Happy Birthday, Samuel

Happy Birthday, Samuel,
Well, others in the family have beat me to writing you birthday wishes but I want to add my wishes with the rest. I woke up this morning remembering your birth day. That day ushered you into earth but only for a moment and then right into Heaven.

That was such a special day, Samuel. I have never felt that I was standing on such holy ground - not in church, not in my quiet time, not even in Jerusalem itself. That hospital room was literally full of the presence of the Lord. I kept looking so hard to see an angel. I thought maybe I could just get a little glimpse of one. I knew they were there to usher you to God's Throne. I never saw one that day but I saw so much more.

I saw God's faithfulness, His Presence, His pomise to walk with us through every valley. I saw these things in ways I had never seen them before. I saw these things take place right before me and I knew some things as well.

I knew you were safe, well, happy, and more alive than any of us. I knew you were in your forever home.

Four years have come and gone, Samuel. But you will always remain a special part of our lives until we get to meet you again in our forever home. Until then - Happy Birthday, sweet boy.

Sweet Blessings

We were able to be together. I am so incredibly thankful that everyone was well and we were able to have Christmas together.

As we sat around the living room and listened as Ryan read the Christmas story, I was moved to tears.(That doesn't happen often but when it does it is long, loud, and ugly.) Everyone started saying, "What's wrong?" I was moved by God's blessing of family-daughters, sons-in law, and precious grandchildren that Jack and I have been given.

I was also reminded of the Pakistani people who are living in tents because they have been uprooted from their homes and who faced persecution for attending Christmas services. They put worship over their own personal safety. As I sat in my warm home on Christmas, I felt so blessed but so burdened for the people of the world- people without Christ, people suffering for Christ, children without parents, children without food.

What can I do? Not a lots but what I can do I will. I can pray-God hears. I can give-God multiplies. I can go-God sends.

In 2010 I want to be living for the things that matter to the Lord. People matter to Jesus. That's why He came and died. I want to serve Him by serving others this year.

What am I waiting for?

It has been forever since I have blogged, 5 months. Why haven't I written? Too many excuses but the biggest one is nothing major to write about. Is that true? Oh No. There is much to write about.

I often wait on the earthshaking things when all around me God is working. So here goes:

I had an awesome time in Nicaragua. It was a mountain-top experience for me. God allowed me to hand out Bibles on top of a mountain. I got to hand a Bible to a lady who may never have held one before. That was such a thrill to my heart.

I was able to get away for a few days with my husband and just have some time together. I got to sit by some mountain streams and just "be still and know He is God."

I just got to welcome another precious grandchild into this world. Even though this is number 8, each is so dear and special. God has been so gracious to give precious children to my daughters.

I have the privilege of teaching a precious group of ladies in Sunday School. They allow this imperfect teacher to share what God is teaching me and they teach me more than I could ever teach them.

I am blessed with the ability to be able to see and hear, I have more food to eat than I need and I have a car to drive.

I have a family to love, a house to live in but most of all a God to live for.

Today I am thankful.

Time is flying by

When I posted last, I was awaiting the birth of a new grandson. Now he is one month old and I'm sitting here wondering, "Where did the time go?" I

This last week has been such a nice week for me. I love Easter. I told my Sunday School class a few weeks ago not to miss Easter; meaning don't get so caught up with life you miss celebrating our Risen Lord. It is so easy to do that. When I look around and see so many people hurting, it is easy for my thoughts to focus on all the hurts of life that I miss seeing the One who came to heal our hurts and bring peace to our hearts.

This past week I was studying again about the two on the road to Emmanus. They were a sad dejected pair walking back to their home. They felt all was hopeless because their Savior was dead. Jesus joined them on their walk and they didn't even recognize Him. He went home to dinner with them and took the bread, gave thanks and broke it and then they knew - "It's Him, It's Him."

He reveals Himself to me again and again but sometimes I am so focused on the cares, concerns and worries of this world that I miss Him. I don't want to do that. Each day can be a celebration day when I remember He is alive and He is here.

Packed Bags

My bags are packed, my classroom at school is ready, my house is clean but no baby yet so I sit waiting on ready on the East Coast. I think I understand more about the parable that our Lord told about the virgins who had the oil for their lamps and was waiting on the bridegroom's return. I feel like one of those who has everything ready for the phone call that the baby is coming but I just don't know the day or hour.

As I wait, I am enjoying the weather here. After such cold days this week, warm weather certainly makes me feel more alive.

My heart has been heavy the last two weeks for a precious family in the school where I teach. I taught this little boy last year and his mother was my room mother. He has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Boy, does that ever remind me that we live in a fallen world. If you are reading this, please pray for Forester and his family.

Well, that's about all the news I have today. I don't have anything too exciting to write at this point unless you want this grandmother to tell you about her grandchildren. Then I'd have to say, "They're wonderful!" I'm sure I'll soon have some exciting news about our West Coast little grandson. Until then, I wait.

Lessons from Simple Things

Yesterday morning as I got ready for church the Lord used something very simple to speak to my heart. He used toilet paper. (Remember I teach Kindergarten so the I think in simple terms).

My bathroom was out of toilet paper and I walked to our other upstairs bathroom and it to was out of toilet paper. I thought to myself, "There has to be some somewhere in this house." I went downstairs and out into the garage and there was a new package from Costco. In other words, we had tons of toilet paper.

I took it upstairs and distributed it to all the bathrooms and filled each room with plenty of paper. It was then the Lord used this simple thing to remind me of His Truth.

He told me that often my life seemed to be void of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes I seem to be running on empty. But the truth is when I was saved the Holy Spirit came into my life. Often I'm afraid I've left Him in the garage of my life and not kept each room of my life filled with His presence.

I left for church after asking that He fill every area of my heart with His presence and to forgive me for often leaving Him in the garage of my life. After doing that, I was ready for worship.

Tagged

I was tagged and with HELP I finally found my fourth picture. This is a picture of Haifa, Israel. I made this picture when we were in Israel. This was a beautiful city on the Mediterranean Sea.

This was a trip of a lifetime and I am thankful that we had the opportunity to go. Well, this is my fourth picture and I did respond to being tagged. Now I don't have a clue who I can tag. If you would like to be tagged, consider it done. You are tagged.