I just miss her.

Goodness, today is like a solomn Monday all over. I am not sure why, but today i am just missing my sweet sister so much! Oh girls and girlfriends, cherish the gift God has given you if you have someone you call your sister. I am jealous for you in a way that wishes I had what you have, but still wanting you to have it too! Consider yourselves richly blessed and remember life is precious; cherish it. Believe me, in the grit & grime of life that thought is overwhelming and not real exciting, but God walks it with us, thank goodness. I am going to try and post a picture of my sis & me here in the next day or two. She was a blessing in my life, more than I realized . . . thank You Lord for letting me have her for awhile. Please tell her i look forward to being with her again. Faith, hope and love abide, these three. But the greatest of these is love. Dear Sis, I Miss & love you dearly! M.

1st Day Jitters

Yes, you might be thinking, "ahhh, first day of school sports practice", "nervous kids, 1st practice anxiety, what to expect, etc..." AND, You would be right (but not all right). Today was the 1st day of Kansas School Sports practices. Our oldest daughter, Ellen, is going to be a 7th grader and for ALL OF US, this is a first! Not only a first jr. high practice, but a first of our lives entering a whole new realm of life - after school activities and ball games we will be traveling too because we are her parents and we love her and want to support her and her team. Life, as we have known it, changed today . . . quietly, without much notice, but at 3:45 p.m. when Coach blew her whistle and began practice, our world moved--not 'earthquakey' like or 'tornado' like, but like a gentle passing breeze; routines were altered and we began something new. So, 1st day jitters belonged to Ellen, yes; but to mom mostly. I love that these girls are growing and I pray, growing in love and faith and a desire for God. Yet, i am selfish, and there are times i want, like Joshua, for the sun to stand still - let time stop and let me just hold on to these moments, this day, these girls. However, "there has been no day like that, before or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man . . . where the sun stood still, and the moon stopped." Joshua 10:14,12. So, I choose, Lord, to thank You for this day; for time marching on, for new opportunities, for learning and stretching and growing. In Your great name, Amen.

A good reminder: Be like a river. Not a flood!

Wow! Have we gotten rain. and rain. and more rain. and then after a brief respite, some more rain! Really, it has been crazy!!! Now, we have needed it and we are not complaining; however, as the rains came down so fast and furious at times we and our neighboring towns had flash flood warnings; some had evacuations; some without electricity, water in basements and so on... In fact, Ryan's mother's house had sewer back.up - which was caught in time but gross nonetheless (and we have been there a time or two ourselves!). Anyway, i am reminded to be NOT like a Flood, but MORE like a river - be life.giving; moving, growing, carrying life within it. Both rivers and floods are bodies of water - can be large bodies of water but unlike a river - a flood comes with warnings and danger and destruction and sometimes death. Lord, help me to be more like a river. To see life as a journey (not a destination), to be ever changing and growing and seeking new and different paths; to be life giving to myself, my husband, my girls, my family and my circles of influence. Lord, help me to be transformed from the deformed desires of this world and not get caught up in the on.slaught of what this world says we need to saturate ourselves with . . . the things, ideas, desires that don't lead us home to Him. Sweet Jesus, thank You for your 33 years on this earth where You taught us by being the true Living Water among us - may we drink plentifully from Your life giving well. Thank You Sweet Jesus for Your pouring out of water on the cross - when the spear pierced Your side and You poured out Your spirit so that we may all have part of You with us on this earth. In Your precious name, Jesus. Thank You and Amen!