Games, Ice Cream and 4 New Moons...

When the first Treasure arrived in late 2001, who knew what a stirring it would cause in our lives. Our hearts took another plunge and we were forever bonded with this new little bundle. Since then, the other three arrived with such pulling of the heart-strings that no one could ever predict.

Spending these last three weeks with them have been very special. They live so far away from us---thank you very much---that any time we get with them becomes all encompassing. They are always growing and changing and everything they do makes me laugh....maybe not everything, but most things. They say the funniest things in their simple explanations of ideas. They make funny faces and their body language when they are aggravated tells its own story.

They make me thankful. They remind me how to have fun. They aren't perfect, but they are correctable. I like looking at them. When I see them, they are such extensions of their parents that sometimes it's scary. They are very excited about things happening in their family and their hearts are happy. 

For the last three weeks we have been swimming, traveled on the bus home, eaten snacks late at night, stayed up till way past the bed time, walked the National Mall, rode trolleys, had pedicures and manicures (some of us), played with guns bought by the soldier, won swords at the Fun Factory, played multiple rounds of Go Fish, and had lots of ice cream and milkshakes. It's been a great time with them. Most of all, the good night hugs and kisses---priceless.

I hope we are always able to enjoy the simple things like seeing a grasshopper and looking at it in awe. As much as I love these treasures and look at them in wonder, I think when God looks at us He sees the potential He created us with and laughs with the wonder of His design. He's the perfect Father....I just want to be an obedient daughter.

And one more thing...teaching them the value of "the moon"---another treasured memory.

All night on a sidewalk and #15

As a mother, when your child/and or children ask you to do something, generally you try to make it happen. So when my youngest asked if I could get a book signed by Tim Tebow, I said, "Yes!". That turned into the little boys getting one, too. I was happy to do it. After all, when your son, who is in the desert asks for one "small" thing, you will do whatever it takes to make it happen.

Plans were made, times were set and we were off. My man decided at the last minute to go with me in this midnight adventure, so we left home at 12:00am and set off for O Town. When we arrived, the line had wrapped around the building and down the sidewalk. So I took up my position as #250 waiting for the arrival and the most coveted signing. The man stayed in the car while I layed myself out on the sidewalk. He had made the trip to Walgreens and brought me back a small beach chair, Diet Coke and general snacking items. I was happy and thankful he had come.

Sometime in the quiet of the dawn, I began to second guess my decision when my legs weren't working too well. But, onward I went, all for the sake of the boys. It was a quiet line. I learned that people who follow Tebow are generally nice people. I made friends with most of the ones around me and we had grand conversation.

At 9am they began to move the line so people could go into the store, get a wristband and COME BACK! After my wristband was securely attached and my position to come back was solidified, I needed coffee. We went to IHOP and drank lots of the stuff.  Making this the shortened version, I got back in line at 10:30am. The signing was supposed to start at 2. So, I waited. The desert boy had messaged several times checking my line status. He was in this as much as I was.

Finally, the time came, we moved to the door and the line began to move. It took almost two hours for me to get in the door only to find out there was another line. It was ok..I was in, and #15 was in sight. We were given very specific instructions as far as picture taking was concerned. By this time, the energy was building in the room and the closer my cohorts and I got, the more excited we were. 

When my time came, I was ready. The Sgt. was on the phone so he could listen to everything that was said. I had my speech planned out. I had already snapped all the pictures they were going to let me take. Then, there I was, in front of this player we had watched from high school, to UF and now the NFL. Now, need you think otherwise, I'm not really concerned with watching football. I don't care....but when my children and Treasures do, then it's a different story. So I came to the table with the two books.  He shook my hand and while he was signing the first one, I explained, in lightening speed about my two little "Tebow fans" who play football because of his influence. He said to tell them, "Play hard and always play for God". I was immediatly trying to commit that to memory when he moved on to the second book. I quickly began the story of my son in the desert and that he had asked specifically for this. I then mentioned that he was listening on the phone and to my amazement he picked up the phone, asked his name and began a conversation. In that moment, I was stunned at the "realness" of this player. He took the time to speak to a soldier and it was amazing.

That one act of kindness, that one small conversation, that one indication of what Tim Tebow's heart is like made me thankful. Thankful that I spent the night on the sidewalk, went without coffee for several hours, scraped my finger with blood dripping down it, stood for the last four hours without much sleep and was able to make one much loved Sgt and two little boys happy.

There is no end to a Mother's or a Nan's love.

Faith It

My Mom taught me many things. She taught me to ride a bike. She taught me how to wash dishes and clean up the kitchen. She tried to teach me how to act like a lady and have some manners. That was a lesson that is sometime questionable in its learning.  She taught me to study and to always be learning. She taught me how to have fun and do things on the spur of the moment.

Those things are needful and helpful, but she taught me more in what she didn't say. She taught me to love God more than anything or anyone else. She taught me that helping people should be second nature. I learned going on visitation with her...not necessarily because I wanted to, but she made me....that people will never know about Jesus if someone doesn't tell them. She lived out the fact that family is valuable and needful. I learned from first-hand experience that discipline really does work. 

The last things I learned from my mom came in the time of great struggle and sickness in her life. 

"The journey" she called it. She would often sing "My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow." She was in her own wilderness suffering the last few years of  her life. Pain and anguish gripped her most of the time. But never did I hear her cry out against God. She clung to Him like a swimmer in the middle of the ocean with nothing else around. She cried out TO Him for guidance and comfort. She praised Him to other people for His goodness to her. I saw her comfort other people when they came to visit her. People were drawn to her....mostly they were drawn to the Spirit of God in her. She lived her life in such a way that others would know Him. She wasn't perfect. But she knew where her hope was. 

Mom had this written in her Bible.  

1. Look at the trial

2. Look at what the Word says

3. Faith it

Under that she had these words written---"Accept God's control. Accept God's care."

She looked at the trial she was enduring. She looked at it in light of what the Word said. And she lived her life to the final moment "faithing it".  

May I be so faithful.

The Faithful One....

Lately I find myself going to this song on my playlist over and over.  The message resonates in my heart.  In our youth group this week one student politely and mannerly said that he doesn't necessarily believe that Jesus died for his sins. "After all", he says, "I wasn't born then, and had not sinned yet." He was having a hard time grasping the fact that Jesus died for all sins, past, present and future. He believes that people can have their own beliefs and that's ok.

Where is the hope? Where is the faith? He doesn't get it. It's not within his heart, for if it was, then this song and ones like it would speak volumes to him.  I don't judge him. I was like him.  But then, I met the Faithful One. I had no hope within my own soul. I was a desolate piece of humanity. But then, I found the One that when the road is long and dark and full of pitfalls, He was there. And I found the One that when the kids are not doing the right thing, when the marriage is not all lovely, when people don't treat you right, when your financial side is questionable or life is just wrong.....the Faithful One is always there, alongside of me. He is always the One to fill my heart and mend my soul. He has never left me or forsaken me.

No one else is as faithful to me as my God. That's why this song speaks what my heart feels. He's faithful to the end, my true and precious friend. I hope one day soon the teenager will know within his soul what I'm trying to say...that I will one day bow down before my Faithful One and worship Him in His presence for Who He is. Because He is faithful to the end.


FAITHFUL ONE


I find no hope within to call my own For I am frail of heart, my strength is gone But deep within my soul is rising up a song Here in the comfort of the faithful one I walk a narrow road through valleys deep In search of higher ground, on mountains steep And though with feet unsure, I still keep pressing on. For I am guided by the faithful one. Faithful, faithful to the end, My true and precious friend, You have been faithful, Faithful, so faithful to me I see your wounded hands, I touch your side With thorns upon your brow you bled and died But there's an empty tomb, a love for all who come And give their hearts to you, the faithful one. Faithful, faithful to the end, My true and precious friend, You have been faithful, Faithful, so faithful to me And when the day is dawned and when the race is run I will bow down before God's only Son And I will lift my hands in praise for all you've done And I will worship you, my faithful one.

29 and counting.....

Twenty nine years ago and this moment I had checked into the hospital anxiously awaiting the birth of our second child. Jennifer had been safely ensconced with Grandma and we were ready. However, what I didn't realize was that 12 hours later, I would still be in the same situation---laboring. These were the days of NOT knowing what you were having. They were the days of "he-he"blowing and focal points. I have been known to say today that if I were having children now, I would ride into the hospital with a "Say YES to Drugs" t-shirt. And I mean it. 

Making a long, long, story short, Jared Daniel was born at 7:45pm, June 29,1982 and we have loved him ever since. All the pain and suffering that went into the birth of this 10 lb 3 1/2 oz boy was worth it all. He is a "one in a million" man.  God has great things for him and I am, once again, anxiously awaiting to see it all to come be. 

A Long Time Coming.....

No one tells you when your child enters the military of the days and nights of wondering WHERE they are, HOW they are, are they SAFE and countless other questions that can plague a mothers soul. When they hand you the little bundle that you just gave life to, you don't think about the day when all of a sudden you are NOT in control of their life. Now, I know that spiritually we are never in control....but in a parent's heart you really want to know that they are OK--physically and spiritually.

When the little birdies fly the nest with wings that have grown strong and tough, a mother longs for the time when they return for a while to the safe haven of her nest. It's where they started and where they are always loved.

I am waiting to see this one. It's been far too long for a mother not to have laid eyes and arms on this boy. He's been in the desert for quite a while and waiting for his return has been a long time coming.

Soon and Very Soon

In just a very few days we will be seeing a few certain people. These are some of the people I love most in the world. They make me smile. They make me laugh. They make me see the world through their eyes.

I will watch this one practicing football,

and I will play American Girl/Rock Star with this one,

I will probably be tricked by this one,

and surely chasing after this one.

I am so grateful that for now, God has blessed me with these.