Easter Weekend

We had a very nice weekend. It started early when Kelli, Bria, and Emmy arrived around 12:30 a.m. on Friday. After a short night's sleep they left for Muscatine on Friday leaving North Dakota behind for the last time! They are staying in Jon's apartment there till their truck arrives with their furniture next week.
Friday evening Megan, Greg, and Oz were here by suppertime and stayed until early afternoon on Sunday. On Saturday Megan's, Tabbi and boys, Connie's, Alan, Shawn's, Loren, and Kent's all met at Mom's house and we spent the day going through her things and dividing things up. It was really a special time. Everyone was glad to get things, eager to know the history and meaning of what they were taking home. We all enjoyed each other's company and the memories we shared.
On Sunday we went to Easter services along with Megan, Greg, and Oz. Jon was called out after waffles with strawberries briefly, but was back to see them off. Connie and I went to see Mom late in the afternoon and told her what we had done on Saturday. I think she was relieved...a little hard to tell.
Today it's back to everyday life. Not so bad either....

Thought for the day

I'm really loving reading through the book of Romans in The Message. Today I was reading chapter 9. A few pickings....
"Israelite identity was never racially determined by descent, but it was God-determined by promise."
"God told Moses, 'I'm in charge of mercy. I'm in charge of compassion.' Compassion doesn't originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God's mercy."
"Salvation comes by personal selection. God doesn't count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not His focus."
"All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as He straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were so absorbed in their 'God projects' that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road."

Experiment

So what's up with my blog??? Last time I posted it wouldn't let me make paragraphs or leave blank lines between sections. I hope this experimental post will work the way it's supposed to.

Thought for the day

Again, I hope this works.

Good Times!

Good times! This morning Jon went turkey hunting with Loren and Trever. I went to the movie "Rio" with Tabbi and the boys. Then we were together for lunch with Tom, Joanne, Erika, Shelby, Ben, and Scott. They are in Iowa for a few days and were able to fit us into a FULL schedule of visits. We got to spend a few hours with them, and it was great. It was SO good to see them all. They look great, and the kids are getting so big!! Of course, I forgot to take any pictures....grrr. We will see them again on Monday night, so maybe I can remember to take them then, but don't count on it!! This next week Kelli has movers coming to pack and load, and she and the girls will be coming down here on Thursday sometime before heading to Muscatine on Friday. They are so excited! And SO ARE WE!!!!!! Thought for the day "Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time---remember, you've been raised from the dead"---into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God." This is Romans 6:11-14 in The Message. There is such powerful truth in this passage. Is there ever a time when we grasp it fully and live in its blessings? I'm so impressed by the instruction do not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. It's so easy to excuse sin as being just personality, temperament, or circumstances. It is freeing to realize that I have a choice. I can choose to not allow sin to have its way, but let God live His life using me as a channel.

Saying Goodbye...Sort Of

Today we celebrated Pat's life. She was a very kind woman and will be greatly missed. This was the kind of "goodbye" that was easier to say, because we were only truly saying "see you later". Pat leaves big shoes to fill, and I'm not sure anyone is up to the task. She was definitely one-of-a-kind. It makes me realize that we each bring something unique to life and relationships and each of us deserves to be valued and cherished. I need to do better at appreciating the people around me. God, give me Your heart and eyes for them...