Happy Grandparents Day!

Although this may be mere speculation on my part, days such as "Grandparents Day" are on the calendar mostly so Hallmark can sell more cards.  Cards which, after being received, generally end up displayed for a time and then discarded or added to a collection of memories, tucked away somewhere, never to be seen again.

Because of this, it has never really bothered me when, like today, the text arrived saying, "Totally forgot that today was Grandparent's Day. . .So sorry!  We are thankful for you today and every day!"  The real blessing is knowing my grandchildren are only an hour away, and the drive can be made as often as I like.  Arrival at their home is generally accompanied by four voices saying, "Grandma!" and eight arms providing hugs.  Yes, I don't need a special day to remember being a grandparent is special!

Looking back on my own life, the world of grandparents consisted of only one grandmother.  My maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother died long before I was born, and my paternal grandfather died when I was just a toddler, leaving me without memories of who he was.  Where other children had "grandparents", I had "Grandma and Henry" (Henry was my uncle who never married and lived with Grandma).  Still, I never really felt cheated, as Grandma Ellen embraced her role in such a way I never felt lacking in the grandparent department.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent at Grandma's house.  The farm, which began as a small homestead shack on the prairies of North Dakota, was lovingly built up into a beautiful yard filled with trees, a big red barn, chicken coop and come summer, a garden and lots of flowers.  Many a day was spent exploring and enjoying the freedom of "life at Grandma's house".  Our family often made Sunday the day to visit, culminating with an evening meal of sandwiches and home canned sauce in pretty oval bowls with purple flowers on them.  To end the day, there was "Wild Kingdom", "The Wonderful World of Disney" and "Bonanza" to fill our minds with more adventures.

And so it is, at the end of this Grandparents Day, I find myself saying, "Happy Grandparents Day, Grandma Ellen!  Thank you for the storehouse of memories you provided in my life.  Thank you for being the greatest example of someone who showed love to all and never anger, even amid a life filled with heartaches.  Thank you for being a wonderful role model for me to follow, as I now have my own grandchildren to love.  Tell my other grandparents I look forward to getting acquainted one day, knowing they, too, are a part of the person I've become.  Also, please tell God thank you for arranging it so you were always close by in my life, and for now providing the same privilege in the life of my grandchildren.  What a blessing to know we will one day enjoy an eternity of time together with the God who placed us in each other's lives!"

Unexpected Blessings

It has been another good year for my little garden.  How fun it is for me to watch as tiny seeds sprout into "baby crops" and eventually into mature, producing plants.  Although I did the planting and stayed busy pulling weeds and making sure there was adequate moisture, it is only God who brings forth the growth.  We find a comparison of this to the spiritual world in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, where Paul gives the following discourse:

 

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

As summer winds down, so does the yield from my garden.  After enjoying two different varieties of lettuce over the course of the summer, the plants are now going to seed and I will soon be back to finding my lettuce in the produce aisle of the grocery store.  The sugar snap peas have also come to the end of their cycle and only occasionally do I find a quick treat off the vines.  While I have enjoyed several meals of garden beans, something tells me we are soon done with them until next year, as well.

The cucumber plants have blessed me abundantly, with my count total up to 26.  It was looking like the hot days had taken their toll on the plants and I wasn't expecting many more to mature, but yesterday revealed several more making good progress.

With three rows of carrots, we have enjoyed many a meal with them as the vegetable of choice.  Our youngest grandson in particular enjoys marching out to the garden in search of a treat, eaten Bugs Bunny style.

There has also been one helping of potatoes supplied and some small but tasty onions to add to meals.  Five little watermelons sitting among the vines seem to have stopped growing, but will be given until the first threats of frost to put on some inches.

One final row sprouts greens above ground and round, pointy ended, red roots below. . .beets.  They are such a treat when they final get big enough to pull a few, making room for the others to grow larger.  Steamed and served sliced with butter is my favorite, but with the first batch it was possible to pop them in my mouth whole!  There is also a friend in town who loves to cook up the greens, so I enjoy sharing.  (My attempt to make them last year resulted in choosing to pass them on this year!)

As I was looking out the kitchen window one day, I spotted an interesting splash of a deep pink, almost burgundy color among the beet greens.  What could it be?  Further investigation revealed a lone petunia growing in the middle of my beet row.  What a mystery!  How did it get there?  Was it a "gift from a bird" or a tiny seed which got in the wrong package?  There is no way of knowing, but it sure was an unexpected blessing!

Seeing it shining forth in its beauty made me wonder how long it had cried out for my attention before finally catching my eye.  And so it is with so many of our blessings in life.  They abound around us, but we fail to notice them.  This brings to mind a song I recently shared at a prayer breakfast at the Independent Community Banker's Convention in Bismarck, ND last month.  It is a song written by Laura Story during a time her husband was dealing with a brain tumor.  Hopefully you will take the time to listen and ponder what blessings are lurking unnoticed in your life!

http://www.musicvideolife.com/laura-story-blessings-official-video_b70a788a1.html

 

Back in the Saddle Again

This morning I crossed paths with a woman who has taught first grade for many years in our hometown.  It would be interesting to know how many lives she has touched, doing what she loves to do. . .teach.  She had retired, but a pressing need for more teachers brought her out of retirement.  As I asked how it felt to be back at it again, she replied it was good. 

Doing what one loves to do reminds me of a conversation we had with a pastor in his 70's.  He said he is often asked when he is going to retire.  His response was, "As far as I can see, pastors who retire end up looking for a place to preach shortly after doing so.  I've got a place to preach, so why retire?"

Banking was a part of my life for 32 years.  About 2 1/2 years ago it felt like time to end my career.  Life has been good, and I have enjoyed the freedom of not answering daily to a 9 to 4 job.  (I know, banker's hours!)  For the third summer I have enjoyed a little hobby garden.  Most days I find time to stop by my precious aunt's home.  She is also my godmother and, at 93, is my inspiration and hero in life.   Not having to work has given me the opportunity to sing with a group of people who provide music at our assisted living center and nursing home.  The freedom of being available when my daughter needs help with the grandkids is priceless.  Retired I am, but certainly not bored!

As I consider "doing what one loves to do" it reminds me I have been neglecting one of my loves. . .writing.  Our winter season in Bismarck with the ND Legislature is in the past, and the busy summer will soon come to an end.  Perhaps it is time to get "back in the saddle again". 

How about you?  Are you working or retired?  Are you doing what you love to do?  They say if you are doing what God created you to do, you will find joy in the task.  My husband often asks when I think he should retire.  My response usually comes in the form of a song. . ."We'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes and we'll be gathered home".  The way things are unfolding these days, it may be sooner than we think!

Lots of "running around" filled my morning today, although my legs didn't do any work.  I chose to drive the car as I went from place to place, even though our community is small and I normally could walk the route easily.  The problem has been dealing with smokey air blown in from the fires in Saskatchewan, and possibly Montana and Washington, too.  It gets into the jet stream and makes its way to invade our space, which is not a good thing for someone like me who deals with asthma.

Heading home after the last stop there was a peppy song playing on the radio.  The title was "Something Beautiful", sung by Steven Curtis Chapman.  As I listened I found myself remembering the "Broken" message God gave me earlier this week.

Here are the lyrics and options to play a sample or purchase:
                

•         
  

      
  

  
  

  Something Beautiful

  Steven Curtis Chapman

  from the album The Glorious Unfolding
  

  Buy on Amazon | iTunes

  Play sample

  I see you sitting over there with your head in your hands
  And the mess life's made of your best laid plans
  You really want to shake your fist
  But you don't know who to blame
  Well, you can blame yourself or the man upstairs
  Or the guy on the screen who says he cares
  But all the shame and the blame won't change a thing
  What's done is done
  But grace has just begun
  
  And God says
  I'm gonna turn it into something different
  I'm gonna turn it into something good
  I'm gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only I could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful
  
  We know the world got broke when it took the fall
  And here we are living in the middle of it all
  Longing, waiting for the day when everything's restored
  But the best of the beauty that we get to SEE
  While we're living down here in this “yet to be”
  Is to watch God take the most broken things
  And to hear Him say
  “When I get through, you're gonna be amazed”
  
  ‘Cause I'm gonna turn it into something different
  I'm gonna turn it into something good
  I'm gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only I could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  
  Something beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Put all the pieces in His hands
  And watch Him turn it into something beautiful
  
  God's gonna turn it into something different
  He's gonna turn it into something good
  He's gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only He could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful

Broken

On the list of things to do today was trying to make the backyard more orderly.  An old picnic table on which I had potted plants sat haphazardly on one side, and the coordinating benches were stacked next to each other across the yard.  Here and there were reminders of the yard work I'd been doing, but never completely finished.  The lawnmower was sitting out.  Yes, today was the day.

It seemed like the easiest thing to tackle was rolling the lawnmower back into the garage.  Angling through the walk in door I discovered the car was parked too far forward and space was limited.  Several chairs being stored were shuffled until what I thought was a clear path formed.  Just a few tweaks and it would be through.  Then it happened.  CRASH!!  SMASH!!  SHATTER!!

Our son recycles pop cans and removes the opener tabs before crushing them.  A glass jar which once held spaghetti sauce had been recycled into a container for the tabs.  Said glass jar was now on the cement floor in a million pieces.  My mission to organize the backyard had instantly turned down a new path.

Picking up the largest chunks of glass, I then sought out a new container for the tabs, finding one which would not be as susceptible to breakage.  Carefully I picked out the tabs from the splinters of glass, finishing with a good sweeping.  As I worked, I grumbled.  "Okay, God, just why did THAT have to happen?  I was finally feeling ambitious, and now my precious time is being wasted cleaning up a mess!"

In the quiet of my inner spirit, I gently heard the Holy Spirit communicating God's reply.  "Now you know what I feel like, My child.  At one time I created a perfect world and everything was in order.  It didn't seem too much to require one small rule, and My newly created children chose to disobey.  In an instant, just like your jar, my world became broken.  Slowly and patiently over the years, I have been attempting to restore order to this world, but sadly, once broken it can never be put back together in the same way."

Humbling.  I had never quite thought of it in this light before.  But suddenly it made sense.  As I completed my task and placed the tabs in the new plastic container, I received another message.  "Yes, My child, someday there will be a new world for you, too.  It will be a world free of the risk of being broken.  We aren't there yet, but it is coming.  Have patience, My child.  I love you and will see you through until such day arrives.  Until then, just trust I'm working on it!"

"F" is for Father & More

With Father's Day once again upon us, my mind drifts to growing up years.  How thankful I am for a father who was there for our family.  He was hard working as a farmer, and yet took time for quick getaways to fun places like Yellowstone National Park, the Black Hills and Glacier National Park.  A nice day wasn't always for getting the job done, but also sometimes to take advantage of an opportunity to fly his family across the state to visit his brother's family, or even just to Bismarck for a piece of pie at the airport lunch counter.

The letter "F" seemed to dominate my memories.  Father, farmer, flying, fun.  As my thoughts continued, even more "F" words came to mind. . .faithful, friend, and fighter.  Although his farming profession kept him busy, there was never any doubt he would be there for us at the end of the day.  He had a friendly personality, one which sought to find the good in people and give them a helping hand if he could.  As for being a fighter, it took battling a quadruple bypass surgery, a stroke and prostate cancer before the cancer moving into his bones finally took him at the age of 72.

It seems as history unfolds, there are fewer and fewer families who are blessed to have a father such as mine.  They say a girl often marries someone like their father, and I'm grateful to have found an equally faithful man who became the father of our two children.  We are also blessed by the fact our daughter found a husband of strong character who is the father of our grandchildren.

There are many in this world, however, who do not have such a story to share.  For some, there was no father in the picture.  Others may have had an abusive father, or one who placed family on the bottom of his priority list.  I'm not sure why I was one of the fortunate ones, but you can be sure I count my blessings often!

Whatever your Father's Day memories might hold, be sure to remember you also have a Heavenly Father who longs to have a personal relationship with you.  He speaks lovingly to you through His Word and patiently waits for each of His children to "come home".

 

Blessed

As a Christmas gift this year, I received two pairs of socks from my son.  One pair had the words "I am awesome" printed across the toe and the other said, "I am blessed".  They are very comfortable socks and are my first pick if available in the sock drawer.  At one point this winter, I unfortunately threw the "blessed" socks in a load of towels which included a red dishtowel.  Instead of white, they are now pink!

Because I had shown my son the socks in a holiday flyer put out by our local drugstore, I decided to see if they had any more available, and purchased two additional pairs to have on hand when I need to be reminded how blessed I am.  Actually, I don't need much of a reminder.  All I have to do is take a quick evaluation of my life and the blessings are abundantly there to count.

As I'm counting, I find myself looking around and seeing so many others who are less fortunate and wonder, "Who am I to be so blessed?  What did I do to deserve so much when others have little?"  To these questions I have no answers.  Instead, a prayer of thankfulness seems to be the only appropriate response.

Looking back on my life, some blessings have come from choices I've made, but the majority of them were simply plopped in my lap by a Sovereign God who reigns over us all.  In Acts 17:26 we find the following exposition from Paul to the men of Athens:

"From one man God made every nation of men,

that they should inhabit the whole earth;

And He determined the times set for them

and the exact places where they should live."

 

In essence, Paul was telling the people it wasn't just "happenstance" they were living in the time period they were, and furthermore, even the exact places they were living had been determined by God long before when He set into motion His plan for the human race.  It can be mind boggling to think of all the people who have walked this earth, and yet, according to this verse, God had each one in mind from the beginning, and going back to the King James Version, "exact places" becomes "bounds of habitation". 

 

It takes looking at the next verse to figure out what God's purposes were in doing this.  In verse 27 we read:

 

"God did this so that men would seek Him

and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him,

though He is not far from each one of us."

 

At the top of my blessings list would be the fact I was born into a Christian home and surrounded by people who modeled a positive lifestyle for me.  Although each of us is given free will to choose, it certainly helps to be encouraged to walk the "straight and narrow" from an early age.  As far back as I can remember I have had the assurance of "Jesus Loves Me" ringing in my soul, and have made an effort to pass the same message on to my children, grandchildren and all who God brings across my path.

 

How about you?  Are you walking a road of blessings today, or is life more of a struggle?  As I said, I have no understanding of how the blessing basket is being distributed.  I only know God's desire is for each of us to reach out and find Him.  A poem comes to mind, one written by Annie Johnson Flint:  

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

 God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

 God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

 

Thankfully, one of God's greatest blessings is the promise of a time to come where problems simply will not exist.  All the wrongs will be righted and evil will no longer have power to rule over us.  If your blessings list seems to be lacking at the present time, cling to this promise and know as you draw near to God, He will draw near to you!  (James 4:8)  For now, there will be an enemy trying to block the way, but remember, "Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4) and in the end, those on God's side will reign victorious!