A much needed break

Music ministers to my soul. A choir director I once had liked to say: "He who sings, prays twice."

I've been feeling like life is racing by, so many responsibilities, appointments, meetings, events, things that have to be done. Oh, I make sure I have down time every evening after supper to just relax and recover from the day, but the rest of my days are filled with activity. September and October especially lend themselves to a busy hectic schedule. It might be a combination of things (it usually is) with the resumption of church ministries after a summer break, getting ready for the big Nativity push, fall yard work, etc.

So when I heard the following song, it ministered to my soul:

Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Taking all the colors before they fade to gray
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this

It happens in a blink It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life
It happens in a blink

When it's all said and done No one remembers how far we have run
The only thing that matters is how we have loved
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this
It happens in a blink it happens in a flash
it happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life It happens in a blink

Slow down, slow down Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it's too late
It happens in a blink it happens in a flash
it happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life
It happens in a blink

I was very grateful for the opportunity to take a break from the routine of my life by visiting our newest granddaughter this past week. Leading up to the visit was intense, not only because I tried to work ahead to make less stress for those who were left in the office, but it was a busy weekend before I left. On Friday, Oct. 15th, we were involved in a wedding. Andy performed the ceremony on Friday afternoon, then we also attended the reception. Andy did such a nice job with the ceremony and the food at the reception was outstanding. On Saturday morning, I had a ladies' Coffee Connection at the church. I made a fruit salad as my contribution. I had also promised to make an egg and bacon casserole, but because of the wedding the night before wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish that. So I asked Dawn if she would assemble the dish for me and stick it in the oven on Saturday morning. I bought the ingredients and she agreed to help me out. She and Kira joined us at the Coffee Connection for a little while and it was fun to have them there.

On Saturday evening, I had to attend the worship team rehearsal because the person who was scheduled to do slides was unable to. I found this out somewhat last minute, so I decided to do them myself rather than call a list of people. That meant I also was busy all Sunday morning in all three services. Sunday afternoon I tried to get a little more of my work done for the week because I planned to be gone for the next five days.

So Sunday afternoon saw me on my way for a week long break from my routine. A whole five days to hold a new baby, visit with Amy and her family, read lots of books to Chase & Joanna, and take a leisurely walk before supper. It had to be a leisurely walk because Amy was still recovering from childbirth. And did you ever try to walk quickly with a two year old! I'm so amused by the curiosity of a child. They stop to examine the tiniest thing and are fascinated by the most ordinary (to us) object.

It was such a blessing to be a part of Amy's family - to see her in action functioning as a mommy. What a sweet family she has. We are very grateful, too, for Katy's health. She is a beautiful baby with a delightful disposition.

Big brother & sister checking out their new sister.

The new momma

So now it's back to life as usual, but hopefully, refreshed and invigorated for the weeks ahead. Someone once told me that the devil never takes a vacation. It was said to produce a feeling of guilt because I had just said I was going away. However, we are not to imitate the devil, but Jesus, who often took time away to spend time with his Father. Times away are necessary to refresh the soul and renew our spirits.

Sometimes, the only way to win the race is to slow down for refueling.

Number 9 - Katy Emma

Can you believe it? We now have 9 grandchildren. Amy had her 3rd baby on Sunday morning. Her labor and delivery were unbelievably quick, but the baby ingested some fluid into her lungs and had to be taken to the hospital. It was somewhat scary, but she seems to be doing very well, progressing nicely. The doctors have her on a week's worth of antibiotics to ward off any possible infection. You can read more details on Amy's face book, and I'm sure she'll be writing all about it when she gets home.

I hope Amy doesn't mind that I stole her pictures. Look at the hair on that baby! All her babies are born with lots of hair.
Katy was born on 10/10/10 and weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches. Amy was 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 21 1/2 inches at her birth. So Katy weighed an ounce less than her mommy at birth and was an inch shorter. Can you picture it? Amy was such a skinny little baby, she was all legs and arms, and those looked like sticks!

Unfortunately, because Katy has been in the hospital since birth, I have still not seen her. Ricky took the whole week off and is taking care of the house and kids. I'm planning to spend time doing the Grammy/Mom thing next week when Ricky goes back to work. I can't wait to hold that precious little girl and play with Chase & Joanna.

I'm very happy about the name Amy & Ricky chose. (I might add that it was my idea!) My grandmother's name was Katie Emma. So Amy's baby has her great-great-grandmother's name.

In other news, the funeral service for our friend Rich on Saturday was a wonderful tribute to a godly man. He influenced quite a few young men who spoke very highly of him and how he encouraged them to get their lives straightened out. It's amazing how much can be accomplished in a few short years. He was only 53 but there must have been over 500 people at the funeral service. I think the testimonies would have continued if the pastor had allowed it to keep going. He left a wife, a married son and a teenaged daughter and son. Rich had worked closely with Andy on projects at church and he also built the foundation of the in-law addition on our house. His wife is a good friend of mine. We will really miss him.

It's going to be a busy weekend, but those details will come later.

Life is hard sometimes, but God is always good.

Every time I go through something difficult, I'm reminded of this song, which
reflects the theme of a lot of the psalms.

You turn the key
Then close the door behind you
Drop your bags on the floor
You reach for the light
But there's darkness deep inside
And you can't take it anymore

'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you
And sometimes living is all you can do

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

You start to cry
'Cause you've been strong for so long
And that's not how you feel
You try to pray
But there's nothing left to say
So you just quietly kneel

In the silence of all that you face
God will give you His mercy and grace

Jesus never said
It was an easy road to travel
He only said that you would never be alone
So when your last thread of hope
Begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you
On this journey home and He knows

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

Song lyrics by Pam Thum

Last Thursday a very dear friend of ours had a massive heart attack and passed away
on Monday.  We were shocked and deeply grieved.  It's an irony, really, that death
shocks us when it comes, because it happens to everyone.  But the Bible is clear
that death is our enemy.  All week was consumed with preparing for the funeral tomorrow.
We couldn't stop thinking about how young he was (younger than us), how we hurt for his
wife and children left behind, and even for ourselves.  He was a good friend and we'll miss
him terribly.  Many Scriptures came to mind this week to comfort:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me.  Psalm 23.
The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34.
The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.  Psalm 145.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  Psalm 145.
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he
turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.  The cords of death
entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble
and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the Lord; "O Lord, save me!"  The Lord
is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Psalm 116
Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death
is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:35-36.

The Bible is just full of promises that encourage and give hope, even in our darkest moments.
I've also noticed a trend.  It seems that every time someone dies, another person is
experiencing great joy:  like the birth of a baby, finding out they're pregnant,
or some other wonderful news.  So there are moments of sorrow, but also moments of
joy.  Life has its ups and downs, but God is constant - Jesus Christ the same:
yesterday, today and forever.  Hebrews 13:8.

A mother is always a mother

Twenty or so years of loving children gets to be a habit. And after all that time, you love them more than ever. I'm very thankful that even though 2 of my daughters don't live very close, we can talk to each other whenever we have the urge. Close and far are relative terms, I suppose, considering when my own children were small, I lived on the west coast! It was somewhat comical on Tuesday, my day to be home and work around the house, that I happened to go into the bathroom and decided to take the phone with me. I must have been expecting someone to call because I was carrying it with me all morning. So it did ring, I answered and started a conversation with Dawn. While talking to her, I got a beep indicating another call coming through. It was Christy. I didn't get to answer her, though, because just then, Mom came walking through the house calling my name. And believe it or not, at that same moment, Andy came home from his errand and walked in the door just then as well. So 4 people needing me all at the same time, and when I was in the bathroom! Just like old times. Christy suggested that one of Murphy's Laws must be: any time a mother sits down or goes in the bathroom and closes the door, her children need her.

Mid-morning Amy and her kids dropped in to visit. She was in the area on Tuesday to visit a friend from high school. She stayed about an hour and while she was here, Dawn came by with Kira. Dawn and Kira stayed and had lunch with me before they went on their way. I found some mom sentamentalities online that correspond to my musings tonight:

Mothers and Daughters
You can see it in their eyes,
in tender hugs and long good-byes,
a love that only moms and daughters know.

You can see it in their smiles,
through passing years and changing styles,
a friendship that continually seems to grow.

You can see it in their lives,
the joy each one of them derives,
in just knowing that the other one is there...

To care and to understand,
lend an ear or hold a hand,
and to celebrate the memories they share.

...Author Unknown

Child of My Heart
Not flesh of my flesh, not bone of my bone,
yet still very much my own.

Never forget for one single minute
that you grew not under my heart, but in it.

...Author Unknown

Biking to the Shore

Yesterday was a perfect day for a bike ride to the shore - chilly morning, warming up as the day progressed, blue skies, little wind. Andy had already planned on this outing with 3 other guys and 1 woman. Lest you think this is an awfully ambitious undertaking for a woman, don't worry. She is a police officer and does other bike races from time to time. She can hold her own. Everyone made it - 75 miles on a bike.

In case anyone wonders if I rode my bike with them, the answer is "no." I drove down with the wife of one of the guys with a bike rack on the back of a van, so no one would have to bike back. Of course, I really wanted to ride the bike down (ha), but someone had to drive the van. I willingly sacrificed!

Andy's mom and dad are staying at the shore for 3 weeks, so the bikers had a place to shower when they arrived. After everyone showered and rested a little, we all went to the boardwalk for some Mack & Manco pizza.
We walked on the boardwalk a little, although I think the guys were a little reluctant to go very far. We went as far as the ice cream place and everyone got some ice cream. Yes, I had some too, even though I hadn't burned any calories on the ride down.The day was a nice break from the routine.

60 years!

Andy's mom and dad celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this week. Sounds like a good reason to get together and celebrate. So thanks to brother Dan who, first of all, remembered that this week was their anniversary and that it was their 60th (!), then organized our get together to honor our parents/grandparents. All our daughters and their hubbies were able to come, but what to do with the kids? I was able to find a young lady who was willing to come to the house and watch all 7 (P is still in the hospital) - what a brave soul! I can hardly believe it that she was free for the evening and that she agreed to babysit! So while Andy and I, and our 3 kids with their spouses, went out to eat with other family members, the grandkids all stayed at our house. They ate pizza, then played till we got back. Fortunately, the evening was very pleasant and they were able to play outside until it got dark. They all seemed to have a good time. They were still very much in play mode when we returned. One little incident took place before Andy left the house (we went separately). Kira was given small bits of pizza which she put in her mouth and sucked off the juices, then she would take it out of her mouth and drop it on the floor. For some reason, the other kids thought that was hilarious. So of course, she kept doing it. The floor around her chair was littered with little pieces of pizza. Another thing she did was every time she saw the camera pointed at her, she would turn and make this very silly face. What a ham!
Twenty of us went out to eat,including Andy's 2 brothers and 1 sister.We had a room to ourselves in a neighborhood restaurant. The food was delicious, but the comradery was even better. Everyone had such a good time hanging out. There was lots of laughter and just feel good moments.

One of the things Dan did after we ate was to ask us all questions regarding what 1950 was like (the year Mom & Dad were married). For instance:

1. What was the #1 song on the radio that year?
2. What war was being waged that year?
3. What was the average wage per week?
4. Who were the most popular tv couple?
5. What was the #1 best selling non-fiction book?
6. Who won the World Series that year?
There were many other questions, too, but I can't remember them all.

I feel privileged to be a part of this family. I happened to remember a conversation I had years ago when my 2 oldest girls were just little tykes. The young woman I was talking to told me she didn't want to be called Mrs. So&So. She didn't want to be associated with her mother-in-law because she hated her. How sad. In my case, though, I love being called Mrs. W because I love my mother-in-law. She is a great example to me in many ways. She is loving and accepting and very generous and giving.

Happy anniversary, Mom & Dad - and many more!

Amy's due date is fast approaching which means not much time left to get all the things done that are on her to-do list. So it seemed like a good enough reason to go up to see her and do what we could to help her start crossing things off her list.

As soon as rush hour was over on Tuesday, Andy and I left for Lancaster County. It's such a refreshing feeling for us to get off the turnpike and drive through Amish country. Something about all those farms seems so peaceful and tranquil. Notice I said seems, because having grown up on a farm, I know it's anything but peaceful. It's one thing to drive by all those farms, it's another to live on one and work on it. No thank you...been there, done that. I'll gladly leave farming to the Amish!

When we got to Amy's, she and Andy took a trip to Lowe's to pick up a storm/screen door. I stayed at the house and played with and read stories to Chase & Joanna. When they got back, Andy started working on replacing the screen door, while Amy and I tackled the organization of all her baby/kid clothes. We were very happy to get that job accomplished. Amy fixed us lunch, then the kids went down for naps. While they were napping, Amy and I started cleaning up the spare room upstairs. We assembled the bed so I will have a place to sleep when I stay overnight after the baby is born. We also started cleaning windows downstairs until the kids woke up. Then we went back upstairs to clean their room.

When Andy finished the screen door, he moved some furniture around for Amy.
The changing table came up from the basement which Joanna promptly climbed up.
We convinced Amy to put one of her chairs out to the street. It had been heavily used (to put it mildly). We got a lot done and I think it helped Amy not feel so overwhelmed.

In other news...
After the Labor Day parties last week, the rest of the week was fairly busy. We had a Ministry Fair at church on Sunday which meant lots of prep work leading up to it. But everything got done in the right amount of time. I was able to enjoy Saturday without too many obligations. Andy spent the day with Christian flying to get Patrick. He was gone all day: I drove him to the airport, leaving at 7:00 am, then picking him up that evening at 9:30 pm.

On Sunday after church, Dawn and Kira came over to share Sunday brunch with us. Tommy had work to do so couldn't join us. Kira is very good at making me feel good. When she sees me, she gets a big smile, holds out her arms and starts walking toward me. When I pick her up and hold her, she refuses to go to anyone else, including her own mother. I'm glad Dawn doesn't have a complex, because Kira actually clings to me tightly and won't let go. If Dawn has to leave, we have to pry Kira off me and then she cries when they leave. Poor little thing.

I feel very blessed to have so many good and beautiful grandchildren. Children's children are a crown to the aged...(Proverbs 17:6) Although, I wonder who the aged is that the author of this proverb is talking about?!