Oklahoma

I just couldn't post about graduation this morning, with the tragedy that so many are facing and dealing with in our great state of Oklahoma.  I will later, but not today.  Please pray for everyone who has been affected by this tornado, especially those who have lost loved ones and those who have lost every physical thing they had.

Lauren's Graduation Party!

 

 Today our oldest graduates from high school!  While it seems like she's grown up fast, when I think back to when she was a baby, I realize it has been a while.

It's an exciting time for Lauren and for us, but a little bittersweet with the fact that our family will never again be the same. In fact, that's the thing that will make me cry if I dwell on it very long, so I'll move on to another thought!! :)

We're so proud of Lauren! Academically, she's been very successful.  In various organizations/sports, she's been successful.  But, most of all....we're proud of the young Christian woman she has become, and the example she has been to those around her.

Saturday we had a family party for her.....an extended family party.....with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles, her immediate family, and friends.

Grammy (my mother-in-law) made the cute cake and my niece helped out with the heart on top.  We decorated all over the house and had lots of pictures and memorabilia set up around the house.

Italian food was on the menu.  This shows marinara-type sauce on the chicken parmesan, but if it had been my plate, it would have been the Alfredo sauce!  There was also beef lasagna.

Lots and lots of garlic bread sticks!  We had 216 of them!  Probably 50 - 75 too many!  We're used to feeding lots of teenagers, where there are never enough of the breadsticks! :)

See the money hanging around Lauren's neck??!  It was a money gift from several relatives, which was all taped together and put in a cute decorated Kleenex box.  She had to pull it out in a roll!  So very cute!!

We took lots of family pictures. So much fun!

This is an older picture of Lauren with her best friend from birth, Kalli, at their Kindergarten graduation.

Kalli moved away after 3rd grade and graduated last Friday.  So fun for them together for each other's graduation and parties!

Here we are - our whole family.  The boys weren't too excited about lots of pictures!  I'll share other family pictures.

Lauren with Grammy. 

Lauren with Grandma and Grandpa

Congratulations, Lauren! We love you!

Joy Comes in the Morning

For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5
When I read this verse a few weeks ago, I immediately thought of the times when my children were babies and would wake up at night - sometimes for many hours at night.  Nighttime feedings sometimes seemed to go on and on.  I would think to myself, "If only I can make it until morning, then it will all be alright."

Why is it that if we're tired or troubled or angry or sad, at night it seems even worse?  Why is it that if we can't sleep at night the hours seem to drag on and on, but the daytime hours seem to go so much faster?  I think it's because of the darkness of night.  We can't see much outside and it makes everything seem gloomy. Sometimes darkness seems scary or even evil.

But JOY comes in the morning!  Everything seems better, and often is better, in the daylight.  What we might have been worried about or scared about at night, in the morning may seem like not so big of a deal.  But sometimes it is still a big deal, but in the morning it seems like everything will be okay despite that fact.

If my babies were up in the daytime for hours and hours without napping, I might have been tired, but it wasn't the exhausting feeling that I had during the night.  Joy always came in the morning, with the dawn of a brand new day.  I knew I could make it - no matter what - as long as the sun was up!

The promise of a new day is comforting, even in exhausting, sorrow, grief, pain or trials. It doesn't mean that the problem is gone, but it's just easier to face it and see God's blessings in the light of day.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

 Psalm 28:7

Thank you, God, for your promises.  Even in trials, I will praise you.  Thank you for bringing me JOY in the morning.  In you will I put my trust!

Just In Case You Ever Wonder

To: Lauren....In honor of your graduation from high school.

I love you, Mom

Long, long ago God made a decision - a very important decision.  One that I'm really glad He made.

  He made the decision to make you. 

 The same hands that made the stars made you.  The same hands that made the canyons made you. 

 The same hands that made the trees and the moon and the sun made you.  That's why you are so special.   God made you. 

He made you in a very special way.

 

He made your eyes so they would twinkle.  He made your mouth so you could smile. He made your laugh so you could giggle.  

 God made you like no one else.  If you looked all over the world - in every city in every house - there would be no one else like you.  No one with your eyes, no one with your mouth, no one with your laugh.  You are very, very special.   

And since you are so special, God wanted to put you in just the right home. Where you would be warm when it's cold, where you'd be safe when you're afraid, where you'd have fun and learn about heaven.  So, after lots of looking for just the right family, God sent you to me. (Note from me:  To us)  And I'm so glad he did. 

I'll never forget the first time I saw you.  Your eyes were closed, your fingers were curled in two little fists, your cheeks were puffy and round.  I knew if my heart God had sent someone very wonderful for me to take care of.  Your first night with me I heard every sound you made: I heard you gurgle, I heard you sniff, I heard your little lips smack.  I heard you cry when you wanted to eat, and I fed you.  

You're bigger now and do more things.  You can walk and run.  You can play and talk.  You can eat and sing and look at books.  You're not a little baby any more. But as you grow and change, some things will stay the same.  I'll always love you.  I'll always hug you. I'll always be on your side.  And I want you to know that. just in case you ever wonder.  

Remember I'm here for you.  On dark nights when you hear noises in your closet, call me.  When you see monsters in the shadows, call me.   On hard days when kids are mean and don't treat you like they should, come to me. If your grades are bad and your teacher is mad, come to me.  'cause I love you.   And I always will, just in case you ever wonder.  

Most of all, I'll be here to teach you about God. He loves you.  He protects you. He and His angels are always watching over you.  And God wants me to make sure you know about heaven.  It's a wonderful place.  

There are no tears there.  No monsters.  No mean people.   You never have to say "goodbye" or "good night" or "I'm hungry".  You never get cold or sick or afraid.  In heaven you are so close to God that He will hug you, just like I hug you.  It's going to be wonderful.   I will be there too, I promise.  We will be there together, forever.   Remember that. just in case you ever wonder.

~Written by: Max Lucado~

God's Frame

(One of my daughter's Senior pics)

The past two Saturdays I've had the wonderful opportunities to speak at women's events.  One was a Bible teacher's workshop and the other for a "Sweet Saturday" - a ladies' day event.  The "Sweet Saturday" had a special group of ladies that were in attendance.  It was several ladies who are living in a transition home for women who have previously been incarcerated.

I believe the lesson for Saturday was the hardest lesson I had ever prepared.  I needed to stay away from "Mother's Day" topics (which I'm sensitive about, anyway), but also needed to make sure it was a positive and inspirational message and not one that would cause bad memories or despairing thoughts.  God helped me with the lesson, giving me the right words to say at the right time to prepare them and write them down on paper.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

At the first Saturday's workshop, another lady spoke and I was able to attend her class.  She told about an illustration she had heard and it was so neat, so I used it this past Saturday as part of my lesson.  My daughter's picture above shows the illustration.

We are in God's frame.  He created us.  He knitted us together in the womb.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  He has your frame hung on his "family photo wall", you might say.  But, you know on some frames when you buy them there's no picture in them, just a blank page with the size and cost?  Or on a Facebook wall when it's just a silhouette because the person hasn't put a profile picture on there yet?  

When we're not a child of God, He still loves us.  He's waiting for us to make the decision to come to Him through His Son.  Your frame is on the wall, but there's no photo inside.  He's waiting for your photo!  But when we're a Christian, our photo is in the frame - hanging on His wall!  We're part of His family!

Just like old photos faded with time or photos are sometimes out of focus and blurry, our framed photo may become blurry as it's hanging on God's "family photo" wall.  Sometimes we need to have a retake like they do on school pictures.  We need a new, updated, fresh photo....one that's more clear and more crisp.  Sometimes we have to refocus our lives and get back on track with God.  That's okay.  His grace is sufficient.

What do you look like?  What photo of you is in God's frame?  He wants your photo on His "family wall".  He has had your frame there since the beginning of your life - in the womb.  Is He waiting on your photo?  Is He needing an updated and more clearly focused photo?

Reread Psalm 139:13-16.  Dwell on it today.  I love those scriptures, don't you?  What an awesome God we have to live for and to serve!