Young and old

Saturday!   A day I always enjoy!

Sleeping in (usually), moving slowly and choosing what I want to do.

Some days are very full of choice, but today wasn't.

With 1 grandchild overnight and 2 more joining us this morning - my day began as perfectly as possible!  The choice had been removed from my day INTENTIONALLY by me! It's unbelievable how much I miss the simple love relationship I have with my grandchildren when I have to skip a few days!

Sunshiny skies, watering flowers, pushing toy baby strollers, pulling a few weeds and plucking off dead blooms, little hands throwing rocks into the creek...and breathing all of it in deeply...holding it in and worshipping the creator.

Saturday was very different then Friday, and I was so, so thankful!

Today I poured into young, young lives - Yesterday I hung onto old life.

There would be no grandkids without this old life of my mom's.  Her adoration for my dad created 4 of us kids who were then blessed with our own children, a RICH AUTHENTIC Christian heritage and love, lots of love!

As I watched my mom fighting to form each word for the doctors in Columbus yesterday, my heart ached for her!

I tried to remember that God's design is a perfect cycle - amazing variety and interesting comparison.

The young learn to speak - the old sometimes lose their speech or have to learn it again following a stroke or accident.

The young learn to walk - the old stumble and struggle to walk and keep their balance.

The young are taught everything for the first time - the old fight to remember what they've been taught.

I could go on and on - but, moving between a mom recovering from the loss of a kidney a week ago which she did praising the Lord, to fighting for all she was worth to simply speak yesterday - fighting whether she realized it or not for her very independence - well, it just caused a lot of this comparison to go on in my head....and in my heart.

I fought hard to turn these thoughts into praises to the creator, the cycle of life and the creation of each of us to be so unique, young and old to serve equal purpose on His earth, just can't be comprehended by my simple mind - while my heart longs for understanding and peace.

My mom is home, they're calling it a TIA, they see no other blockages or problems so all that remains is the return post-surgery visit later next week.........I hope and pray!

Thanks to all my friends and relatives who have prayed for us AGAIN this week. Please, don't stop!

what I learned today

I learned that things change quickly!

My mom had some tests done that we didn't expect to have results from until next week.  They want her to come in the morning to talk to the doctor.  We shall see…

I had my carpal tunnel evaluation today - my right hand is serious.  Would like to have surgery right way.

And then good things happened.

Oliver smiled at me.
Vern didn't whine when I ate food in front of him.
Aaron and Jocelyn face timed with us twice!  And, while I talked to them they played me a song that they had just written.  It was amazing!

God is good ALL the time.

Everything we go through draws us to Him.

I face whatever tomorrow brings with strength only available to us from the God who created us and cares more about us then we can ever understand.

my day off

Day off - No such thing when you're in ministry. And just so we are clear, any of you who have accepted the Lord, are also in full time ministry!! Working at a church does not distinguish you as full time - accepting the Lord does. He then places you exactly where He wants you to serve for Him!

Today is a crazy day following an amazing baptism service at an outdoor location where we baptized over thirty people last evening - the calm before the storm!

Today so far: (9:30 a.m.) -

• Some of our best friend's little boy having surgery.

• Another of my good friends struggling with his heart rhythm... with his family in court preparing to attend trial against someone accused of being inappropriate with juveniles.
  

• As I write this - Many of my closest church guy friends are on a roof helping to remove and replace roof (none of them roofers - I am terrified someone will fall! )

• Just got email from a friend who needs advise for a struggling family considering divorce (God give me the words!)

• About an hour ago got off the phone with a dear team member whose heart is broken and sobbing over one of her young adult children's decisions.
  

• My son traveling with his band in Oregon - lining up enough gigs to insure they can even eat, thus the saying 'starving artists'!

• My evening will end by attending visiting hours for yet another friend who has suffered the loss of a loved one in her family this week.
  

You get my drift, very nerve racking day. Only by God's amazing grace will I meet these people's needs in anyway!! If I've said it once I've said it a million times, if I didn't have the Lord to lean on, to pray to, to be confident in even when things didn't go the way I wanted them to, I just couldn't keep going. I am way to weak!

This is what breaks my heart for the lost, not only separation from God for eternity, but, the everyday struggles that they have no one to turn to. I just praise Him so, so much that on my day off, surrounded by earthly things that I'm worried about, I can choose to lay them at His feet and focus on what he has created THIS day to be in my life. What purpose THIS day has that He is giving me.

I encourage all of you today to choose to face whatever this day brings with eternal focus. Don't let the enemy discourage you and convince you this day is insignificant! Every single day has great significance in the life of a believer. Even if it's the gift of rest, it is preparing you for something later. It is only US that choose to make it insignificant if we don't keep our eyes open, searching for all the opportunities of each day. So go into this day and the next and as many as God has chosen to bless you with knowing He designed each one just for you!!