Sunday, February 1, 2009

He Is Able

He is able, more than able
To accomplish what concerns me today.
He is able, more than able
To handle anything that comes my way.
He is able, more than able
To do much more than I could ever dream,
He is able, more than able,
To make me what He wants me to be.


Song: 'He Is Able'
Words and Music by Rory Noland and Greg Ferguson

Artwork by Carolyn Shore Wright
From Allposter.com

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Grandma's Questions

I'm home again from a few days with our son's three young boys. I had a great time with the boys and I enjoyed special moments with each of them. It's such a joy to have grandchildren who are learning to be part of the world in which they live and know how to behave (well most of the time!). Remember, Grandma, they are boys! I would do it all over again in a minute. With no hesitation. Spending time with these boys is such a privilege and I know time will go fast and it won't be long before they are grown up with children of their own. But I do have some questions. I don't know what happened - I don't remember some things being this way when my children were young.

1. Are boys busier and faster now than when our son was their age?

2. And - even though little Mr. H. is built exactly like his daddy - did someone fill him with concrete? I don't ever remember his daddy being so hard to lift.

3. Why does it seem like I worked harder keeping up with them than with my kids when they were young?

4. Do they make stairs steeper and harder to climb than they used to? Especially while carrying a toddler?

5. Was I always tired at the end of the day? And did I always have a sense of relief when they were all asleep in bed and the house was quiet? Did I have a feeling of satisfaction that we had made it through another day?

6. Were there so many things calling for my attention while fixing meals back then?

8. Did my two kids have so many questions and observations of life? And such wisdom?

9. Did I lie awake at night listening for a little one who didn't feel well? Or sleep with my ears always 'turned on' and listening?

10. Did it used to be so hard to get somewhere on time? Was it this difficult to get kids to school, dropped off at the babysitter and arrive on time for an appointment?

Something changed! I'm not sure what it was. Could it be me? I don't really understand what happened but it seems this ol' gray mare Grandma ain't what she used to be! Would I do it again? You bet! No chance I'd say no.

This grandma was too busy to take many pictures. These two are the only ones I got - Mr. H. playing peek-a-boo and taking a breath. Just one breath and then he was off again.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Grandmother On Duty

I will be away for a couple of days to stay with our son's three young boys. I'm sure there will be adventures not yet thought of and tales to tell. These boys are very dear to my heart and I'm glad to have a chance to spend time with them while their parents are away at a conference. I will check in to read blogs and respond to emails if there is a chance when they are in school and the little one is napping. When I return I know there will be much to share. And lessons learned from the wisdom of children.


Artwork: 'Grandmother's Helpers, 1874'
Artist: Friedrich von Keller
From allposter.com

Monday, January 26, 2009

Miracles At The Beach

A bit over a week ago my sweetheart and I went away for a four-day weekend at the Oregon Coast to celebrate our wedding anniversary and to get some much-needed rest. We rented a tiny condo just above the sand and the waves - a wonderful place to spend time together. Each of the units had a name. Ours was named 'Miracles'. This little condo was part of a small building that may have been part of the big hotel-resort next door in days gone by. Each of the four units is privately owned. They have been remodeled and redecorated in the not-too-far-distant past. I couldn't wait to get inside to see the place where we would spend a few days away from everyday life together. When we unlocked the door I was not disappointed. The cozy interior and the perfect view outside the front windows was exactly as it had been advertised. Straight ahead were windows - a wall of windows- and a door of glass leading to the deck just above the sand. A bistro table and two chairs were in front of the windows. It was a place where we spent a lot of time writing, doing word and number puzzles and just looking out at the sea beyond. Silk flowers and a little journal book were on the table. The journal was filled with entries by people who had stayed there before - memories and thoughts of their time away at this special place of rest.Nearby, the bed and a comfortable white leather love seat offered a place to rest and relax. The rooms were well decorated and I noticed the bare wall above the bed. I thought it was strange and then I saw a big nail in the wall that led me to believe there had once been a large picture there. I guessed that something had happened to it and that it would be replaced soon. Directly across from the love seat was an entertainment center and a gorgeous wood-burning fireplace with granite surround and a faux granite mantel. Above the fireplace was a very big mirror. We enjoyed a warm, cozy fire each evening when we returned from the beach and dinner out.A cute little bear who was hugging a topiary of roses was the only decoration on the mantle. If you look closely you can see the reflection of the chandelier that hangs over the kitchen peninsula counter nearby.I didn't get a picture of the wonderful little kitchen in this studio condo. It had just about everything we could ever need. New appliances, granite counter tops and granite tile floors made it such a beautiful part of the whole experience. We fixed breakfast there each morning - my sweetheart is the breakfast chef at our house - and we ate lunch and dinner out. The little bathroom also had granite tile floors and a big, fluffy rug. The jacuzzi tub/shower was behind a bright shower curtain that was perfect with the decor of the rest of the room.The walls were light lavender, washed with a soft brown glaze. Artwork decorated the little room and made it complete.Every part of this little condo had been prepared for our arrival. It was obvious that someone had thought about things that would add to a good time away at the beach. The entertainment center was filled with games, puzzles and movies that would be a great way to spend time inside on a stormy day. A tiny bookcase held books of all kinds to capture the imagination of the reader. But the place that drew me back often was the deck just outside the big windows. The deck and the view beyond. And the little hot tub for two! We enjoyed relaxing in its warmth above the waves late at night and I was in it each day early in the morning when most of the world still slept. January on the Oregon Coast can be cold, wet and very stormy. At times it seems you will be blown out to sea. Not this weekend! It was perfect - what a local man we talked to on the beach called 'a chamber of commerce' day! The thermometer on the deck showed that it was nearly seventy degrees at five o'clock in the afternoon. In January!I couldn't wait to get out on the deck and soon my sweetheart joined me there.Together we enjoyed the sound of the waves and the sights in each direction. To the north -And to the south -Overhead, a sign on our condo let people walking on the beach know that they, too, could enjoy this special place.From the beach below it was obvious that we had a front row seat, an up close view of the tide. We were in the third condo from the left (or the second from the right, if you prefer!) - the one with the little white sign near the roof.

Late every afternoon, as evening approached, the sun began to set above the water. The colors and patterns it created were breathtaking.

The ever-changing view reached deep into my heart and captured something special in my imagination. I felt I could stay in this place forever and never get tired of what it had to offer.But the best view of all was my sweetheart, deep in thought, relaxed and rested and enjoying every minute we had together. Just us. No one else. Time away together, away from the noise of life and away from the demands and pressures of the day.We walked, we talked, we laughed, we sat in quiet thought, we reminisced, we planned and we dreamed. And we left this special place much different than when we arrived. It was truly a place of 'Miracles'!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The House of the Lord

I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Psalm 122:1

Thursday, January 22, 2009

A Special Birthday

Today is a very special birthday for our dear granddaughter, Miss E. Today she is six years old! It's a long-awaited day - a day to count on two hands - a day to celebrate and enjoy. A party is planned with little friends this weekend but today will be a special celebration to remember forever and always. Miss E. is going out for lunch with her grandma (me) and her great-grandmother (my dear little mother)! We are going to a chosen place where hamburgers and meals for young ones abound. Then we will return to my dear mother's home where we girls will spend time together. Just us. A few gifts will be opened and enjoyed before she returns home to join her older sister and brother after they return from school. Oh, the joy this precious little girl has given us through these past years. And the joy we know she will continue to bring. She adds sparkle to our days, smiles to our tired faces, the sound of laughter to our quiet world. And we are learning again to enjoy the simple, basic things - like counting to one hundred, reciting the alphabet, singing silly songs long forgotten. We can't imagine life without her. She is a gift from the Father above. Chosen to bring something so special to this world.


Happy birthday, dear Miss E.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Inauguration Day 2009

I urge, then, first of all,
that requests, prayers, intercession
and thanksgiving be made for everyone—
for kings and all those in authority,
that we may live peaceful and quiet lives
in all godliness and holiness.
This is good, and pleases God, our Savior. . .
I Timothy 2:1-3