"Peace I leave with you...."

As I read Jesus words to his disciples in John 14, I can think of no other words at this time that bring more comfort.
Peace in the midst of a storm is a precious emotion. Storms of saddness and loss are swirling all around us right now as loved ones say good-bye to their family member walking through the veil from this life to the next.
Another family didn't have time to say good-bye. Jen's cousins felt the full brunt of death come on them suddenly on Sunday, when their 3 yr. old son was killed in a tragic car accident. Today, Corey would have been 4 years old. I hear that there were 2,000 people that visited the family at his viewing. His life mission has been accomplished, even though no one saw his mission ending so early. My heart breaks for this family and they will be in my prayers for many weeks to come.
I'll never forget the life of little Jeremiah Kline. At 10 days old, he went home to be with Jesus, and his heart broken parents chose a phrase to put on his gravestone that I will never forget. "Mission Accomplished". At such a young age, his parents faith enabled them to say that his life and death was a mission that was accomplished. Oh, that we all would have such faith and comfort in the midst of such sorrow and loss.
Upon hearing of Corey's death, I also immediately thought back to the death of little Maria Chapman, the adopted daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife. I read their testimony weeks later and thanked God for sustaining them during such a difficult time. I appreciated their transparency and openness with how they were dealing with their grief and unanswered questions about why this had happened. Yet their faith in our God came through and even though I don't know them, I experienced a growth in my faith too.
Faith is living with questions that are not answered in this life. Lord, please teach all of us to live with unanswered questions and trust you more.

I can hardly keep up with my emotions these days. Two weekends ago, Danielle and I traveled with Candy and Abbey Walsh down to Louisville to visit Boyce College. She and Abbey are considering going there to study for at least a year. We were really pleased with the emphasis on the Word of God there. We'll see what the future holds. As I think about her potentially leaving this Fall, I feel a wide range of emotion. Excitement, for her! A deep sense of missing her, for me. In some ways, she reminds me of myself at that age. I love my kids. They are all so unique and different! I'm also excited about Seth and Micah coming home in April. Seth plans to finish at Columbus State, Micah intends to stay for a few weeks, then head back to Colorado. I knew if they saw those Rocky Mountains we'd have someone settling out there! I think Colorado is beautiful, and I can't wait to visit there again. Zac is inbetween jobs at the moment too - so I'm praying for his future direction.

Last weekend, the girls and I drove up to Mich. for a surprise party for my step-sister! It was awesome. My other step sister from Colorado flew in, and I was so thrilled to have time with her and her son, as we haven't seen each other in about 20 years. Crazy. I don't know where the years have flown. After a busy but wonderful 3 days with my family and our friends, the Crouse's, I met my college room mate (and bridesmaid!) for a late lunch in Lansing. After 20 some years, Becky and I had a wonderful time catching up with each others lives and we can't wait to see each other again. I don't feel old enough to think that I've been out of College for almost 30 years already.

On another front - Sophia was sick when we visited her on Tuesday. Please keep this family in your prayers. She's such a little trooper. We keep praying for her healing and asking the Lord to sustain this awesome family day by day.
Also on Tues. I saw my friend Christine, for perhaps the last time. Christine's family is all around her now, and she will most likely be with the Lord very soon. Please also pray for the Goodwin family. Saying good-bye - even when you are anticipating it, is still so difficult.

I feel a bit like my house today. A big mix of things. We've had it tore up for alittle over a week now, doing some remodeling. Dan and I thought these changes on the main floor would give us the "biggest bang for our buck." Our living room is in the dining room (couch on our table), my closets are in my room, my bathtub is filled with "stuff", there are tools and dust and mess just about everywhere. You know - remodeling. The one word says it all! I'm looking forward to the finished product, living with the disheveled one for awhile. Kind of like the new body and the promise of heaven that I'm looking forward too. It will happen! And that hope gives me peace and joy in the middle of the pain and uncertainty of these days. Last evening, I read a quick chapter from "A Midwives Tale", a book based on the diary of Martha Ballard that won a Pulizer Prize. Many of the accounts were fascinating, but one that I partciularly was amazed by was the story of the diptheria outbreak in 1769, in which a large percentage of the population died, mostly children. Martha herself lost three daughters, ages 2, 4 and 8. But these words just jumped out at me..."In the midst of all the death, Marth gave birth to another daughter." It reminded me that God allows life to come from death - as painful as that is. Joy does come after sorrow - Praise Him! We're going home to be with Him someday and that is a truth many of us cling to on a daily basis.

Back to John 14. I am praying Jesus words indwell each of these families today. When I read the "red letters" in my Bible (which indicates these are Jesus words)
I feel a special comfort today. He experienced our human emotions. He wept when his friend Lazarus died. He understands. He gives us Peace.

A Tribute to Life

The past two days have been full and enlightening for me. Yesterday, I spent the day with a perfectly delightful baby who just happened to be turning one year old. Sophia Hope! She was able to see her siblings for the first time in months - a visual that I will remember and cherish for a long time! The affectionate looks and kisses, and leanings into them to be held and loved yet again. I hung out with Sophia for the rest of the day so Ginger and Adam could have some time out with the other children that miss them so much. Sophia and I played peek-a-boo, "where's Sophia?" (she's good at hiding under her blankets) and of course, a bit of nap time. She is one of the most delightful babies that I have ever known. I believe that she has suffered more in the past 3 months of her hospitalization, than most of us will suffer in our lifetime, yet she remains resililent and strong. She is in a fight for her life, and yet she can still laugh and smile! She waves "bye-bye" to everyone that enters her room. (even the nurse that had the unpleasant task of giving her a shot last evening.) As I drove home last night, tired but so happy to have been with her, I envisioned Adam and Ginger bringing her back home to their little farm house with the goats and the dogs, and love in every room. I envisioned how her siblings will pour over her with love and attention. I think of how other's will hear of her testimony and marvel at the miracle of her life. I pray every day that these wishes turn into a reality for this family that I have come to love so much. So Sophia, I offer you a tribute today....Here's to LIFE!

Today I spent some time with another friend. Actually, another member of our Bible study group. Christine is also battling cancer, it just is different than Sophia's. They are in different hospital's - about 10 blocks apart. These two remarkable ladies, though years apart in age, both sat in my living room recently as we laughed and listened and shared some good fellowship over the Word (followed by food, of course.) Christine's life has taken a bitter twist in the past few weeks, and if God does not choose to miracuously heal her, she will be face to face with Him soon. Life is not fair. Hardships somehow turn up at our door as uninvited and unwanted guests. Our desire is to close it all out - and yet we cannot. As I watched this frail, lovely lady today, I thought about her life. A friend was painting her nails and her loved ones were around her. I wondered what she had been like as a teenager, what her dreams were at that time. I thought about her working hard to raise her two wonderful children. I wondered what it was like for her when she and her husband, a Pastor, had traveled together in these past few years. I thought about her as a wife, a mother, a daughter. Things that I am today. Her life has had immense meaning and purpose and yet all of a sudden, it seems so harsh that it should be drawing to a close. Yet her life IS going to continue on the other side - the side that we believer's long for some day. I'm excited for her new life to begin...a life so glorious that we truly cannot even imagine it. So Christine, I offer you a tribute today also...Here's to this life, and your next!

If I found out today that my life was to end in a few weeks, what would I do?
mmmmm.....that is a very revealing question we should ask ourselves. I'll quickly jot down a few things I would change:
1. I would spend intentional time in the Word and worshipping the Lord each morning.
2. I would give the best of myself to my family, instead of others.
3. I would snuggle with Dan for a few extra minutes in the morning, just to make sure our day started out on a good note.
4. I would take more time to vocalize to other's how important they are.
5. I would purpose to spend more time thinking grateful thoughts, than those of what I want, or need, (or think I need).
I would spend my life living it in a purposeful way, each and every day.
WHAT ON EARTH am I waiting for?

You know the old saying...yesterday is behind us, today is here, and tomorrow is just an unknown. I am thinking that Ginger (Sophia's Mom) and Linda (my dear friend, and daughter of Christine's) may be just a step ahead of me on this one.
But I'm working on it!

Tonight, instead of hurrying off to get some house work done, I sat down and had a really nice little chat with my sweet mother-in-law. (I told her, "I think I have too many friends" jokingly, of course. She said "you can never have too many friends." She's always been full of good wisdom!) I spent a few minutes REALLY listening to my kids and their friends just talk - about anything - about everything. I took some time to just laugh, and to write a few cards. I took some time to pray for my friends that are in "trials of various kinds", as James calls them. I thanked the Lord many times over today for my life, my family, my friends, and most of all, for Him.

Because He is the author of Life, my tribute truly is to Him.