Poem for my birthday

I am one blessed woman!  Kevin wrote me this poem for my birthday.  

SHE SMILES AT THE FUTURE (Prov. 31:25)

What does time mean, and what do the years matter?

Some fret as they get older, some fear the wrinkles; the lines that age and time carelessly scrawl across our faces like jagged bolts of lightning across a starless midnight sky.

Some worry about the future and dread the passing of time; those finite sands of time tumbling heedlessly through the hour glass of our lives, until the last one drops into eternity.

Some wonder how they will measure up, what will the ravages of time do to their body, their soul, their mind. Some shrink from uncertainty, they hide from reality, they fear the unknown.

But not you my love, you are like a fine wine, a hidden truth, a precious gem; you only grow more beautiful and more valuable, more priceless with each passing moment.

Like the woman of Proverbs, you are “clothed with strength and dignity, and you smile at the future.” Time cannot erase your worth, age cannot mar your beauty, and the seasons of life only add to the intensity of the light that shines from you to permeate the darkness on every side.

Love of my life, possessor of my heart… words are insufficient to fully express the depth of your worth.

Your strength is quiet, deeply rooted and dignified like the mighty oak in an ancient forest.

Your heart is tender, filled with compassion and quick to empathize with those who suffer and despair.

Your spirit glows like an ember of purity and clarity bringing warmth and hope to all around you.

Your wisdom is Godly, flowing from a life of experience forged in the crucible of service to God.

Your faithfulness is unwavering, bringing confidence and courage to your husband, children and friends.

Your love is pure and your kindness is infectious drawing those around you like a moth to a flame.

Your charm is overpowering, causing all who know you to love you and to want to be like you.

Your beauty is unfading and grows more intoxicating every day, like the sun that graces the sky by day to  warm our souls and still thrill us anew at each rising and setting.

 “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” (v. 29)

My love, my life, possessor of my heart… there is none to compare with you. There is no one who can take your place, no one who can capture my heart, no one who can thrill me like you. I am yours eternally and our hearts will be forever intertwined; no beginning, no end… just one heart, beating in unison, embracing the mystery of love, until time stands still and we stand in the presence of our King who bound us together. Until then, no matter how old we get, we can smile brightly at the future!

Turning 50.... it's not so bad!

This morning I started my day by reading the words on this card from my Mother about turning 50.

"Turning fifty means looking back at the choices you’ve made, the places you’ve been and embracing the amazing person they’ve helped you become- It means wearing your confidence like a smile and striding through your life- regret-free, fearless, and purposeful.

Turning fifty means appreciating just how far you’ve traveled, yet realizing the best of the best is yet to come….

It means wrapping yourself in happiness and celebrating every minute of being fifty as if it were the best time of your life- because it truly is."

I loved hearing these words!  I have been dreading this day for a very long time.  I certainly don't feel 50 but as I do the math I guess it is true!  As I went running this morning I prayed and thought back over the last 50 years of my life.  I have truly been blessed!  Here are some of the things I praised God for this morning:  God has been faithful, God's Love, answered prayer, good family heritage, great parents and sister to grow up with, salvation, my wonderful husband and children, extended family, great friends over all the years and all over the world, a great ministry in college, in churches, and now in Zambia.  I am so thankful for the life He has given me!  Turning 50 hasn't been so bad so far!  

Every year on my birthday I read Psalm 139.  It's below if you have never read it.  God's Word never gets old, it's new every morning!

 

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Trip to Kaputa

 

 I was so nervous to fly to Kaputa in a small plane.  Kevin suggested I sit up front with the pilot thinking it may help me to see better.  However, I couldn't see good because I couldn't see over the control panel.  The flight was close to 4 hours.  I did ok until the landing.  The pilot had to circle around a few times and because we were low it was warm.  So unfortunately I got sick.

 

We visited with the Adair family who has been serving in Kaputa for the last 10 years as church planters.

  They have recently gotten some cows.  So one day we went to see them.

 

 Our friend Julie was able to go with us.  This picture is of me, Julie, Mary Margaret, Lulie and Charlie.

 This was taken right before we left.

 

 Sorry, I didn't take many pictures.  We did enjoy our visit with the Adairs!

 

 Julie with the Adair family

 We are about to take off.  I did much better in the back seat and didn't get sick on the way home!

 

 Here we go!!!

Mothers Day thoughts

I have to be honest and say that I am a little jealous of seeing all these pictures on fb of moms with their kids today.  This is the first year that I have not had any kids at home on this day.  It's been 14 months since I have seen Zach and Megan.  A year since I have seen Justin.  Then, our youngest, Hannah, is in Kenya so it has just been a few weeks since she was home.  So this is our life now with an empty nest most of the time. Of course we miss our kids like crazy and love them so very much, but at the same time it is a sweet season of life.  We tried to raise our kids in such a way that they would be prepared to leave our nest, go back to the US, and begin a life doing whatever God calls them to do, wherever He calls them to go. It wasn't always easy being a mother.  In fact, it was hard a lot of the time.   A mother's job is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  I know I made lots of mistakes along the way and still do. Even if you work full time outside the home, you don't stop being a mom even when you have other things to do, or they are grown and have left your home.  Your kids are on your mind and in your heart no matter how far apart you are, and no matter how old they get.  But to me, no matter how hard it is, being a mom is worth it all! So as I sit here today being a little jealous of mothers who are with their kids today, I am choosing to offer my nest to the Lord as a sacrifice to Him.  I know He cares and loves me.  I know I am the apple of His eye and so are my children.  So today, if you can't be with your kids or if you don't have any children at all, just remember you mean a lot to a child somewhere, whether you realize it or not.  And that is a blessing beyond measure! Happy Mother's Day!

Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you. Prov. 23:25

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.~ Psalm 127:3