Table Grace

When we were young our parents taught us to thank the Lord for the food that was being provided and the hands that had prepared it. So as tradition goes we taught our children the same thing, even incorporating in a simple prayer to memorize.

"God is great, God is good.

Let us thank Him for this food."

Each of our children did a superb job reciting this prayer. As they got older we taught them how to use their own words to pray for the meal. When our oldest son first exerted the use of his own words for "grace" we thought he was going to say he was thankful for every item that was on the table!




It was encouraging for us to see the children to grow and call on the Lord's name. It starts out as a simple memorized prayer, then turns into a walk with the Savior! Just like watching them learn to walk all over again, taking one step then another. Growing day by day!




Just recently we have had the opportunity to see our grandchildren in our own home share this same tradition. Alexis is very talkative and enjoys the chance to say the prayer.




Our first encounter with this was Thanksgiving this past year. Alexis was continuing to talk while everyone was getting quiet for her dad so he could say the Thanksgiving. He politely asked her to be quiet unless she wanted to say the prayer. She said O.K. I will say the prayer! To our surprise she did a fantastic. Thanking the Lord for food, the beautiful day and family, what more could you ask for.



It brought tears to my eyes to hear this small child, only 3 1/2 years old, give tribute to the Lord for the blessings that she saw. I am so blessed to have a family that loves the Lord and are trying to raise our grandchildren with those same traditions.



God's great example of prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen

It surprised me the other day when we were sitting at the table and Jaxen tried to take my hand and was saying something that I didn't understand. I finally got it, he was saying "pray, pray." We held hands and he said a prayer, not that I could understand, then he said "Amen" so I knew he was done. Such a blessing to see him pray too.



As I look to the future, I see my family continuing to grow in the Lord. I thank him daily for the blessings that he has given to our family. I will continue to do my best to set the example for our kids.

There is a saying that "The family that prays together, stays together".

Lord, bless this family, be with us throughout this day, guide and protect us. Continue to bring us closer to you as we travel life's highways. In your name we pray. Amen

Planting with the Grandkids!

Today was a great day! I was off from work and decided to go and dig up some plants from our old place and move to our new place. The sun was out the wind was very brisk and I had two grand kids to help! One of my helpers fell asleep in the car before we got to the old place, so that left me with one to help. She was very helpful, she picked dandelions and violets to add to my bulbs.

The First Dandelion

Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging,

As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been,

Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass--innocent,

golden, calm as the dawn,

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.

Source: "Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman

I had dug up all the plants that I saw and heard a faint voice "grandma, grandma". My second helper was awake, yeah!!! He came out of the van and quickly started to help his sister pick flowers, then he decided that the basket I was using was too full! So he helped empty it, I guess he didn't realize the big plan that we had for the bulbs at the new house. But even with the upset we were able to collect the bulbs and put them back in the basket.

Since we had collected all the bulbs, we tried to clean up the property a little. It is amazing even though there is not too many people living on the NW side of Cedar Rapids where the flood took a big toll, the trash still seems to collect on any rough area in the yard. We didn't have enough room for all of the trash but brought enough home to fill the back of the van.

Once we got home we unloaded the trash, cleaned up a little and headed off to Wally world to get some soil and compost for our little bulb planting. I also decided to try a few edgers to make a finished look to the lamp post area where the bulbs would be going. Back at home we unloaded the kids and the stuff and started to work. The kids immediately took off for the pea gravel under the tree, leaving me to try and make a circle with the edging stones, I was beginning to think I was geometrically challenged!! I finally got a suitable circle and deposited my compost and soil evenly in the circle it had a very appealing look to it.


Occasionally while planting I would have a small helper come and assist with chore. We completed the project at a few minutes before 4 p.m. and I had to be at the bus garage at 4!! Yikes!!!

I arrived there a few minutes after 4 but still had to wait for my "sweetie" to get out of the building! What a great day!! We accomplished everything that we had started to do, made it to my meeting on time and came home to fresh baked cookies for a birthday surprise! (We had the cake over the weekend for the birthday.) God has truly blessed us. I am looking forward to the blooming of the "Naked Ladies" that we planted (also called the Belladonna Lily). I will keep you updated with pictures on a future blog.

Happy Birth-day

Today is our youngest childs birthday. What an exciting time, having a baby! With each child the excitement is still there. "Mr" excitement this time was almost a little too much excitment. We were in the military and by their standards I had failed 4 pregnancy tests! So there must be something really wrong if I was feeling so sick. With the other children there was never a sign of morning sickness. With the last one it wasn't really "morning sickness" it was all day sickness.
AND when I finally got checked out,at the local clinic, a Physicians Assistant did an evaluation and noted that he could hear a loud sound around my lower rib cage. He left the room, returned to tell me that he believed that I had an Abdominal Aortic Anyrusym! (He probably left to look it up) I was pretty sure I had a concept of what this was, but asked the question to ease my mind. Nope! The PA actually described the whole thing, I was right but didn't have an actual visual. He gave me a referral to the Surgery Clinic, to be checked out. Ed met me there and the Doctor listened to the area and decided that I was really too young(27)to have this type of problem, and since I had failed so many pregnancy tests, he wanted me to be checked out in the OB/GYN dept.
They made a time slot for me and I walked over, they listened to my story and decided to try an dopler to my stomach to listen to things. Guess what?? The heard a babies heartbeat! Well this was a great thine! I wasn't going to die and we were going to have a new addition to our family.
Upon hearing this great news, my husband picked up the phone and caled his doctor and cancelled his procedure. "Too late to lock the barn door after the horse is out!" just a corny saying.
Well the trouble didn't end there! Because of the negative pregnancy tests they really didn't know how to calculate a due date! The performed an ultrasound and with the measurement of his head was put into the calculation and came up with a due date. But told me that I would probably have to go into labor to be sure he would be fully developed. WRONG! All of the others were born by C-section I had went through labor with the first child and that was enough. No, seriously we were in a foreign country, no family to help with the kids, I just wanted a real date.

I did happen to start labor for our little bundle of joy. The doctor said that I had dilated 4 cm and was actually having contractions when they started the c-section.

Adam arrived on this day 24 years ago, and we are so blessed to have him in our family. He really completes our family group, funny/annoying/friendly/serious all wrapped into one.

A baby boy was created by the hand of God above to give the world the sweetest touch of tenderness and love. With the softness of a whisper,God made a baby's skin and then designed two trusting eyes to put the starlight in. With giggles from a waterfall and breezes passing by, God made a baby's laughter and a tiny, sleepy sigh. God made the world a precious gift more dear and pure than gold, with little toes to play with and tiny hands to hold then brought into the sunshine a precious baby boy All wrapped up in a rainbowof wonder, hope, and joy.-unknown author

Life..................

Life..........................It's funny, the way we look at things when we think we have all the time in the world to accomplish your dreams. As children we only live day to day, each day is brand new and we accomplish what ever we feel like doing. As we learn new things every day of our life, we become more responsible for more things. In grade school we learned to read, write and become sociable. Those years in school added new events for us to celebrate, dances, field trips, sports etc. All of which broadened our outlook on life itself.

We as a family are nearing the death of yet another relative. That is when death really starts to look you right in the face, sometimes laughing at you, daunting you with all the things that are yet to be accomplished in your life. When and how do we decide what things are more important, things that need completing. they are thinking I may have a year yet to live..plenty of time! We question do our families really need that extra room, that yard work finished?

Or do they need to know that no matter what happens that we are there for them. I begin to remember the vows that most of us took when we got married. Not very easy words then or now.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part."

Wow it almost hurts to read those words right now! Death so near, families so far from loving and cherishing each other. I believe that those words were meant for the WHOLE family, the husband, wife, children, extended family. Because I feel our extended family as just as much a part of our lives as our biological family. We do need each other, from the beginning of our marriage, my motto was............. become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22 Not an easy task then or now. It was a daily struggle for me.

Stress is at an all time high within our extended family, any word can be construed as a harsh statement. Some people within the family are not going to be allowed to come to the memorial service. Others are not going to attend stating that "they do not want to cause a scene." How do you delicately talk to anyone in this situation? You don't! They want you to talk to them, but are literally on the edge. Too close for comfort, any word could send them off the edge. Then the scene has begun.

But everyone needs some type of closure for this event. We each need to find that closure for ourself.

" Life is too short............let me repeat that..........LIFE IS TOO SHORT!

Words of comfort.............................

I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love. Leo Buscaglia

Please...God................
help us through this process
of death!

Cinderella

As a child you always think you are "Cinderella" in the story of the same title. Doing all the work, not the favorite child, pushed aside when the others were around, not getting to go to the special outings. Believe me, things have not changed, I have heard from many who think they did all the work and the other siblings sat on the couch eating bonbons. Hopefully at some point you dream of getting to the princess part!

Please don't think of this as a pity party, I totally take responsibility for MY choices. It is some of the choices I feel that others in my life have made that make me feel that way now, more Cinderella-ish. Not that I did all the work, I have two older sisters for that.

So let me explain a little bit why I am talking about this today. In a discussion with my spouse I told him that I feel like an outsider to my sisters and mom. Of course he listened to me with an open mind, adding comments to help support my theory. I could possibly a friend of the family, even a good friend, but definitely an outsider. Which is not the worst thing in life, but is not a thrilling fact either.

You see my sisters all live in South Carolina and have been there for many years. They have celebrated births, marriages, birthdays, holidays and jobs together. This has formed a significant bond between them, some good and some bad times. But seem to be related, when you talk to them there always seems to be a certain familiarity between them. I have always tried to call them during holidays, birthdays and at times when my parents were there for the winter. So I could be connected as much as possible.

I didn't find out until just recently that those things don't seem to work either. So off with the rest of the story. I hand had a child at an early age, found Prince Charming and got married. Then started to live our life together for our immediate family, making our own traditions while incorporating some from each family. None of those choices was easy but looking back we can see the hand of God leading us each step of the way. It is wonderful as a wife and mother to be able to take care of your family, to see them satisfied is the greatest joy I have ever had. It really seems to be a fairy tale like story when you look back. Even with the good the bad and the ugly and believe me we saw it all.

We joined the Army in the 80's and stayed in there until '86, began pastoring and stayed in Texas until 1992. At that time we chose to be closer to family so the kids could get to better know their cousins and grandparents. Well as most of you probably know that doesn't usually work it is just a gesture that we as people make to try and help heal the holes. Too bad we find this out after the fact, since there are all those moving expenses, and tearing the kids away from their friends. It doesn't make people a better family to be close together, sometimes farther is better. If only it was that simple, we are really dumb to think that a problem is solved that easily.

It is difficult living so far away that you can't see people if they are sick or special occasions. But living at a distance is god for the drama that goes with the day to day stuff. I know, I know that is how families work! Everybody need someone to talk to to share some of the drama to be able live day to day. I just thought that you could use the ATT method! LOL

Cinderella went to the fantastic party and met the prince, ran away, was made fun of by her family. The prince finally finds her, then the family decides that they want to be close. make her a part of the family that they seem to care about. She leaves with the prince but makes sure her family is taken care of.

The party??? Not so much. The Prince??? Yes in my opinion. Family???? Still not sure???? Today an email arrived from family, the answer I got was very unfamilial (if that is a word). I guess I will continue with the journey that I have started and keep enjoying my immediate family, like I started so many years ago!

And they lived Happily Ever after!

The End

Don't every give up on the dreams of your childhood!

The Sound of Music

Our live are so entwined in music,
whether we believe this or not.





Some of my earliest remembrances are of my uncle playing the same song on the guitar " The Wildwood Rose ". My dad was leaning how to play along with him so we heard it at home too. Every "Rowe" family reunion had good singers too. I remember the last few that we went to before I got married there were two young boys that sang "Running Bear". Every year it was the little highlight at the family to hear the family singing.

My parents were in a quartet back in the 70's, so I thought that is where it all started. I remember when we spent every available summer and long weekend traveling so they could go and sing for other churches. We traveled to Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and all over Ohio. They actually made an album of their songs and my sister made a cd of it and I love listening to it, especially when I am missing my dad. It brings back those fond traveling moments.

When I hear those familiar songs on the "oldies" station it brings back some of the most amazing memories. So I know that it didn't just start for me in the 70's.

I remember my younger sister and I calling into the local radio station "WLEC" to request the song "Rockin Robin". This was almost a daily activity for us, nothing we could get in trouble for by our parents. I don't know for sure if our kids much of the requesting songs on the radio, but I remember a few instances.



When I was in high school they put in a jukebox, so everyday the same songs would play over and over again. Needless to say some of those songs bring back the aroma of the school cafeteria. Sometimes that is not such a good smelling memory. It's hard to imagine that a song could make you remember the smell of greasy french fries.



Then there are the songs that you hear when you are dating and falling in love. Every time Ed & I got in the car the song "Silly Love Songs" was playing. So much that I bought the 8-track tape of it for a gift.



Proceeding on, we have the song that as a couple we make the theme of the wedding ceremony. The Carpenters were one of my favorite groups back in the later 70's. The had such a smooth sound, "We've only just begun" was a favorite for weddings. Hearing those songs today also bring back fond memories about where we started from. "Precious and Few" was another song that many couples used too. As I think about that song it reminds me of how few moments we have at any given time. I remember to try not to waste what we are given, embrace each moment.


When the kids were little singing and dancing was a great part of their upbringing. Church was a big part of our lives and although they frowned on dancing, at home was another story. Even tough I was born with two left feet, I showed the kids what I could. (Sorry about that!)



The girls were great singers also, they politely sang for church services throughout their child hood. When they were a little older they piked the soundtracks they wanted to sing to. The songs that they chose were great and they still touch me when I hear them sing them or hear them on the radio. Those are some of my favorite songs.

I am glad to know that my grand kids also enjoy music and movement............ so the tune will go on! I frequently get videos or voice mail messages where they are singing to grandma.

So as the music plays on..........let us not forget to take the time to enjoy each moment................ every note..........every movement that we are able to hear and feel.

Here for your enjoyment.............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WQ6Q_65qck&NR=1

Sorry I tried to get the video to post but it didn't work! I'm still a computer illiterate! You just have to bear with me.

All those New Year's Resolutions!

Every year we do the same thing, make promises that we don't seem to stick to. The dictionary states: A New Year's resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name naturally comes from the fact that these commitments usually go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned.

With the start of the new year, everything looks shiny and without problems, I guess that would be true for anything that was new. As I see it that would be a great way to look at things, but then reality sets in and just as the resolutions go by the wayside so does our view of the other things that were new.

The top 5 Resolutions for the New Year:

Lose Weight
Get out of Debt
Save Money
Get a Better Job
Get Fit

As I started this year I didn't think too much about resolutions, or anything that I wanted to make a commitment to. That saddened me as I thought back to starting a new year and not be willing to commit for anything. Although in years past I think I have had all of the top five listed above at one time or another, but along with all the others who make resolutions I was unable to keep them for a whole year.

Well I suppose it is never too late!! Right?? I could still commit to something!

Maybe I could start out with the MMCH version, I could clean my room, eat my veggies, brush my teeth. At least I could keep those kind of resolutions for the better part of the year.

But I should be a grownup about this and make a real commitment. Soooooo........what would that be???

What do I really want to achieve for this New Year?

For starters I would be willing to commit to being able to let my children know that they are loved unconditionally. In the past I don't think that I have ever made that a resolution, so there is one to work on.

Secondly I desire to be able to make my husband feel that he is still #1, sometimes that is lost with the day to day work schedule. Just have to take a little extra time.

Well I guess I will get started on those two things and hopefully the next 12 months will fly by and I will accomplish great things.

Happy New Year to all!! May all your resolutions stay intact for the year!