Please Pray...

There are moments in life that simply take our breath away, and I do not mean in a good way.

My lungs and heart have felt heavy for the past three days. On Sunday afternoon we learned that a classmate/friend of Lucas' suffered a major heart attack. Yes... a FOURTEEN year old boy collapsed due to a heart attack while miniature golfing. He was transported to the hospital and put into a medically induced coma. We have heard many stories... One being that his heart literally stopped beating on it's own for 30 minutes. We have prayed for this young boy and his family since Sunday.

This morning Lucas attended his first "Meet me at the pole" event. As a school, those that met at the pole prayed for this boy. After, Lucas texted me and asked me to "pray hard" for his friend because as of this moment, it "doesn't look to good."

Would you please join me in prayer for this young man and his family? I have found it hard to do much else. My mind keeps going to his parents and all they that must be going through right now. They sent their son off to have some fun with his friends on Sunday, and life has drastically changed for them since that moment he walked out the door.

Our bible study group talked about miracles last week. God is capable. If it is His will, this friend of Lucas' will be healed. I am praying for that miracle. I am praying that the parents will feel overwhelming peace and that they sense the power of God's love and God's people carrying them at this time. I do not know if they are believers, but I pray that if they are not, that all things will point to Christ and that they will come to know Him through these tragic circumstances.

Please join me in praying for this family.

Love's Dance

The music started nineteen years ago today.

He took my hand, put his arm around my waist and started this dance of life. With each step, becoming closer and closer to God's design of Man and Wife.

There have been moments of taking the floor to the swell of the music, and other moments of movements in quiet solitude. Moments of celebration, moments of disappointment and even mourning.

The music has never stopped. The rhythm has experienced changes, but the beat has not.

The music has sometimes reminded us of the fragility of life. Never knowing when that last step to the rhythm will be. Remembering to always offer each other our best.

He takes my hand still, and I embrace his. His smile continues to light my world. His voice is calm. Waking up next to his side brings me undeniable peace and contentment. He is a portrait of strength to my eyes and soul.

This dance, Love's Dance... It is a gift. God's gift to this heart of mine. God's gift to his heart too. That's why the dance is so sweet, so constant.

We hear the notes of life and we keep moving with it. My hand in his... My heart with his. The music goes on.

12

Colby turned 12 today. One more on his way to becoming a teenager... One more working on earning his "wings".

This has been an amazing year for Colby! The Lord has proved over and over to our sweet son just how much he is treasured in His eyes. In the midst of our move, Colby just prayed for one thing... The opportunity to have his own room... FINALLY. Turns out he's been right all these years. Colby is the neat one. Caleb... Not so much. Colby keeps his room museum like. He actually asks me if he can stay up a little later so that he can vacuum before he goes to bed.

Just when we thought Colby wouldn't be able to play baseball this year due to league issues, we get a phone call from a very kind man BEGGING Colby to be on his team down here! We expected that being that Colby was a "new comer" AND a "late comer", we wouldn't get to see him play a whole lot. We couldn't have been more wrong! God showed us ALL what He is capable of and we had the privilege of watching our son play with the biggest smile we have EVER seen on his face! Then... to top it all off, the coach selected Colby as his "player of the year". What a sweet gift that was...

Colby started a new school year in a new place. He went with an anxious and excited heart. He came home on his first day with stories of a new friend made. He came home and told us about the challenges that he would face this year, but that he was ready for all of it! He continues to amaze all of us with his goal oriented mind. He sets the goal and he goes for it! He's not afraid of the steps that need to be taken to get there either. Just this week he came home with the highest grade in the class on a history test.. 105%!!! Did you see that 5 in there?? I'm a proud Mama...

I see many ways in which the Lord is strengthening Colby's heart and mind this year. I pray and I wait. I pray and I watch. It's an amazing sight! It's an honor that I never take for granted.

Colby, I will continue to pray that this year will be a year of more growth. I pray that you understand that the most important growth that takes place in a young man is the growth in his heart. Your heart has HUGE capacity! God is doing awesome things with you, my son. He will continue to deliver you from boyhood into manhood where you will set even more goals and achieve them also. You inspire me, Colby. I'm so thankful for the blessing of your life and everything you bring into this place we call home.

Happy birthday Colby!

I love you. ~

More New Beginnings

This week I posted what's going on over at my other blog home. If you haven't visited there yet, click here to read about more new beginnings.

Have a blessed week!

She Looks To You

This morning I had a doctor appointment. The appointment was near where my grandmother lives, so I decided to stop by for a visit after the appointment. To my surprise, as I was driving into her driveway, my grandparents were driving out. They saw me and turned around and came back. Grandma and I sat in the kitchen and started chatting.

The conversation began with the usual small talk and then deepened as we somehow got on the subject of her own parents. I immediately discovered that I don't know much about Grandma's family. I was very close to her little brother (growing up, he was like a grandpa to me), but other than that there's not much I know about. Grandma shared with me at her kitchen table today about how much of a hard worker her mother was. She worked well into her 70's before she retired. Unbelievably so, she assembled bobby pins and hair rollers. I will never look at either of these tools the same again.

I don't typically see very many tears make their way into my grandmother's eyes. Some people in my family say it does happen, but I can say without a doubt that I have not experienced much of it. The tears that I have seen were tears brought on by laughter. Today was a much different story. Today, as she talked about her mother I saw my grandma's eyes become glassy. She spoke of a time when her mother almost died due to an intestinal infection. She told me how her mother lay in that hospital bed and swore up and down that her son was coming in the door. This was a son who was out of the country serving in the military. My grandmother kept telling her over and over again that he wasn't there. He had been called since they didn't expect her to make it, but he wasn't there yet. No sooner had she said that for the fiftieth time did she point at the doorway only for my grandmother to turn around and see that her brother was indeed standing in that doorway! As my grandma told me this story today, her smile spread clear across her face. She simply stated, "Never mess with a mother's intuition." Yes, grandma... You are right. Now there are tears rolling down my cheeks.

My grandma then went on to tell me about my grandpa's failing health. She believes he has Alzheimer's. She battles with him every day about the daily tasks around the house. What was once routine to him is now becoming foreign and yet he gets angry when she tries to help. She spoke to me with such a heavy heart today. She wants to help. Grandma has always been a helper. As she said to me today, it's not in her blood to do nothing or ignore a situation when it's staring her in the face. She is committed to her husband no matter how sick he may be. No matter what kind of disease attacks him. No matter how many times he gets angry with her over car keys, remote controls or toothbrushes. She feels helpless though. As her eyes became glassy again, she said, "I just pray every day. I pray because that's all I can do."

As I traveled back home a song came on the radio that reminded me of grandma. The song is by Selah and it's called 'I Look To You.' There are many parts in the song that don't necessarily apply to Grandma, but some of the lyrics will forever remind me of grandma after today's sweet talk in the kitchen. Part of the chorus goes like this...

I look to you, I look to you
After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong
I look to you, I look to you
And when the melodies are gone
In you, I hear a song.

At one point in our conversation about her mother, Grandma looked at me and said, "I just don't know how she did it all."

I think I know, grandma. I never knew her, really. But, after watching you and the kind of person that you are and the ways in which you draw your strength... I have to wonder if maybe she looked to the Lord for her strength and for her song just like you do! I will join you in praying, because that's "all we can do"... At least for now. I will also pray that you will continue to find your strength and your beautiful song in the Lord. You are an amazing person.... Someone I never stop learning from. The time we had today was precious and will remain in my heart for a long time.

I love you. ~

Beach Trip 2011

This past weekend we had the opportunity to get away and visit friends at the beach down near Santa Cruz. It was PERFECT!! When we got there, we had a nice thick layer of fog (special ordered) to cool us down from the heat we've been having at home. The next day we had sun.

We experienced a little bit of everything perfect at the ocean.