as heirs of the King. The resurrection of Christ gives us more reason to celebrate than anything the world can offer. As this special time of year approaches we can give thanks for many things, but most of all for Jesus. He's the reason for every season!

Spring is about to spring!

Just a few more days before the official 1st day of spring. We've had several wonderful sunshine-filled days; today, not so sure about the sunshine. It's looking rather grey with ominous clouds scattered about.
Spring break, as I remember it, was a chance for school kids to enjoy time with family and friends away from school on a vacation,if we were really fortunate; not these days, though. We spent our first day of 'spring break' @ a district softball game and today will be the same. Maybe we should rename the 'break' part to 'blink' since it will be over in the 'blink' of an eye with no vacation to sooth our tired souls. In the old days, our spring break gave us the boost we needed to make it through, what seemed at the time, to be relentless days of school until summer break! I now realize that it all went too quickly and I should have relished those school days and put more focus on enjoying my studies, right? Alas, the cruel hands of time will not turn back, only forward at what seems to be a terribly rapid pace.
So this day we will enjoy our 'spring break' softball game feeling blessed to have, if only a few, days left to play or work @ what we choose without more softball.

Beautiful Blessed Days

Wow, what beautful series of days He is allowing us to enjoy and I could not have asked for better weather than the past few have displayed!
This is catch up time. Praying that the clouds hold back the moisture a while, it's time to 'make hay while the sun shines' and get those systems in the ground, if at all possible. Monty always says, after much rain, "if the wind will blow, we'll be able to get back to work". Well, the Lord heard him once again and the wind is doing a good job today.
This time of year is always our PINCH time....due to the Ocotober 15th filing with the hunk we are blessed pay to Uncle Sam. You make think it odd that I feel blessed to pay. I do. I am blessed to be in a country of dedicated military men and women who are selfless in their service; blessed to have the health & ablility to work; blessed by the one true God who loved me enough to give His Son so that when this life ends, I enjoy eternity with Him.
This afternoon, I got to go on service calls with my sweetheart. I don't think I'm much of a helper, but he doesn't complain. It's just good to be working together sometimes.

Autumn Is In The Air

Last night in the cool crisp 'football' weather, we enjoyed watching our Panthers battle to the bitter end, only to suffer a 14-7 loss; one that shouldn't have been because we really outplayed the opponent.
It's time to cut wood and get ready for cold days ahead. We had very little daylight left, so one small oak is all we had time for today, but we'll have to get busy in the next few weeks to have enough to last the winter. How nice it is now to enjoy a few days without a/c or heat.
It should not be dark until almost 7am...it's just not natural, so how can we do away with daylight savings time? Can't we take a vote? Falling back is not so bad, but springing forward is a real pain. It takes us weeks to acclimate and we work ourselves silly outdoors until after 8 o'clock in the evening because it's still light out! The "experts" tell us that DST is an energy saving stradegy, first conceived by Benjamin Franklin. You can read all about it online. Regardless of the benfits, it's still a real adjustment to the body & mind; off my soap box now.