Another celebration......anniversary!

With Ken away this weekend, I had plenty of time to start looking through all of my scrapbook albums.  This was the first album I picked up.  Thursday was Gwen and Tim's 15th Wedding Anniversary.  It just does not seem possible that this was 15 years ago!

It was such an amazing day.  Didn't she look just amazing?  And quite honestly, I don't think she looks much older now, in spite of four kids and 15 years!  Or Tim either! And I just had to include this picture since I had just posted the picture of my own going away......

I'm not sure that going through old photos is a good way to spend an entire day.  It left me feeling a bit nostalgic and also kind of discouraged.  I thought this was interesting since DISCOURAGEMENT  has been the word swirling around for the last week.  I have seen post after post about praying against the spirit of discouragement that seems to be everywhere right now.  We prayed about this at my small group this week.   Last night I heard an amazing teaching from Dr. Lance Wallnau on this exact subject.  His message was summed up in one sentence... "Let your expectations be on the Lord!".  We tend to get discouraged when we are looking for something from a source that is NOT the Lord.  If we want affirmation or encouragement or even just someone to be with, if we look anywhere but the Lord, we will be disappointed or discouraged.  Lance said that he had been reading Psalm 62 when he came to this thought.  Here is Psalm 62 from The Passion Translation.....

I stand silently to listen for the One I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me.  For God alone has become my Savior.  He alone is my Safe Place; His wrap-around presence always protects me.  For he is my Champion Defender; there's no risk of failure with God.  So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me?  But look at these who want me dead, Shouting their vicious threats at me!  The moment they discover my weakness they all begin plotting to take me down.  Liars, hypocrites, with nothing good to say.  All of their energies are spent on moving me from this exalted place. I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love; waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me.  Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me.  For he alone is my Safe Place, His wrap-around presence always protects me.  As my Champion Defender; there's no risk of failure with God!  So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me?  God's glory is all around me!  His wrap-around presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, My Hero and my life-giving strength.  Join me, everyone!  Trust only in God every moment!  Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him.  Believe me when I tell you - he will help you!  Before God, all the people of the earth, high or low, are like smoke that disappears, like a vapor that quickly vanishes away.  Compared to God they're nothing but vanity, nothing at all!  The wealth of the world is nothing to God.  So if your wealth increases, don't be boastful or put your trust in your money.  And don't you think for a moment that you can get away with stealing, by overcharging others, just to get more for yourself!  God said to me once and for all, all the strength and power you need flows from me!  And again I heard it clearly said, "All the love you need is found in me!"  And the Almighty said, "The greater your passion for more- the greater reward I will give you!"

Meditate on that and you will see the direction to just rely on the Lord.  In doing that, we will not worry.  Or be disappointed.  Or discouraged.  So I think I will spend some time musing about this Psalm.  Once again I am so thankful for The Passion Translation!  And I am thankful for scrapbooking and preserving photos that allow us to remember and reflect.  

Jesus, thank you for memories that help us to put our life into perspective.  Thank you for the reminder to trust only in you, Lord.  Holy Spirit, free us from the spirit of discouragement and disappointment and help us to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Thank you for time to read, pray and reflect on all of your great promises.  Amen

Waving goodbye to another year..... after 42!

Yesterday was an important day for us.  Ken and I celebrated 42 years of marriage!  Here we are waving goodbye after our wedding as we left on our honeymoon.  Look at those youngsters!  Ken had just turned 22 and I was 19.  Yes, things were very different in 1974!  Notice the cigarette in Ken's hand?  He quit smoking shortly after we got married, something I am extremely grateful for!  It is kind of funny to have this photographic evidence of that.

Here we are in Ken's car.... a 1969 Torino.  I can't tell you how many times over the last 42 years I have heard Ken lament that he didn't keep that car.  I wish that we had taken time to make a "bucket list" when we got married.  I would love to have that list right now to look back on.  So my advice to anyone getting married (or if you have children and/or grandchildren getting married), is to make that list of all the things you hope for your life in the years ahead.  

Yes, those bucket lists.  Ken and I still have a couple of things on our current lists.  We have lots of places that we still need to travel.  Our recent Hawaii trip has that state checked off our list.  But it is really interesting how your list changes over the years.  As is always the case, it is always easier to see things in "hind sight" when looking back.  Yes, in looking back I would have made that bucket list and Ken would have kept that car!

I am feeling so thankful to just have these 42 years together to celebrate. In all honesty there have been lots of ups and downs over these 42 years.  Things don't always go as planned or hoped.    My recent favorite song is "Trust In You" by Lauren Daigle..

Letting go of every single dream

I lay each one down at Your feet

Every moment of my wandering

Never changes what You see

I’ve tried to win this war I confess

My hands are weary I need Your rest

Mighty Warrior, King of the fight

No matter what I face, You’re by my side

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move

When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings

There’s not a day ahead You have not seen

So, in all things be my life and breath

I want what You want Lord and nothing less

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move

When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

You are my strength and comfort

You are my steady hand

You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand

Your ways are always higher

Your plans are always good

There’s not a place where I’ll go, You’ve not already stood

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move

When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

I will trust in You!

I will trust in You!

I will trust in You! 

Ken and I didn't know what was ahead for us on that long ago day, 42 years ago. All of the things we thought we needed or wanted didn't materialize.  So much to be grateful for. So many times I wondered why that mountain didn't move or I didn't get the answer I was looking for.  In all of those things, I am thankful  that I can trust in Jesus.  And now looking ahead at the years to come, I am so thankful that there is nothing ahead that Jesus has not already seen and no place that He has not stood.   

Weddings are such a wonderful time of new beginnings.  And each anniversary represents the start of a new year... a chance to write a new bucket list!  This year my list looks like this.......

1.  Trust in Jesus 

And that is enough.

Jesus, thank you for this reminder in song that you understand our frustrations at life when things don't go as we want or hoped or planned.  Holy Spirit, help us to trust when it is not easy.  Thank you for being the solid rock that we can stand on in the midst of a shaky world.   Jesus, thank you for Ken and these 42 years of blessings.  Amen

Remembering a great day...........

This was four years ago today.....Doug and Susie's wedding!  Wow, isn't she just beautiful?  And Doug is so handsome!  Okay, I know I am being such a "mom".   It was a wonderful day.  The weather was a lot like today!  Warm, sunny and clear.  As a matter of fact it was a bit warmer than was comfortable.  But it was such a lovely and meaningful wedding.  Sometimes I can't believe the location of their wedding.  Our family were members of this church when Doug was a baby until he was in third grade.  I was a part of the building committee.  I remember many, many meetings about the colors of the carpet, the type and style of the pews and then that cross and design around it on the wall behind the altar.  I helped serve Communion many, many times at that altar.  The room seemed filled with memories for me.

I love this picture of Pastor Damian praying for Doug and Susie.  He has been a constant wonderful presence in these last four years.  I know that I never imagined Doug getting married at that altar.  But I can see the hand of Jesus on this event!  

Yesterday while listening to Dutch Sheets, he was talking about time.  Our idea of linear time is not the eternal time.  Dutch talked about a time spiral where time things are already placed in time, just waiting until we arrive there.   When I look at these pictures, I have a better understanding of that concept.  I prayed so many prayers in that place!  And now I can see how Jesus' plan was for this event to take place in that location and Pr. Damian tapped into all of those prayers of the past.  I have blogged about all of the prayers of my generations.  Those prayers that I know were for me and my children.  What a great reminder that our prayers are eternal.  Not only can we change the atmosphere around us through the presence and power of Jesus, but we can have an effect on the future!  

Doesn't this make you stop and think?  Not only about all of your past generations put also about all of your future generations.  I love knowing that when we pray for the future spouses of our children or grandchildren, those prayers make things happen in that spiral of time.  And Jesus knows the perfect time for the fulfillment of our prayers.  Yes, another wonderful nugget of wisdom from a thirty minute teaching by Dutch Sheets!  

Jesus, continue to bless Doug and Susie in their marriage.  Draw them both closer to you and closer to each other.   Thank you for your presence with them in this difficult last year.  Holy Spirit, encourage us all to keep on praying for our future generations.  Give us hope and faith and trust that you are working those prayers out in exactly the right time and right way. Amen

Where did the years go???

Where did the years go and why do I feel so old???  This is another one of those days.... it is Gwen and Tim's 14th Wedding Anniversary!  Yes.... 14 years!  I told Ken tonight at dinner that I feel like we have only been married.....I don't know......maybe 20 or so years??????  I know, it is 41 years, but really.... where did the time go?  When I look at this picture, I don't see Gwen and Tim looking one bit older.  This looks exactly like the way they look to me today!  I suppose that they would not agree with that... they most likely FEEL like they look a lot older.  Let's face it, four kids take their toll on their parents!

Remembering this day is amazing to me.  Gwen looked so wonderful.  I love her dress.  It was the first dress she ever tried on - and my mom and I were with her.  Of course she tried on lots of other dresses, but ultimately decided that this was the dress.  And she did not make a mistake.  The wedding was held at the college where Gwen and Tim met... and it was beautiful.  Ken would tell you that the aisle was VERY LONG and Gwen would tell you that aisle was VERY STEEP. And one of the most important things to Gwen....my mom was able to be at her wedding!  (This was not necessarily a given since my mom was 86 at her wedding!)  The wedding went off without a hitch.  I remember that we all were expecting something to not go right, but really it was perfect.   At the end of the night, Ken and I were surprised to feel so happy and not nearly as tired as we had expected!

There was no question that Jesus was very present in their wedding.  What a blessing that is.  To see your children begin their married life, with God at the center of their relationship. It's been wonderful to see their family grow.  It's been a fast and eventful 14 years!

I have to follow up on our day yesterday.  Our "hot water heater" event yesterday was really perfect timing.... like only Jesus could have arranged.  If our heater had started leaking just two days later, well it could have been a major disaster.  Ken and I leave for vacation in two days.  It was not just a little leak, it was a MAJOR leak and we did have a pan around the heater that went straight to a drain.  So we may NOT have had major flooding.  But what we would have had was a MONUMENTAL WATER BILL!  As fast as that water was pouring out, more was pouring into the heater.  I can not begin to imagine the gallons of water that would have drained away.  Thankfully Ken heard the water running as soon as it started.  So we shut off the water to the house.  Quickly.  And we had no showers this morning.  I called our heating/plumbing people last night at 9:45pm and left a message with their answering service, just asking them to call today.  Believe it or not, in less than 15 minutes the owner of the company called back and we had a time all set to get new hot water heater, installed.  What perfect timing!  This was certainly one of those times that I knew that Jesus was watching over me.  Don't we all need times like that?  It may seem like you are not seeing anything happen in the BIG things.  But then something little (that is really a big thing) happens and you can see evidence of Jesus keeping his eye on you. So I am feeling so thankful as I just wash my hands at the sink - in the nice hot water!  This will be a special vacation time, knowing that Jesus is watching over us!

Jesus, thank you for your care and love for us, even in the little things.  Thank you for your perfect timing.  It was that perfect timing that brought Gwen and Tim together.  Holy Spirit, continue to pour out your presence and your Spirit over Gwen and Tim and their children.  Jesus you are trustworthy and faithful.  Thank you for the reminder that you are taking care of things in the exact right time!  Amen

41 years ago..........(and 2 years ago!)

Wow!  Forty One years is a long time!  That's right.....Ken and I have been married 41 years....today is our anniversary.  Look at those young faces!  And notice the very 70's style.  Ken's yellow ruffled shirt and the flowers on my dress.  The weather 41 years ago was nothing like today.  It was a cold, dreary, foggy morning that became a very long, drenching downpour.  The roof of the church leaked (on the grooms side of the aisle) and people got wet. The Pastor delayed the wedding for several minutes because people were waiting in their cars for the rain to let up.  By the end of the wedding the sun had come out and it turned out to be an okay evening.  My mom kept on saying "Happy is the bride that it rains on!".  I can't imagine where that saying came from (except that it rains a lot in May and June... the two busiest wedding months).  I can not begin to list all of the ways that our marriage has been blessed.  And now we are starting to think about retirement and what that might look like for us.  Where did the years go?  A few interesting facts about our last 41 years......
+++We have only lived in 4 different places!  That is pretty amazing!
+++We were married just shy of 5 years when Gwen was born.
+++Our first trip out of the country was last year when we went to Canada for our 40th.
+++We have never been on a cruise and don't plan to ever go on a cruise.
+++We took Gwen and Doug to both Disneyland and Disneyworld.
That is what came to my mind as I was writing this blog.  I am sure that there are many other things that I could share, but this is what I thought of!

The other interesting "Anniversary" that falls on this date, is this is the two year anniversary of this blog!  I started this blog on May 18, 2013.  This is the 478th Blog post.  I just never thought that I would still be writing this blog!  It has been such an amazing two year adventure for me.  I have connected with people all over the world.  I know that Jesus has used this blog to reach people in ways that I never imagined.  When I was told by a prophet that I would "go to the nations", this was not the picture that came to my mind.  Yet I know that this is exactly what Jesus wants me to do.  This blog has also been healing and enriching for me.  It is my journal and my memories and my thoughts and ideas.  It is what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me.  I have shared the highs and the lows of my life WITH HONESTY.  When things are good, you will hear about it.  And when tragedy strikes, you hear about that also.  But in the midst of the good and the bad, you will also hear how Jesus is sustaining me.  And you might also benefit from the lessons that I am learning.  I have grown so much in these two years.  I have a better understanding of my past generations and I also have a greater appreciation for the future generations.  Last November, after the death of my 10 day old grandson, I was overwhelmed by the love and support that this blog generated.  Even months after this tragedy, I have been getting messages and comments from people that I only know because of this blog.  I will tell you that I pray daily for every person who happens onto this blog. I pray that you will see the love of Jesus and the hope that I have because of his life, death and resurrection.    I don't know what is ahead.  I don't know if I will continue to write this blog for another year or even another month.  Only Jesus knows how long this blog will continue.

Today is a day of great thanksgiving and also great love.  Forty one years of marriage and two years of blogging.  Yes, May 18th is a good day!

Jesus, thank you so much for Ken and the plan and destiny you have for us and for our children and grandchildren.  Holy Spirit, speak to each person who reads this blog.  Reveal the great love of Jesus to them and draw them closer to you!  Thank you for the internet and this blog.  Amen!

Celebrating an anniversary.....

Today would have been Ken's mom and dad's 72nd wedding anniversary.  Here they are on August 29, 1942.  I can certainly see Ken's sister Sue when I look at this picture of his mom.  I think it is especially hard this year, knowing that Ken's dad is doing so poorly.  I am not sure if it is a blessing that he really won't be aware of the importance of this day.  That does mean that he will not be missing Joanne.  What a blessing it is that Gwen and Doug got to be a part of celebrating past anniversaries with Grandma and Grandpa.  

This was taken in 1992 on Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary.  (I just noticed that we are sitting on the sofa that is currently in our house!  The one we just had recovered last year.  Wow, I didn't realize it was quite that old!)  

This picture was taken on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.  As you can see, Tim has joined the family by this point in 2002.  

And finally, this was their 65th Anniversary in 2007.  And we have added Susie and that cutie in the front is Lia (age 1).  Ken's mom died about 2 years after in 2009.  

I am so thankful that we were able to be a part of these celebrations.  It is a wonderful memory and more than that, I am grateful to have these photos.  These are events that need to celebrated, remembered and honored.  

Yes, it is a bittersweet thing to look at these pictures.  I am glad that we just saw dad and I got to give him a hug.  Even this year, I loved listening to his stories, in spite of the fact that not much of what he said was making sense.  It reminded me of the years and years that Ken and I sat around their dining room table, listening to amazing stories of people and places that he had encountered. I am blessed to know Mervin T. Rowley, and truly honored that he is my father in law.  

Jesus, thank you for your plan and destiny that brought me into Ken's family.  What a blessing it is to remember important dates and watch, through pictures, my own family grow.  Holy Spirit, continue to bring peace and comfort to dad.  Fill him with your love and surround him with your arms.  Help us all to appreciate what we have in our extended family.  Keep us aware of our blessings!   Amen