FATHER'S DAY

I have been privileged to have some very Godly men in my life. My father didn't get saved until later in life, I was probably in my mid teens. Up until then he was a heavy drinker and smoker. But when he got saved - oh what a difference that Jesus made! He & I would sit and talk about the Bible all the time. He loved it when I had Spiritual questions that he could answer. He drove a semi truck all of his life, with the exception of a few years when he was trying to start his own cabinet business. I still remember the smell of fresh cut wood, out on our closed in porch, where he had set up shop. He used to let me come out and help him rub the wood down with almond stick. When I was a little girl he made me an entire bedroom suite: dresser, closet, and nightstand. Then when I had little girls of my own, he made them a table and chair set to play with. He was wonderful with wood and so badly wanted to make a go of that business, but it didn't bring in enough consistent work to pay the bills. I was sad for him when he had to let it go and go back to driving. I remember one Summer when he let me go on some of his runs with him. He drove a milk tanker at that time. We had a lot of fun together. My Dad taught me how to work, and how to work hard. How to really give someone the days work they were paying me for. My Dad loved me and seemed to always watch out for me especially. I guess that comes with being the only girl. I don't know how he put up with my antics as a kid though. We lived on a big farm surrounded on 3 sides by corn fields. We constantly had snakes in our yard and I am petrified of snakes! I would be out there mowing and hit a snake, rip it to shreds, scream, leave the lawn mower running and hightail it for the house! He would say, "Well, it's DEAD now! Get back out there and finish the job!" LOL Or the year of the locusts, I was deathly afraid of them. You'd go outside and they would jump on you and stick! One day I ran outside for something and several of them jumped on me. I was so mortified, I ran to our big suburban, jumped in and started honking the horn for someone to come rescue me! LOL My Dad came out, but it wasn't to "rescue" me! LOL
My Dad passed on to Heaven in 1988 after a long bout with heart disease, and I still miss him today. I was only 26. I'm so glad he got saved and I get to see him again one day, in his brand new, pain free body!

My Greatest Joy

I LOVE being a wife and mother. I suppose my greatest joy, outside of being saved, is the joy of raising children for the Lord. And now, 2 sweet grandbabies are added blessings! I love it that I get to be such a large part of their life.

I adore my children. They have always been such a blessing to my husband and I. I can never remember feeling regret or grief over them when they were growing up. I just enjoyed every day with them. I home schooled our children for 12 years, so we had LOTS of days together. They are all happy, well adjusted, social, very talented young people. One of my favorite things is hearing them all sing together for church service. Our daughter in law blends right in with them to make a nice little quartet.

Our son is married to a sweet young lady and they have 2 precious babies. What a blessing to my life that they live right next door! He is our youth pastor, music director and Christian academy supervisor - a very busy young man! His wife is a wonderful, Godly helpmeet to him. I couldn't have hand picked a better young lady for his wife. They go together like peanut butter and jelly!
What a blessing that we get to spend so much time with them. I love those impromptu nights when neither of us has plans for dinner and we end up eating together, just because. And the grandbabies.... oh boy, I could write a book! They are so precious! Little Darren is only 2 1/2 but he is my constant "helper" and Katie is such a happy little lovebug!


Our daughters are both in Bible college and I LOVE it that they want to spend time with me when they come home on the weekends! Many Saturdays, I get to enjoy the morning by door knocking or bus calling with them. We always stop at Sozo's coffee shop for a coffee treat before we head out. Then later on, we'll head to Walmart or Meijer or Cato or Goodwill - LOL and just spend time laughing and shopping and chit-chatting about everything under the sun. They both sing like a Lark and play the piano like they're trying to walk it across the floor! They are without a doubt 2 of my very best friends in the whole world! This past week for Mother's day I got to hear them sing in their Ladies ensemble and hear them play in their Bell choir from college. It was TREMENDOUS!

I love it that since my children are growing into adulthood that we can talk about more serious things. They become confidants of sorts. My kids have grown up in the ministry since birth, and have seen the "underbelly" of it. But amazingly enough, after all they've seen and experienced, they have surrendered their lives to the Lord for full time ministry. It seems only natural. They have all been groomed for it. My husband and I don't take what we have for granted - we know it was the Lord that helped us put a love for the ministry in their hearts.

My heart is just full of praise to God for our precious children. I can't think of them without thanking God for the blessing that they are to our lives. They make me so proud (in a humble sort of way!)

Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:3-5