We had a get-together yesterday with one of my cousins and I'm in awe of how wonderful it felt to share time with her, her husband and her daughter. Cousins have a special connection. Their backgrounds are similar and you know their parents who have connections with your own. There are common family stories and memories that tie your hearts together for life. You love the same people and share a bond that doesn't weaken with time. You share the same grandma and grandpa. It's a special kinship.
Most cousins know you from childhood and watched you grow up and mature. You can't fool them; they know where you come from and where you're headed. They know what's behind you and what's before you. Time passes and the age differences don't matter anymore. Although you didn't play together in their parents' awesome playhouse, you remember it as if you could have.
It's sad when you lose touch with some cousins but it is such a blessing to keep the attachment with those you can. It takes effort and love and time to strengthen the bond. A handwritten letter, a quick email, a tag on a Facebook page or a phone call is all it takes. I'm so glad my grandchildren are growing up knowing each other and caring about their cousins. Families are a blessing.
"Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family" (Acts 16:32-34 NIV).
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Remembering an Anniversary
Today would have been my parents 82nd anniversary. It doesn't seem possible that they have been gone so long but in other ways it seems like I've been missing them forever. My parents had a good marriage and they loved each other dearly. Their sense of humor got them through the tough times and their faith led them through a lifetime.
Mom and Dad sort of eloped with their parents' help. As I remember it they drove to Newton and got married with Grandpa and Grandma Springer as witnesses. They didn't tell anyone else and they continued to fulfill other commitments - singing in a program that evening. Daddy sang a song to Mama that kind of revealed their secret to the rest of the group. I remember they got chivereed, (I don't know how to spell it but friends came to their house after dark and made lots of noise to welcome them into married life). I remember Mama saying they had to give everyone a candy bar.
We had many anniversary celebrations for them over the years and they enjoyed reminiscing about their wedding day and their life together. They celebrated 65 years together in a wonderful garden party with many friends and relatives. It was a wonderful day of celebration. They quietly celebrated 66 years together and Mama died the following September. What a blessing their marriage was to others as an example of trust, commitment and love.
"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure" (Hebrews 13:4a NIV).
Mom and Dad sort of eloped with their parents' help. As I remember it they drove to Newton and got married with Grandpa and Grandma Springer as witnesses. They didn't tell anyone else and they continued to fulfill other commitments - singing in a program that evening. Daddy sang a song to Mama that kind of revealed their secret to the rest of the group. I remember they got chivereed, (I don't know how to spell it but friends came to their house after dark and made lots of noise to welcome them into married life). I remember Mama saying they had to give everyone a candy bar.
We had many anniversary celebrations for them over the years and they enjoyed reminiscing about their wedding day and their life together. They celebrated 65 years together in a wonderful garden party with many friends and relatives. It was a wonderful day of celebration. They quietly celebrated 66 years together and Mama died the following September. What a blessing their marriage was to others as an example of trust, commitment and love.
"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure" (Hebrews 13:4a NIV).
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Precious Eyesight
"The eye is the lamp of the body, If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness" ( Matthew 6:22-23 NIV).
There may be no other thing that we take more for granted than our eyesight. It is when it begins to fail us that we realize just how precious that gift of sight truly is. I have inherited eye issues from both of my parents - glaucoma and cataracts run in my family line. That is a good thing these days because there are preventative measures that can be used to prevent many serious eye problems.
When I was a child I thought wearing glasses was special because I didn't need them. I was about forty before I needed my first pair of reading glasses. My sight seemed to spiral downward quickly after that, perhaps because my job required so much computer reading. Now I need glasses to read anything and have a correction on my distance sight as well.
God gave us eyes to see and teaches us how important our eyes are to our lives. They help reveal the darkness around us and allow us to see clearly with His light. One psalmist stresses the need for us to open our eyes to the teachings in the law because they help us stay on the straight and narrow pathway to God. Thank you God, for our eyes that reveal the truth around us.
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18 NIV).
There may be no other thing that we take more for granted than our eyesight. It is when it begins to fail us that we realize just how precious that gift of sight truly is. I have inherited eye issues from both of my parents - glaucoma and cataracts run in my family line. That is a good thing these days because there are preventative measures that can be used to prevent many serious eye problems.
When I was a child I thought wearing glasses was special because I didn't need them. I was about forty before I needed my first pair of reading glasses. My sight seemed to spiral downward quickly after that, perhaps because my job required so much computer reading. Now I need glasses to read anything and have a correction on my distance sight as well.
God gave us eyes to see and teaches us how important our eyes are to our lives. They help reveal the darkness around us and allow us to see clearly with His light. One psalmist stresses the need for us to open our eyes to the teachings in the law because they help us stay on the straight and narrow pathway to God. Thank you God, for our eyes that reveal the truth around us.
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18 NIV).
Monday, June 1, 2015
Mornings
I'm a morning person. I've always been most productive in the early mornings. I write my blogs in the morning. I start my chores in the morning. I used to walk in the very early mornings. I would go to work early when I had extra work that needed to be completed. It's calm in the morning. It is quiet in the morning. The birds sing their sweetest songs in the morning. The sheep are calm and restful in the morning.
"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5 NIV).
There is nothing better than awakening early enough to catch the sunrise; God's morning masterpiece in full color. It is a fresh, new day to enjoy with a clear perspective on the world. A clean slate, a new page, an unused day filled with hours, minutes, and seconds, unlike any other. Carpe diem, seize the day, and use it to glorify the Lord.
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV).
"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5 NIV).
There is nothing better than awakening early enough to catch the sunrise; God's morning masterpiece in full color. It is a fresh, new day to enjoy with a clear perspective on the world. A clean slate, a new page, an unused day filled with hours, minutes, and seconds, unlike any other. Carpe diem, seize the day, and use it to glorify the Lord.
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV).
Thursday, May 28, 2015
The Earth Flowers
This is the most beautiful time of year for my flower beds. Most of my perennials are spring bloomers and they are almost at their peak. My hybrid lilacs are just opening up spilling a delightful fragrance all around the yard. My mama's old fashioned light purple iris are in full bloom shedding their own wonderful grape fragrance in the air. A variety of other iris are also flowering adding colors throughout the gardens and around the yard. There are dark purple, yellow, peach, and more to blend a rainbow of beauty.
My oriental poppy adds its striking bold orange to the flower bed for only a week or so but it is a gorgeous contrast to the rest of the yard. The root beer fragrance brown/plum iris stand tall contributing their beauty to the flower bed. With the purple salvia so faintly spoken, the bleeding heart's quiet pink blooms joins the chorus of melody and the bolder peonies rise above to ready their buds for a striking finale of deep red and bright pink in another week or so.
The snowball bush, tulips, and creeping phlox have all passed their prime but the tall phlox, black-eyed Susans and purple coneflowers will bring later blooms for summer and the chrysanthemums and asters add color for the fall days. Together they paint a beautiful landscape that only God can make happen.
"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come" (Song of Songs 2;12 NIV).
My oriental poppy adds its striking bold orange to the flower bed for only a week or so but it is a gorgeous contrast to the rest of the yard. The root beer fragrance brown/plum iris stand tall contributing their beauty to the flower bed. With the purple salvia so faintly spoken, the bleeding heart's quiet pink blooms joins the chorus of melody and the bolder peonies rise above to ready their buds for a striking finale of deep red and bright pink in another week or so.
The snowball bush, tulips, and creeping phlox have all passed their prime but the tall phlox, black-eyed Susans and purple coneflowers will bring later blooms for summer and the chrysanthemums and asters add color for the fall days. Together they paint a beautiful landscape that only God can make happen.
"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come" (Song of Songs 2;12 NIV).
Monday, May 25, 2015
Remembering on Memorial Day
"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy" ( 2 Timothy 1:3-4 NIV).
Memorial day is a day to remember and there is so much to remember. It's a day to remember and give thanks for the many servicemen and women who have protected our rights around the world so unselfishly. Those who put their lives on the line for our freedoms. Those who kept the battles out of our neighborhoods on soil that wasn't ours. Those who died or were injured so severely that they still carry the symbols of war on their bodies. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice.
Memorial day is a day to remember our family members who have gone before us. A sad day to cherish their lives and long for the day we'll be reunited. My parents and brother are remembered first with such great love and longing. But each of us have our own memorials to honor today, broken-hearted and lonely. Family members are missed and the love for them continues to be strong no matter how long they have been gone. A token flower bush on the grave says so little of the love and loss we still feel.
Memorial day is a day to remember our forefathers who bravely moved out to the prairies of Iowa to establish a home and farms to feed their families. They also created churches and organized worship that has remained strong throughout the years. A church we still call home. The pioneers who made their way though vast wilderness and beauty and needed to worship God and thank Him for the blessings he entrusted on their lives.
I remember.
Memorial day is a day to remember and there is so much to remember. It's a day to remember and give thanks for the many servicemen and women who have protected our rights around the world so unselfishly. Those who put their lives on the line for our freedoms. Those who kept the battles out of our neighborhoods on soil that wasn't ours. Those who died or were injured so severely that they still carry the symbols of war on their bodies. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice.
Memorial day is a day to remember our family members who have gone before us. A sad day to cherish their lives and long for the day we'll be reunited. My parents and brother are remembered first with such great love and longing. But each of us have our own memorials to honor today, broken-hearted and lonely. Family members are missed and the love for them continues to be strong no matter how long they have been gone. A token flower bush on the grave says so little of the love and loss we still feel.
Memorial day is a day to remember our forefathers who bravely moved out to the prairies of Iowa to establish a home and farms to feed their families. They also created churches and organized worship that has remained strong throughout the years. A church we still call home. The pioneers who made their way though vast wilderness and beauty and needed to worship God and thank Him for the blessings he entrusted on their lives.
I remember.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Gates
Fences are worth little if there is no gate. Gates are useful and necessary to allow animals and humans to come and go from the field. The gate is the entrance and exit. It is the way to and from.
On our farm we have many gates. Every pasture has at least one gate and often two so the sheep can be moved from one area to another easily. Some gates are closed to keep sheep out and others are open allowing the sheep to enter. The sheep often rub their backs on the gates as they move through. The shepherd moves the sheep to the pasture that has had time to grow and gives the eaten down pasture a chance to catch up. It wouldn't be possible without gates.
In the Bible the gate often represents the way to God and heaven. We must pass through the narrow gate by living a life that follows Jesus. His path is narrow and worn. Often the cities in the Bible had gates to protect them from enemies. The shepherds themselves served as gates and would lay down across the opening if there was no gate to close, keeping the sheep safely inside and guarding against predators. Similar to the shepherds, the gatekeepers for the Temple guarded all entrances. They were honest, and trustworthy and they protected the Lord's house and all that was there.
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (Psalm 100:4 NIV).
On our farm we have many gates. Every pasture has at least one gate and often two so the sheep can be moved from one area to another easily. Some gates are closed to keep sheep out and others are open allowing the sheep to enter. The sheep often rub their backs on the gates as they move through. The shepherd moves the sheep to the pasture that has had time to grow and gives the eaten down pasture a chance to catch up. It wouldn't be possible without gates.
In the Bible the gate often represents the way to God and heaven. We must pass through the narrow gate by living a life that follows Jesus. His path is narrow and worn. Often the cities in the Bible had gates to protect them from enemies. The shepherds themselves served as gates and would lay down across the opening if there was no gate to close, keeping the sheep safely inside and guarding against predators. Similar to the shepherds, the gatekeepers for the Temple guarded all entrances. They were honest, and trustworthy and they protected the Lord's house and all that was there.
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (Psalm 100:4 NIV).
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