And One More Milepost

Greg and Blair at Oxford

How could I not include one of my newest sons! He will be thirty-eight on his daughter's birthday.Greg is one special man. He fiercely loves his little family, Caytie and Meghan.

Greg is a constant calmness in many people's stormy days. He is the one--especially now that I don't have my dad for theological questions--I trust the most in the spiritual realm.

Greg reminds me mostly of his father, Blair. A calm, resolute, do-things-right-guy.

Because I married Blair, Greg is my son. I'm so glad you're in my life, Greg. Happy thirty-eighth birthday!

Greg holding Meghan, Caytie and of course, Lucy!
In Baden Baden, Germany.

Mileposts...big ones and small ones...

Tomorrow and the next day are dates that are mileposts for several people in my family. Milepost One  is my own girlie, Erika Ann. Tomorrow she will turn forty. How can that be? I remember when she was born so clearly. The silky soft skin of her face next to mine. Her little six and a half pound body in my arms. The kitten-like mewing sound when she cried. I remember the pull of my heartstrings as I witnessed happy times and sad times in her life. Her name means "strong one" and she is that. Happy birthday, dearest daughter!

Big brother Todd holding baby Erika

Erika's 16th birthday with her two grandpa's

Happy times in San Francisco--we're moving Todd back to Vancouver

Milepost Two is my oldest grandgirlie, Rebekah. She's turning twenty-one on the day Erika turns forty. Though I met Rebekah when she was two, I'll never forget that pixie face, pretty brown eyes, and trusting smile when I took her hand for a walk. I'm so glad you're in my life, Boo. Happy 21st birthday!

In San Francisco

Milepost Three takes place June 28th when my youngest grandgirlie turns one! What a happy, well-adjusted baby she is! I can't wait to see her again when she comes back to the States. Happy birthday, dearest Meghan. Hugs and kisses!

Grammie and Meghan in Germany at seven months

Erika and Me

Lovely words....

I love words. Written words. Spoken words. A writer's words. My words. God's words. Sometimes I'm so inspired by words, I copy them down, just to read and think about them one more time.

I was struck by the following verse in Proverbs, written by a wise man, inspired by God.

By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,

And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

Proverbs 25:15 

How often have my words struck something in a person's heart and mind? I know my words are not always gentle. Sometimes they are harsh. Impatient. Are they profound enough to "break a bone"? I'm not sure, but I pray my words will move those closest to me to do good. To love more. To have mercy. Most of all, to love God.

Discouragement

I was reading my daily devotional this morning, a little dismayed about something significant only to me. You don't need to know what that is, for it isn't that important to the story. What is significant is the statement that arrested my attention: Do not get discouraged--it may be the last key on the ring that opens the door. I've been trying quite a few "keys" to open the door. And they haven't worked!

That statement told me, though, that I need to keep trying the keys until the lock clicks open! It may take the rest of my life, but that's ok. I'm not opening the locks without my loving Savior with me. He's there when I hurt and when I'm happy. He's there when I'm trying to push the key in the lock and it doesn't fit. He loves me and wants only the very, very best for me.

So I will keep trying the keys on the ring. But not alone.

Hope

In my special quiet spot, I read from what is becoming my favorite book in the Bible, Isaiah. This was in chapter 60 verses 19 and 20.

  The sun shall no longer be your light by day,

Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; 

But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light,

And your God your glory.

Your sun shall no longer go down,

Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;

For the LORD will be your everlasting light,

And the days of your mourning shall be ended.(emphasis mine)

Wow, "the days of your mourning shall be ended". I am ready for my days of mourning to be ended, even though my Blessed Comforter has been the nearest at these mourning times. I don't think the Scripture passage truly meant that will happen in this life, but in the life to come. Yet, I'm grateful for the hope. And perhaps, just perhaps, my mourning is ended here on earth for a time.

In the meantime, I will bask in the sun, though it goes down. I will enjoy the full moon with its light at night. And I will depend on God being my glory. 

And while I'm in mourning--and I can hope it will end at least for a time--I still have the hope and knowledge the LORD is my everlasting light. And that is enough.

An "aha" Moment

I was wowed by Scripture today. That's why I highly recommend to everyone to read through the Bible. Not necessarily in one year, but in a methodic, purposeful way. I found something that isn't the "Read it Through One Year" type because for me that was too much. I'd just speed-read through it, mark it on the little marker, brush my hands together as if to say, "I've done my duty today." No. The method I like takes you through on a slower path. Each day you read a certain section of the Bible. Today I read in Luke 1. I have read in Luke many times. It's a capstone book of the New Testament and in great detail, tells us about our Lord and Savior. What I missed until today, though, was the passage where John the Baptist's father, Zacharias, prophesied after John's birth. Here it is:

And you, child (speaking to his newborn son), will be called the prophet of the Highest; 

For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 

To give knowledge of salvation to His people 

By the remission of their sins, 

Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, 

To guide our feet into the way of peace.

Does that get to you like it does to me? It is so clear that Jesus WAS the Messiah! Oh that eyes will be opened. I've read through the Bible--in the faster, one-year method, and the slower, a-day-in-each-section-of-Scripture, thus taking at least three years time. At least 30 times I've run, jogged, and strolled through the Bible. Yet today, the above passage just jumped out at me. Isn't it wonderful? Can you think of another piece of literature that can speak to us. Day after day, year after year? We are so very, very blessed with Scripture. A gift from God. A letter from the Holy One to us.

I love words and the words and phrases that really spoke to me today were: "face of the Lord", "tender mercy of our God", "Dayspring". I don't think I can add any more to these God-inspired words. Do you?

Somewhere in California

Good Friday

In my devotions today, I was reminded of how God takes care of everything. That includes hazy pink blossomed plum trees. Struggling spears of tulips leaves, pushing through the soil. Arrogant daffodils with their bright lemon yellow trumpet-like noses. Hatching chicks--with their built in beak hooks to help them break out of their opaque oval prison. Don't those little miracles of creation show how much He cares?

This Good Friday--and it is Good for the terrible sacrifice the Holy One suffered for ME (and you) gives us eternal life when we believe and accept His gift. Can we do anything less than entrust our circumstances to Him--great and small? Like over-charges on my credit card, a possible lawsuit in my family, healing a family member's broken heart--or on my mind today, my second-to-youngest grandie girl, little Em, who will have surgery today for a broken bone. I can trust God to take care of the big and small. He's big enough--and most of all, cares enough--even more than I can ever imagine. And that is Good.