Milestones of Our Lives

Today we are celebrating a birthday in our family. The big guy’s - the old man (I can say that cuz he’s older than me!) It got me thinking about the milestones of our lives.

Thirty-one years ago when we celebrated hubby’s birthday, we were living in a small apartment in Sacramento. We had recently left the Midwestern winter behind and moved to California. 

I baked a cake and tried to give him the attention he would have received from his large, extended family had we been celebrating in Wisconsin. This was our first milestone away from family. We were on our own, just the two of us --  along with my cat, Mittsy.

We had packed up and moved in March of 1982, giving away whatever wouldn't fit into our rented 4’x8’ trailer. What I remember most are the final good-byes. I've found that when strong emotions are tied to a memory, they remain forever.

When the packing was completed, and friends helped clean my little flat, we celebrated our bon voyage by toasting with champagne in paper cups. Later we added some of hubby's things to the trailer (the rest were left in his parent's basement), and when we were finally ready to leave on our great adventure, it was near dusk.

Our final farewell with extended family is burned into my memory. As we pulled away from the curb, they stood along the sidewalk in the falling darkness, all in a line, waving goodbye. The moment was so filled with emotion – our great adventure just beginning, and leaving friends and family and everything familiar behind.

In all the time that has passed, we’ve made four major moves to three different states. We’ve grown our family with the addition of four sons born in two different states. All of their milestones have been joyously celebrated along the way.

One part of my life journey that I remember clearly was when I was ‘born again’ in my faith, as a young mother living under the broad expanse of Texas skies. I had long talks with God on my walks under that great blue sky. 

I remember when I tearfully gave Him back my sons, one at a time, knowing fully well that they were really His. For a mom who believed I was their protector, this was difficult to do, but my relationship with God began to grow as I learned to trust Him with my precious children, and indeed with my own life as well. There have been many milestones in my faith journey, and I hope they keep coming! 

We celebrate the passing years with birthday parties and anniversary celebrations. Holidays come and go, with all their preparations and fun and family closeness. And when they are past and I am left with a mild melancholy. But I cherish the memories.

Children grow past their years of needing us for everything, and too soon we are celebrating graduations from high school and then from college. If you haven’t gotten to that place in your life yet, believe me when I say the time passes so very quickly, way too quickly.

We celebrate our children’s growth as they become the people God intends for them to be. The joy of watching them grow and develop maturity is perhaps the most rewarding stage of parenthood.

I hope in my future there will be the celebration of grand babies and their birthdays. The years continue to march forward in infantry-like precision. There is no stopping the passage of time. And with this crazy world we live in now, even those who have time on their hands say that time seems to be passing more quickly these days.

Photo Courtesy Best Light Photography

So we must celebrate the milestones, as well as the every day gifts of life and love and beauty. Every day is a new beginning for us. We are made new each day by God's grace and are given the opportunity to be grateful for the very breath that brings us life.

We can celebrate the passing of the seasons and the special milestones of our lives, knowing we can give thanks to the One who walks beside us through each and every day. In fact, the only constant through all of this change is knowing God is always with us. He is walking with each of us, as we navigate this journey of life. 

We are Children of God

Sunday Scripture

and a

Song

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God."

John 1:12-13

Enjoy Third Day as they perform "Children of God"

And believe...

Subscribers please click on Hope to find to view this video on my blog site. Thanks!

When We Need Hope

Another winter storm blew through here yesterday depositing a fresh layer of fluffy, white snow. Strong winds blew the sparkling powder into even deeper drifts. 

Mother Nature has a sense of humor, don’t you think? And I don’t believe she has much regard for our Groundhog Story, either.

The landscape is endless white, as far as the eye can see, with just a little frosting on the trees and shrubs. It used to seem pretty. But it’s March, and we are yearning for a change, and we would sure like to see some color return to the landscape. 

In my previous post about endless winter, I shared photographs of a recent snowy day in my yard. Today, I am going to blast this page with the colors of springtime in order to bring hope to the winter-weary among us, and to assure us that spring truly is right around the corner.

I’ve been telling friends that I have visions of tulips dancing in my head. Last year was my first year to view the nearly 100 tulips I’d planted in my gardens, and I can’t wait to see them again this spring! These are pictures of my gardens from last year. Spring will come again, my friends, I promise.

We need hope in so many areas of our lives, wouldn't you agree? I know I need hope just to begin the day. I need hope when life gives me problems that seem insurmountable. When I am weary and sad, I need the hope that comes from blessed rest.

Where do you find hope?

For myself, I find hope in my relationship with God. We share conversations every day, and He knows my heart better than anyone. He touches my spirit with His love, and I can begin to see hope for another day.

 

I have complete trust in the One who saves me. He even saves me from myself, sometimes. He has saved me from the pit of despair. Knowing that God is always at my side brings me comfort, and I know that no matter what trials I must face, I will not face them alone.

This amazing trust has been built through years of doubt and questioning. Trust is built through relationship. I know I can give any of my myriad emotions to God and He will understand. And oftentimes, He guides me in ways I never would have imagined.

“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3

As surely as the sun rises and a new day dawns, so will the earth turn for its seasons. Spring will come. We can put our hope and belief in that. And we can place our hope and trust in the One who said, “ I will never leave you.” 

 

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. "  Isaiah 55:10-11 

The Winter of Our Discontent

Shakespeare! Again! This quote came to me while I pondered life and love as I drove through the rising dawn and viewed our endless winter. Snow is falling again, and though I still see beauty and feel some excitement as the white flakes fall, our Midwestern winter seems to drag on and on. As winter’s cold and gloomy days stretch on, it’s hard not to feel heavy laden, and to feel the darkness begin to seep into our spirits.

And yet, there is beauty to be found. The canvas of white outside my window is etched with the angular shapes of bare tree branches, which catch and hold the snow like frosting on their limbs.

I love to follow animal tracks in the fresh snow, and try to determine who the critter was and when they passed through.

Oh, and when the sun comes out! When the sun comes out! Especially after a crystal snowfall, when millions of diamonds sparkle at my feet, I am filled with wonder and awe.

Truly winter has its beauty. It just sticks around too darn long.

Likewise, when we are living through a winter of our spirit , we may feel that the heaviness seems to last forever. We are weighed down by our burdens, and instead of singing, we turn inward and want to crawl back under the covers.

But every cycle of life is always changing. Deep under the drifts of snow, down in the frozen earth, I imagine my tulip bulbs beginning to awaken. Soon, the days will warm and hope will renew as life returns to the natural world around us. What joy we will feel in the delight of the first blossoms, and that incredibly bright shade of new spring green that the trees and shrubs will wear. It will happen. It will come, as surely as the sun rises each day.

And thus, so shall the darkness of our spirit come to a time of lightening. We will begin to feel our burdens diminish, and in time, hope will dispel our sadness. Though sadness may pervade our thoughts, and languish in our hearts, joy will one day find its way into the dark places and the light will come again.

Like the sun warms and nurtures the earth, we need to nurture our spirit with all that is good. Be kind to yourself. Take the time to treat yourself to whatever it is that makes you feel happy. Honor your sadness, but don’t let it linger too long. The spirit longs for peace, and though our discontent may last for a season, even seemingly endless winters will end.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”

Psalm 42:5-6 & 11

You Are Never Alone

Sunday Scripture

and a

Song

"When you go through deep waters,

    I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

    you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

    you will not be burned up;

    the flames will not consume you."

Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)


Please enjoy this beautiful song of encouragement by Meredith Andrews 

Not for a Moment

Subscribers please click on Hope to find to view this video on my blog. Thanks!