Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Today....I was back in 1999

Today, my eldest son turned 16 years old.  Wow, time does go fast.....it was only yesterday he looked like this and I remember the day he arrived to our home like it was yesterday.  Scared but smiling anyway, keeping watch over his brother in a protective way.  Such responsibility for a 2 year old. I fell in love with you the moment we met. I praised God for not only just the one child I'd prayed he'd bless us with, but that day was a double blessing and reminder God's timing has it's purpose. You my son, are such a blessing!

For all the rough spots we've made it this far and I'm proud of the young man you are becoming.  You can make me laugh and I wish I had half your energy.  

I know God has great things in store for him because I see his heart and know you can't have a heart like that and not do wonderful things in life.  Giving him wings that take him on the right path continues to be our parental earthly challenge as we lift him up to his heavenly Father on a daily basis for guidance and protection.

Love ya bud.....Mom and Dad

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” ~ John 6:40

Friday, June 14, 2013

Father's Day Tribute

 It is Father’s Day weekend.  Our Daddy will be working hard this weekend and we won’t see him much.  So this is what I will remind my kiddos about their Dad this weekend as we love and uphold him:
·        He is patient and slow to anger.
·        He is dry humor funny!
·        He is talented beyond measure.
·        He is our IT dept at home and a growing job that is! (ipods, ipads, pc, nabbi, etc.)
·        He is the one who speaks wisdom to us, sometimes we actually get it. 
·        He holds you when you are crying and scolds you when you break the rules.
·        He shines with pride with your successes.
·        He holds in the pain when you hurt too and has faith in you even when you fail.
·        He picks you up when you fall, brushes you off, gives you a hug and lets you try again.
·        He is competitive at games and you won’t beat him in Scrabble for many years yet!
·        He will watch everything from Strawberry Shortcake to the older kids movies with you and pop the popcorn.  He takes time for you in many ways.
·        He loves to read and works hard to instill that reading books and education are important to your future.  He has great dreams for you and your future!
·        He is the one of your greatest gifts, respect and cherish him!
Most importantly, he is a man strong of faith and wishes for all his children to discover Christ for themselves, faithfully nurturing them with direction, example and prayer.
 Happy Father’s Day Weekend - We all love you very much!
 Romans 4:16-17
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
 

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Dry Cleaning My Past.

I’ve loved vintage/antique before it was popular.  I’ve loved shabby chique before it was popular.  I’ve loved green jadeite glass before it was popular (more like before Martha Stewart made it popular). I’ve loved to up-cycle furniture before it was popular. I've loved sentimental things for always.....so here is my dry cleaning past moving to today.

My Mom used to let me play with her bridesmaid dresses from the late 50’s – 60’s.  Sadly she got rid of most of them, but one yellow one remained and I recently captured it from the bag of clothes my niece used to play dress up with just like I did when I was little.  She also had her wedding dress in the dress-up box a little rough for wear.  The wedding dress was made by my deceased aunt.  I was too tall to wear it, but still cherish it.  So I hauled them home from Canada and they sat at my place.
 
Finally – in a cleanup mode, I took them to the cleaners….yikes, you can tell I don’t do my laundry this way!  Sticker shock.  I shelled out to have these dresses cleaned and pressed.  Now to save the wedding dress in hopes one day maybe one of my daughters will wear it on her wedding day, or a granddaughter….or not.  No longer a “dress up” play item I steamed my memories back to life.  It gave me satisfaction to do this.  You could say I dry cleaned my past.
 
 
Some people save and cherish old items of the past with sentimental fervor – I guess I’m one of those.  Others want things new and un-cluttered of reminders of the past.  I’m a little of both, but I know I’m very sentimental too.  I’m a true mix of my brothers; one had no use for the old and cleaned up everything!  The other keeps too much stuff (yup – you know who you are!).  I loved and love them both dearly.  My little bro is more a little of both like me too I think, but more sentimental about a tractor than some dishes or dresses! 
 
As my Mom moves to the city, she calls me about this or that….I’ve a few too many boxes collecting at my sis-in-law’s place and little bro’s place…..she describes things to me and I go “toss it” or “Yup, want that.”  **Sigh**  She too is dealing with the past as we remember the passing of my Dad in June, 2011.  Where has the time gone?  I miss him still and my heart aches to admit how much of a hole we have from his passing.   Grief not as fresh as it was, still leaves its sting.  
Our past is our past – even if we dry clean it some of the stains and tears still remain.  Reminders of the journey we are on, marks that makes us who we are today.  We all age.  Deterioration visits us all.
Only our Savior gives us the promise of forever.
 
Ecclesiastes 3:14-15
14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Best Days of Your Life!

 
We’ve had AWESOME weather of late and it has made for great outdoor times.  Snapped up a used table and chairs for the patio that I revamped with good ol’ Rustoleum!  Sophie is enjoying her play structure and her friend from up the block visits regularly which she loves.  The boys are the boys, riding scooters, bikes, playing basketball, being hoolligans once in a while… 
We attended a nephew’s wedding in Texas despite storms all around us – had a great time with family (minus our working Dad) and took the grandparents along – I think they are still recovering from 15 hours in a vehicle with two teen boys and one demanding 5 year old.

 Steve got a day-bid and we are WAITING (me not patiently) for this to happen as he works nights until his replacement arrives or the earth shakes or something….  It will be such a joy for our family to have him home evenings!  Praise be to God for the joy to come!  Counting my blessings before they actually arrive. Chickens before they are hatched as well.
Feeling homesick for the North – my heart and soul are pulling me there, but reality keeps me stuck in Kansas.  Mom sold the family farm and will be moving to a condo, great guilt overrides timing issues for me and I’m so thankful for my brothers who are stepping up to help.  Gar flies in from Ontario this weekend to stir the pot and move mountains.  Time will tell when we are able to go that direction again.  Holding on to July family camp with guilt – but it is that place that fills our souls in restoration as a family I’m wanting and needing to hold tight to this time on limited time off from work.
 
May was a tough month for our teen daughter and we continue to struggle in this process of pain, growth, stretching ourselves, grace and forgiveness daily.  I found a quote I love “Some of the best days of your life haven’t happened yet.”  I like the promise that gives and so true when I think of this journey we are on….God too has given us that promise in everlasting life and we will have some “best days” ahead of us yet.  Challenging myself to dig deeper in my walk, disappointed when I fail but knowing tomorrow brings another day.  A fresh start. 
So, off I go – children are calling, my cup overflows in many directions as I lift my cup of life’s moments, cherishing the fleeting life around me.  

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