Love the Lord your God, listen to His voice and hold fast to Him, for the Lord is your life! Deut. 30:20


Friday, September 18, 2015

Sandwiched

I'm in the sandwich generation.  You know.  Responsible for watching over my elderly father but also helping the kids at times with their children.

Recently our daughter and husband wanted time away to celebrate their 13th anniversary so we had the children here overnight.

That always includes a lot of wrestling....

and always some ice-cream!



These kids love to wake up early!


Dancing to the sunrise!

 I enjoy watching these kids (AND the ones in far off Arkansas!)

*********

Today the home where Dad lives had Senior Olympics and family members are asked if they can help with this.  In past years, my mom was always there to help Dad.


Carrying the torch

The residents and their families followed the torch to the room where the opening ceremony would be.   


Opening ceremony 
 The oldest "olympian" is 100 years old!

Bowling 


 Javelin
 Bean bag toss
 Horseshoes
 Basketball - Dad was pretty good at this
But this lady was a sharp shooter!  She could make a basket into the can 6 feet away.
Time after time!

Name that tune
The piano player played songs from different genre - children's songs (Claire!  She played the Wheels on the Bus!), classical (several that my children played for piano lessons), popular music from different eras, hymns.  There were 5 women who were really good at this!

Dad got to hold the piano player's 3 week old baby for a little and it made him smile so!


As I visited with a lady across the table at lunch, she mentioned that she was so lonely.  She had 3 husbands that all died, but never had children with any of them.  Her family are all gone.  I decided next time I visit daddy I will stop in to chat with her!

I really do enjoy being in the sandwich generation!
A sweet daddy and darling kids/grandkids!!

 Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the blessing of family!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Transformed

trans·form
tran(t)sˈfôrm/
verb
past tense: transformed; past participle: transformed
  1. make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of.
    "lasers have transformed cardiac surgery"



God's plan for us is that we be "transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is Spirit."  2 Corinthians 3:18



This past weekend, Al and I drove out to Denver.  Our baby girl was going to be baptized!! It was a totally unexpected trip but when we got the call that she was ready to do this, we were so excited!!

I enjoy the drive out there.  


The old windmill and the new ones.



I was quite surprised that we couldn't see the mountains until we got about 30 miles away.    

 They are quite hazy and we were told it is from the smoke from the fires in Washington and California.  My brother lives only 30 miles as the crow flies from the fires, but he lives west of it and he doesn't see much smoke at all.  And here it is almost half-way across the country!


We went to Mindy's and had dinner with Mindy and Bryan.
We stayed up late talking about the work Christ has done and is doing.

Mindy accepted Christ following Awana back in September, 1992.  Her friend, Christy had some influence in that.  She came home and asked lots of questions and we prayed with her to ask the Lord to be her Saviour.   



Allen and I chose not to have our children baptized after our children made the decision to accept Christ.  Many families do choose to do that. 

I was baptized when I was 12.  My brother and I were going to be baptized in the ocean, but the riptide was strong that day and they didn't let us into the ocean.  So we did it at the Aburastu Christian Church.
Allen was baptized when he was 16.  Their Sunday School class took a catechism class and then the whole class was baptized.   I don't have a picture of that class, but here is the youth group.  At church they made the youth sing in the choir so their parents could watch them. to make sure they weren't causing trouble!



It wasn't until afterwards that we really, truly understood what it meant to follow Christ and to be committed to Him.  To in essence, draw to a line in the sand and say "I am dedicating my life to Him".  We wanted our kids to come to that decision and make it real for them.

And Mindy made that decision.


The church she attends has baptism twice a year.  This was an outdoor baptism.  And it was a beautiful day for it!





It began with worship.

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing, let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior, the Hope of nations.
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save.
He is mighty to save.
Forever, author of Salvation
He rose and conquered the grave.
Jesus conquered the grave.
So take me as You find me--all my fears and failures.
Fill my life again.
I give my life to follow everything I believe in.
I surrender. (I surrender.)

Yes!  He CAN move a mountain!!



There were about 50 people being baptized that morning.  Mindy was in group 2.







Hoo-ray!!!

Her daddy and I cried through the whole thing!!

Mindy's good friend, Jeremy came to witness it too.

As we were leaving, the worship team was singing this song that our worship pastor introduced to us.  I will always be reminded of this day when we sing it now.



Oh, happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away
Oh, happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed






We went out afterwards to celebrate!