Mothers and daughters.....

You will have to suffer through another post about Annaleigh today.  I just can't get enough of this little girl!   Tonight I got to visit again with Gwen, Tim and Anna and even got to see all of the grandkids!  And Ken got to me Anna also.   I just love this picture of Gwen, Anna and me.  We have similar pictures of Gwen and me with all of the kids.  All I could think about tonight was that mother - daughter thing.  There is such a special bond and when the daughter become the mother, even for the fourth time - it kind of takes your breath away. 

I remember Gwen's birth like it was yesterday.  Truthfully it was almost 35 years ago.  And unfortunately, my mom was not with me.  As a matter of fact she did not meet Gwen until she was 7 weeks old.  I can't tell you how much I missed my mom during those seven weeks.  It was such a wonderful thing to share my daughter with my mom. 

And this is the picture I snapped the first time my mom met Gwen.  I will love this picture forever.  The absolute joy and wonder on both their faces!  So I am thankful for the many, many pictures that are taken of me, Gwen and Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna.  And more than anything, I am thankful that I got to meet all of my grandchildren as they were born. 

 

What a big week this has been.  We were talking about how special it will be that Anna will have the only January birthday in our family.  A few months ago I learned about an amazing women's conference that is taking place this weekend.  I told my friends that I would not be able to go because Gwen's baby was due.  They all laughed at me because her actual due date was in February.  But I knew for sure that I should not register for this event.  And then Anna made her appearance, just as I suspected she would, the last week of January.  What a great time for a birthday.

 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me how special that mother - daughter connection is.  Holy Spirit, remind everyone reading this blog to appreciate and celebrate the mother/daughters in their lives.  Bless Gwen and Tim and their family.  Thank you for all that you are doing in them and through them.  Thank you for family and new life.  Amen

 

 

Happy Birthday Annaleigh

Is there anything sweeter than a newborn baby?  Or anything more precious?  I don't think so..... especially today.  Introducing my new little granddaughter Annaleigh Ellen.  She is just about 2 minutes old in this picture, after they placed her on Gwen's tummy.  Look at that wonderful face.  She arrived a healthy 7lbs2oz and 19.5"long. 
And she is beautiful.

You might have noticed that I missed a couple of days of posting.  I've been a bit busy the last couple of days.  This was a long process for Gwen and Tim, but through it all they have been such troopers.  They had several days of very little sleep and an extra trip to the hospital and doctors before the actual event.  It is really an experience to stand by and watch your child go through this process.  I am forever grateful that Gwen has invited me to be a part of the birth experience for all of her children.  I was humbled to watch my daughter and son-in-law endure this painful event with grace and good humor.  And then to welcome the newest member of our family.  Nothing can compare to this. 

I did an awful lot of praying in the last 24 hours.  As Gwen and Tim were able to rest and sleep for a few minutes, I kept my eye on the monitors and my heart and spirit were trained on Jesus.  It seems kind of odd to PRAY for pain, but I was actually asking for longer and stronger contractions to bring forth the birth.  And I was praying for rest and peace for Gwen as she went through this.  What a blessing it was, near the end of the process, when the charge nurse came in to evaluate Gwen's progress.  She was a cheerful African American women who promptly said that she would be praying for good progress for Gwen.  Both Gwen and I agreed that she sounded Kenyan!  And my spirit just jumped when she said that she was praying.  I agreed that I had been and would be praying.  When baby Anna's arrival actually happened much more quickly than expected, she explained "Oh, the wonder of prayer!"  There was such a calm and peaceful spirit in the room - even though there was quite a scramble to get everything ready.  It was amazing to have this praying nurse in the room.  It was just another way I was assured of the wonderful plan and purpose Jesus has for Annaleigh. 

I got to spend about an hour with Gwen, Tim and Annaleigh after her delivery.  And this included the best thing in the world....... I got to sit in a rocking chair and rock my new granddaughter.  It was just the best thing in the world.   Yes, this was a wonderful day for a birthday.  Happy Birthday Annaleigh Ellen!

Sun Dogs.......again and a reminder of the covenant!

So this morning on my way to work, I was treated to another amazing display of "Sun Dogs".   If you don't know what a "Sun Dog" is.....

A sun dog (or sundog), mock sun^[1] or phantom sun,^[2] scientific name parhelion (plural parhelia), is an atmospheric phenomenon that creates bright spots of light in the sky, often on a luminous ring or halo on either side of the sun.^[3]

Sundogs may appear as a colored patch of light to the left or right of the sun, 22° distant and at the same distance above the horizon as the sun, and in ice halos. They can be seen anywhere in the world during any season, but they are not always obvious or bright. Sundogs are best seen and are most conspicuous when the sun is low.

 

 

The first time I saw sundog's was on December 19, 2005.  That day, I was able to get some amazing pictures.  Here is one from that day.

Today I was not able to get to a place to take a great picture.  But as I made a turn around a corner almost to my work, I saw the full arc rainbow around the sun.  And it was stunning.  When you see these you really think that there are 3 suns rising! And this morning they were that bright.  At first I couldn't really see the full arc rainbow.  But as the sun got slightly higher in the sky, the rainbow appeared.  It took my breath away.  Yes, it was a good way to start the day.

All that to say, this was a severe weather emergency day.  The temperature was -8 and the wind chill temp was -35.  Yes, it was cold.  And all the schools were closed.  And tomorrow looks even worse.  It is predicted that when I leave for work it will be -13 and wind chill of -40.    I still had to go to work.  And it was an extra busy day since there were extra children at the center (all those kids who were off of school). And all the schools will be closed tomorrow also.  And I have to go work tomorrow!

But the appearance of that rainbow really lifted my spirits.  It is a lot like seeing a rainbow after a really bad rain storm.  It is that assurance that the worst is over.  And it is a reminder of our covenant keeping God.  A rainbow always causes me to breath a littler deeper and relax and rest.  The feeling is the same when I remember that I am under God's covenants.  What a blessing it is to know that I can rest in the promises of God.  Yes, it is a good day to be thankful that I am a child of the King! And I am so thankful for this amazing atmospheric phenomenon and the full arc rainbow that shined down on me this morning!

Jesus, thank you for all the blessing you pour down on us every day.  Thank you for bringing bright spots into the coldest and darkest time of the year.  Holy Spirit, what an amazing way to remind me that I am safe and secure as a child of the King - and under the covenant.  Keep us all warm and peaceful during the dark and uncertain times.  Thank you for spectacular shows in the sky!  Amen


Can't get her out of my mind today

Anna Elizabeth Toensing

Gosh, I know that I have blogged over and over about all of my relatives that have in some way, impacted my life.  I have told many, many stories about my mom and dad and their families.  I even did an entire post about this women.... my mom's Aunt Anna.  I have not ever posted this particular picture of her.  It was taken in 1954 - the year I was born.  She died in 1956.  I don't have a single picture of her with me.  I looked and looked and there are simply no pictures of me with her.  I had a dream about her last night and she was dressed exactly like this picture.  Somewhere in my mind, I was seeing this picture.  I just love the flowers in her hair and on her dress.  I know that I am thinking about her because of the anticipated arrival of my newest granddaughter Annaleigh.  In my dream she was holding a little girl.  And that girl was me.

I once told my mom about a dream I had when I was much younger.  I told her I was in a room I did not recognize but I could see a women sitting in a chair with her ankles crossed.  She was holding a very delicate tea cup.  There was a coffee table in front of her, and a much younger version of myself was sitting on a small stool with a tea cup of milk on the table in front of me.  When I told my mom this dream she immediately said, well that was Aunt Ann!  She used to watch you for me in the afternoon and she would serve you "tea" when she had her cup of tea.  During the last year of her life, my dad was very sick and in the hospital.  Aunt Ann would watch me so that my mom could go and visit my dad in the hospital when my sisters and brothers were at school. Clearly this made an impact on me since this memory was brought back in a dream.  If I close my eyes, I can see her as she was in that dream. 

I am so glad that Gwen and Tim decided to use the name Anna.  I know that it is a family name on ALL sides of the family, but tonight I am just celebrating the connection to this amazing women.  And more than that, I am celebrating tonight that Jesus has shown me another reason that I am grateful for the insight the Holy Spirit has given me into my family.  I love that I can see how this women impacted my mom and had a part in the woman that she was.  And then I can see how my mom effected my own life and also my children.  And even my grandchildren.  Isn't it wonderful that you can actually see how important it is to spend time with your grandchildren?  I am so thankful for this Godly, Jesus loving woman who shared her faith and values with the family that God provided her - her brother and his children.  Because of her selflessness, my mom had a great substitute "mom" and my siblings and I had a wonderful "Aunt Ann".  I pray that Annaleigh is blessed with these same character traits of Anna Toensing and is filled with the faith and love of Jesus. 

Jesus, thank you for this reminder today.  Please watch over Gwen and Annaleigh and provide the perfect birthday for her!  Holy Spirit, thank you that you are increasing my awareness of your working in my family and my life.  Help us all to see and celebrate those important people in our families.   Amen

Unexpected worth........



So over the last few weeks, Ken has been going around the house looking for unusual things to photograph.  It's interesting to me the things that he chooses.  This photo WAS NOT taken by him.  It is my phone photo because I wanted to share about this today.  His photo would be much, much better than this. 

But I was thinking about these "desert cups" (as my mom called them).  I will never forget my mom's reaction when I asked for these during her "clean out" before she moved to her apartment.  I had a very specific list of things that I really wanted.  And these were on the list.  She told me that these were "grocery store give aways" that came with jelly inside.  She could not believe that I wanted some old jelly jars.  But, for me, I remembered having these beside my plate, night after night.  Usually they held "sauce" (canned fruit) but sometimes, on special occasions, they held tapioca pudding. My family will tell you that I love tapioca pudding. I guess that's why I love these glass dishes so much.  Such wonderful memories from my childhood.

Isn't it true that the value of our memories has nothing to do with the COST of whatever created those memories.  I suppose that I would have loved these just as much if they were costly crystal.  But the thing is, we most likely would not have been using them everyday if they WERE crystal.  Really, who uses those good dishes everyday?  So the worth of these dishes for me is the memory.

I am so glad that our worth has nothing to do with our financial status.  Jesus sees our value even when we are unforgiven. Or beat up and dented and dirty.  Then Jesus can clean us up and use us everyday.  He doesn't save us for big occasions.  Even though we are just like this grocery store jelly jar - sort of common place - Jesus is happy to put us into service.  With the presence of the Holy Spirit we are just as valuable and beautiful as the most expensive crystal.  I am so grateful that these really pretty little dishes led me to this important reminder tonight.    

Jesus, thank you for these wonderful glass dishes that hold so many memories.  Holy Spirit thank you for the reminder that our worth is not tied to anything except our value to Jesus.  How wonderful to know that Jesus is pleased to use us everyday!  Amen

From CYC to Beth Moore

Today my devotion began with the Bible verse - Luke 2:52. 

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men"

 

This was one of those times I just got stuck on the very first line of the devotion.  My mind started to wander back to a time when this verse was spoken over and over in my house.  At the breakfast table, in the car, at bedtime.  I grew quite tired of hearing this verse recited over and over.  It was the key verse for the CYC program (this was a kids midweek program similar to Awana) that Gwen had joined with her friend Angel.  It was held at Angel's church and I was quite happy when Gwen decided that she wanted to go every week.  Eventually Doug even attended this program.  There was lots of fun and many, many bible verses were memorized!  I well remember sitting at the breakfast table going over Ephesians 6:10-18 (armor of God verses) until I had the entire thing memorized!  And just for good measure, here is Gwen with her friend at CYC!

Okay, enough with the flashback to CYC.  On to the devotion, which I did finally complete.  I really love the overall direction of this study.  Today's title was "Picturing Jesus".  I just love that this scripture about Jesus was used to "picture" him.  I spent a bit of time on the section of this lesson that focused on Jesus having "favor" with men. 
Beth Moore says "people didn't just respect Jesus, they liked him.  The word favor is undeniably related to the word favorite.  It is safe to say that Jesus was a favorite of many who knew him."   I love thinking about this verse in this way.  It does make Jesus seem more human.   And then I glanced at the side bar on the page of this lesson.  Here is what it said............
In today's terms, Jesus was a man who could preach an anointed sermon, then change a flat tire on the way home from church. 

There was a lot to think about in the devotion today.  And I love that I am drawing closer to Jesus by thinking about his humanness as well as his Godliness. 

Jesus, thank you so much for who you are.  Holy Spirit I love that you reveal more of who Jesus is.  Thank you for bringing our family into the CYC program.  Thank you for Beth Moore and this amazing devotional.  Help us all to be willing to see Jesus in a different way.  Amen

Blast from the past..... like circa 1900

Today I was thinking about all of the important people in my life that I have never met.  That is because they all died before I was born.  I think this came off of my post yesterday missing my loved one!  I am certainly not the only person who experienced this.  But I got to thinking about my grandparents.  I only had one grandfather alive until I was just shy of 3 years old.  I really don't remember him at all.  And I had one grandmother who died when I was 3 1/2 years old.  I never really knew any of my grandparents.  I admit that I have always been fascinated by my mothers mom.  As I have said before, she died when my mom was only 2 years old.  Whenever I felt bad about not having any grandparents, my mom would remind me that she never knew her mother.  That was a sobering statement.  The picture above is of my grandmother (my mothers mom) and her mother and sisters and possibly an aunt.  My grandmother, Nora Larson Toensing is second from the left. I believe that the others are from the left, Louise, then Nora, then Effie leaning on Ellen.  The two women in the front are the unknowns.  I believe one of these is my great grandmother, Martha Rockne Larson.  I believe that this picture was taken around 1900.  Don't you just love the clothes?  And the hair styles?  And all of the other "stuff" in the picture?  I sure wish that I could have had a complete explanation of this picture.  Like, when and where was this taken?  Was it for a special occasion? 

And this is why I love scrapbooking.  Even if very few people look at my completed albums now, someday way off in the distant future, maybe a great great grandchild will be thankful that I not only put the pictures on the pages, but I also wrote about them. 

For tonight, I am looking very closely at this picture.  And I am imagining these very important people.  And I am missing them.  It is different than the missing I talked about yesterday.  But none the less, it is missing them.  Tonight I am also thinking about my soon to be born new little granddaughter.  I can't wait to hold and cuddle her and also share her picture on this blog! 

Isn't it wonderful that God's plan includes this wonderful answer to this sense of loss and missing we feel for our grandparents and great grandparents by providing our OWN children and grandchildren?  What a blessing that is!

Jesus, thank you for this picture, for all that you are showing me.  Holy Spirit it is amazing how you bring different pictures into my mind.  Help us all to see and embrace the generations in our family.  Thank you for pictures, preservation, scanning and scrapbooking!  Amen