REMEMBER-DO NOT FORGET

What a year we have all just gone through! My word for 2020 was surrender. Did anyone ever guess that we all would have to surrender so much in our lives this past year? It was a good word to have, to dwell on for the year, to surrender daily to the Lord as He was and still is in control of everything.

As usual I have been giving much thought to the word God wants me to think upon this year. I had the privilege of doing a Bible study last fall, Jesus and Women In The First Century and Now by Kristi McLelland. It was very informative and after I finished my Advent study I decided to record what I learned in a condensed format in a notebook in case I ever needed to teach the lessons I had learned. I was surprised to realize how much I had forgotten in just a month and so I think this is something I will do as I finish each Bible study that is in a book format such as this one. So in this study the author teaches a lot of Hebrew words and their meanings. I decided to use one of them for my word for 2021, ZAKHAR. It means “to remember.” In the Bible God issues many commands, but He repeats one of them over and over—remember—do not forget.

I tend to remember my hurts and the things that have devastated me, but easily forget all God's little blessings, the beautiful grace filled moments He has given me. Remembering God's faithfulness in my life is the way I plan to step forward into the future. Remembering Him will give me the courage to trust with a renewed faith for this year. He has never failed me in the past and I know He will not fail me in the future.

My last blog was in July. The last half of last year was just as crazy as the first half, but we did make some memories. We had what will become our annual back-to-school sleepover at Grandpa and Grandma's house. It was just an August sleepover-in-a-tent-in-the-living room because the two oldest were just starting kindergarten! This year it will officially be a back-to-school (hopefully) and also possibly an outside event.

In September Bill and I took a small vacation of epic proportions. We drove down the Shenandoah Parkway and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The first four nights we stayed in a tent on an air mattress, until a hurricane went through, completely soaked us, and our air mattress got a leak. Both on the same night. God was clearly telling us that we are more RV people than tent people but once again we made wonderful memories and we were able to spend some time with Bill's sister and nephew in SC before we made the drive back home.

Birthdays were not celebrated all together in October as last year, due to busy schedules and quarantines. The oldest grandchild turned 6, Bill turned 70 and our son-in-law had a birthday also.

Emily's birthday was in November and was bittersweet as has been every event this past fall. She hopes to be in Southeast Asia by July, serving the Lord there for the rest of her life, as has been her desire since she was a little girl. We don't know what our country or the world situation will be like in the near future, but God holds her in His hands.

December brought the birthday of our youngest grandchild. He turned 3, a loving little tyke so advanced in his learning, I wonder what great plans God has for his life? I know it's going to be something very special.

We also started another yearly tradition in December—a nativity play at Christmas with the grandkids. The two oldest had to play double roles since the younger ones didn't want to be in it! So Will got to be Joseph and the angel and Mari played Mary and a shepherd. It was a lot of fun preparing and trying to keep it a secret from their parents.

Christmas is always a blessed time for me. What can be sweeter than celebrating the birth of our Savior? I still make a Jesus Birthday Cake, as my mother did, and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I love to see the light reflecting in the eyes of my grandchildren as we sing to Jesus!

Even as the year seemed to drag on, looking back it has passed quickly and now a new year is here. I know for some of you reading this must think that remember might seem to be a strange word to focus on when the last year has been so hard. Actually the last 8 years have been difficult for our family. But God.... isn't that always Who we should be looking to? He has showered us with His faithfulness even in hard times.

And we have much to look forward to.....

Any day now our new little granddaughter will be making her entrance into this world.

Thank you Lord, for Your blessings to us.

Psalm 77:11-14

I will remember the works of the LORD;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

I will also meditate on all Your work,

And talk of Your deeds.

Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;

Who is so great a God as our God?

Yor are the God who does wonders,

You have declared Your strength among the peoples

My Story

When I started this blog after Amy died it was mostly about her life and also about me coping with the loss of a child. As time has passed it has turned into more my story than Amy's but then I wouldn't be who I am if I hadn't had Amy in my life.

I imagine some of you reading this already know most of my story, but I feel compelled to share a little of it on this holiday we call Independence Day, July 4th.

After graduating from high school I took a summer job working in the Black Hills of South Dakota at Mount Rushmore. It was our country's bicentennial, 1976, a presidential election year and a lot of special events were planned. The faces (as we called Mt Rushmore) were lit every night and there were fireworks on special occasions. I don't remember those as much as I do the people I met and the friends I made for a lifetime. I would turn 18 that summer and my life would be forever changed.

My roommate and I were in each others wedding and we visited over the years as our families grew, not an easy task as we lived 1500 miles apart. We still keep in touch, not as often, but the closeness is still there and will always be.

Another special person that I met that summer was at a street dance in a little town called Hill City, in a cowboy bar. He asked me to dance and I said, “Yes.” Then 6 months later he asked me to be his wife and I said, “Yes.” A little less than 6 months after that I said, “I do.” That was 43 years ago.

So the Black Hills of South Dakota have always had a special place in my heart. We took a few vacations there when I was young and as an adult I've visited at least 6 times since. We honeymooned, enjoyed family vacations, and a few years ago it was just the two of us once again.

I follow South Dakota on Instagram and a few days ago I noticed they were doing a big fireworks show over Mt Rushmore on July 3. I thought it would be much too late with the time change so I didn't give it a second thought. 

This week our governor ordered us back to wearing masks outside the home. This was really a blow to me, as Bill and I had finally gone back to church last week for the first time and realized how much we have missed it. Bill and I didn't wear masks and yes, we sang, loud and with full hearts. Our grandchildren have really been missing interaction with other children at church and I feel so bad for them too.

Last night, for some reason, I was drawn to check out the fireworks. I had no idea that President Trump was speaking and that it was such a bid deal. It really lifted my spirits and I enjoyed seeing people behaving normally for a change. I have missed the patriotic spirit that this country once had and hearing all the music made me think of my parents and especially Daddy, a Marine of the Korean War. I'm actually glad that they are not alive to see how this country has fallen so far away from God.

Early this morning I needed to pick up an order so I decided to stop in the town square and get some pictures of the memorials there.

The Korean War Memorial

World War II Memorial

   

Then on the way home I was taken by the beauty of the little valley we live in. The far group of trees right in the middle are next to the cemetery where Amy lies and our farm is down the hill below the mountain, hidden in this picture.  

As I stopped to take the picture, I remember that Daddy would always take a picture in the cornfield each year on July 4th. So I decided to take a photo of the corn on the other side of the road and then got brave and did my best at a selfie with the sun in my eyes.  

So this is just a piece of "My Story." But my real story follows this song.

Hope

Love

Life

Jesus

 

My Story

If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn't let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn't mine

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long