"Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the LORD."

Psalm 31:24

If By Reason of Strength

This is what my seventeen-year-old son gets to look at everyday, well, that is in between work shifts for his summer job at a Christian camp. It's beautiful, isn't it?

It's been almost a month since we dropped him off in upstate New York, a six hour drive from our home in Pennsylvania.

For the first two weeks my seven-year-old cried before he went to bed every night, "I want my brother."

It's been a little taste of what it will be like next year when my oldest goes off to college.

Ah, how time passes.

I don't know about you, but sometimes it feels like yesterday when I was seventeen. Although my body would tell a different story.

I can't help but think what Psalm 90 says:

"The days of our lives are seventy years: And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Ps. 90:10,12)

Well, I'm not seventy yet, but I will be turning 43 on August 10th. And like David said "by reason" if I live to be 80, then that means my life here on earth is half over, or from a more optomistic point of view, I still have almost half my life to live. But of course, we know that we should never boast of tomorrow, because the Bible says we do not know what a day may bring forth. But God does, and that is good enough for me because the Bible says He holds my times in His hands. What a great place to rest, in the hollow of His Almighty hand!

My dear grandmother and I almost share the same birthday. The day after I turn 43, Lord willing she will turn 89. Oh how thankful I am for the days the Lord has given her. She has stood by our family, loved us, but most of all, prayed for us.

I love how we've always celebrated our birthdays together. My mom usually makes a cake with both of our names on it, her name is Betty Irene, my name is Susan Irene. I am her first grandchild and I am proud to have a middle name after her. The name Irene means "peace".

"Are you sure you want to share your birthday celebration with me?"

That's what she's asked me in recent years.

"Yes, Nanna! I LOVE sharing my birthday with you," I say giving her a hug. "I wouldn't have it any other way!!!"

My Nanna's kidneys have been failing for the last few years. A few weeks ago, not long after we dropped my son off at his summer camp job, doctors told my parents that my Nanna only has one kidney left that is functioning and it is only working at 10% capacity. They've given her a few weeks to live.

The doctor also said that in reality, the rest of her body is in good health, like a sixty-year-old. And I am telling you, if you were to look at her you would never believe that she is 88, really!

My heart is breaking.

Oh yes, I know we all have an appointed hour and my dear Nanna has lived much longer than most people. My first husband died suddenly at 28. But nevertheless, it is still hard to lose someone you love. I think the hardest part is missing them.

My Nanna and I swap books all the time. We love to read all the Christian fiction novels, from romance to mystery, we trade books left and right.

But more than that, my Nanna is a prayer warrior. Do I pray for my family like she prays for us? I hardly think so. Oh how I need to be better at praying every day.

Every card my Nanna has every given her family through the years at every holiday or birthday is signed, "Love and prayers". And it is more than a signature. It is a truth.

Tonight is the last night of Vacation Bible School at our church. Our lesson is on Heaven tonight, the streets of gold. My friend who helps me at VBS and I even bought the kids chocolate coins covered in gold foil for the kids tonight to help them remember about Heaven.

Yes, Heaven is a real place. I wonder how it will look? Oh the Bible gives us some hints. And like that beautiful picture of the lake where my sons works, I'm sure it is only a hint of the beauty to come. After all, our God and Savior created it all, for His pleasure and to be inhabited by us.

My Nanna knows Jesus as her Savior, my first husband did too. How about you? Are you ready to meet God? You can be through Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. Praise Him!

Thank you Lord for the years you've given us with family and friends, no matter how many you allow here on earth, we know because of Jesus, we have an eternity with you in Heaven. Lord, teach us to number our days and gain a heart of wisdom. In Christ's name I pray it, Amen.

Live the adventure,

His Will

"You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created."

Revelation 4:11

We owe our next breath to His will, our finest hour to His enabling,

Our little trimumphs to His grace."

Jill P. Briscoe, Women of Faith Devotional Bible

Live the adventure,

Watch This, Watch This, Watch This

Most of you know I have two sons, one is seventeen and entering his senior year, one is seven, entering second grade. For anyone who has children of their own or has been around children you know that kids can say the cutest things. I wish I had kept a journal of those adorable sayings from my oldest, so in retrospect, I have been jotting down from time to time what my youngest says and put it in a folder. Here's some of the latest sayings:

The other day my son had to recite the days of the week for a summer speech homework assignment. He has auditory processing disorder and one huge part of what he is working on is memory recall.

Mom: Okay, hon, now it's time to recite the days of the week. Ready?

7 year old: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Mom: Good but you forgot Thursday. Let's try again.

7 year old: (starting to fidget in his seat, his voice laced with intensity) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday!!!

Mom: Which day did you forget?

7 year old: I don't know!!!

Mom: Thursday. Let's try it again. It goes like this... (I proceeded to recite the days of the week.)

7 year old: MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY

Mom: You're missing Thursday.

7 year old: I don't like that day.

Mom: I understand, but it's still part of the week and you have to include it.

7 year old: (groans) I don't like that day. I'm going to skip it.


And on another day my son was talking about an amusement park that he would like to go to, called Six Flags Great Adventure. I think this one has something to do with the fact that kids are always asking how old people are and wondering when their next birthday is on its way.

7 year old: (looking very serious) Didn't Great Adventure start out with five flags and then became six?

And finally the other day while playing with his cousin on a round mini-exercise trampoline jumping into a pile of pillows and blankets on our family room floor.

7 year old: M-o-m- watch this.

Mom: (turning my head from my computer screen to watch his antics)

7 year old: This is a 180.

Mom: Wow, hon, that's great.

7 year old: Now watch this, watch this, watch this!!! This is a 580. (son jumps again spinning around into the pile of pillows)

Mom: What's a 580?

7 year old: (matter-of-fact) More than a 360.

Live the adventure,

Hi again my friends, I've posted on my other site, Anna's Place today. Here's the link:

http://shareyourgrief.blogspot.com/

Live the adventure,