Monday, February 22, 2010

Happy Birthday Robert III

Happy Birthday to my only son. He is eleven years young today!

His faves are:
xbox.
friends.
p & J sandwiches
pancakes & frenchtoast
rootbeer floats
cheese pizza
cheese burgers from applebees rest.
and xbox!
baseball, basketball, football

He was saved 2 years ago in August and has a relationship with Jesus Christ.

He is eleven today!
He does not like:
cleaning his room
any kind of chores (big shocker)
girls (yet)

For his birthday this year, we planned for three of his xbox buddies to come over and play their games. At 10 pmp the xbox was turned off and they were allowed to watch movies until they fell asleep. ( of course my daughters had to hang out too, afterall, its their bubby).

Around 11 the guys and gals went to sleep. Our guests went home, all but one, he joined us for Sunday School.

Today, we will meet our inlaws in Maryville for a Family birthday dinner.

Last year, grandpa went to the emergency room on Robert's birthday. Happy to say grandpa is doing fine and we have some more celebrating to do.

When I was 9 weeks pregnant with Robert, I came very close to losing him. With prayer, love, and staying off my feet as much as possible, the gracious Lord let us have this beautiful smart boy we love dearly. Let me begin: It was like any Monday. Off to work at the daycare. Codi went into the nursery next door. Sometime that morning I began spotting and went to the er right away, calling Robert II. At the er the drs checked me, then did an ultrasound. Robert III was a speck on the screen, but there were other specks to. Blood clots. The drs told me there was nothing that could be done. I would lose Robert that day or within the week.

I went back to work, and my boss already knew by my face I was not coming back to work. Other women were supportive and some had had this happen to them too. I got Codi and we went home. I put my feet up and prayed.

I cant do anything but give all the credit where it belongs, God. His plans are a mystery.
I did not lose Robert of course, but I was very scared. I did not lose my faith.

9 months later a little boy was born to two happy parents and one jealous older sister.
Every year, I think back to my time of almost loss, and I do that I think because I want to remember that God is always with us. The story could have ended differently, but it did not and I am praising and thanking God for our miracle.

"Father you are the planner, the friend, the One we call on in time of need. We dont know the plan, we can only go day by day, night by night, and do our best. We can see the miracles, the trials and the little subtle ways You love us, molding us into being. Help me see clearer the path for myself and my family. Guide me, correct me and most of all, thank you for being the One I can go to anytime of the night or day."

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Love, Love, Love...

Love you when your stinky,
Love you when your sleepy,
love you when you look at me wrong.

Love you when you smile.
Love you when you laugh.
Love you when your day has been sooo long.

Love you today.
Love you tomorrow.
Love you forever and a day.

Love you when you remember.
Love you when you don't.
Love you when your feeling oh, so so.

Love you today.
Love you tomorrow.
Love you forever and a day.

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Good Samaritan

Our local paper has a kudos section, which means they pick out specific good deeds a citizan did and acknowledge them in the paper.

Sometimes its plowing sidewalks, feeding pets, planting flowers, just random good deeds.

I wonder if there is a kudos section in Heaven.

Like when exPresident Clinton helped get the two female American journalist released from their jailers.
Or if the rescuers in Haiti who have been working to free trapped survivors of the earthquake there, if there names are in a list and published for all in Heaven to take note.
Maybe a mom or dad who have been comforting a sick child for many months, if they are mentioned in this kudos message too.

Our good deeds go on and on, don't you think, humanity has such good in each one of us, lets just let it shine. Say hi to your not so likable neightbor next time you see him or her. Drop by for coffee to that friend you have not seen in church in a while. Hug your children-espcially if you can see they have had a hard time at school or with friends-share the love that is inside you bubbling over to be given to someone else.

I cannot promise you will be mentioned in the kudos section of the paper, but I am pretty sure it will give Jesus a smile.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

I love you....

I love you a thousand times around the planets, more than there is sunbeams, among the stars - there is my heart full of love for you....

A Note For My Friend

To the person I met some time ago. We were so close at one time. We laughed together, we enjoyed lady chats over coffee, while mothering our children. Soon our children were in school, then sports or drifting off with their friends. The stores we shopped were not the same after we left, at least not for awhile, having left our laughter ringing in the rafters. Once in while we shared a family dinner, getting to know the inner workings of each others families just because we were loving friends. And thats what loving friends do.

I suppose what I want to say is that, when did the friendship that I saw, it mattered most to my heart, when did it take a nose dive off the face of the earth? Suddenly. Sadly. Without warning you, my friend, were too busy to get together, too busy to call and just chat. Too busy for lunch, too busy for a movie too busy, too busy, just too busy. Sorry.

Well, I picked up my boot straps and I moved forward until I heard the sermon at church today, of all days about 'forgiving those who we say we love but are hard to love.'

That hard heart. That rude heart. That cold heart. That heart who you called friend, that didnt feel the same closeness and moved out, thats it I am too busy, see you later. We, touched by Agape, are still supposed to love, even after rejection.

Jesus is my friend. Without a doubt. I am not too busy for Him. He talks I listen. He will never leave, be too busy, or too this or that. And then I see my vulnerability and it slams me in the face like a fist.

Am I living like Christ. How many 'friends' have I dropped to side, moving on, taking what I need but never giving back. How unlovable have I been? Am I really forgiving, loving, and in the end, my friend, Jesus, he loves me anyway. But I am, we all are, called to be loving, loving those who hurt us, who judge us, who spit at us, and who just stop being with us. We are called to still love them. No matter the cost, we are to lay our lives down for Christ. Die to self. Die to self.

My friend, I still love you. Even if whatever happened doesnt ever get resolved or whatever the need it has, I love you.