Showers of Blessings- Grandchildren

Our second grandchild was born in our local hospital so we made it before she was born. I suppose with the birth of our first g-grandson, memories of the births of our grandchildren are brought to mind...........

" Shhhh.......shhhhh, I think I heard a baby crying......listen." And, sure enough it was.

"IT'S A GIRL !!" her dad shouted, as he flung open the double doors to the delivery room, and smiled from ear to ear. "She's here and they are cleaning her up and weighing her now. She is beautiful and she and her mother are doing great.

We were standing outside those doors; the five of us; Daughter# 1, her husband and #1 son along with this new little baby girl's granddad and me..........Grandparents to a wonderful little boy and now the arrival of a precious little girl.

This wasn't Daughter# 2's first trip to the hospital. Being her first child, apparently she thought Braxton-Hicks pains were the beginning of labor. So, Daughter #1 and her family had driven all the way from Tulsa in order not to miss the event only to find out it was a false alarm. Thank goodness, their second trip over wasn't in vane because that baby girl was here.

Later we gathered in Daughter #2's hospital room and each one of us took turns holding that little bundle of joy. And, my heart was filled to overflowing again with the goodness of our God. Yes, God had blessed us once again with a precious life.
 
This past week, our Daughter #2, who had given birth to her first child 26 years before, became a first time grandmother. And, that beautiful granddaughter, the one whom our family was waiting outside the delivery room for the sound of a first cry, gave birth to an 8 lb 6oz beautiful baby boy that she and her husband named Oliver James Devlin.

Yes, time moves on.............So many happy moments in our lives and very few disappointments. God has showered us with so many blessings and we thank Him every day.

Have you taken time to thank God for the showers of blessings He has given you?

"I will make my people and their homes around my hill a blessing. And, there shall be showers, showers of blessings for I will not shut off the rains but send them in their season" Ezekiel 34:26 Living Bible (TLB)

Those First Grandsons

"Dad, I hate to wake you up but my water just broke and we are on the way to the hospital". Daughter # 1 said when my sleepy husband answered the phone about 3:00 a.m.

"Who was that at this time of night," I said as I roused up from a deep sleep.

"That was the mother-to-be. Her water just broke and they are on their way to the hospital. So, we best drag ourselves out of bed; call Daughter #2 and tell her we'll be there in a couple of hours to pick them up."

Not expecting to get that call for another three weeks, I hadn't packed a thing. I was going to stay a few days so I would have to take a few clothes. We threw things together and hurried out the door.
The drive that mid December night was quite an experience. We were certainly not expecting to drive to Tulsa in the middle of the night in a bad snow storm three weeks before the expected arrival of our first grandchild; a grandson. But, our Jeep Grand Cherokee held the road and the closer we got to Tulsa, the heavier my husband's foot got on the gas pedal.

Until you have experienced the birth of your first grandchild, you can't possibly know the excitement I felt when he was placed in my arms for the first time. I gazed at his sweet little face and I couldn't keep the tears from flowing.

Now almost 31 years later, I'm a great-grandmother of a beautiful little baby boy. I have yet to hold him in my arms but as I think back to that early morning in Tulsa, I can imagine the feeling our Daughter # 2 had when, this past week, she held her first grandchild; a beautiful and oh so perfect grandson.

And, just as I prayed for that first grandchild, I pray for this great-grandchild. I pray that he will grow up in the knowledge of His creator and follow Him all the days of his life.

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day." Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message)

Lightening Bugs

"I'll get a jar and we'll catch lightening bugs, okay?"

"Okay, but punch holes in the lid because we don't want 'em to smother while they're in there." I said to my friend as she headed across the street.

"I'll have Dad punch the holes. He won't let me use his knife. And, I'll put some grass in there so they'll have something to eat. I'll be right back."

After supper was over and I had helped... Mother by drying the last dish, permission was granted for me to go outside.

"Now, don't go so far that you can't hear me when I hollar for you, okay?" My Mother said. And I assured her I wouldn't.

It wasn't difficult to entertain the kids in my neighborhood on any given summer evening. Most of us had front porches and those porches were the gathering places for us. It was a peaceful neighborhood. The only sounds in the late evenings were the sounds of kids laughing, the jar flies making their sawing noises, occasional barking of a dog or a mother calling their child in for bedtime. We would ride our bicycles around the block until dark. Sometimes the boys would hide their bicycles and then jump out at us as we wheeled by, insuring a blood curdling scream from us girls.

Parents would sit out on their porches watching their children play, swatting an occasional mosquito, and talking with some of the neighbors who had wandered over to visit.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if neighborhoods were once again like this? If everyone took time to visit with neighbors and children were free to run and play until night settled in? If there were no threats of kidnappings or shootings in the neighborhood schools?

If doors could be left unlocked without the threat of thieves? If people would mingle with other people instead of being entertained via a television screen? What if we really got to know one another? What if we watched out for our neighbor's children as though they were our own? Have we become a people who cannot be satisfied with the small pleasures in life?

I know the verse below is written to encourage Believers to not give up meeting together in a church like setting. But, could it not also apply to us getting together with friends and neighbors to encourage each other in our daily lives; to show love toward each other by taking time to listen to the problems someone might be facing or the praise that another might want to share? And, most of all, to be there for our kids as they play together in carefree abandonment?

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

Carefree Days of Summer

I love everything about summer..........well, almost everything. I could do without the scorching heat, biting bugs, storms, floods, flourishing weeds, sunburn, and t.v. reruns. Of course, there is always the benefit of air conditioning, bug spray, a dry storm cellar, weed eaters, suntan lotion and an off button.
Memories of summer as a child bring a smile.

Barefoot days were here.... finally. My dislike for biting bugs came to the forefront when I was six years old. While running through our clover filled yard I stepped on a bumble bee. He let me know that crushing his house was not the best idea. He must have been a really bad bee because my foot swelled until I couldn't walk. I ran temperature for three days and the pain was terrible. All I could do was lay in bed with an ice pack on my foot and cry. Good old Dr. Carter made house calls back then. He stopped by on his way to the office each morning to see how I was doing. His smile and the sucker he pulled out of his pocket and handed me, made the medicine he gave me taste a little better. His advice to my mother about giving me ice cream and cold popsicles didn't hurt either. Back then, we had no air conditioning and anything cold and sweet was a godsend.

Our old walnut tree by the back porch had a limb that just begged for a swing. My daddy made one and hung it high enough that, when pumping it as hard as I could with my skinny legs, it would almost reach the sky, or so I thought. My imagination would run away with itself on the days I spent in that swing.Looking forward to my July birthday and the excitement of an all day trip to Kings River for a cooling time of playing in the water filled my mind the whole month of June. Inner tubes proved to be quite a fun thing as my cousin and I would twirl about in them, kicking and splashing each other. Occasionally, one of us would float out into a current and scream to be rescued by my daddy, who was always close by with his watchful eye.

There was nothing better on a hot, summer day than spreading out an old quilt under the maple tree in our back yard. My friend and I would scamper across the sidewalk at a place along the way, fearing that an angry troll, who surely lived under the bridge the walk crossed, would grab our leg. When we reached the library on the third floor of the court house, we would check out three books each and hurry back home so we could settle down under that tree and read. Mother knew by the time we returned, we would be thirsty so she always had lemonade made for us. My friend and I did quite a lot of reading while lying on that old quilt, but there was also a lot of girl talk that went on.

Those carefree days of summer as a young girl were some of the best times of my life. We had no t.v. that blared out the troubles of the day; our radio was seldom on except for The Grand Old Opry on a Saturday night. Our children nowadays are, for the most part, deprived of a safe neighborhood where they could run and play with their friends even into the dark of night. They don't know the joy of the simple things that make for memories as old age creeps up on us.

Even though our home was very simple; we didn't have a lot of worldly goods, there was a lot of love and there was the companionship of neighbors, who always had time to sit on our porch in the evenings and pass the time of day. And, there were the childhood friends, who were always eager to spend the summer with each other; enjoying the simple things of life.

"Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young,
Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire." Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 (The Message)

opossum and Sin

John loves to repeat stories that he Grandpa told him over the years. He shared one in particular with me a few days ago.

It seems his Grandpa loved to go hunting; fox , opossum, skunk, etc. One particular night his Grandpa was hunting for opossums with a friend. Now for those of you "young'uns" who know nothing about an opossum other than what they look like, according to Wilkipedia, when threatened or harmed, they will " play possum", mimicking the appearance and smell of ...a sick or dead animal. When an opossum is "playing possum", the animal's lips are drawn back, the teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, the eyes close or half-close, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away without reaction. The animal will typically regain consciousness after a period of between 40 minutes and 4 hours, a process that begins with slight twitching of the ears.

Grandpa and his friend had caught several opossums. One of them was "playing possum" with teeth bared. Grandpa's friend thought it would be funny to stick his finger in the opossum's mouth.
 
"You're gonna be sorry if you keep on doin' that 'cause that ole' possum is gonna clamp down on your finger and it's agonna hurt" Grandpa told his friend.

"Naw, he's a sullen' and he ain't gonna bite me 'cause he's asleep and when they's asleep, they ain't gonna bite", was the reply.

As they walked along with Grandpa still giving warning, Grandpa's friend kept laughing and telling Grandpa he was fine and how funny this was.

"Hey, you got awful quiet back there. What's a happenin'? Grandpa asked.

No answer.

"You ahearin' me?" Grandpa said as he turned around toward his friend.

"He's got me........" said his friend, sheepishly, "and I can't get his mouth pried open."

Isn't that the way sin is? People can warn against the outcome of sin and yet, people continue in their sinful way thinking they are immune from the pain of sin.

"My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God." James 5:20 (MSG)

Moments..............

As we attended a fellow brother in Christ's funeral Saturday and viewed the slide show of his moments in life, I was made aware that all of life is made up of moments. It's very obvious that Justin enjoyed his moments in life even though those moments didn't last as long as he or his family would have wanted. Justin Langston loved his family and wanted to spend as much time with them as he could making memories in his moments.

Life isn't given to us all at once but in small increments of seconds, minutes......moments. It's difficult for anyone to say what your purpose in life is other than for the believer, it's to honor God; to do His will. But, what is your purpose for this moment; the moment you are reading this.

Are you setting by your phone? Is there someone that needs a call? Is there a pen and some paper on the table beside you? Does someone need to hear from you with an encouraging word or perhaps a word of sympathy?

Maybe you are homebound but God has placed a name of someone on your heart that you are to pray for.

Are you at your work desk? When you look up, do you see another person? Do you need to invite that person to lunch with you ? Perhaps they need to unload their burdens on a listening ear. Or maybe they are unchurched and they need an invite from you to attend your church?

Are you working in a day care where a little child needs that extra hug they didn't get before they were placed in your care for the day?

Is there a student in your classroom that is dealing with a difficult home environment? Or maybe they are being bullied and afraid to let anyone know ? Do they need your smile and just a word to let them know that they are important to you and that you are proud of them?

What about that person who walks into your store? Do you have time for them or do you just let them browse and maybe walk out when what they really needed was some conversation?

What about your own family? When you are together in the evenings are you preoccupied with catching up on the latest news on TV or maybe answering your e-mail or checking your Facebook?

Remember, those children God has given you won't be in your care always. This moment you have to give them your undivided attention will not come again. Those parents and grandparents won't always be there and they need attention, too.

Time is precious.

Each moment that passes leaves us with less moments. We all have the same amount of time. God knew that 24 hours and 7 days a week was plenty of time to accomplish what He wants each of us to do. It's up to us to determine how we are going to spend those moments because we will never have them back.

A Time for Everything

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 NLT

The Train

As I contemplated the deaths of those five brave police officers in Dallas, I realize that when they left for work, they knew that their job came with no guarantees that they would return home. But, I am sure that they put those thoughts in the back of their minds so they could do their jobs to the best of their abilities. When thinking about that , I was reminded of something I read sometime ago entitled "The Train".

"At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and ...we believe they will always travel by our side.
 

As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of your life. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.

Others will step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum. Some, however, will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats.

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells.
Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life."

“And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (TLB)

" I sawwee, Daddy"

“But, I sawwee, Daddy” Daughter # 2 said, looking up with her big brown eyes into her daddy’s face, “I willy,willy am” she would continue, putting on the saddest face she could manage.

“Now are you really? That’s what you told me last time, remember?” Daddy would say looking sternly into her eyes.

“Yes, Daddy, I berry, berry sawwee”, she would reply.

Both of our daughters were very good at saying they were sorry but soon forgot what they had been sorry for and do it again.

 

“Now, just telling Daddy you’re sorry isn’t enough. Being sorry means that you won’t do something again if Daddy or Mommy has told you not to do it. Do you understand?”

Of course, both girls would wipe away the tears Daddy’s lecture had caused; shake their heads in agreement and promise never to disobey again. Daddy or Mommy’s lectures and discipline didn’t always mean the offense wouldn’t happen again but as we continued to remind them, we had to discipline less and less.

How often do we as adults say “I’m sorry” and never really mean it? A lot of times, just as our little girls, we are sorry but it isn’t because we have committed an offense but because we have been caught. Remember, whenever you are truly sorry you are saying you did not mean to do something hurtful or wrong and you promise never to do it again. The problem comes when we continue to repeat the bad behavior or offense.

A lot of times, we knew the little girls were saying they were sorry in order not to bring about the discipline they knew would follow.

Most of us who are parents are eager and willing to forgive our children when they disobey us. We love our children and we want to teach them how to truly be sorry for the times they have disobeyed and how to forgive those that ask forgiveness of them. How often do we sin and then tell God we are sorry? Are we like the little girls often were; sorry we were caught? Our God has promised us that if we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive our sins and remember them no more.

Each day we need to check our hearts and our lives to see how we measure up as Believers. And, we need to remember that we always have a Heavenly Father, who just as our earthly father, wants us to grow to be the examples of Him to others.

“For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him”. Psalm 103:11-13 NLT

 

Depression

So encourage each other to build each other up, just as you are already doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (TLB)

I ask our granddaughter's permission to use the post from her Facebook page and she gladly gave it.

You see our family is no different than millions of other families.  We have our ups and downs; our good times and times of discouragement.  But, because we love each other and try to lift each other up, we have been blessed and we have become overcomers. 

There is a lot to be said and lot to be learned about depression and mental health problems.  Our churches and schools need to be more involved in encouraging and helping those who have difficulties.  Families need to gather around those within their homes; stand by and encourage them.

We are so proud of the path Christen has chosen. We are proud of her ability to overcome a lot of obstacles and develop into a woman with a lot of drive and a lot of desire to help others in similar situations.  She is on the Deans List and half way through her masters degree in Developmental Therapy. She received her undergraduate degree in Human Development & Family at the U of A. She is a Family Advocate for the Head Start program in Washington county, helping families  learn about programs that will assist them in raising their little ones. We are thankful Christen has a very supportive husband, who encourages her to be the best she can be. And, we are thankful that the home they have established is a Christian home.

Christen and I hope by sharing her words, it will be an encouragement to those who read it who might have difficulties like she has had or know someone who is experiencing this sort of problem.

Here's her posting:

"Three years ago today was my first day without antidepressants in my system (successfully and on purpose) after being on them for 7 years.

 

My struggle with depression and anxiety is not something I talk about all the time, but it's something I'm very open about . My battle to recovery has been a hard battle that I've had to fight daily. I cannot adequately put into words how I felt at my lowest and it's not a feeling that I like to revisit with my thoughts often.

 

I've learned that I'm going to struggle with depression and anxiety off and on for the rest of my life. Sometimes they will be quietly hidden under my need to control everything, excessive plan making or my introverted nature, and sometimes they're banging loudly at my door 24/7. But in the 10 years since I've been diagnosed, I've learned how to recognize it and deal with it in much better and healthier ways than I did 10 years ago. I have a wonderful, supportive husband. I have a job and career that I love. I'm half way through a Master's degree. I have a great family and I have great friends. If someone told me 10 years ago that this is where I would be now and how great my life would be, I wouldn't believe them.

It gets better. It hasn't been easy. Countless hours of therapy, countless hours of praying, countless milligrams of chemicals to help rebalance my brain. They were all worth it. Even though I know the battle isn't over, I'm hopeful. And I'm happy.

 

In the words of The Avett Brothers song: "Just know the kingdom of God is within you, even though the battle is bound to continue."

Christen has a FB page: Christen Million, if you have questions. Or you can contact me via inbox message and I'll pass it on to her.

^"Anxious hearts are very heavy, but a word of encouragement does wonders!" Proverbs 12:25 (TLB)

Let Us Not Neglect Meeting Together

It was a beautiful Wednesday evening when we headed west 1 1/2 miles to Grandview Baptist Church. As we pulled into the parking lot, others were getting out of their vehicles and heading to the front door, stopping along the way to hug each other and share about the weather or their day. As we made our way into the cool inside, there were others already there with smiles on their faces and hands outreached to shake ours.

Bro. Billy stood at the front of the sanctuary greeting the large group of believers who had come.
"Why do you all continue to gather here week after week and particularly on a beautiful night like this when you could be doing other things outside?" There was silence for a few seconds and then people began to speak up.

"I come because I want to feel God's spirit," said one, " and I know I can feel it here.

"I come because I know God's people are going to be here and I like to fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ," said another.

Yet another spoke up, " I can feel the Spirit as soon as I walk in the door."

Several others spoke saying the same thing. Then we all gathered at the front to pray for the special needs of our world, our community, our homes and each other.

Our pastor purchased several copies of "Killing Christians" by Tom Doyle and encouraged us to take a copy and read it. Knowing how I love to read, I didn't have to be asked twice. Mr. Doyle has been on the front lines where these things happen and takes the readers to the secret meeting rooms of Christians in the Middle East; the torture rooms; the prisons and even the executions that are the "calling" of countless Muslims turned Christians. As I read, I ask myself if I would be willing to die for the cause of Christ. Would I be willing to walk hundreds of miles to share the gospel of Christ in the face of what could be my demise?

After the dismissal prayer, people stood around inside the sanctuary, visiting and laughing for quite sometime. As we walked outside, yet others were standing and visiting in the cool breeze.
As dusk settled on the land, people began to disburse; some getting in their cars; others in their pickup trucks and yet another on his motorcycle.

We left feeling that we had met with God and knowing, God willing, we would be meeting in that same place with our church family on Sunday morning.

Today we celebrate our independence. How long we will be able to celebrate our freedom no one knows. As of today, we have freedom to go where we like; celebrate with friends and family the way we like and worship where and when we want without the threat of death.
 
How ashamed we should be when we use any excuse not to gather to worship with our fellow Christians. And, how thankful we should be that we can gather and worship the One who died for us without any fear. There may come a day when freedom of worship in our country may be taken from us.

"Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near." Hebrews 10:25 (TLB)

Here In Pleasant Valley

I read about the highway widening project going on between Berrryville and Green Forest and I remember when the widening of the highway in front of our home was happening a couple of years ago. Things have quieted down here in Pleasant Valley where we have lived for 30 years.

Except for a few days of cyclists this time of year, our peaceful little valley couldn't be more serene no matter the season. Except for the male cicades making a shrill sound and an occasional airplane flying overhead all is quiet.

We enjoy the spring when the big trees down by the little stream leaf out and shade the gazebo John built. We like summer in the cool of the evening, listening to the night sounds and looking at the stars. We watch for the falling leaves of our maple trees and the smell of burning leaves indicating that fall is in the air. When the snow is falling in winter, we know that we can enjoy hot chocolate and popcorn, kicked back in our easy chair; a purring kitten lying in front of our fireplace.

There is just something special about our little bit of Pleasant Valley. Our place and 400 surrounding acres was home to families on the paternal side of my family all the way back to the early 1800's. My grandfather built the second house to the west of us when my daddy was small. It has been remodeled, but the big front porch is still there; the porch from which Daddy road his tricycle off into the rain barrel situated the end of the porch.

Behind the home just west of us, the building still stands that was once the Pleasant Valley church. My mother and daddy attended church there during their courting years back in the 20's. When he was in his late teens, my daddy gave his heart to the Lord while riding his horse home after attending a revival meeting there. Our daughter #2 played the piano for a revival there when she was in her teens.

A stones throw to the east of us, was the Thornton School in Pleasant Valley my daddy attended as a child. It's now the Family Vet Clinic. My daddy passed just before we bought our home here in Pleasant Valley, but I know he would be happy that we are back in his old stompin' grounds.

I have often wondered what life was like in our area back then. I know few people had cars. They either walked or road horse back when traveling from place to place. I remember my mother talking about how they use to go to what she called play parties. The young people would get together and square dance. They had pie suppers, they played card games. Everything was homemade; the food, the music , and other things. And, a lot of their time spent together was at little country churches and schools much like the ones my parents attended close by. Although for the country folk like my family, the 1920's was a time of hardship, they found time to be together as families and they enjoyed friendships without the benefit of televisions, computers or IPhones.

C. S. Lewis once said , “Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire"

I know families back then helped each other. When you needed a house or barn built, friends came in to help. When there was tragedy in the family, friends gathered, doing what they could to ease the burden.

I know God is pleased when we come together and enjoy each other as a family or when we gather with friends.

"A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." Proverbs 17:17 TLB
And, I think God smiles down on our little piece of heaven here on earth in Pleasant Valley.