Natural Reflections

My son once told me, "Cars are like shoes and trucks are like boots." I've reveled Caleb's natural, sixth sense of categories since he was 9 months old. I remember reading one of his picture books together and he pointed eagerly to a bar of soap and washcloth on the page. He immediately closed the book, grabbed my hand and insisted we walk down the hall to his bathroom where there was also a bar of soap and washcloth draped over the tub. Words weren't even necessary for me to know he'd connected the dots!

So now it's my turn to make a connection. His statement remind me of Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 3, which has brought me great comfort this past week with the passing of my grandmother. Here's what it says in verses 1-8 : "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

I'm so comforted to know that God understands the stages of life - and proves Himself all sufficient through them all. God, who's original plan was not that we should die, for that is what sin brought into this world. Yet He never turns His back on us and is there to heal every hurt this fallen world inflicts. I praise Him for that!

Throughout this past week of witnessing the last days of my grandmother, I see so many parallels to the beginning of life and the end. And Ecclesiastes confirms there's a time for both. God has appointed for us all a time to live the life He's given us and a time when He calls us home. There was a time my grandmother would've healed from a shoulder injury, but this time she didn't. (vs. 3) There's a time to search out the answers to life's questions and a time to just let it be.

A sweet friend told my tearful, apologetic Grandfather, "It's OK to cry. It's a time to cry." (vs 4) And it is! I'm so thankful God is with me - us, in our time of mourning. We won't mourn forever, because it says in Psalm 30:11 "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy." I can rejoice in so many things, - memories, friends, but most of all because God is good. His goodness endures forever. Caleb's cars, trucks, boots and shoes will soon be in the "time to throw away" category, but those who trust in the Lord may fall asleep in this world, but awake to an eternal home that never spoils, fades or perishes!! Amen!

My Meme - "I think of God when I think of Meme" ~ Mackenzie

Julie: "Papa, can I come over?"

Papa: "What! No...we're not home! **PAUSE** Marilon, there's a little rug-rat calling wanting to come over, aren't we busy!?"

Meme: "Ahh, no, I don't think so!"

Papa: "OK, guess we're not busy. Come on over."
Followed by, "Honey, you know you can come over here anytime!"

As I walked, skipped or jumped rope the 3/4 mile to my grandparents house, I always knew I was walking into a place where I was loved. They would drop any and everything they were doing to entertain their granddaughter, no matter how old I got. Living at Holly Lake Ranch, I frequently caddied them around the golf course, swam in the near-by pool, (where Adam and I eventually met), shot some hoops, sandied our feet in the volleyball courts or laughed at my attempts at putt-putt. In my teen years, my Grandfather would take me out in his old '79 silver, single cab, no a/c standard transmission Dodge Ram pick up truck. He'd drive me out to where the hills looked like mountains, and half way up he'd pull up the emergency brake and tell me it was my turn to drive. I'm surprised the whip lash didn't permanently damage him! I eventually learned, but not without being completely embarrassed, as there were usually casual walkers or joggers observing the whole thing.

Meanwhile, back at home, Meme would be fixing dinner and starting some homemade ice-cream. She had a recipe, but always improvised, so we all had to taste test it and usually add a little more vanilla or sugar. Then into the churner it went and we could only wait eagerly with watering mouths for that first bite of creamy, vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate but made with love.

My Grandmother is the fulfillment of 1 Peter 4:9, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." She'd welcome anyone into her home, fix them a marvelous meal, prop their feet up, bandage their wounds, or soothe their aches and leave them feeling as if they hung the moon. She truly modeled what a servant's heart looks like in everyday life. Never whining, nor complaining, nothing too hard, too small, tall or large for her to tackle. Yet I don't believe she ever realized just how amazing she was at it all. She could sew clothes, mend curtains, change the upholstery - then go play a tennis match, round of golf or a hand of bridge.

My Meme suffered a terrible loss when her daughter Cindy passed away back in 2005. She fought for her life for a year in the hospital and my grandparents never left her side. When Jesus took Cindy home, Meme was never the same again. She had truly spent all of her life on others. Now, it was our turn to serve and give of ourselves to her. Every day tasks like dressing and eating became difficult and required help. Frustrations and exhaustion - questions - decisions. When last Saturday I got an early 8:00 call from my granddad, who now lives across the road from us, "Meme's fallen and hurt her shoulder," he says, "I think we need to take her in." She has fractured her shoulder on the outside, but on the inside, I believe Jesus is preparing her for Home. "O God take me," she has cried. I wonder if she sees glimpses of Heavenly glory and then when she opens her eyes and finds herself still in the hospital bed, her heart aches. There's such pain, heartache and suffering in this life. But thanks be to God that He's preparing mansions in glory for us! When He calls my precious Meme home, she will feel no more pain! Her shoulder will be restored and she will trade her old, worn out body for a new imperishable one! As Mackenzie (5 at the time) sums it all up, "I think of God when I think of Meme." What a legacy of being a godly woman she passes on to us.

Limitations of the Yarn Wad!

I was stressing over a birthday party. The day was here and my check-list needed checking off! Balloons blown, streamers strung, cake unveiled, plates, cups and napkins unwrapped. Thankfully my mom was here to help! Something I needed required a little bit of string. I envision one in my head I'd seen recently and remembered seeing it last passing from my hand to Caleb's. Oh no! So, I call him over and describe the piece of string I'm after and asked him to find it for dear ole Mom. A few minutes later - it had been awhile and I'm distracted with other decorations - he come in huffing and puffing, "Here Mom, I found it. You're... just gonna have to deal with it," A ball of wadded up tangled mess of different colored string falls in my lap. And if you've ever given string to a 3 year old boy before, you know what I'm talking about! "You're.... just gonna have to deal with it," was a phrase I'd used on him recently, trying to help him deal with situations not exactly going the way he carefully planned. He found a fitting situation to remind me - here it is, not how you want it, but you can deal with it too, Mom. :)

As I've studied the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon's words apply to my heart in this and other situations. I love to plan birthday parties or a craft project, line up a great field trip with favorite friends after studying a specific theme - but just because I put time and effort into planning, doesn't mean it will turn out flawless. So much of life is dealing with what's thrown at me. Sometimes literally! Like when my son's sick and I'd planned to run errands that day - well I guess now, we re-arrange and take it easy today so he can rest and run errands another time. Him getting well and my sanity is more important than those errand that day. Or, what about when life hits us with a sudden move, or job loss, a husband who walks out the door claiming never to return. How do we re-calculate when life throws a ball full of waded up string and you can't even tell where the end is to even start?

Ecclesiastes 1:14-15 says, "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted."

Why do I chase after the wind, seeking satisfaction in areas that when caught, hold only air? I can't straighten what's crooked in my life, but I can do what God's given for me to do and take care of today - leaving tomorrow to worry about itself. That's all I can do...and it's a choice we can all make.

I don't think I ever straightened out that ball of string Caleb gave me, and it turns out I survived without it! Even had a great a great party despite not having that string. I love how my kids teach me great truths!

Lord, teach us to depend on you, when life's easy and bountiful and when it's difficult and heartbreaking. You are still the same. Keep our eyes fixed on you that we would be fully satisfied and not easily swayed by chasing after the things this world flashes in front of us. In Jesus name.