Wednesday, April 21, 2010

64 Years

Song of Solomon 3:4….I found him whom my soul loves.

On April 14 we had the joy of celebrating with my Papa and Gigi for their 64th wedding anniversary. When I consider the sweet marriage I see today, I cannot help but recognize that the foundation and core of this union was built over decades as they put their trust in our Heavenly Father….a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecc. 4:12

Has it been 64 years of perfect wedded bliss, absent of peril or pain…..certainly not.
It has been 64 years of following their savior, undying love, faithfulness, selflessness, sorrow, patience, joy, sacrifice, humility, pain, laughter, adventure, trust, thankfulness, service, contentment...the list could go on.

Even now in the midst of difficult circumstances, as they near the end of this life on earth, we get to witness the sweet kisses and tender words of love they still exchange daily. This privilege is ours and we know the rarity of such an example in marriage.  Our hearts are full of love and thankfulness for their godly legacy.


This song, Find Us Faithful by Steve Green, is a favorite and I believe encompasses my grandparents.

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift though all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful



“For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name”
(Psalm 61:5)

May all who come behind us find us faithful

Friday, April 2, 2010

Blessed Redeemer

As we consider today, Good Friday, and we take in the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for undeserving sinners, I wanted to share with you Isaiah 53 and also two songs I love dearly. Isaiah 53 is one of my favorite passages and these two songs have really ministered to my heart when meditating on Christ’s work on the cross. The songs are beautiful, powerful and so full of the truth of the Gospel.  I have listened to these songs literally hundreds of times….just ask my children! I trust they will help to encourage your spirit of worship, not just for Good Friday, but for each day as we live our lives under the precious beauty of the Gospel.
ISAIAH 53
Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.





Cupcakes for Dinner!!

We are not huge April Fools jokesters, just a little something here and there to commemorate the day. We had fun yesterday with a couple small pranks....saran wrap on a bedroom door, saran wrap across the toilet, duck tape on the water spouts. Mitchell got me good with the duck tape on the kitchen spout; it took me a second to remember I couldn’t be mad at him, as I stood there QUITE wet! We ended our day with "cupcakes" for dinner...delicious meatloaf, mashed potato and corn cupcakes! It was so fun to watch the children eat them...some ate with a fork and a couple ate them like real cupcakes. Unfortunately Daddy missed out as he was at the Lighthouse Mission last night but that is probably better anyway because I had to use instant mashed potatoes....something he strongly dislikes! The kiddos loved it and I had a blast doing them!