A weekend of celebrations.....

Yesterday Ken and I took Doug and Susie out to dinner to celebrate Doug's birthday.  Doug got to decide where we would go to eat.  And his choice made us ALL happy.  We went to Uncle Bub's.  Ken first introduced me to this wonder BBQ place a few years ago.  He would go there with friends from work, for an occasional lunch.  When he mentioned it to Doug, it was no surprise that this was also a favorite spot for Doug and his friends.  It was so good to sit and eat together.  To talk and share and just be with each other.  And the food was simply amazing.  It was actually the first time that Susie had ever been there and she loved it.  We went home with take home boxes and Doug and Susie went with a bottle of BBQ sauce in their hands.  Back at our house, we sat and talked over some coffee.  It was a wonderful evening.

That is, except for the coffee.  It was not so smart for me to drink a cup of regular coffee at 7:30pm on the night that we LOSE an hour of sleep.  I didn't manage to go to sleep until well after midnight (which was 1:00am with the time change).  So it was a very early morning for me today...and it was actually later than I normally get up.  And we had another big day today.  

We went to Ellie's Hello Kitty party to celebrate her 6th birthday.  It was a wild and crazy party with many, many little girls (and boys) running around.  Gwen had 4 different craft areas (which is appropriate since Ellie is a CRAFTY girl!) to entertain the kids.  There were beads to string, sun catchers to paint, scratch off shapes, and pages to color.  There was a pinata and candy bar and cake (of course).  And there were presents.  Ellie got a large assortment of Hello Kitty items - everything from a beach towel and sprinkler to a bathrobe and headphones.  Of course there were some Frozen items thrown in and also Barbie.  What else does a girl need?  It was a huge success.  

Yesterday Ken and I went into Chicago to go to the zoo.  It was the first "warmish" day that we have had.  It was around 30, but clear and sunny.  I took this shot just as we were walking into the zoo.  I love the hint of a rainbow at the top of this photo, in the sun shining down.  When I downloaded my photos and saw this picture I was reminded of those banners that I saw flying over me.  The banner of Love and IS Jesus and also that banner of hope.  Yes, we are in the midst of warming temps and the snow melting away.  Spring seems to be nearer and the cold darkness of winter seems to be retreating.  And then there are these reminders of all that is right around the corner.  I feel an increasing excitement and certainty that all of the promises and words that have been declared are bursting forth.  Yes, this is a time of the new springing up.  How amazing!

Jesus, thank you for sunshine and warm temperatures, for birthdays and family and noisy little girls and boys.  Thank you for BBQ and cake and time to just enjoy each other.  Thank you for speaking to me in rainbows and clear skies.  Holy Spirit, stir up all of those seeds sown so long ago and remind us all that this is a season of double blessings and new things coming forth.  Jesus, thank you for knowing exactly what we need.  Amen

Family reunions......

So I recently got a facebook announcement of a family reunion (Roelke/Johnson)  that is taking place in Minnesota in a couple of weeks.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend.  Some of the people pictured in this photo will actually be at this reunion.  This photo is from 1948ish (I'm not exactly sure of the date - I am guessing based on my sister Julie who is standing in the front row on the far right).  My mom is not in this picture so it is entirely possible that my mom took this picture! This was years before I was born.  But I love this photo!  The two women in the center front of the picture are my Grandma Johnson and also Grandma Roelke.  Now the interesting thing is that two of my dad's sisters married brothers.  So most of our reunions have been billed as both names.  And this photo is an example of the longevity of these reunions.  I also have to point out my cousin Marv Johnson who is on the far left, standing right by his Dad!  Marv and his wife Iris have already replied YES to this years reunion. 

Now here is the really interesting thing about these reunions.  At this point, most of the people who would attend, do not know me. Thanks to facebook, I am "friends" with several of my cousins, but I can't remember the last time I actually sat and talked, in person to any of my cousins.  I am the youngest of the cousins.  And, unfortunately, several of my generation are already dead.  Quite honestly, because of the age spacing in this family, I am much closer in age to the NEXT generation, than I am to my own generation.  This made for some interesting times for me at these reunions.  I have very vivid memories of one reunion that took place in 1967 or 68.  I was still not a "teenager" and my cousins (both first cousins and second cousins) were all teens.  They left me in the dust - literally.  They drove me down a country road, kicked me out of the car, and told me to walk back.  Needless to say, this was NOT a very good memory for me.  

One of my favorite memories is of a more recent reunion.  I'm not quite sure of the year, but I think it was in the late 1990's or early 2000's. 

These are a couple of photos from that reunion.  It was really special that my two sisters and one of my brothers made it to this reunion.  I remember my mom talking about being the last of her generation.  She just loved getting to see all the nieces and nephews.  It was a special thing for her to go to these reunions. Thanks to my sisters and brother, she often got to these reunions.  If there had been more notice, Ken and I might have tried to make this event, to honor my mom. 

I have written so much about family in this blog.  And here I am today, writing and thinking about family once again.  And more than just family..... family getting together and just celebrating that they are family.   I am so thankful that Gwen and Doug make it a priority to be together with their families and just celebrate!  

And here's the thing.  I think that every time I get together with like-minded people and worship Jesus, it is a big family reunion.  We are there to celebrate that we are all in the same family and have the same father and the same brother. I just love this picture of family celebrating together.  That is why it should always be a priority to gather together as a family and remember who we are and why we are getting together.  There is a lot about priority in this.  Sometimes you just have to decide to celebrate and remember.  And in total truth telling (which remember I promised this blog would be) I have forgotten this far to often.  I have not made these gatherings a priority.  And tonight, I will commit to changing that.  Won't you join me in this challenge, to remember and make it a priority, to gather together.  And that every time we gather with friends and family who love Jesus, we are celebrating something wonderful!  

Jesus, thank you for family.  Thank you for welcoming us into your family and giving us so much to celebrate when we gather together.  Holy Spirit, remind us of this commit made here today.  Help us to remember and make it a priority to worship and celebrate who we are in Jesus.  Thank you for family reunions and the chance to make memories across many generations.   Amen

Long time friends, baby shower and Baptism birthdays.......

Today I was driving on a road quite close to my house, when I saw something really unexpected.  It was an object on TOP of a car......it was a DOG SLED!  You know, the kind of thing that they use in the Iditarod? What were they doing with a dog sled, in Illinois, IN MAY?  I confess that I had a moment of contemplating if there was snow in our forecast.  I mean, it is Illinois and it has been in the 30's.  And it IS May.  Yes, it was very unexpected.  And in the last couple of days I have been looking for those unexpected things.  I'll let you know if I figure out any hidden meaning in this dog sled sighting!  (Possibly it goes along with my message from "Paddlefoot?)

 

Today was one of those really great, exciting days.   I had the wonderful pleasure of attending a baby shower for Gwen's best friend since 6th grade, Brenda.   It was certainly a time of celebrating and also a bit of remembering.  I calculated that Gwen and Brenda have been friends for 24 years.  WOW does that ever make me feel old!  I spent part of the day holding my sweet little Anna, and it was so wonderful contemplating all the fun Anna and this expected baby boy will have at future parties.  It is so good to gather together with friends and family and mark these important events.

 



It was also an important day for Ellie!  It is her "Baptism Birthday"!  Five years ago she was welcomed into the Covenant of God's family and sealed with the cross of Christ. 

 I love looking at these picture of Ellie's Baptism day.   She wore Gwen's Baptism dress and was so cute!  While I was going through the photo file, I discovered this photo......

This is Brenda holding Ellie, and her husband Rick, five years ago.  Today we celebrated their coming baby.   I can't help but think how wonderful this is!  I love that Anna and their baby will be only months apart.  There is something so powerful in seeing your kids and their friends, grow up and have their own kids.  Brenda spent so much time with Gwen that she really seems like part of our family.  I confess, it made me quite teary.  I can't wait to meet this new little one.

 

I am so thankful that Gwen and Tim have made it a priority to remember and celebrate the Baptism birthdays of their kids.  It is a time when the kids talk about what Baptism is all about.  They light their candle and remember that Jesus is the light of the world.   It is a special day for them.  Wouldn't we all benefit if we added in this extra special day of celebrating by remembering our Baptism birthday?  I plan to celebrate my special day this year....on November 7th.  I want to encourage you to find your own Baptism birth date and make it a priority this year.  Celebrate this very important day in your life.  Celebrate with family and friends..... and cake! 

 

Jesus, thank you for old friends and new life.  Thank you for the new life that we have in you.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your working in Baptism.  Jesus, bless Brenda and Rick and their baby.  Bring your peace and presence during these final weeks before the birth.  Thank you, Jesus, for Ellie and all that you are doing in and through her.  Help us all to remember and celebrate our Baptism Birthdays with joy.   Amen

 



A little preview of April celebrations.....

I have been thinking about my family a lot during the last couple of weeks.  My birth family.  My mom and dad and my sisters and brothers.   Recently I was telling someone about my relationship with my mom and dad that was very different from my siblings.   And that is why I thought about the above picture of my dad.   This picture was taken in 1980.  It was the 80th birthday of my dad's sisters Agnes and Alice.  My dad, his sister Mable and sister Svea are standing behind the twins.   My dad was the youngest in his family - his siblings were 20, 17, 13, 13 and 8 when he was born.  (If you have read my previous blogs you might remember that my dad had two additional siblings that died the year he was born - brothers who would have been 18 and 6)  His siblings were mostly grown by the time he started school.   And because I was the youngest in my family, that was true for me also.  In many ways I experienced my mom and dad very differently than my siblings.  After we moved to Illinois when I was in 8th grade, my dad's job changed and he stopped traveling as much.  When he did travel, he often took my mom along.  And in the summer, I also got to go along. 

One of my very favorite memories with my mom and dad was a trip that we took in July of 1969.  I am totally sure of the date of this trip because I watched the moon landing in a motel room in Green Bay Wisconsin, with my mom and dad.  On that same trip, we drove into upper Michigan.   It was a really memorable trip for me.  On that trip I got to talk to my parents about their growing up years.  And I remember thinking that this was a very special time and I was blessed.

You know, there are many many things that I never talked to my mom and dad about.  And I regret the many missed opportunities to learn from them.  But I will continue to celebrate the memories and the fun.  I love that my dad continued to be close to his siblings for his entire life.   He made sure that I knew my aunts and uncles.  And he valued and treasured his family.  That is a great gift.

Jesus, thank you for helping me to remember and celebrate all that you have given me in my mom and dad.  Thank you for memories and pictures and connections to the past.   Holy Spirit, remind us all to treasure the little things from our pasts.  Help us to connect the dots from our past generations into the future.  Keep me on the path of celebrating and remembering!   Amen