Tag: Remembering

Joy and Peace

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou10 Comments

After I had my third child–Sean James, I experienced postpartum depression.  It was bad. 

I remember going to a woman’s gathering, and telling my best friend, (Becki Crain), how depressed I was.  Our conversation was overheard by another woman, who proceeded to tell me that if I trusted in Jesus, I would not be depressed.  My countenance fell, sorrow filled my soul.  My friend Becki had compassion in her eyes as she looked at me, and then turned to the other woman and said, “One thing doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the other.”

I relate that story because it has not been my first time, and it probably won’t be my last time, of being judged by other people, and somehow feeling diminished in the process.  My first response to this judgement is to want to defend myself.  They don’t understand.  Perhaps I could make them understand.  Perhaps if they understood and agreed with me, I would somehow feel restored.

My second reaction is to try to avoid such people and such encounters in the future.  Certainly, after my son Sean died–I did isolate myself.  My wounds were too great to have others inadvertently touching them with their clumsy words and possible judgements.  When I did experience judgements and corrections—my response was to lash out in anger.

Awhile back, I experienced a situation where I felt judged and misunderstood.  I felt very vulnerable.   I walked away from that time, so angry with God.  How could He not protect me?  How could He have allowed me to be so hurt?  Then I turned the anger on myself.  How could I have put myself in a situation where I would be so vulnerable?

For the past four years, I’ve been going to Celebrate Recovery.  Everyone there is dealing with hurts, habits and hang-ups of some sort or another.  When we meet in small groups, we start each group by reading through a list of guidelines –things like we aren’t there to fix each other, rather, to listen to each other, and so after each person takes 3 to 5 minutes to talk about their own recovery–no one says anything to fix them.  I must tell you—this is glorious!!  It definitely gives me a feeling of being safe, heard and understood. (I highly recommend a group like this.)

So—how did I process the previous situation?  Well, like God used my friend Becki to comfort me, and correct the other woman, God used another Becky to give me a book, which I read, which greatly comforted me.  But mostly, God showed up.  Once again, I saw that God is near to the brokenhearted.  God, Himself, comforted me.  He reminded me that my value and significance was not found in anyone or anything but Him.  Others may have legitimate things to say to me—even though they may hurt me at the time– however, everything they say must be brought to the feet of Jesus to see if it is legitimate, and to act on it, if so.   

I was able, after that time with the Lord, to speak with each of the people who had spoken to me, not in anger, but in love and forgiveness.  I knew this was the gift of the Holy Spirit to me.  This was the work of God in my life.   Going through this experience has helped me see that I don’t need to avoid people for fear of being hurt by them.  People are not my God.  God is my God, and His love is never failing.  His will is to give me His Joy and Peace—which surpasses all understanding.

May We Be Encouraged!

The Ravages of Time and Eternity

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou8 Comments

When I was young, my uncle used to take movies of us–and he put them on a reel to reel.  I’m not even sure where the movies are now–perhaps they are lost in the ravages of time.  I’m trying to preserve my memories–through using the latest technology to transfer photos and videos—to the digital world and save them for the next generation. 

However, much of our history gets lost to the ravages of time.  I remember my chemistry teacher telling me that if things are not taken care of they will decay at a very fast rate.  They will still decay, even if they are taken care of–just at a slower rate.

When I was a young bride, my husband’s family took a trip to Canada to visit family.  As part of our trip, we went to an old town that my husband’s grandfather had lived in growing up–except no one lived there anymore, and the town had reverted to dust.  There were a few stone foundations left standing–but the town and its structures had literally disappeared.  It was very eerie.  

What is my point?  My point is that everything eventually will decay and disappear.   

This is a really good reminder for me.  It helps me to really look at what is important in life.

Ultimately–the “things” will not last.   But God–He is eternal, and He has given me and you and all of us– eternal souls.   We will last beyond the ravages of time.   

God has placed eternity in our hearts. That is quite a thought isn’t it–God has placed eternity in our hearts. No wonder we aren’t satsified and keep wanting more. We want eternity. We want the Eternal One, and the Eternal One wants us. The Eternal One gave everything He had to make us His own, to kill the sin nature that lives inside of each of us, and bring to life the Eternal soul that rests within each of us. Our God wants to be One with us, and wants us to be One with each other.

He came to earth to show us how He is a God who wants to serve us, to love us. He wants us to turn around and love and serve each other. He put eternity in our hearts.

So Let Us Be Encouraged!!

Real life vs. dream life

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou19 Comments

What do you do when reality does not meet your dreams?  When I was young, I used to dream of being loved and married to a very romantic person. I think many of my dreams were formed by reading romance books and watching romantic movies.

As a single person in my late twenties, I would often chat with friends about what my husband would be like.  He, (this mythical creature), would tell me how wonderful I was, and fill my life with his poetry and prose.  My friends would laugh at me, and tell me they couldn’t wait to meet this amazing specimen of a human being.  (Just so you have a picture in your mind of who I was picturing—I grew up in the time of Star Wars–and I would have chosen a Luke over a Hans Solo—every time.)

Then I met Rich, my husband.  He was definitely a Hans Solo type of guy—not a Luke.  When we first met, I immediately assessed that he was not my type. However, I thought we would be good friends.   But then, he kept serving me, and showing me through his acts of kindness—that maybe he was my type after all.   Plus, children loved him, babies loved him—and I found that wildly attractive.

My husband and I were on staff with a Christian organization, and our friends were spread across the country and the world.  However, every two years we would meet in Colorado for staff training for a few weeks. 

Staff training was taking place 3 weeks before our wedding.  Many of my friends would be meeting Rich for the first time.  One of my roommates for that staff training was a sweet, gentle soul from Hawaii.  (She and I had shared an adventure in New York City together–click here for that story. 🙂 )

After meeting my husband she looked at me rather mischeviously–and asked if Rich was as romantic as I had hoped for.  (I think she could tell he was definitely a Hans Solo kind of guy.)

“No”, I answered, “but he has other really great qualities.”

That week, my friend got to see those really great qualities in action, as I got the stomach flu.  Suddenly, my hero sprang into action, and took care of me, bringing me trays from the cafeteria–filled with food that I could eat—like jello, broth, ginger ale, and crackers.   He did not care if he would get sick himself–he just demonstrated his love through his acts of service.  I remember my friend telling me, “Wow, Rich really loves you. I wasn’t so sure about him, until I saw the way he treated you, and served you. He really is your Prince.”

This past week, I’ve been sick again, (as have my daughters), once again, my hero sprang into action, taking care of all of us, demonstrating his love, time and time again.

Why do I tell this story?  I think many of us have similar stories.  We expect and desire love to come in a certain form.  Words mean a great deal to me–so I look for love through words.  Sometimes, I can be looking for love in one way, so much that I miss seeing it, in the way it is being offered.  My “dream” is a cloud that can be blown away, but my reality—it is rock solid land–that can be stood upon, and depended on.   The land is not smooth, it is rough to walk upon at times–but it is a good land—a gift from a good, good Father—-who often gives us gifts we really need, not just what we think we need.

So as we enter into this New Year, let us be thankful to the God who sees us and hears us and answers us, and let us BE ENCOURAGED!!

This Christmas all my children and grandchildren were with me and my husband.  When I say all–I also mean my son Sean, who died 12 years ago in September of 2013.  

I’ve experienced this phenomenon before– where Sean’s presence is so strong at Christmas. I can hear his voice in my ear.  I sense him all around the house.  I’ve talked with others who have said goodbye to their loved ones, and they have had similar experiences.  However, others have not had these experiences.   I don’t know what it means.  I have just been grateful to have had the experience.

On Christmas, as I was hugging my 3 year old granddaughter, she said out of the blue, “Uncle Sean”.  I started crying in earnest.  Later I told my granddaughter how glad I was that she said her Uncle Sean’s name, and that was a great gift to me to hear his name.

I have never really wanted to discuss these experiences too much, because we live in a culture where things have to be seen and touched and measured—for them to be real.

However, scripture tells us that we are living souls—that there is a part of each of us that cannot be seen or touched or measured—yet it is the realest and most alive part of each of us.

This is the season we celebrate God’s great gift to all of us–the gift of eternal life, the gift of forgiveness, the gift of a relationship with Him.   He is the One in whom we live and have our being—the One who surrounds us and from where there is nowhere that we cannot go. This God  gives breath to each of us.  This God,emptied Himself, and became human and dwelt among us.  This God is reconciling the world to Himself.    

For some reason, this God allowed me to experience the presence of my son. Perhaps as a reminder that when we die, we still live on, and we will see each other again.  We will be with each other, through all of eternity.  Death will not win.  Evil will not win. Love will triumph.  Love will never fail. God will have the last Word. 

May these thoughts bring peace to you, if you are grieving.  May these thoughts bring hope to you if you are hopeless.  May these thoughts bring you courage—if you need courage.  May these thoughts bring love to you—for you are loved—with an everlasting love!! 

May we be encouraged!!

Are you having a “Gift of the Magi” Christmas?

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou7 Comments

Are you having a “Gift of the Magi” Christmas?  I love the story of the Gift of the Magi–where the wife sells her long hair to buy her husband a platinum watch chain for his golden pocket watch, (an heirloom from his family), and the husband sells his prized pocket watch to buy his wife a set of decorative combs for her beautiful long hair.  The story reveals the love they had for each other–that they were willing to sacrifice something that they both valued–for the sake of the other.  Often it is in the midst of want and need–that love shines through.

I have my own story of a Christmas where I felt great want and need.  It was many years ago.  I was a young wife and mother, with just one child–a one year old.  My husband had started working as a carpenter for a construction company.  He was making $6 an hour.  I was a stay at home mom.  We were very, very poor.  And I was feeling the sting of being so poor.  

Both my husband and I love to give gifts to each other, and to others, and we could not afford very much.  I had been scrimping and saving to set aside some money to buy gifts.  I ended up buying my husband some carhartt overalls and a flannel shirt.  (He needed them desperately for work.)  I also got him a train engine.  (My husband has a hobby of collecting model trains–and every year for Christmas, he puts a Lionel train set around the Christmas tree.)

My husband got me an antique tea pot with sugar and creamer.  We bought our son a toy train set.  

Except for the Carharrt overalls–we probably paid $100 for all these gifts.  But it was not the cost that mattered–it was truly the thought.  I still treasure that teapot.  I still remember the thoughtfulness of the gift.  You see, when I got married, my mother gave me the tea set–the cups and saucers she had received as a wedding gift. 

So, when I opened the gift of the Tea Pot and sugar and creamer that matched that tea set, I was so, so touched at the thoughtfulness of the gift.  I will never forget that gift.  (Sometimes when there are so many gifts—it is hard to remember all of them—but when there is just one—and when that one is so thoughtful—it becomes elevated—never to be forgotten.)

This time of year—there are many gifts—there are lights and decorated trees and parades and joy!!  The whole world seems to be celebrating the greatest gift we have ever received—Jesus!!

At a time when there was great need, great want—Jesus came.   There is still great need and great want—and Jesus is still God’s gift to us—the One never to be forgotten—the One the whole world seems to be celebrating this time of year.

I hope and pray that if you are experiencing a Christmas of great need and great want—that you’ll see that God thought you were so important and so valuable—that He gave to you—a Gift beyond any price—the Gift of His Son.   I hope that this Gift will be elevated in our hearts above all others.

May We Be Encouraged!! Merry, Merry Christmas Everyone!!

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou14 Comments

Every year, our family puts up our Christmas Tree.  We get out the boxes of decorations–they are in red tubs with green lids, and each ornament is nestled in its original boxes—I am bragging about this area of my organization, as it is the only area I can brag about. 🙂  We make hot cocoa, have some cookies, and decorate our tree.

I love decorating the tree.  We usually buy an ornament to commemorate a vacation we took, or a special trip we took and so decorating the tree is a walk down memory lane.  We talk about the trip or remember the people who gave us the baby ornament, or any ornament we put up on our tree. 

After Sean died, this usually wonderful tradition of decorating the tree became a tradition that led to grief.  Every ornament became a memory with his memory attached.  “Remember, we got this ornament when we took the trip to Florida and we went to Disney World?”   Then I would remember how Sean wanted to go to Florida to Disney World so badly.  There were T.V. shows on the Travel Channel highlighting the Disney Parks, and he would watch them over and over again.

“Mom, can we go to the Disney Parks?”  “Well, Sean, you can pray about anything, so you can pray that we go to the Disney Parks.”   In my mind, I didn’t know how this would ever happen, it seemed unlikely to say the least, but when my daughter told me all she wanted In the whole world was a baby sister, (she was 5 at the time), I told her the same thing—”well, you can pray about anything, so pray for God to give you a baby sister.”  I was thinking we could look into adoption.  Instead I found myself pregnant at the age of 45, giving birth to a baby girl at the age of 46. 

Sure enough, shortly after my son started praying to go to the Disney Parks, my sister-in-law called my husband and she wanted to plan a family trip with our families and their parents to go to the Disney Parks.  (Their parents had a time share that we used the points from to book timeshares in Orlando, and my sister-in-law knew the websites to get the best deals on the Disney tickets—and so we found ourselves down in Florida—in the Disney Parks!!)  We had a blast!!  Sean had a blast!!

 Looking at the ornaments–led to all those memories, which led to grief, but it also led to remembering the answered prayers as well. This helped us stand in the reality that God exists, and He loves us, He listens to us, He cares for us.    

It was very difficult to continue with this tradition of decorating the tree.  We celebrated our first Christmas without Sean a mere 3 months after we lost him.  We were still in a state of shock.  My husband and I thought we needed to continue with our traditions, that the children needed these things to bring the past into our present and our future.  Even though it felt like everything had changed, some things remained the same.   God’s love remained the same.  We have found that each year, there is more of a blessing in the remembering, than grief.  It has helped to bring Sean into our present and will help bring him into our future.

 Just writing this story, I am remembering my daughter praying for a baby sister, and God answered!!  God does not always answer these types of prayers—as my nieces who were only daughters will attest—but He did for my daughter.  Perhaps because He knew that she and all of us would need this baby in the days to come, (our baby was 6 years old when her brother died.) She would bring us God’s comfort and love in her hugs and kisses and declarations that, “Sean is in heaven, and we are going to heaven too, we will see him again.”

Christmas is celebrating that God left heaven and came down to earth in the form of a baby.  “Immanuel” means “God is with us.”   In John 1: 1,14, we find this concept of : The Word is God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  

In Romans 8:31, it says, “If God is for us, who is against us?”  In other words–it doesn’t matter who is against us, because God is so big and great, we are covered by Him.

Romans 8: 38, 39 also says– nothing can separate us from His love.

I am here to bear witness to these truths.  God is With Us.  God is For Us.  Nothing—not death nor life, nor any created thing can separate us from His love.   Not losing a child, or the grief that this loss brings, or any other problem in the entire world can separate us from His love.

If you are having trouble believing this, I want you to think about how much you love your children, and you are a mere human being. If you and I can love with such passion as imperfect human beings, imagine how a perfect, infinite being who considers us His children—loves us.  It is not so hard to imagine when we think of it in those terms—is it?

However, God’s thoughts are greater than my thoughts, and His ways are greater than my ways.  Sometimes, (ok—many times), I question God and what He is doing in my life.  I questioned Him many times for taking my son.  I have come to the realization that God is not upset with my questions, but sometimes His only answer is to wait on Him, and trust Him, even if I don’t know the answers, I can trust Him, I can trust His love, I can trust that He is for my family, He is for me.

You can trust that God is for you, He is for your family.  You can trust in His love.  He is “Immanuel”—God is with us—He is with us in our joy, in our grief and in our lives!!  So Be encouraged!!

**This post was originally posted 6 years ago–but I am still a witness to these truths. Merry Christmas Everyone!!

A True Story

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou15 Comments

Along time ago, and far, far away in the land of New York City, three young women decided to have an adventure. 🙂  They were on staff with a Christian organization, and their summer assignment was in Wildwood NJ.  They borrowed a car, and away they drove to New York City.  Actually, I was one of those women. 

New York City was only a couple of hours away–we left early in the morning and drove into the city.  One of the staff gals was from New York City, and she directed us around the city.  However, she was only used to taking the subway, not driving the car in the city.  I actually drove the car.  The other staff gal was from Hawaii.  

A picture of all the staff on that long-ago Summer Beach Project. 🙂 My face is half hidden in the third row up! We had some really fun times that summer. 🙂

As we looked for a place to park the car, I noticed this sign that said, “No standing”.   I asked the girl from New York City,  “What does that sign mean?”   She said, “I don’t know.”   I said, “Maybe that’s a sign for the ‘hookers’, letting them know they can’t stand on these streets?”  (Yes, as I write these words, I am laughing so hard at my naïve, younger self–who had spent my 13th summer in New Orleans, and so thought I knew all about prostitutes standing on the street. )

We ended up parking underneath one of these signs—as cars don’t stand–they park–at least that is what we reasoned.  We went off to experience New York City for the day.  We went to see if there were any Broadway plays we could get tickets for the day–there weren’t.  So we skipped our way through the city, singing, “New York, New York….”, having the time of our lives.

Hours, and hours later, we went back to our car, and ……it was gone!!   Fortunately the New Yorker staff woman understood the subway system, and knew where cars went, when they were towed.  It was near the time when the parking garage that kept towed cars would be closing, and we found ourselves on the subway traveling to get our car out of being towed. 

We joined the long line of people waiting to pay to get their cars out of the garage.  As we waited we started talking to the people in line with us.  We started talking to them about Jesus, about Him being our Savior, and making it possible for us to have a relationship with God the Father.   One of the people we were talking to, told us that he was a Pastor’s son, but he didn’t believe in sin, and consequences for sin, or a need for anyone to pay for our sins.

We told him the story of our car being towed.  I told him I did not believe I was doing something wrong, but I still had a consequence for what I did wrong–I had to pay the tow.  If I could not pay, I would be in serious trouble.

I told him, he might not “believe” in sin, but he still was going to have a consequence for it, and if he couldn’t pay, he was going to be in serious trouble.

I told him that we were all in serious trouble—that in a sense we were all appearing before the judge to pay the consequences for our sin, only to find out that the judge was our Dad, and while he was a just Judge, he was also a loving Dad.  Therefore, he came down and handed each of us the amount we needed to pay off our fine, as none of us had the amount to pay it off.

That got his attention.   He told us he had heard a lot of sermons, but I was making sense to him.  

I told him that God was just and loving—and had to satisfy both parts of His character.  Jesus’ death on the cross did both things.  “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23  Instead of what we deserve—God the Son took our death—and our unrighteousness–and He gave us His life–and His righteousness.   It wasn’t a fair exchange, but it was the only exchange that would reveal who God is.

God did pay the penalty for each of us.  He has given the gift of eternal life to each of us.  Yet, He will never force us into a relationship with Him.  We each have a choice of whether to accept His love or reject it.

The man told us that for the first time in his life, he understood the message of the gospel, and that he was going to be re-evaluating what he believed.

We ended up getting our car out of the parking garage, and traveling back to Wildwood.  On the way home, one of the girls said, “Never tell anyone about our car getting towed, ok?”    🙂  Sorry! 🙂 

May you be encouraged!!

Polishing the Silver

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou12 Comments

I wrote this blog 2 years ago. When I had written it, a couple of almost tradgies had happened in our family. We thought we might lose two loved ones. They are both miraculously still alive. It has been a long, hard fought road for both of them–to wellness. It has been a long hard fought road for their families with them on their journeys. And as I look back–I am so grateful to God. That is the overwhelming emotion I am experiencing—Gratitude–for what He has done–and what only He could do. I thought I’d share this blog again with you, so that in reading it–you might join me in thanksgiving to the Lord we love–the Lord who first loved us.

Today, I polished the silver.  This is one of the things I do before I decorate for Christmas.  One of my favorite Christmas gifts from years ago is a silver tea set from my late mother-in-law.  I had not asked for one, but as soon as I opened it, I imagined many tea parties in which this tea set would grace the center stage.

I have had the privilege and honor of hosting many tea parties over the years.  They have been times of sweet, sweet times with other women.   They are a reminder to me of what the Lord can do.

When I first moved to town, I was asked to join with 3 other women and have a bible study.  We were all young moms with young children.  We didn’t have a plan for what to do with our children during the study, and so we were constantly interrupted by them.  

A few years later, I decided to start another mom’s bible study.  I saw that moms in my area needed a place to be encouraged in their roles as moms.  I talked with my husband and asked if we could hire one of the college girls we knew to watch the kids during the bible study time.  I would ask the other moms to chip in to pay for the sitter, but knew that my husband and I would make up the difference for whatever gap there might be.

I also decided to train the other women who came to lead the bible study—that way, they could start and lead their own studies.  (I had been on staff with a Christian ministry–and this was one of the things I did as part of my job–lead bible studies and train others to lead studies.)

The study met in my house for a few months.   Then two of the women who came decided to take what they learned and start a mom’s bible study at their church.  They hired a babysitter to watch the kids–and so it began.  

That bible study is still going strong–28 years later–at what is now my church. (I had the honor of being involved in leadership at this bible study–and hosting some tea parties for the moms who came.)  This is what the Lord can do—and only what the Lord can do.  This bible study is one of the ministries of the church–so they provide childcare, so that women can come and be ministered to.

It is good for me to look back at these types of examples—so when I come to huge obstacles of faith–I see that it is not my faith in myself and my abilities—it is always and always will be God who overcomes, God who does the miracles–God who moves the mountains.

Recently—my family has been enduring huge, huge trials and tribulations.  A beloved member of my extended family is in the hospital, in critical condition, needing God’s healing touch as gifted Doctors and Nurses seek to help him with their skills.  

Another family member was literally brought back to life by the Lord, through a series of miracles.

A few family members have had difficult times bringing precious babies into the world.  Yet–they did–and we have precious, precious babies in our family now!!

Through all these things, we have seen and experienced the goodness and compassion of the Lord.  How He loves us!  He loves us, when we can’t go one more step.  He loves us when we are bereft.  He loves us, when we are afraid.  He loves us when we are waiting for His answers.  He simply loves us.   Oh how He loves you and me.

May We Be Encouraged!!

My Dad Won His Race

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou23 Comments

My Dad’s parents divorced when my Dad was 10 at a time and place where divorce was very, very rare.    His parents remarried other people, and his stepfather was an abusive alcoholic.  My Dad saw his mother beaten up, and when he and his three brothers tried to intervene and stop it from happening, they were beaten up themselves.  When they got strong enough, big enough and old enough, they were able to protect their mom and themselves.

(My Dad is the second from the left. Shown here with my Uncles.)

Dad grew up with a great desire to protect and serve others.  He found that desire satisfied in being a policeman.

Yet, in that desire—he had compassion for the people he arrested.  He would tell me that many of them would start telling him their stories as they sat in the back of his cruiser—stories of their own abuse from others and from their own hands—of all the ways their lives had led them to this point in time.  Dad would listen, and he would encourage them, telling them that they could make different choices– they could get help–they did not have to be the people they currently were– God would help them.   

My Dad’s HIgh School Graduation Picture

Dad knew the truth of what he was saying.  You see– my Dad struggled with alcoholism.  He found help through Alcoholics Anonymous, (AA).  AA helped my Dad know and believe the truth—that his life was unmanageable and God would give him the strength, moment by moment, to live a sober life,  an abundant life, and a forgiven life.

Dad had a best friend and partner who would eventually leave the State Police and become a Pastor and an Evangelical Speaker, as the calling to speak hope and forgiveness and grace into others’ lives became a fulltime calling.

So many of my childhood memories involve my Dad doing things with us, taking us skating, sledding, camping, and swimming. When I was in High School I decided to join the track team– my Dad ran with me every day to get me in shape for the track season. My Dad was a great runner himself, and in many ways I think he was trying to get me ready to run the race of life. We would run, and he would tell me stories, trying to impart his own passion and drive into my approach to running, into my approach to life.

It was my Uncle Jimmy, not my Dad, who told us the story of my Dad running in the State finals.  He was mocked by the other racers and when they asked him what he–a white boy– was doing in the race, my Dad replied with a grin, “You’re about to find out”, and he went on to win the race.

Dad (at the end, leaning over to talk to his friend), with his brothers.

By God’s grace and strength, my Dad has won his race in life.  He went home to be with the Lord on October 21st of 2009. His story testifies to all of us that God loves us and that God is with us–each step of our race–until the final step!! Philippians 1:6

May We Be Encouraged!!

Dad wins his race!!

A Place Called Home

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou15 Comments

Sometimes life can seem random, like there is no rhyme or reason to what happens or when things happen.  I’d like to share memories that still help me when I think of them, to know that I am not alone, that I am loved, and that there is more to life than just what we see.

What I am about to share next will seem like the opposite of what I just shared—but read on, and you will see what I mean.

My dad had a stroke 5 years before he died; it left my dad without the power of speech.   I remember my son Sean told me that he missed hearing his Papa’s voice, and he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to remember what his Papa’s voice sounded like. (Sean didn’t have to be afraid of that—4 years after my dad died, Sean passed.  Sean is hearing his Papa’s voice in heaven.)

Not quite 3 years before my dad died, my youngest child was born.  She was my parents’ youngest grandchild.   When our sweetness was just over 2 years old, we went to visit my parents.  My sweet girl was a busy, busy, busy, 2-year-old, never sitting down, always moving.  On this visit, she climbed up into her Papa’s lap, and stayed there hugging him, for the next 45 minutes.   At the time, I was stupefied as to what was happening.   The next day, my dad had another massive stroke, and spent the next 6 months in the hospital until he died.

I still cry when I remember our precious little girl, crawling up into my dad’s lap and hugging him.  It was the last hug between them.  How did this tiny little girl know this would be the last time she would be with her Papa?  How did she know to embrace him and the moment?

  I have many questions like that:  How do birds know to fly south for the winter?  How do bears know to hibernate in the winter?  Yes—I know the scientific explanation, but someone had to design the birds to have those homing instincts, and someone had to design bears’ bodies to go into hibernation.

Scripture tells us that God takes care of the birds of the air, and we are worth much more to God.  God loves us; He cares for us.  He has prepared a place for us. 

Every time I go to a funeral, and see the body, I am reminded once again, that our bodies house our spirits.  When the spirit is gone, the person is gone, even though the body remains.

Sometimes—life seems random, like a big cosmic accident, and then sometimes—something happens—and it reminds us that we are not alone, that we are loved, and that there is a place we are all heading towards—a place I call home.   May we be encouraged!!

This post was originally posted in 2022**

My Dad and Mom used to sing this song to all their babies–children and grandchildren. Also, Dad loved Johnny Cash–so I thought it only fitting to share this song with you all. 🙂