“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (the Message)

I am God’s masterpiece.
I was created for good works.
I was created for purpose – a specific purpose prepared before hand.

You are God’s masterpiece.
You were created for good works.
You were created for purpose – a specific purpose prepared before hand.

We are God’s masterpiece.
We were created for good works.
We were created for purpose – a specific purpose prepared before hand.

God created the whole world. He created you. He created me.
God created the whole universe.
God created you – just the way you are.
God created me – just the way I am.

I am so thankful for the assurance of His love fore each of us in the exact way we need.

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As I look at life another year older. There is not one moment of that “crazy idea” trip to the Philippines I regret. I am so thankful God, our Heavenly Father, provided the way for us to go to visit.

to help family.

to support the mission.

to have the experience of a lifetime.

I am looking forward to learning more about how wild God is in His love for us. for me. Through lots of study and good reads over the last year I’m believing it more and more, but I still feel as if I’m just scratching the surface of understanding His ultimate love.

I hope you know you have a Heavenly Father wanting and waiting to love you. Do you know this already? If not, I urge you click on the link and believe the verse. It is just one verse, but it is a starting point to great wonders. Maybe you have known this in the past but it’s become increasingly hard to remember.

Remember it now. I’m reminding you.

We are at the start of a new week. Easter week. I’m not against the easter bunny & all the extra easter stuff. However, we don’t do all those things – simply because we don’t have the money for all the commercialism and it is NOT why we celebrate Easter. The real reason we have Easter is because Good Friday is remembering the day Jesus died on the cross for my sins. [your sins.] Jesus took the punishment of death for me. [for you.] because He loved me [you] that much. He rose again on the 3rd day, Easter Sunday, after conquering death and sin. Of course, the days of the week may not be right – because the timing is connected to when Passover is celebrated.

Did you know this is why we have Easter?

All you have to do is ask. Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. Accept Jesus’ gift to cover your sins with His blood. It really is that simple.

The best thing you can do if you have asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, you’ve accepted His gift is to tell someone. If you don’t know who you can tell, feel free to email me (see the about page for my email address).

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Today I am Giving Thanks for: Freedom

I am blessed to live in America. I have not lived through the pain of the price for my freedom. I don’t ever want to take it for granted.

I realize there is a 50/50 chance I won’t like the outcome of different political races, whether local or national. But after today, it is a plan set in motion. This is the way our forefathers set up for our country’s government to hear the cries of the people. I am choosing to give thanks today regardless of the outcome, yet to be determined. I will still be American.

I was first born free as an American, then I was born again into freedom in Christ. I am able to freely worship my Heavenly Father and talk about Him – because of my freedom of  being an American. Others before me believed that was important enough to give their lives for. I don’t want to waste their effort.

Just as Jesus gave his life for our sins.

Our freedom from sin is a gift, a done deal.

We just have to accept it.

So often I get caught up in thinking I have to do something. I don’t. You don’t.

Just like I don’t have to do something to be American. I am American because of the roots of my heritage, my parents’ nationality. … All that said – I do have to choose Christ. My freedom in Christ is between God the Father and myself. Not because of who my parents are or where we live. I am not a believer because I am American anymore than I am American because I am a believer.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

This verse tells me I could choose the yoke of slavery, even after choosing freedom. I wonder how often do I do this without realizing it? I am eternally thankful for the gift of grace extended by my Heavenly Father. I mess up each day, yet He promises to forgive me each time I ask.

What about you – do you realize when you get caught up in thinking you  have to do something to keep/earn your salvation in Christ Jesus?

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Fall – one of many favorite times of year for me.
I am always ready for fall and the color changes…it also signals school supplies, books, and schedules (more favorites for me) :)!

A beautiful day on our local lake.
Bumpa with all his grand kids checking out how the boat rides.
Getting ready to head to Whittier. 4 of the 5 boys in our family went for a guy’s only trip with the boat to Whittier.

These were the two boys who couldn’t contain their grins, the big boys were excited too – they just didn’t show it quite as much. They had a beautiful day and a wonderful time was had by all. 

Vince created this ‘bread bowl’ for the campaign dinner mom & dad had last week. It is his cabbage leaves inside a birch basket. He really enjoys cooking and presenting food – this is a good thing :).Christine has started Rhythmic Gymnastics and is loving it! For several years she has wanted to do this, I’ve held off because I figured she was too young to really appreciate and practice what she learned. I think it worked – she is practicing all the time, she’s stretching further and further. She can hula hoop for a long time and controlled balance spin it on her hand too.

She has come so far in such a short time! Yes, she is hula hooping 2 hoops at the same time. That is a bridge on her toes!!!!

This was my creative outlet this weekend…3 pairs of jeans became 2 skirts for CJ.

To make a long skirt I had to use 2 pairs of jeans. Somewhere I saw this online, but I couldn’t find it again. Doesn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t have followed the directions anyway. 🙂 Christine loved that she got to pick the heart shaped stitching for the hem and the zig-zag is decorative.

This was a pair of Vince’s painter pants. I loved that I could keep the side pocket. The opposite leg had a hole split totally across the knee it was close, but I got it to work. The ruffle I had sitting done already, it was for a flower girl dress I didn’t make because we found one instead – and it was the perfect size! Vince isn’t real sure what he thinks of his jeans’ 2nd life. (I think he’s secretly pleased :)…shhhh!) He’s informed me I won’t disgrace his Carharts….we’ll see. 🙂 The other skirt was my favorite, until I made this one. 

There have been many changes for our little family of 3 this fall. I worked all but 2 days of the fair – wow! That was a really fun experience and I got to work with a wonderful team of people. Mom kept my kids, thanks Mom!! They were long days, but we all are able to now really appreciate I don’t have to work 10-12 hour days all the time for us just to live.

We are entering 6 weeks of school times 2. We are home schooling and enjoying life. In August I became a full-time student too, my classes are all online so I’m home with the kids and we do school together. I’ve also just started working a part-time job. It is a job the kids can come with me and so far they are enjoying working along side me. This is a new venture for us – for me to work outside our home, long-term, not just for a couple weeks. We are also working around 2 youth group schedules. My kids are Seniors this year and Vince is Middle School! Yes, I’m tired, but content and know these are all things that were waiting for the right timing. For whatever reason the right timing is now – all at once! The kids are old enough for this to work and we are happy. God is in control and He puts His plan in front of us. It is up to us what we choose to do with that direction.

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Serves 1:
Be blessed with amazing friends – the ones God gives you.
Excess of emotion – good or bad, what ever quantity is leaking out
Not enough sleep – only if you want to be extra loopy 🙂
Pain mixed with joy – NOT in equal amounts, God determines how much of each
Enough of God’s grace to cover everything
Mix with prayer & choose to focus on the glory of Christ.
Share with a friend or 2 who have mixed up their own batch. (otherwise this will fail)

Hickory – he really is a good puppy.

My very first rose bud! It smelled so wonderful!

Mom’s flowers on her deck – they’re just pretty.

It started to rain, not just a little bit, but DUMPING rain!

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This is better – her table decorations & a pretty smile.

A glittery card from a glittery Bumma to a glittery girl.

Can you say ‘Fancy Nancy’? This is a saying in our family, those of us who aren’t ‘fancy’ say it frequently. As far as mom & CJ are concerned there are many things that can’t be too fancy. We don’t even like tinkerbell – but look at her grin because ‘it’s glittery’!

I think the gift Christine will remember for all of her life….Bumpa gave her her own fishing pole, a good pole. But wait – it’s HOT PINK?! and there’s more – it LIGHTS UP when you reel it!!!!!!!!!! Vince considers this a disgrace to fishing, but CJ could not have been happier. (Can you say, seriously ‘fancy nancy’?!) 🙂

For Christine’s birthday last year dad gave her a ‘fairytale cottage’ cake mold… He apologized to me last year because he knew it would involve me. Yes, I made it last year. The non-frosted gingerbread house version shown on the picture. I cleaned it well & tucked it away – hoping, hoping, hoping she’d forget about it or for sure at least not want the same cake 2 years in row. Not so, last week she asked where the mold was & said she wanted a pink and purple cake. My only thought was “Yuck – the house again and it had to be pink & purple?” I put it off & avoided making it until today, hoping she’d change her mind at the last minute. Nothing doing, so here is the ‘Shabby Chic’ ugly-not-so-fairy-tale’ish cottage, and it’s pink with purple trim (the green things are 4 large trees on each corner of the house). By the time I got done with frosting this thing my thoughts were running along the lines of “What a horrible, mean person to think up this idea of 3D molds? Why didn’t they have any thought or consideration for the poor mothers who’d get stuck frosting these things! … or, Ugghhh, the Bumpa’s that fall for the gimmick and buy these horribly-cute-in-the-picture-only things?!…”

(yes, you are seeing 3 different outfits. yes, all these pictures are today. these are just the ones when I took pictures, there were a couple others-besides the 3 sets of jammies in all worn today. it was her day, so I said nothing — to her…)

I can not believe my baby is 9! It is weird to think I have 2 school age children, (not just school age but 1/2 way thru elementary school!) they are no longer preschoolers. Yes, I know they haven’t been preschoolers for a long time, but my mind still has them there. I want to keep them there. I wanted them to grow up with a daddy, not with just me as their parent. I have had a lot of thoughts about my kids not growing up with a dad in their early formative years and what repercussions the 3 of us will have the opportunity to live through as a result. I can’t control the outcome & I have to work at not letting these thoughts overwhelm me. I’m not to live with a spirit of fear, but I also want to go forward with my eyes open, with some idea of what to do. I like a specific list of what to do. There is a verse I read a couple weeks ago & it has stuck with me.

Psalm 138:8 “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.” This has been very confirming & comforting to me – He will fulfill his purpose for me. It goes well with a passage I’ve been hanging onto for 9 years now. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

• He will fulfill His purpose for me. (Each of us.)
• He has a plan for me. (He has a plan & He will fulfill.)
• A plan to give me hope and a future. (Is there any better hope than knowing our future includes spending eternity with Him?)
• Then I will call upon Him, pray to Him and he will listen to me. (He listens & hears me!)
• I will seek Him with all my heart and He promises I will find Him. (He promises I’ll find Him when I seek Him)

WOW! The God of all creation, the ruler of the universe, my Heavenly Father, my Saviour has promised He has a plan for me & He will fulfill His purpose with me. My part, seek Him first.

This is huge – I don’t need to ‘do something’ to make certain things in my life happen. I seek Christ first and all else will fall into place. This doesn’t mean I don’t act responsibly or do my best- but it isn’t up to me! Thank you, Heavenly Father for this provision. A provision I’ve taken for granted, not fully understood, still don’t fully understand. You have a plan & You will fulfill your purpose. Use me. I want my actions & words to glorify You & You alone. Thank you for being the father to the fatherless. Thank you I do have my dad & brothers in my kids’ lives. Thank you they are men who desire to live for You. Help me to teach the children You have entrusted to me to walk in Your paths, to seek You first, to rest in You.

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Yesterday morning at 9:10 the dump truck came with a load of gravel. The guys went to get the back hoe & it was time to work (play?).

Here is the kennel all set up & ready for Hickory to come…quite the plush set up :).

Today did not go as planned – and Vince handled it very well. We were here this morning & then we needed to take dad into Anchorage to pick up a van (it has front end damage) that he got for parts for my van….All this went fine & there was 50/50 chance he could start the van and drive home. The animal hospital had my cell # and was to call me when it was time to pick up Hickory, we knew we had until 5:30/6 to pick him up. We got to the junk yard & got the van – the guy started it & drove it out to dad, no problems! It was just 3:15, we were doing really well on time & very happy about this. I was supposed to stay right behind dad – easier said than done, but I was managing. We got on the highway & weren’t even to the Muldoon exit when I noticed dad was smoking from the left side, but the exhaust was on the right…so I called dad & told him. The heat gauge was fine & he couldn’t smell anything so he decided to keep going — he ended up taking the Arctic Valley exit & pulled over. We hoped we could make it to Eagle River to get some water. …. not so …. Dad took off down a frontage road (? I don’t know we were parallel to the Hwy, but couldn’t see it) & was following but there was a large work truck between us. A couple miles down the road I saw dad pulled over again.

The only usable fluids I had were a gal of windshield washer fluid & the kids’ water bottles. As fast as he poured those in they poured out on ground on the opposite side of the engine. Dad called Zach & he was able to drop what he was doing and bring the truck & trailer in to pick up the van — Zach to the rescue.

side note: Here is Christine on the side of the road waiting. Can you believe what I let her leave the house in today? Yes, that is jeans with a skort on top of them, and a long sleeve hoodie with a t-shirt on top. I think her thinking was if it got hot she’d be prepared…but they were in the wrong order… 🙂

As time ticked away it became obvious I was going to be taking Vince by myself to pick up Hickory….we were all nervous & it was a very quiet ride from the Ft. Rich exit to Palmer. But we did it, I didn’t get sick when she was telling us stuff, we got him in the van and drove home all by ourselves. For those who don’t know me – this is huge! We got home, Dad & Zach were here and Jane & the kids were here – so Hickory still got a grand welcome. 🙂

The kids checking out Hickory in his kennel. Vince is in the kennel with Hickory while he checked out all the corners.

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So this update is an attempt at a ‘shortened’ pictorial version of this anti-socialite’s life 🙂 – God stretched me to the point I feel like a rubber band that has stayed stretched out, no more ‘bouncing back’ to my original shape. So, if you plan to read all the way through, get comfy – consider this is your warning as this post is loooong. It is once again day by day for my sake when I’m trying to journal pictures later…or just when I try to remember why I am so very tired.

Plants on the deck are coming along. We planted a garden again this year, but we also wanted to keep some cabbage & lettuce (last year the moose got them). I told Vince he could make a container garden on our deck as long as he came up with an interesting container. He came up with the idea of tires – I love it! It seems the plants do too, we’ve decided the tires heat up & helps the plants grow well.

June 10th & 15th I went for training for filling in full time.
June 13th – 2pm was a bridal shower an hour away & at 7pm a wedding here.
June 16th-July 2th I worked full time. A very different life for the kids & I. My mom watched the kids for me. Mom, dad & the kids actually went to the cabin June 20-26th.
June 20th-26th I was home 100% alone & working all day. I haven’t lived that lifestyle since 1995! Life was VERY strange. They left Sat after the annual meeting at church – the rest of Sat & all day Sunday was the strangest. It was good for me. It was just long enough that I got past the weirdness of it & was happy when they came home. 🙂 Mom & the kids came home on the 26th.
June 27th was another friends wedding.
June 28th -mom, the kids & I went to town to go shopping for me to get things for going to camp & looking for clothes for my cousin’s wedding.
June 29th – after work we went into town again for more shopping…uggghhh, I really dislike shopping! We got home at 11:30pm!!!!
June 30th – after work I went to the airport to pick up Nate & Christina and their 5 kiddos. We went to eat in Anchorage. We got home 9:30pm & then visited for a couple hours. Oh yeah & I had to get a Creative Memory order in…
July 1st – Nate & Christina headed to the cabin. I went to work, then to a meeting for camp, then shopping to get the craft supplies for camp – home about 10:30pm.
July 2nd – went to work for half a day, went home & fell asleep sitting straight up on the swing on the deck for over an hour! Then 7’ish we headed to town again to take the truck to Jeremy’s apt for Uncle Dave & Aunt Sharon the next day. Home about 11pm.
July 3rd – needed to be at church by 12:30…at 12:15 in the Wal-mart parking lot, while sitting in my mom’s car, someone hit the car. No dents, just scratches – but still caused an adrenaline rush!
July 4th – was so different this year. This year I was at camp with other leaders & 46 students. Last year was the parade in a campaign year. Mom & my kids were home, they went to the parade & the Hughes’ picnic. Jon & Kathy got in & all headed to the cabin, there were 24 people there!

Our view when walking down the hill to eat or for meetings the Lodge.

FAMILY

Uncle Dave (Aunt Sharon’s husband) filled Vince’s love tank to overflowing. Uncle Dave loves to be in the kitchen cooking & so does Vince. He actually chose to stay home when we all went on a hike so he could cook with Uncle Dave for the rehersal dinner.

A small portion of our crew starting the hike.
It took 5 vehicles to get us all up to the mine! Of course I have many pictures of flowers. They were different than the ones going up the other trail. 🙂

Christine & I had to head down the mountain earlier than everyone else. The allergies were getting to be too much & I had to get to town to get paper for the wedding programs and back home for the rehersal dinner at 6pm.

July 9th (evening)– the rehersal dinner was at our house. How strange to have people from both of my hometowns at our house here. It was ‘mentally trippy’ :).

If I counted right we had 44 people here that evening.

At 12:30 Friday morning the 3 oldest girls had a sleepover in my bed.

July 10th –

The beautiful bride working on the bridesmaids’ bouquets.

Buckets of flowers!

By 1:30pm the centerpieces, bouquets, boutiners & food were as ready as they could be. So we went separate directions until 4, when we were to meet for manicure/pedicures. I went to Jo-Ann’s & Michael’s with mom & Aunt Sharon. We needed ribbon for the programs & something for the flower girls to carry.

I got my first pedicure. I figured it would be a fun memory for a first. I even got a design, one of the other girls got it & I liked it – so I copied her.

The table in the backyard during the rehersal dinner was Jeremy’s table. Kate came back to the house to get something she forgot & saw them burning it after the dinner (it broke when trying to move it), she was sad & mentioned she’d really liked the legs. Vince snagged a leg & made it into a hanging rack – sanding it down & putting hooks on it. He gave it to her at the reception – she recognized it immediately & loved it. He was so pleased!

Mom & Dad with the little car. Dad & Vince brought the little car into Anchorage. Dad chauffered Jeremy & Kate away from the wedding in it.

July 12th – church, gathered for lunch & then all gathered up at Zach & Janes for a hot dog roast – but first Christine & I went to church for the camp wrap up (a crowd of 80+!). Fourteen of our family friends also joined us. Jon & Kathy left late that night.
July 13th – Nate & Christina left late-afternoon (flew out at 5:30pm). Unfortunately Christina got sick & ended up in bed ’til the moment of leaving. I took them in to the airport, made a couple stops to return stuff not used for the wedding & then home for a movie with mom, kids & Gabby. Uncle Dave & Aunt Sharon went to a friends for dinner with Josiah, who left late evening.
July 14th – Uncle Dave, Aunt Sharon & Gabby had to be packed & ready to go. We drove up to Matt & Samantha’s for a BBQ, Nick & Beth (WI friends) also joined us.

While at Matt & Samantha’s, Matt took Gabby & CJ to fly over the glacier. They came back, landed & ate, then we left. We were there just over an hour. Then headed back to drop off BBQ stuff, pick up the fish and luggage to take them to the airport to fly out at 9pm.

This brings us to today, July 15th…It was the first morning I didn’t have to be up by 6:30/7am & out of the house by 8/9am…I slept until 10:20 & Christine until 11! Mom left to go for a campout with friends down in Ninilchik and Vince went to a friend’s for R’s birthday – so it’s just CJ & I. How weird is that?! Today, I got to actually stop & look at my flowers on my deck & how they’re doing. Guess what – remember my hibiscus I couldn’t get to hang onto its buds & bloom? I put it on the deck a month or more ago, I thought it was dead, I just didn’t get around to getting it to the garbage & I’ve basically ignored it. Yesterday (or the day before) I noticed a bud & today it had bloomed! It had all turned yellow & looked very dead. I’m glad I never got around to pitching it. Also, my pots that looked so pathetic have filled out nicely. For some reason though, my Viola’s that should only get to 6″ are all 12-18″ high….who knows. I’m just thankful they are all still alive & I can slow down, breathe & enjoy them now.

I must say I’ve learned so much in the last year & the last 6-7 wks cemented it. I feel as though this picture from last week’s hike very aptly describes my life right now. Beautiful, with bends & curves I can’t see around – but it is still good. All essentials there, just not straight, practical, functional – the way I tend to think is best. My trust is growing thru all this. For an anti-socialite who is used to requiring a couple days to recover from one crowd to see how God does give strength to make it thru multiple crowds in a week or crowds day in & day out for weeks on end… I’m tired but content. God has provided above & beyond, exceedingly & abundantly above all I could ask or think. I’ve been too tired to ask, but He knew what I needed even when I didn’t get it requested.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for knowing me – who I am in Christ.
Knowing what I need, when I need it & how much.

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This weekend was a true gift – a gift from God, family & friends (& friends’ family). There are 4 of us moms who were able to coordinate 17 schedules (8 children, 3 husbands, a set of grandparents & the 4 of us…18 if you count the cabin’s schedule too) to get away for a long weekend. Truly amazing! I hope to never ever forget the fun, laughter & tears of being with friends.

view from the deck

view from the ‘other end’

Thursday

We went to my mom & dad’s cabin. This included 3 vehicle transfers before the 6 hr drive to our 20 min boat ride. Thank you Dad!

Friday

Dad & Vince left on Friday morning which left us to visit, read, sleep, read, sleep & visit some more – then we had rib eye steaks on the grill, yum! We needed the naps due to lack of sleep Thurs night, there were too many 8 legged guests with us in the bunk house! Even after all the travel & the scream fest induced by these extra ‘guests’ crawling out from between the blankets none of us really fell asleep. There was dozing, but no true rest. These extra ‘guests’ did continue to hold their ground in the outhouse, but they didn’t get the big cabin (which we moved into)! That was the most trying point of the weekend – how blessed is that?!

Saturday

Sat was not a beautiful day, but it didn’t matter & it was warmer than Friday. We drank coffee, read, visited & hung out, took showers in our most airy shower ever — then when we’d eaten enough snacks & wanted to, we went to another friends house there on the island to visit & see the progress on their home. We then walked to the ‘other end’ of the island (2 mi) to take in the isthmus at low tide, the one restaurant & the art galleries. At this point it was sprinkling rain & we decided to make our way back to the cabin. We stopped on the isthmus for some jumping pictures…haven’t seen those yet but I’m sure they aren’t what we pictured we’d look like :). All of this was without any children, quite the novelty for this group. No kid snacks needed – we had dark chocolate, cookies (not healthy ones either) and sour cream & onion chips as the snack to keep us going. We ate dinner as soon as we got back to the cabin :).

Sunday

Time to go home. This time it was the hour boat ride & some shopping on the Spit before the 6 hr drive for just one vehicle transfer for the rest of the trip home…oh, the bonding that comes with laughter, tears, and more laughing (the make you sick to your stomach & crying kind of laughing) together.

How blessed to spend the weekend with friends. None of them really knew each other before going, they just each knew of my love for the cabin & trusted me to believe they’d also enjoy being there. Even though some don’t camp…but this wasn’t camping – just kind of like camping :)….we had an insulated cabin with heat, running water & ‘real’ (not generator) electricity. The only camping part would have been packing our stuff in & out – but we didn’t even have to do that! Dad picked us up & a friend brought us to the boat to leave – I know, we got off easy :).

What fun when we have the unity of Christ in all of us to share & love together freely. I am truly blessed, thank you dear friends for trusting me & putting yourselves ‘out there’, making the effort to come. Most of all – thank you Heavenly Father, for your beautiful creation and who You have made each of us to be. Help us all to live in a manner glorifying to You, to extend Your love & grace to others around us.

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Easter. What an amazing act of love from our Heavenly Father to us.

Here is a story related in my Bible Study this morning. (quotes from Max Lucado’s Bible Study, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus)

… since God is more moved by our hurt than our eloquence, he responded. That’s what fathers do.

…

That’s exactly what Jim Redmond did.
His son, Derek, a twenty-six-year-old Briton, was favored to win the four-hundred-meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway into his semifinal heat, a fiery pain seared through his right leg. He crumpled to the track with a torn hamstring.
As the medical attendants were approaching, Redmond fought to his feet. “It was animal instinct,” he would later say. He set out hopping, pushing away the coaches in a crazed attempt to finish the race.
When he reached the stretch, a big man pushed through the crowd. He was wearing a t-shirt that read “Have you hugged your child today?” and a hat that challenged, “Just Do It.” The man was Jim Redmond, Derek’s father.
“You don’t have to do this,” he told his weeping son.
“Yes, I do,” Derek declared.
“Well, then, ” said Jim, “we’re going to finish this together.”
And they did. Jim wrapped Derek’s arm around his shoulder and helped him hobble to the finish line. Fighting off security men, the son’s head sometimes buried in the father’s shoulder, they stayed in Derek’s lane to the end.
The crowd clapped, then stood, then cheered, and then wept as the father and son finished the race.
What made the father do it? What made the father leave the stands to meet his son on the track? Was it the strength of his child? No, it was the pain of his child. His son was hurt and fighting to complete the race. So the father came to help him finish.
God does the same. Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.

This made me think of things I’ve heard before, but for whatever reason clicked more with reading it this morning, Easter morning. If we as human parents will do anything for our children, often without really thinking about it & definitely defending our actions – How much more our Heavenly Father does for us & will do for us. He sent His Son to die on the cross, you know He wanted to spare Jesus – but it was for us He didn’t. His plan was to raise Jesus from the dead, also for us. If God were into the easier way of doing things He could have skipped Jesus’ pain, suffering & dying, but because the wages of sin is death He didn’t. Again, for us.

This weekend was very full of activities at the end of a full week and full of so many blessings. Two very special blessings I don’t want to ever forget…

One very special blessing – I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to have Vince do while Christine & I were at the Mother/Daughter Tea on Saturday morning….but at the Good Friday Service on Fri night a very special friend’s husband invited him to join him & his son to go out on the 4-wheeler & look for mud puddles! What more could any boy want?! Vince was so excited! When we got home Fri. night he got all his warm clothes & plastic bags with change of clothes for when they were done & getting back into the van ready for the next morning. On Sat when he was back with me & we’d hooked up with other friends he kept telling them about how much fun it was to go find the mud & puddles and go through them. I think everyone we saw or talked to (whether we knew them or not!) in Jo-Ann’s knew he’d been out on a 4-wheeler. I don’t think he’d ever been out to play on one before. I’m sure my dad & brothers will hear lots about how you can just play on the 4-wheeler, not just use it for work. Dad, this is your warning – :).

This was just funny to me….in the weekly clothes talk of making sure his jeans were clean for Sun morning, Vince informed me that for Easter he wanted to look “just like Uncle Zach”. He was going to wear his jeans, tennis shoes, Carhart sweatshirt & Meekin’s Air Service cap. It was funny ‘cuz he’d actually thought about it & then told me ahead of time. This really isn’t much different than what he’s been living in lately, except the cap. Zach you are missed :)!

The other blessing was Christine’s dress. I don’t really put much effort in a new dress for Easter, if it works – great, if not – no big deal. I do like to have something fun and springy & Easter means it’s OK to start wearing less wintry clothes. I had it in my head I really wanted her to have a polka dot dress or a white eyelet dress for going into summer (I know, summer is still a long ways away – but I’m desperate to see it coming). I saw Gymboree’s polka dot dress & it made my desire stronger…but when it was on sale, they didn’t have the right size. There wasn’t polka dot material (that I liked) at Jo-Ann’s for making one either. Then the white eyelet dress at Target went on sale. However, when Christine tried it on we didn’t like it. It was one of those that was cute on the hangar but not so much on. None of this was specific “shopping for an Easter dress”, just in life as we were out & about. So we decided she’d wear her beautiful “Nutcracker dress”, it’s cream/ivory so it’d be fine. My hesitation was I want it to stay nice for a wedding this summer.

Friends at the Tea…
what fun memories to be had in future years.

So, anyway…Saturday morning was the Mother/Daughter Easter Tea at church. On our way to the Tea a friend called. She had a pink/green polka dot dress her daughter had grown out of & she wondered if Christine would like it for Easter?…and she had it with her & we’d see her at the Tea. I about cried – not because I cared so much about the dress, but because God cares about such insignificant elements in my life. I’m all teary even thinking about it. I mean seriously – CJ had a dress, this wasn’t a need in any shape or form. Not only was it a fun, springy dress, but it has big pink/green polka-dots & it is really cute on!

A dress wasn’t even something I’d specifically prayed for. It just wasn’t that important to me, I desired it but it wasn’t a high priority. If God is willing to answer what I haven’t asked for so perfectly, abundantly, above & beyond – how much more so does He want to answer/give what I do pray about and things/situations that are actually important?! The ending of the above quote: “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”really struck me. Lately I’d lost sight of this, thinking so many of my ‘unanswered’ (I know, this just means right now the answer is ‘wait’) prayers were a result of me not praying right or missing something. It’s not about me. It is about Him. What glorifies & honors Him. His timing is perfect.

Heavenly Father, thank you for being patient with me as I learn & relearn & have to be reminded again – You want what is best for me, for us. Your power is greater than our every need, than my every fear. Your power has already conquered sin and death. Teach me to rest confidently in your strong hands. Help me to rely on your power, even when I do not understand why things are happening. Thank you for caring about insignificant things, the desires of our hearts, even when they could be labeled ‘silly’. Meet me at the point of my greatest weakness with Your perfect power, in Your perfect love. Thank you for sending Jesus to die & rise again for my sins, for forgiving me, so I can spend eternity with You.

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