Tag: Remembering

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. 🙂

Shopping

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou15 Comments

My husband doesn’t like to go shopping with me.  Let me rephrase that—he likes going shopping with me, he just doesn’t like getting dirty looks when the cashier starts telling me their life story, and that slows down the line.  It happened again today, except my husband was not with me and I dutifully ignored the dirty looks.

I was shopping and in line to check out.  The woman checking out ahead of me, was angry and caustic with the cashier.  The cashier was very sweet and kind, but she looked defeated.  

When it was my turn to check out, I looked at the cashier –making direct eye contact–and I asked her, “How are you doing today?”   She told me.   She said she had been having a very difficult two weeks.  She fell, and had to go to the emergency room and have an MRI and x-rays.  They revealed broken ribs.   I told her how sorry I was to hear that, and that I thought she was very brave and courageous to come to work..  She said she had to work to pay her bills. 

I told her that my sister sent me a picture that said, “Someday you’ll see how hard it was, and how brave you were.”  The lady behind us said, “That’s really good.  My husband has congestive heart failure, and it is really hard.”

Then the cashier told us that she has a heart condition also and the tests also revealed cancer.  This is her 2nd bout of cancer.  She said she knew God had been with her the first time she went through cancer, but she was really scared this time.

I touched her arm, looked her in the eyes, said her name and then said, “I will be praying for you.”   

That’s all.  I didn’t try to ‘fix’ the situation for her.  I just listened.  I showed compassion.  And I did the best thing I could have done.  I prayed for her.  I went to the Father, who loves her more than anyone–and I asked Him to help her, to be with her—so that she knew He was there with her, and to see her through this situation.

That’s all.   Why am I telling you about this?  Because anyone can do what I did.  As Christ followers–we carry the very presence of God with us.  When we show compassion—they are seeing God’s compassion.  When we listen—they experience God listening.  God uses us to comfort and strengthen others on their path.

It doesn’t have to be long.  It doesn’t have to be complicated.  It might get me a few dirty looks from others having to wait a few extra moments, but I’m willing to endure them, if it means someone else gets treated like they matter for those moments.

For those of you reading this who are also enduring difficult times I want to repeat to you–”Someday you’ll see how hard it all was, and how brave you were.”

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  2 Corinthians 1:3,4

May We Be Encouraged!!

Quote by : Charlie Mackesy

** This blog was originally written and published in April of 2024

Freedom From Fear

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou10 Comments

This past summer, my sister, mom and I had a get together with some of our friends, a mother and daughter that we have known since I was in elementary school.  (My daughters came along for this get together too. 🙂  )

We were reminiscing about the small town  we had  lived in, (less than 2000 people lived in it).  My sister and our friend shared an experience of being very young, taking candy from the downtown general store, being found out, going back to the store, apologizing to the owner and paying for the candy.

I shared a story of when I was much older, in college, working at the International Cafe on campus.  I was a cashier, and one of the practices of the cashiers was to let the workers of the cafe go through the line and not pay for their food.   I also participated in this practice for the other workers.  It was not the policy of the cafe to do this.  The manager did not know it was happening. 

However, in my spirit, I was very conflicted about this.  I was a new Christian, and I knew that the Holy Spirit was nudging me, telling me to stop, that what I was doing was actually stealing.  (I’m sure I was trying to justify it in my mind—you know, “Everyone else is doing this.  It’s just a way to thank the workers for their hard work.  Management should have thought of this already–and compensated the workers.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.”  

But the niggling of my conscience would not go away.   So, I went to the manager, and told her what I had been doing.  I fully expected to be fired.  (This was also a big concern, as I really needed this job to pay for my living expenses at college.)  My manager asked me to tell her who I’d been giving the freebies to.  I told her no–I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble.  It was my mistake to do this–and I would take whatever consequences she thought I should take.

The manager did not fire me, and we actually developed a friendship during the rest of the time that I worked there.  The niggling in my heart was gone, and I was at peace with the Lord as well.  I experienced one of my first lessons from the Lord, in “the truth shall set you free.”

After I told the story, my daughters looked at me and said, “Mom, we’ve never heard this story before. “ 🙂  I said, “I’m shocked!!”  (My kids tell me that I am a repeater of stories.)  🙂  🙂  

I’ve been learning in my healing process that telling the truth does bring freedom. For me that freedom meant freedom from fear. You see, I was so afraid and bound to fear–I was afraid of being fired, of not having enough money, of my co-workers being angry with me. However, when I followed God in what He wanted me to do, He set me free from those fears. He took care of me and He did not abandon me during that whole time.  

I also found out that the result of telling the truth brought connection—to God, to others and to myself.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story and as always—-May We Be Encouraged!!

Unafraid

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou25 Comments

My son died while riding his bike.  He was hit by a car.  After his death, my husband and I started a bike riding event, in his honor, to raise money for his trust.  When Sean was here on earth, he was always wanting us to give money to help children or a child, so the majority of money that we raised went towards those purposes.  However, the purpose of this blog is not to write about that, the purpose is to talk about fear.

You see, when we started doing these bike events, a friend of mine asked me, “How can you do these bike events, in fact, how can you even get on a bike yourself, knowing that your son was killed while out bike riding?”

I understand her question, and I understand her fear.  As people, we like to minimize the chances of death, and maximize the chances for life, so having experienced someone dying while out riding their bike—why ever ride a bike again?  Why take the chance?

I remember talking at my son’s funeral telling everyone there (almost 800 people), that God is a God of love, and we don’t have to be afraid of Him.  How could I get up in front of all those people and say that, after my son had just been killed?  I had every reason to be afraid.  The people listening had every reason to be afraid.  Unless….God took away the reason for us to be afraid of death.  And He did!!!!!

God took away the reason for all of us, and each of us, to be afraid of death.  He overcame death.  And He GAVE us LIFE—Life abundantly, here and now, and Life for all of eternity!! (This is a gift, it is not something we can earn.) Ephesians 2:8-9 To experience this gift, we need to receive it.

This is the God we know, this is the God we have.  He has taken away our reason to be afraid.  So, we can go biking.  (Which I love to do, by the way.)  So, we can host biking events. So, we can stand up and tell everyone, we have a God who loves us, and longs for us to draw near to Him, and we can proclaim the truth of scripture,  “….Perfect love casts out fear…..”  1 John 4:18

We can live life—unafraid!!

May We Be Encouraged!!


Lyrics

I’ve got a friend
Closer than a brother
There is no judgement
Oh, how He loves me
I’ve got a friend

And He is my strength
He is my portion
With me in the valley
With me in the fire
With me in the storm

Let all my life testify

Hallelujah
We are not alone
God really loves us
God really loves us
Hallelujah
Oh, praise my soul
God really loves us
God really loves us

His mercy’s enough
His grace is sufficient
So come if you’re needing
Forgiveness or healing
His mercy’s enough

Oh, and this is our hope
The cross, it has spoken
Death is no more
Christ is the Lord
Oh, this is our hope, yeah

Hallelujah
We are not alone
God really loves us
God really loves us
Hallelujah
Oh, praise my soul
God really loves us (yes, He does)
God really loves us

And oh-oh, oh-oh
Sing oh-oh, oh-oh
Scream (oh-oh)

What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is (sing oh-oh)
What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is

Hallelujah
We are not alone
God really loves us
God really loves us
Hallelujah
Oh, praise my soul
God really loves us
Oh, God really loves us (yes)

What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is (thank you, Jesus)
What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is (oh)
What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is
What a Father
What a Friend
What a Savior He is

A Taste of Eternity

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou18 Comments

After 53 years of living in the same home, my mom has moved into her new abode, her home has been sold–and the new owners are living in it. Along with this change– this is my first September of not teaching and homeschooling in 30 plus years.  My husband and I have officially retired!!  Changes, Changes, Changes!!

Because of all these changes and new-found freedom, my husband and I took a trip away for a few days.  It was a beautiful few days.  The weather was beautiful, we had picnics outside, and walks, and conversation, and drove through the beauty—it was wonderful in so many ways.

With each moment, I experienced God’s whisper in my ear of His love and commitment to me–to my husband–to our family. 

You see, it’s been a hard road for the past 12 years.  A road filled with loss –loss of our son, loss of other loved ones, loss of health, loss of relationships, loss of our work, and trauma.  

Many times it has felt like we have been holding on by a thread.  Many times we have cried out, “God help us, if You don’t help us, we won’t get through this.”

Many times, our faith has been almost gone.  Many times, we have found that when we thought our faith was gone, God was carrying us.

Those few days away, those few wonderful days away—-they were made wonderful because of God’s presence, because I didn’t feel as if I was hanging on by a thread, because I felt breathed into, loved, cherished.

I do not know what the future holds—it could and probably will hold more loss–as that is what life on this earth is like.  However, I’ve experienced the One who holds me through the loss, and Wow!!  I’ve had a taste of Eternity, and I am so grateful.  I’m so encouraged!!

I’m praying that if you are in a place of holding on, that you will also realize you are being held, and I’m praying that you will receive your own taste of eternity!!  

May you be encouraged!!

Everyday Heroes—Thank you!!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou5 Comments

Tonight, our family watched a movie together.  It was an action-adventure movie, where against unbelievable odds, the good guy saves the day.  At some point during the movie, I turned to my husband, and said, “You’re that guy—the guy that is good in a crisis, who saves the day.”

Once, when my husband and I were out for dinner, a woman seated near us, fainted and was laying on the floor.  The waiters and waitresses ran to her aid but didn’t know what to do.  My husband is a Firefighter/EMT.  He had gone outside to grab a sweater, and when he came in, he was faced with this crisis. (I had told the waiters and waitresses that my husband would help.) He calmly went over to the woman, knelt beside her, and took her pulse.  By this time, she was awake, and he started asking her questions to assess her health history.   By the time the paramedics arrived, he calmly gave them her vitals and history and they then took her away.

It seemed to me that my husband’s presence calmed everyone down in the room, and I was filled with admiration for my husband.

Many years before, when we were standing in a lobby of a theatre with open candles around the perimeter, I saw a young woman back into the flame, and her hair caught on fire.  My husband moved like lightening — extinguishing the fire with his bare hands, saving the girl, and possibly the theatre.  He acted like it was no big deal. But it seemed like a big deal to me.

There are many men and women like my husband—they are good in a crisis, and they serve others with their skill sets all the time.

The day of our son’s accident, my husband heard his pager go off, stating that there was a motor vehicle/bike accident.  He was out of his chair like a shot, going to help.  It was our son.

At the funeral of our son, my husband spoke about the fact that the ambulance was changing shifts, and so they were only 1 minute away from the accident.  He was also struck by the fact that the paramedic instructors had just finished a class in our town, and they came to the scene of the accident.  My husband personally knew these people and thought highly of their skills.  

After our son had been airlifted to the hospital, we found out that the doctor who worked on Sean, had been in Afghanistan as a combat surgeon.

These details meant something to my husband—these were his kind of people—people who serve others.  My husband saw the hand of God in the service of these people.  He saw God’s lovingkindness in the service of these people.  He saw God Himself, through the acts of these people.

When we were at the hospital with Sean, we were on the pediatric floor, and we were surrounded by nurses and doctors who took care of our son and showed compassion to us and to our other children.  We saw God’s lovingkindness through them.

When our country experienced 9/11—we also witnessed men and women, running into buildings while others were running out.  They ran in to save, they ran into to serve.  We saw God’s face in their faces.

It is easy to look at the bad, and dismiss God and dismiss His existence, His power and His love. 

It is not so easy to look at the good—the good in people—especially when there is a crisis—and dismiss God—dismiss His existence, His power and His love.  For what other reason do we have to act as we do—except that we bear His image.

If we as humans, can act so nobly—just think what that means about the One who made us, and loves us.

For my husband and I—all these things—all these people—combined with experiencing God’s loving presence and strength— testified to us of God’s goodness, God’s grace and God’s love. 

So the next time you see a good guy or gal working to save the day or a moment, or a child—remember the One who made them, the One Who saved us —and thank them for bearing God’s image to you—and Thank God for making them!

Let us be encouraged!

Beautiful

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou17 Comments

This month marks the 12th anniversary of my son Sean’s passing from this earth.  He would have been 28 years old this year.  When he was here on this earth, he liked a very special young woman.  I remember him telling me about her.  She had long brown hair, and a gentle smile.  

One day we were in the kitchen and he told me he got, “friend-zoned”.  He said this young woman told him that she wanted to just be his friend, and focus on her relationship with the Lord.  He also told me that he knew she was right.  

When Sean had his accident, she came to the hospital, distraught and inconsolable.  

After Sean passed, she and I talked, and she told me that she wondered if she would ever be in a relationship again.

This beautiful young woman got married last month, to a young man who just happened to have been Sean’s best friend.  God truly does make all things beautiful in His time.  Please join me in praying for this young couple.

May We Be Encouraged!!

Photo Credit: aubreyburman.com

Love never Ends….

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou7 Comments

I wrote this blog 6 years ago, since I wrote it, my mother-in-law has passed away, and my mother has put her house on the market to sell. However, the legacies of love these women have left in my life and the lives of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren continue on. That’s because love never, ever ends. Please read on, and prayerfully–be encouraged!!

The Gift of the Beach House

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This summer we made our yearly voyage to the “Beach House.”  My husband is from the East Coast and when we had our first child, my mother-in-law started actively looking for a vacation home that would comfortably fit her family, with room to grow.  She ended up finding a gem of a house on the Beach with a pool.  We have been going there for 26 years.

It has been a place where memories have been made, traditions started, and laughter abounds.  It has been a gift of love from my mother-in-law and father-in-law, (my father-in-law has passed), to their children and grandchildren and now– great grandchildren. 

I think my mother-in-law had a vision for what this house could be for her family, but mostly I think it was where she wanted to express her love for us all—for giving us a place to come and be together and play together.  This year when we went, my mother-in-law was not able to join us, instead we visited her in her Senior living apartment.  Every time we visited her, she would ask us, “Are you swimming in the pool? Are you having a good time?  How is the Beach House?”   I felt like she was really asking us, “Do you know how much I love you.  I made this place for you all.  I decorated it and maintained it for you all.  Do you know how much I love you?”

My husband has a younger sister.  She brought her, (at the time), future husband to this house, to meet the family.  I, of course, interrogated him, as was my right as the older sibling.  He passed with flying colors.  At their rehearsal dinner, I told his mother that I had long prayed for whoever my sister-in-law would marry, and her son was a shining example of God answering beyond what we could think or ask. (His mother dragged me to the front of the room to share that statement with the 100+ guests that were at the rehearsal dinner.)   

Over time, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law brought their children to the beach house, and the beach house became a place where the cousins could play together and build friendships.  So even though we lived in the mid-west and they lived on the east coast, we had this shared place and experience to come together.

Our family has so many shared memories:  playing Categories and Marco Polo at the pool.  Dancing in the yard, building sandcastles at the beach, catching hermit crabs in the ocean, looking for shells on the beach, eating lobster and fish, going for ice cream at our favorite places, going to the corner store, (when it still existed) for a treat, having birthday parties, eating pizza on the jetties while we watched the giant sand castle, (we spent all day building), washed away by the tide. Being together, just being together.  

All these shared experiences remind us that we are loved.  We belong.  What a gift we have had to share in these experiences together—because my mother-in-law wanted to have a place where her family could come together, year after year.

I hope you have a place like this.  It may just be a tent; the place doesn’t really matter, it is all about family coming together to make memories, to share love and laughter.   When I was growing up— my parents took us camping, or we went to our Uncle Chuck’s cabin or to my Grandparents’ cabin.  We had places for our family to gather together and “be” together.

All these things were a way to spend quality time with one another, away from the bustle and hustle of life.    In many ways, our homes can be those places as well– a place of comfort and solace to come home to after a long day at work or school.   When I go back to my family home, (which my mother still lives in and maintains beautifully), I draw a sigh of relief, my soul recognizes the love and nurturing I still receive when I walk through those doors.

If I’m honest, part of being together, does involve conflict, conflict between siblings, cousins, between parent and child.  Conflict is not easy, ever.  Forgiveness is not easy, ever.  But the verse, “Keep fervent in your love for one another because, love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8), is true.  It is because we love each other, that we choose to overlook the offenses, and forgive them, not dwell on them. 

You may think, “you don’t know my family”, they are unforgivable.  You are right—I don’t know your family.  But I do know mine.  They are so fabulous, but they are also so flawed.  I don’t know a perfect person on this earth.  We all want to be loved, we all want to love, we all want to be significant.  Families can be the vehicle that God uses to reassure us – yes, you are loved, yes, you belong, yes, we want you, yes, you are significant to us.  Families can be a vessel which God uses to show His nature.   Families can also be used, to show us that no matter how great a family is or is not, they cannot fill the void we have in our hearts. Only the infinite God can fill the infinite hole we all have in our hearts.  (This thought of us having an infinite void that only an infinite God could fill, did not originate with me, but with a scientist named Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662)

 Moms, your role of expressing love to your children, of creating a place from which they can draw comfort, will help them in ways you cannot even imagine.  Your role of showing them the God who can really love them completely and totally—is immeasurable!!  You are needed Moms, you are so, so important!!  (Dads are needed too!! ) But this blog is to encourage Moms–especially my moms, that they are appreciated and so, so loved!!

So Be Encouraged!!