Sunday, May 31, 2009

Kirstin's Gift

Meghan and I stopped by Hunt Elementary School a few days ago. We wanted to say hello to the prettiest 2nd grade teacher around. I can say that because I’m her grandmother and grandmothers have bragging rights.

Kirstin is the only child of our oldest daughter, Elaine. Kirstin and her husband, Josh, live in downtown Puyallup, in a beautiful home on the river. She is only a few miles away from me but I don’t get to see her very often.

Kirstin was born in Anchorage and spent her elementary years there. Don and I looked forward to the times her family would come down to visit. She enjoyed playing with her cousins and the children in my daycare.

When Kirstin turned eight, it was decided she was old enough to fly from Anchorage to Seattle by herself and spend a couple of weeks with grandpa and grandma. Her favorite thing to do was to play school with the kids in the daycare.

I didn’t have to do much entertaining of my daycare while Kirstin was there. She had made lesson plans before leaving Anchorage. She had all kinds of little papers for them to work on, drawings to do, craft to make, and fun active games to enjoy.

Kirsten loved to perform for an audience. She would organize the older daycare kids or her cousins and they would perform a circus, give a play or dance a recital. They would make tickets and pretend to sell them for the show. All the adults would show our support by laughing, clapping and genuinely enjoying every moment.

From a very early age Don and I could see that God had given Kirstin a special love and gift for working with children. It was no surprise when she told me she would be pursuing a teacher’s degree in college.

I Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” I know a group of boys and girls in the 2nd grade that have been blessed to have a teacher who loves them, loves God and loves using the “gift” which began to grow inside of her when she was only a 2nd grader herself.

Please pray for Kirstin and other teachers that have been given their layoff slips due to our tough economy. This was only Kirstin’s 2nd year of teaching so she won’t be teaching next year unless the Lord intervenes with a special assignment for her. I will be praying because I believe in miracles and I believe in Kirstin.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Anniversary Thoughts

“Don says he’ll love you if you’ll love him”, a nine year old camper was saying to me. I let out a little laugh as I listened to ten little girls all trying to convince me that Don had sent them to give me a message.

The year was 1961. I had just graduated from high school and was spending a week as a counselor for kids at church camp. Don was in the military at a base about 40 miles from my hometown and had taken a week off to also be a counselor at the church camp. The whole week my girls and Don’s boys did everything they could to get us together. Don and I both were being entertained with these little match makers.

From the time I was a young girl, my mother had been praying about the boys her three girls would some day marry. I too wanted God’s best for me but I didn’t expect the “best” would be from Washington State, completely across the United States from where I had lived my whole life.

The week at camp was wonderful. The more I was around Don, the more my heart grew fonder. On Wednesday night Don preached and the altar was filled with boys and girls seeking God. I felt at home on my knees beside Don praying with the kids.

The last day of camp, after the last child had boarded his bus, Don and I sat on the camp porch and talked for hours. By the time we left for our separate towns, we knew God had something special planned for us and we were ready to begin dating and growing in the Lord together. Eleven months later we were married. God had used the most unlikely “cupids” at kid’s camp to help perform His will in our lives.

Today would be our 47th anniversary. Don loved celebrating our anniversaries and every year we took three or four days around Memorial Day to celebrate and explore some new location in Washington State. I always miss him a little more at this time of the year.

I’m very grateful for the 39 ½ years we had to build wonderful memories which will live on in my heart forever. I’m thankful for a praying mom, and a praying grandmother before her, that taught me to “Delight myself in the Lord and He would give me the desires of my heart.” Psalm 27:4 (my translation) Most of all I am grateful to the Lord for using nine and ten year old campers to help me meet the LOVE of my life. “Yes, my dear little camper, tell Don I will love him - forever.”

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day Thoughts

My children and grandchildren are all out enjoying this beautiful sunny day. We will meet later for a barbeque. I am home alone waiting for a friend to stop by while she is in the area.

I have been thinking of Memorial Day and how very grateful I am for the many people that have played a part in my freedom. I love America. I love the freedom to enjoy God, family, and friends. I love the freedom to make choices I feel is best for me. I love the privilege of backing our troops and their families in prayer.

We went to Tahoma national cemetery yesterday to put flowers on my dear husband’s grave. My eyes began to water just driving through the many flags lining the streets and seeing the hundreds of small flags on every grave, representing people who have given their service to our country.

My mind went back 47 years. Two months and two days after Don and I were married, he boarded a plane headed for Viet Nam. For fifteen months I prayed, watched for his handwriting on letters and went to bed each night praying that he was safe. What a relief when he came home. We were one of the blessed ones. We had many more years to enjoy life together.

Every week I read over the names of our military men and women on our church prayer list. There is usually a half of a page of young people who are serving our country. Many of them are deployed. Some of them have families left here to cope while their spouses are away. I pray for each name, asking God to meet their needs and keep them safe.

Engraved on Don’s tombstone is his favorite Scripture, Colossian 3:12-15. Verses 12 and 13 says “ Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy, and dearly loved, cloth yourselves with compassions, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other, and forgive whatever grievance you may have against one another.” This Memorial Day let’s commit to putting these verses into action with our military families. We can show our appreciation for America by loving and serving those who fight for our freedom.


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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Valerie's Need

I have been praying for my daughter, Valerie again this morning. She has been on my heart and in my prayers constantly for the last week. She was at a park in Tacoma doing a photo shoot when someone picked the lock on her car, taking the purses of her and her partner as well as her computer bag with her computer and equipment.

Someone found Valerie’s license and 4 credit cards along side of the road, but nothing else has been recovered. Valerie had been editing my granddaughter’s wedding pictures on her computer and I’m sick that all her work has been lost. I’m been praying and believing that God will do a miracle and help us get back that computer.

This morning I was reading in the “Daily Bread” about thieves which stole nearly $5,000.00 in sound and office equipment from a church. The church people began to pray for the thieves and the next night they broke back into the church to return the equipment. It reminded me of a time when Valerie’s saxophone, along with other instruments, were stolen from our church and God helped us recover all of them. These stories encouraged me to not loose faith in Valerie’s situation.

God also brought to my mind an early morning about 9 years ago when I was awakened by the ringing of the phone. It was 4 a.m. and Don was calling from his job at Metro. “I need your help, honey,” he said. “I laid my bag on top of the truck while I opened the door and forgot to get it”, he continued. “There is some vital information in that bag I wouldn’t won’t to get into the wrong hands, so would you please go out along my route and see if you can spot it?”

I hurriedly got dressed and began the tedious process of scanning for the black bag. After an hour with no luck, I drove home praying all the way. “Father, please don’t let anyone take that bag that could exploit our credit or bring harm to us or our property,” I pleaded with tears forming in my eyes. When I walked up on the porch by my back door, there sat Don’s black bag. A note was attached from our paper carrier. “I found this bag about two blocks from here and looked inside for a name. I was relieved to recognize your name so I could get it back to you,” he had written.

I went inside to call Don and to spend some time thanking my heavenly Father for letting just the right person find our lost treasure.

After being reminded of answers to prayers in years past, I open up the Word and begin claiming God’s promises. “The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts so He understands what they do.” Psalm 33:13-15 (NLB)
“The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17 (NLB)
“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.” Isaiah 65:24 (NLB)

Valerie recovering her equipment seems unlikely but I won’t stop praying and believing for that miracle. God knows who took it and where it is. He knows how much it is needed. I will continue to pray for the heart of the thief, and ask God to either lead us to the right place or use one of His people to recover it for us. I’ve made my request known and now I will rest in the peace of God’s will. “Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6(NLB)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Michael's "God Thing"

What a great week! I’ve been having so much fun that I haven’t had time to sit down at the computer.

Darren and Danielle arrived home on Wednesday. There was much joy as all the siblings hugged and caught up on 5 months worth of happenings. I headed to bed just before midnight and left Sandra and the kids still laughing and talking by the fire.

Michael, who is 18 and a senior this year, made our sides sore from laughing so hard at his funny stories. He not only tells them but demonstrates with body language. He has a natural gift of making a dull story become fun and alive.

Don and I spent much time praying for Michael. He started wrestling at 7 years old and would spend every weekend at wrestling tournaments. We were concerned that he wasn’t going to church and learning about God.

When Michael entered the 7th grade he made all new friends at school. To our joy, these young men were Christians and very involved in their churches. Michael began attending their early morning Bible Study before school every Friday and has continued this throughout his Junior and Senior High years. He also began attending the youth group with friends and committed his life to Christ.

Michael had another experience in the 7th grade that made an impact on his life. He was making a veteran’s day poster about his uncle who had served in Viet Nam. His grandmother in California emailed some pictures for the poster. We tried and tried to pull them up on my computer but couldn’t get them up. Danielle tried, Michael tried, and then I called in a friend who is a computer wiz and no one could get the pictures.

The day before the poster was due, Michael was really sad when I picked him up from school. “I don’t want to turn my poster in,” Michael whined. “Everyone else has nice pictures on theirs.” I felt so bad for him. “Let’s go to my house and try once more,” I responded.

When we arrived home, I took Michael’s hands and said, “Michael, the Bible says, ‘... that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three comes together in my name, there am I with them.’” “Michael, I want you to agree with me and I’m going to pray that we’ll get those pictures up,” I continued.

After prayer, Michael sat down and began working with the computer. In only a few minutes, a big picture of his Uncle Lloyd popped up. “What did you do different?” I asked excitedly. “I didn’t do anything,” he responded. He turned around in his chair and looked at me with awe in his eyes and said, “It had to be a God thing.”

Yes, it was a God thing; God cared very much about a 13 yr. old boy that needed to know that God was real in his life. Today Michael is a student leader in his youth group and is an active witness to his school mates. He wants his friends to experience, as he has, that God is real in their lives.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Quinton's Heart

I came out of church on Sunday and found my grandson, Quinton, standing beside my car. “What’s up?” I asked as I walked toward the car. “I just wanted to help you,” he responded as he held open the car door for me. The grandchildren all know the code to the number pad on my door. What could be more precious to a grandma than to have a cute grandson waiting to hold the door for you?

Quinton is 11 years old but small for his age. He’s number three in Valerie’s line up of sons. When he was young, I filled up my “Oma’s Book of Stories” with cute things he did.

One of my favorites happened when Quinton was two. He had spent the day at his friend, Grant’s house. After he came home that evening, Grant’s mother called to talk to Valerie. “Tonight when I gave Grant his bath, I found teeth marks on his shoulder,” Janelle told her. “Oh, my goodness” Valerie responded. “I’ll go and talk to Quinton about it.”

Valerie took Quinton aside and asked him, “Did you do anything to Grant today while you were at his house?” Quinton didn’t hesitate to give his side of the story. “Grant wouldn’t give me back my superhero so I ate him,” he explained. Valerie knew Quinton had to be disciplined but she had to leave the room for a big laugh before she could get down to the serious matter at hand.

Quinton has entertained us many times with his cute ways but we are most grateful for his sensitive heart towards the Lord. On January 18, 2004, when he was 6 years old, he knelt with his mom by his bed and asked Jesus into his heart. This last year at the Youth Retreat, he had an extraordinary encounter with God. The Holy Spirit came over him and he was in the presence of God, at the altar worshipping for an hour and a half. It was an experience that will help Quinton to say, “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God.” Psalm 86:10

I asked, “What could be more precious than a cute grandson holding your car door open for you?" The most precious thing to this Oma is to know that my cute grandson is holding his heart's door open to His Heavenly Father.