Friday, January 31, 2014

MY MOM


Itasca Lake,Minnesota 1983; 63 years old
Been thinking about my Mom a lot.  As of yesterday, January 30th, it was the 3rd year of her death when 90-1/2 years old. And 3 years ago, her first and forever immediately instantly time in Heaven.  Believe me, I look forward to seeing her there.


Much has been laid on me regarding the various skills she had as a young person, but those skills were only in and out most of the rest of her life from childhood.

WELL, since I am the oldest of her kids that she raised, I now have remembered how I, as a young 'un, learned what to do and how to do some things.  Most of the time, previously, of course, I have been focused on the serious, angry, battling events in our family.  Since I was the oldest of the kids by nearly 5 years, and in charge of the others so often until I graduated from high school, I rarely thought of the good options that had entered my life through her.

So, how did she drop my personal skills into me?

She played sax until after she graduated from high school in 1938.  She was a very tall girl [eventually 6'2"] and she looked like quite a player in the photos I finally saw a couple years ago.  

When I was 9 years old, 4th grade, she gave me her sax to begin to learn at school.  I had it until I graduated.  I didn't have an opportunity to have a sax again, and I didn't consider an option until I was 42.  My pianist and musician-oriented husband, who I had recently married,  asked if I could still do it.  I told him I remembered the sax fingering, but couldn't blow the same way.  He bought me,
over years, 3 different kinds of electronic instruments that, no matter what the sound would be, or it looked like, I could use the sax fingering.  Been playing on worship teams, at weddings, other events with/through my husband for years now... because Mom opened that door for me almost 60 years ago.

 She was a reader.  When I was 5, she got me some.  By the time I was about 8 years old, I would read the Encyclopedia and pick up some of the many books in the house.  I've been a reader and writer ever since.

One thing she did, that helped me, but I couldn't ever truly do well, was drawing pictures.  She was a really, really good one.  I did OK, but I quit when I was in junior high.  I went to the acting, directing and writing plays.  Didn't draw any more, ever.

When in 8th grade, studying Civil War, and needing to write a several-page history "book", the one thing I wanted to do, but couldn't, Mom did it for me.  She drew the pictures of Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman on the title cover page.  That was really a great help for me.

I've been thinking of my Mom in Heaven.  She was a hard worker.  Her last official working job ended at her 80th birthday. 


 She enjoyed working, but rarely could do those side things--music, art, reading-- she enjoyed so much. I have been wondering if now she is playing an instrument to worship, drawing pictures on heavenly home walls or doors, and reading -- while in Heaven, reading one kind of the Word of God or another that will be thoroughly entered into her heavenly heart, soul, spirit. 

I can hardly wait to see her in eternity... and none of the garbagy junk stuff that was in her life --- my dad's, too, of course --- [and mine, of course].


Mom, Dad, and me.  Portland, 1947
With Mom and Dad being friends in heaven now, after the years of fussing and fighting, is one of my most exciting aspects of when I get to go there.  

Mom made a difference in my life in a variety of ways.  She truly loved music, books, and art from childhood.  Now, she's got it again.  And my sisters and I, our kids and grandkids, and others, too, through what came through her to us. 

Another day of my heart hollering HALLELUJAH!

Tell Me a Story

STOP ANGER!


AND THE SUN WAS DOWN.
NOT AN OK THING, EVER.

HOWEVER, AS I OFTEN SAY,
THE HUGE BLESSING IN OUR LIVES,
ANGRY OR NOT, 
IS
   "GOD   IS   BIGGER!!"

Jumping Tandem

I LOVE HIS WORDS...


DID THEN, BEFORE THEN, AND EVER SINCE THEN.
I DON'T READ EVERYTHING EVERY DAY,
BUT I DO THINK OF THE WORDS FROM OUR LORD
EVERY DAY,
 OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

THE ONLY WISE GOD...



AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS
ALL WE CAN COUNT ON
FOREVER AND EVER.
A M E N!

Monday, January 27, 2014

BEIN' YOUNG NOW WHEN OLD...


AS I SAID, 
AIN'T YOUNG NOW,
BUT NEED TO CONSTANTLY
LISTEN TO AND OBEY
MY HEAVENLY FATHER.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

PAYTON'S MEMORIAL



On Thursday, January 24th, the Memorial Service was held at Clair Memorial United Methodist Church about a mile from my house.  The church was filled with people from various locations and filled with blessing from Reverend Portia A. Cavitt, and a number of other pastors or elders or leaders from a variety of churches and a very heart-blessing choir and musicians.  It was truly a rejoicing time.  Many people stood forward and worshiped the Lord.

Payton's mother, Tabitha, spoke for a short time, but shared much appreciation.

It was a blessing for me to see people I'd missed for some time.  We ended up giving hugs and trying to arrange to get together again.  One of the ladies has indicated she'd been at First Responders three times, but I don't think we'd met there.  The day after Payton's death, and a couple hundred people met outside for the family and friends,  Trudie reached out to me that time.  She said she was excited when I got out of my car, she having pulled up behind me on the street, because she loved my license plate. 



 Then, at the church, a week later, she was happy to see me and introduced me to a friend she had brought.  They want to get together with me some time.  That's just one example.


Another blessing.  I was sitting across from Trudie and her friend, Kay, in the eating area, filled with so many people. Suddenly Tabitha was sitting next to me. I was so surprised and filled with joy.  I had a bit earlier given her two prayer shawls, donated by a group connected to First Responders.  Tabitha said the prayer shawl for Payton would be put in with her special gifts, since she had been cremated. 



And Tabitha would keep her prayer shawl very happily and gratefully.  In the process, Trudie took a photo of us. I was so blessed to be with Tabitha.  AND would truly love to spend more time with her.



I saw and met so many wonderful people, heard so many wonderful stories about Payton, and I saw so many of her family and friends that had truly lived with the Lord.  

Payton's one of the dear ones I hope to see in heaven when I get there.

[Have I shared this perfectly?  No.  Have I written it perfectly?  No!  But has it been heavily on my heart since the murder of Payton occurred on January 15th?  YES!!]
Tell Me a Story
 

THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES



DEIDRA SHARED BEAUTIFULLY
HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT
ENTERS AND CARES FOR US.

THE CONFERENCE WAS QUITE A TREAT!

[AND I AIN'T A CONFERENCE-ORIENTED PERSON,
BUT THIS LESS WAS A HUGE BLESSING.
 AND THE LORD AND MY HUSBAND BOTH TOLD ME TO GO.  
GLAD I OBEYED THEM.]

Jumping Tandem

Saturday, January 25, 2014

VAST HUMAN FIELDS


LOVED IT THERE THEN;
WOULD LOVE TO BE THERE NOW.
HUMAN SOULS DID RIPEN
-- BIG TIME--
WHEN WE LIVED THERE.
LOVE SO MANY!!!
MISS SO MANY!!!

Jumping Tandem


SUNDAY STILLNESS


Friday, January 24, 2014

REVERENCE AND GLORIFY GOD



SO GLAD THAT'S THE LORD'S FLOOD-TIDE!
SO NEEDFUL!!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

LIVING IN HIS LOVE



AND I'M A VERY GRATEFUL COOKIE!
WITHOUT HIM WHAT WOULD I 
[OR ANYONE ELSE]
EVER DO?

MUST LIVE WITHIN HIS LOVE.  
FOREVER AND EVER.
 AMEN! 

Jumping Tandem

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

JOYS OF HEAVEN...



ABSOLUTELY WHAT I COUNT ON
AND LOOK FORWARD TO.

Monday, January 20, 2014

FORGIVEN!!


YES!  ALL I CAN DO IS THANK HIM...
MOMENT-BY-MOMENT,
DAY-BY-DAY.
 FOREVER AND EVER.
BOTH HERE AND IN HEAVEN. 



SUNDAY STILLNESS

 

Sunday, January 19, 2014

OUR SINS IN DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN



WHAT A BLESSING TO COUNT ON
WHILE WALKING AROUND AND ABOUT
IN THIS WORLD.

THANK YOU, DEAR LORD,
FOR THIS TRULY AMAZING GIFT.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

FIRST RESPONDERS -- PAYTON, 5-YEARS-OLD, ACCIDENTALLY MURDERED

On Wednesday, January 15, gang members were fighting, driving around and about, and shooting.  Suddenly, when Payton was eating breakfast with the rest of her family, a bullet came through the window and hit her.  Her mom rushed out to take her to a hospital, but bullets had flattened her car's tires, too.  Couldn't go anywhere quickly enough.  Ambulance and police arrived.  But just a few minutes later, Payton died.

The first murder in Omaha of 2014 turned out to be a 5-year-old pretty little girl.

Thursday, from 5:00 to 6:00, nearly 200 people were not far from her home, and praying, sharing, turning around and about to the Lord, over and over again. Some were First Responders.  Some were obviously family and friends, or neighbors.   It was a very, very windy [50 mph], and cold time.  Usually, our First Responders murder-site group would be much smaller, including family and friends. This time many had come. What a blessing!


Our mayor came.  She has arrived at First Responders before or sent someone to represent her.  Well, she didn't send anyone else this time.  She came, she spoke.  She's a strong Christian, so her heart reaches out to so many who are in any need.

Other leaders and general people were there, including me, and we all left about 6:00.

It was too dark and windy for me to take a photo of the stuffed animals, candles, and other gifts piled in front of the house across the street.  I decided that on Thursday morning, I would drive over there and do it.  So, in the morning, I was sitting at my desk, thinking that I'd go fairly soon, maybe a little in the afternoon, and suddenly I felt the Lord tap me and tell me to "go now".  So, shortly before noon, even though I hadn't finished drinking my tea, and reading some FB messages, I quickly left.  Payton's home is only about a mile from where I live.

I parked on the street very near the house.  I went to the pile of stuffed animals, and candles, and balloons, and everything else, and I straightened some pieces that had been blown around a bit.  I took several photos.

Shortly thereafter,  I saw a car stop across the street.  Two men got out and came to me and asked me what I was doing.  Turned out they were from  KMTV.  For several minutes they talked to me, asked me questions about me, and interviewed me re: First Responders.  When I was leaving I was told I would be on their news at 6:00.  I was pretty surprised.  All I could think was that the Lord had sent me there right then for this reason.

When the news hit, and family and friends and fund raising was part of the couple minutes, I suddenly was about 3 seconds right in the middle of it.  What a surprise!  I can't pull up the news to show you, but this is what I said:

"...so we can pray for the neighbors, so we can pray for the family. We can walk around the neighborhood and try to turn people's hearts in the right direction."

The memorial service is next Thursday.  I truly hope the Lord can break through more and more of the broken hearts.  All I can count on... all WE can ever count on... is our Heavenly Father.  AND, as on one of my posts about Payton on Thursday, this is the only joyful portion:

THE ONLY GOOD THING, AT THE MOMENT, IS KNOWING PAYTON IS IN HEAVEN, NO PAIN, NO SORROW, SEEING FAMILY AND FRIENDS, HOLDING HANDS WITH ANGELS AND WITH JESUS.


Tell Me a Story


SUNDAY STILLNESS