Birthday Blessings

Today my oldest child turns 21. Where did the years go? I'm absolutely certain it was just yesterday when I was holding this tiny bundle in my arms and asking the Lord to equip us with what we would need to raise this small baby boy in a manner that would be pleasing to Him. Now, here we are. No, things haven't always been smooth and easy. We've hit some rocky spots along the way and we probably will cross a few more hurdles before he's completely on his own but I pause today to say, "Thank you, Lord. Thank you for our son who turns that pivotal age of 21 today. Thank you for the gifts and talents you have placed within him. Continue to guide and direct him and may he be ever mindful that your plan and destiny for him is where his happiness and fullment lie. Give him a hunger for your word and may he always be challenged to keep you first in all things, others second and himself last. Continue to strengthen him to keep himself pure as he waits for his soulmate. And Lord, bring others into his life that will lift him up and hold him accountable to your ways. Bless him with many years, Lord, and may he praise your name all his days!"

Fun with teens!

Well, Monday morning has hit and once again, the weekend went by faster than the flick of a snake's tongue. Kids were here, there and everywhere, as is usually the case anymore. More and more my better half and I seem to be doing things by ourselves, which is the way God intended as we get older. Though it never seems to fail, if we intend going out to eat, magically all 3 kids have nothing to do and either do the miriad of friends that are always in tow. But we really wouldn't have it any other way.

Sunday after church we came home and power cleaned for 2 hours. You know what I mean. Everyone has a job and you are standing there, dishtowel in one hand and mop in the other yelling GO, GO, Go like a drill sargeant who's training his troops for war. We host our church Jr. High on Sunday evenings and last night was SWIM PARTY AND COOKOUT! We had hotdogs left so we called the High School and they came over too. FUN, FUN! We talked everyone into a rousing game of Catch Prase which is really interesting when you have the ages of 11 through 45 participating. There were some kids who had never heard of W. C. Fields or even John Lennon and his wife, Yoko. My, I had to say I felt a little ancient. Tim and I hit the hay at midnight and we still had kids here. What it would be like to be free and easy in the summertime again! On top of everything, 3 friends of my daughter's ending up spending the night. Like I said, fun at our house.

I'm so grateful for happy times. Good friends and the right kind of fun, either with adults or kids, make lasting memories. God is good and He's good to me.!

Fighting the Confusion

A friend of mine died last night. He had fought cancer for the last few years and had fought bravely. He was the choir director at one of our high schools and he left behind a wife and 2 elementary age children. It's so hard to understand sometimes why God allows things that don't seem to make any sense to us. I know He loves us and I know His plan is perfect but...... I guess it all comes down to an issue of faith. And trust. Can I, through every situation, say "Lord, I trust you?" It's so hard to do. We, as humans, want to take control and tell the Lord, "Let me handle it. I'll get it figured out and then let you know what's the best plan of action in this situation." But in my heart, I know His plan is perfect. I know He loves us more than we could ever imagine and I also know that He will take care of my friend's family and provide for them.

Dear Lord,
Help us Lord to have peace about not knowing all the answers. Help us to completely trust in you in all things, even the hard stuff. Gives us peace about the answers of no that you provide when we were praying for answers of yes. Help us to reach out to each other and be your arms of love extended.

We love you. We need you. We live to glorify your name.

Amen

Reflection Day!

I've been thinking about it and I think today should have a subtitle. Reflection day. On a day like today, wouldn't it be great to take some time to consider all we have, our freedoms (and please don't take those lightly. There are people in other countrys that would trade places with us in a heartbeat), our families, our jobs, our health, our home?.... the list could go on and on. And then I believe we ought to step toward the mirror and look at the image being reflected back at us. Take a good look! What does the reflection look like? Have we taken advantage of the opportunities those freedoms have afforded us as a country, as communites, as families and as individuals in a positive way? I believe we have fallen well below the mark. My prayer today is that God would empower each of us, with the unique gifts that He has provided, to make a difference in our world, our communites, our families, our jobs, etc. We have an obligation to make full use of the freedoms that our forefathers fought and died for. But we must do it in a way that puts others before ourselves. We must do it, making sure our actions are pleasing to the only One that deserves our praise.