A Hill, A Cross, A Wonderful Reflection on Truth

This was at the base of the mountain.

Sometime life takes you to the mountain top, but usually we live most of our life in the valleys.  We grow strong in the valley, therefore, when we experience the mountain tops we breath in large
breathes of wonder.

Benjamin and I had the unexpected wonder of ascending to the mountain top in Kerrville, Texas.  We were both moved by the craftsmanship, the view over the city and the truth along out path.  Benjamin took it all in and then asked to come again to show his dad.

These were at the top of the mountain, over looking the city below.

These was laid out in the shape of a cross.  Bronze statues at each point of the cross.  Scripture was in bronze along the walk way, in three different languages.  The final bronze hasn't been created  for the center of the cross. The final bronze will be Christ second coming.  He will be mounted on a white horse and the top will look similar to the first pictures of His second coming.

This cross is 77 feet and 7 inches tall. Benjamin is standing at the base of this metal-opened cross.

There are times that words can't express what you heart is feeling.  This trip up a mountain is one of those times.  I watched as my son soaked in the presence of the Lord.  We read each scripture along the path and I explained each statue.  We brought Bill back that night to see the cross lite up and shining over the Hill Country of Texas.

A Sunny TEXAS Pumpkin Day

We started out with Joshua using a hair clip (isn't that what they are made for?) as shark teeth to bite at Uncle Ben.  The car just filled with laughter.

As mentioned before, we must live in faith and not in fear.  We must pray and then leave the results up to the one Who knows the end results.   What better way to look at the discouraging news in the eye and say, "I have the courage to live", then to do just that.

Now second generation comes to the same pumpkin patch that we have visited for 16 years.

Bill took a half-day off from work.  After reading a quote on Kim's Field of Dreams, I decided the quote was right.  I was tired of just trying to make a living without living.  My husband has had his feet to the income wheel, without a break, for over  year.  I invited him to come join Benjamin and I in taking two of our grands to the pumpkin patch.

Tradition...you all get measured.  What is funny is this is probably the only record I have of must of my children's heights.  Benjamin started off.  I had picked him up from school so he is wearing his school uniform. This was teacher/parent conference week.  May I say, my youngest is doing excellent in school.  The reports were just overwhelming praise and grades for Benjamin.  He has adjusted well to school and I am starting to also.

This is Joshua's second year.  He says "cheese" when you want a picture and holds the "cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

Age 3 and has his Grand Mommy's heart wrapped around his finger.

This is Maverick's first year and I was determined to get him measured.  He wasn't too thrilled to stand up with us whistling for him to look up at Grand Daddy.  He will pay me back for this one day.

He us all smiles, which just melts your heart.

Picture with my boys and Joshua with "cheeeeeeeesssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeee".

Now I must do something about that grey in my hair. I am never pleased with pictures of myself, but I am so tired of all the years of not having me in anything, that I am determined to change that.  I was at all those events...................just taking the pictures.

Grand Daddy - Dad... enjoyed the day with us.  He and Mav became friends, which is what I called their bonding time.  Little Mav just giggled and giggled with his Grand Daddy.  Benjamin and I were running to keep up with Joshua.  Bounce houses, wagons, hay ride, pumpkins, snow cones, horses =living life.

I think this says it all.  We all just need to rest in our Father's lap and look for His guidance and relax.  

This eleven month old seems to understand that concept.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Prayers

Thank you all for your prayers as our family deals with loss of a loved one and a precious friend.  Both of their lives are still being celebrated through different services.

May we all continue to pray for those here in Dallas with Ebola, as the numbers begin to increase. May we remember all those who are suffering from this and so many other diseases.

  As we continue to replace fear with faith.  

Prayers - For the staff at the hospitals.  For their families.  For the ones who were serving and are now the patients.  For healing.  For this virus to come to an end.

Courage to Live

Monogrammed pumpkins by "Grand Mommy" for her precious grandsons!  This is the life.

You turn on the radio, the television, the computer, Face Book and any media to hear the latest report.  Yes, I live very near Dallas, Texas (within 30 minutes) and we are now known for the first victim of Ebola to die in the United States; therefore, we live with daily Ebola alerts.

Before Ebola alerts there were alerts for West Nile virus and before that we had daily counts of those infected with and dead from the flu.

If it isn't a health alert, there is something else. There was a time we were cautioned to not gather in large arenas due to terrorist threats on America.

As I strolled, pushing my grandson's stroller, I thought, "you know Lord, it takes Courage to live."

All through scripture the Lord tells us to have courage.  You have to have courage to live each day with all the things threatening to take life from us.

Another pumpkin for one of my three little pumpkins!

As I contemplated not going to our Texas State Fair this year, I decided I was going to live.  As the fear is released through all forms of media, I realized that it takes from us the same thing we are trying to keep.............our life!  We stop living in order to preserve our life.

God didn't give us a spirit of fear.  He sent His son so we could have life and have it more abundantly.  He is the one who knows the day of our birth and the day our earthly lives come to an end. If I allow the enemy to rob me of the life I am trying to preserve, then I have forgotten who holds life in His hands.

Does that mean not to be wise?  No, but even having children takes courage.   Statistics show that one out of every four pregnancies ends in a miscarriage.  I am one of those stats, having had three miscarriages, but I also chose not to let life be taken way by statistics.  Although some never conceive, if I had given into the fear, I wouldn't have the six blessings that call me Mom today.

I will close this week attending a funeral, but I opened today with a resolve to live life to it's fullest and not let the news of the sinful world rob me. The "what-if's " will zap the life straight out of us while we are still alive.   I want to walk in courage to live life.  In so doing, I am also honoring those who have been taken from this life earlier than we would have wanted.  Isn't our best gift to our Creator one of living life to its fullest?   Do you need some courage to live life?   Now where are my tennis shoes so Benjamin and I can go to the Great State Fair of Texas?!?!?!

When All You Know is He is God and He is Good

Our family is walking through a grieving process this week.  On Saturday two precious people were taken from this life.  One was a lifetime friend of my husband.  Their first pictures together are in the crib.  They grew up in the same church, became room mates prior to marriage, sang together in a group they formed, recorded a Christian album. He sang in our wedding 34 years ago, and they worked  together at the same company for years.  Saturday he was taken before the throne after a battle with brain cancer.  Their album was dedicated to the church where they all received their spiritual training. On the dedication was this verse  -  "I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known thy faithfulness with my mouth." Ps. 89:1

That same day, a cousin of my daughter-in-law was lost through a tragic accident.  His short life of 31 years leaves a very big hole in the family.  His life touched many with the joy of life.  

God isn't afraid of our struggles or questions when things like this happen.  David cried out and so did Job, yet we each have to walk out our grief.  Each tragedy doesn't take away from the fact that God is still God and we are not.

My heart is heavy this week as I watch my love ones walk out their grief.  I can't kiss the boo-boo away for my son and daughter-in-law, nor can grasp the loss of a husband to cancer. 

I do know that God is good all the time and He is still God.

Ecclesiastes 3 New Living Translation (NLT)

A Time for Everything

3 For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

Dear God Morning

As you all know I hate clocks, not because I am an unscheduled person, I am an internal clock person.  My whole body closes down by 10:00 pm and I jump out of bed by 6:00 am without an alarm.  I hate the clocks always telling me I have to be on a schedule.  Maybe hating clocks is because I am a 53-year-old-woman who has been  parenting for 31 years, and had to be on a schedule for as long as I can remember.

So when I saw the light streaming through the bedroom blinds I knew I had missed it!  Benjamin has an internal clock also, but he still uses an alarm.  He usually hits the floor ready to go about the time it goes off.  I am usually already up enjoying my chai tea, but Not today!!!

I gasped as I realized we only had 15 minutes to dress, eat breakfast, make lunch and get into the car.  If we miss our leaving time the traffic will cause him to be late.  Our streets are under construction and what should be a 10 minute drive can become 30 minutes with school traffic.

He jumped up as I screamed, "We missed the alarm, we are going to be late."  His willing spirit jumped up, dressed and started his day, as usually, with a happy dispostion.  He gobbled down his cereal, not the protein packed breakfast I had planned in my head, while I grabbed items for his lunch.

We ran to the car...................5 minutes late from regular time for departure.  I silently ask the Lord for favor.  I explained to Benjamin that he might have his first ever tardy, but I was trying.


In the back seat was his Bible, which was left in the car from Awana club on Wednesday night.  I asked him to turn to Psalms.  The peace of God started to flood over me before he started reading.  I had him then turn to Proverbs 3 for the day.   He continued through Proverbs 3, while we moved through the light that had taken three turns to allow us through the intersection. I pushed my gas pedal, but within the speed limit, to move us faster toward school. I give a name for each day and Thursday is Thankful Thursday, so we both started our thankful list, now that totally changes your attitude. We prayed as we continued on.

He continued to read as I put on my blinker to turn onto the street of his school.  He looked up and said, "we have 5 minutes!"  I said, "Yes, we made it!!!"

God is faithful even when we are not.  His mercies are new each morning.  He also knows when a mom is trying her best.  So many moms walk under self-condemnation at not getting it all done.  I am one who makes longer list of my failures than my accomplishments.  I am so glad there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.  And yes, the world wouldn't have come to an end had he had a tardy, but for this day, God allowed us to arrive on time. He met us this morning in a special way. He is alive! Oh how He loves you and me!!