Glad I know THE ending!

Over the last several weeks, I have missed the ending of many movies.  You see, Friday afternoons are movie times at work but my schedule has me leaving before the movies are over!  So I have missed the end of Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Winnie the Pooh and today's movie, Lady and the Tramp.  Now, granted, I have seen all of these movies at one time or the other. And in most cases, I have a general idea of how the story ends.  But I realized that I have forgotten some of the details of these stories.  I have been surprised at the kind of scary parts in these "G" rated movies.   And I can't believe some of the story lines that I have totally forgotten about.  So not actually seeing the end of these movies is a bit.......well BAD!

This has me thinking about the fact that I am so glad that I know THE ending.  You know, the ending that we all face.  And I am feeling so happy that I don't have to worry about how my own personal story is going to end.  I know that I will end up in a wonderful place in the presence of Jesus.  And there is really nothing else that matters.  I don't have to get into a discussion about the book of Revelation, or talk about how and/or when Jesus is going to return.  Because none of that stuff is important when it comes to the ending of MY story.  All I have to know is that I will be in the presence of God and I will be happy.  I think that all to often, this one very important thing - this ending of our story - is overlooked.  People get so caught up in the rapture question.  Others are thinking about the tribulation.  Are you "Pre trib" or "Post trib"?  I am so thankful for this reminder today that the end is really the only thing that matters.  As long as I know that Jesus is the ONLY way to get to heaven, and I know that Jesus is my savior and friend, then I will have that happy ending.  

So this has been a day of realizing that all I really need to focus on are those "happy endings"!  I don't have to worry about those little plot lines that I might have forgotten, or think about the plot twists.  I know that Lady and the Tramp do end up together and if I am recalling correctly, they have a large family. And a happy ending.   Just like my own story! 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me of that amazing ending to my own story.  Holy Spirit, I am so grateful that the ending is not hidden.  Thank you that you use the everyday things to point us to the greatest truths.  What an amazing and uplifting gift.  Thank you for this gift of KNOWING the end.   Amen.

Glad I saved these......for something!

So you know that one thing that you might have stuffed at the back of the closet or buried high up on a closet shelf?  That item that you think..."why am I saving this?"  Well in my world, it is this large 12X24 envelope filled with Doug's X-Rays from 1982 through 1985.  Somehow I could not bring myself to get rid of these.  They are really a picture (no pun intended) of the medical troubles that Doug suffered during these years.  In the later years you can clearly see the two surgical clips that are the mark of his kidney removal.  I have given Doug and Susie most of his childhood stuff, but somehow, this envelope didn't make it over to Doug and Susie's house.  And this week I was especially glad that I still had these.

And it was because it was "X" week at work!  Do you know how hard it is to find anything that has an X in it that will make sense to 3 and 4 year olds?  We did mostly words that ended in X like box.  Today we did several rounds of "What does the Fox say?", which all of the kids loved.  It seems that almost every parent has exposed their kids to the Youtube video and they all knew the words.  Since today was "show and share" day, I shared these X-rays.  The kids were fascinated by these.  They loved seeing the rib bones and then feeling their own body to find their ribs.  And then we made our very own fake "X-rays" of their hands.

It doesn't take much to impress three year olds and they loved this!  Isn't it funny how something that has so little real value can be so important at the right time and place?

These X-rays were incredibly important during the years that I carried them from hospital to hospital and from doctor to doctor.  But considering that Doug is now a healthy almost 32 year old, these are pretty meaningless.  When I held them in my hand and put them down on a light table, I couldn't help but reflect back on those years.  It was a time of so much uncertainty and fear.  There was a time when I wasn't sure that Doug would ever get to be an adult.    I am so thankful for the miracle that is Douglas!  And I am thankful that it took a dusty envelope of old X-rays and X week to remind me! 

Jesus, thank you for using crazy things to make us grateful.   Thank you for the amazing miracle of good health for Douglas.  Holy Spirit, help us all to recognize the times you bring these reminders to us.  Help us all to remember the past and to celebrate the present while looking forward to the future!  Amen

Great reminder of why I love scrapbooking...

So today was another day spent as "Grandma Lyn" at Gwen's house.  I am so blessed by these special Monday time off days.  I get to cuddle that new sweetie Anna and I get to see and spend time with Lia, Ellie and Zeke.  Oh how I love these kids!  Today, while Zeke did NOT nap, Ellie and I (and Anna, who was sleeping in my arms) looked at scrapbooks.  This makes my heart happy and blesses me on some many levels.  Ellie loves to look at her mom's completed scrapbooks.   She goes through them page by page and recounts who is in each picture.  Today almost everyone was Ellie (whether it was or not!).  But I was seeing the importance of these albums that take hours and hours to complete.   Such powerful memories.

I was thinking back to a time when Gwen spent hours and hours looking at our photo albums.   They were always kept on a low shelf so that the kids could reach them.  They were looked at over and over and over.   And these scrapbooks are so much better than just a magnetic photo album.   There are words that will someday be just as important as the photos.  For me, the journaling part of scrapbooking is sometimes the hardest thing.  Yet I know that it is so important to make sure that in the future, anyone who looks at these albums will know exactly WHO is in the pictures and WHERE they were taken as well as WHEN.  Just this weekend I pulled out a very old leather photo album that is falling apart.  There are pages and pages crammed full of black and white photos.  Some are very old - from the early 1900's.  The bad news is that there is no one alive who knows who the people are in these photos.  There are no names and we have no idea where these photos were taken.  All I know about this album is that it belonged to Ken's great grandmother Kelly.  I received this album from Ken's mom about a year before she died.  She couldn't identify any of the people either.  And now we are one more generation away from anyone who could bring meaning to these pictures.   I spent a couple of minutes looking at that album.  I turned the pages carefully and ran my fingers over the pictures.  There were babies and cute little boys and girls and young couples.  There were some family pictures including one family with a little boy that was disabled (he had braces on his legs and a cane is in the pictures).  I sure wish I had the key to these photos and the place these people have in our family tree. 

So, with this in mind, I will press on with my scrapbooking.  Not only do I get great enjoyment from this activity, but I am blessed knowing that, if in the future someone finds these books, they will know exactly who we are.  I am glad that I have these two reminders today.  The old photo album and the little almost 5 year old Ellie who loves to look at these scrapbooks.  Both are an inspiration to me.

Jesus, thank you for family and photos and memories.  Holy Spirit, thank you for connecting me to past generations and helping me to see the future through Ellie.   Jesus help us all to see and understand better the connections we have in our generations.   Thank you for bringing more revelation with each day.  Thank you for grandchildren and smiles and hugs.  And thank you for days off from work.  Amen

Wow, things are very different now than 10 years ago!

Today I was with some great friends.  It was a wonderful time of talking, worship, prayer and discussion.  One question posed to the group was "how are things different now than they were 10 years ago?"    Well, this really got me thinking. 

This picture is from Christmas, 2003.  It is significant with regards to where I was in February 2004 - 10 years ago.  In this photo I am looking at a world atlas.  And 2004 was the year of the world for me.  In February of that year I was preparing for a very big trip to Africa.  It was a trip that I couldn't really believe was actually going to happen.  When I first had an "inkling" that I was supposed to make this trip, there was no way that I thought it would ever happen.  There were multiple things that could make this trip impossible for me.  Ken needed to be okay with this trip and the finances for this trip had to come from somewhere.   I decided to send out letters to family and friends requesting not only their financial support, but more importantly, their prayers.  And I was shocked and surprised when the money was provided to pay for my trip.   I was given favor at work and was able to take the 3 weeks off.  I had accumulated enough vacation time that my salary continued during this time off.   And Ken agreed that I should go.  When the last visa was delivered, I realized that this dream was actually happening.  I would be going to Kenya and Uganda via Amsterdam.   Never have I been more sure that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!  I remind myself of this event whenever I have a tough situation that just seems so impossible.  

 

Yes, 2004 was a life changing year for me.   And I am not in the same place I was then.  But, in some ways, I feel like 2014 feels just as "impossible" as 2004.  Then I was sure of the destination, but so unsure of the way to get there.  In 2014, I know that the only way I will get to where I need to be is because Jesus gets me there.  What is so unclear is the destination!   I feel a lot like I need to find the map to give me a glimpse of Jesus' plan for me this year.   

 

The good news about this musing is that this seems to be a year of transition for EVERYONE!  So I am not alone in this.   It is always good to know that you have friends surrounding you, who will stand with you and help you find the route to the elusive destination.   And the best news is that Jesus wants to reveal this information to me.  I just need to be still and listen and pay attention.  I am sure it will become clearer in the days ahead.

 

Jesus, thank you for this amazing reminder of your love and care for me.  Holy Spirit, help us all to listen and absorb the information that you are giving us.  Jesus, thank you for community and friends.  Amen

Celebrating a great daddy (and son-in-law!)

I have done a lot of blogging about Gwen and the kids, but I really haven't said much about Tim!  Today was a really special day for Ellie and Tim.  It was "My Guy and Me" at Ellie's preschool.   This is a special day when the preschoolers get to show their special guy, exactly what happens in school.  And then they get to share a Pizza dinner!  Tim is a very involved daddy like so many young men today.  He cares for the kids, changes diapers and gets up during the night.  It's not unusual for Tim to take one or two of the kids grocery shopping.  And Tim is quite the cook and an amazing baker!  (An interesting fact of our family is that Gwen does NOT like to cook and bake and Doug does!  So it is not surprising that Tim is also the chef of their family!)

I remember the first time I met Tim.  It was at a Concordia College Wind Symphony concert.  Gwen introduced Ken and I to her new friend.  This was in October and when Gwen wanted to invite Tim to our house over Christmas break, I was not surprised.  It didn't take me long to understand what Gwen saw in Tim.  He has a quiet strength that you can see in his eyes.  One time he got snowbound at our house during a college break and he was the one outside shoveling the lawn so that we could park 3 of the 5 cars there.    And I loved that he sat with me and worked on a jigsaw puzzle.  He is very much like Doug and they got along right away.  It was clear that Tim fits in our family.

You know, when your kids are little you try to envision their future mates.  It is quite a scary thing for a mom!  You have no control over this decision.  As we got to know Tim, I could see God's hand in this match.  Gwen and Tim are very much a picture of opposites attract.  And more than that, each of them has strengths that balance a weakness in the other.  I love that they are raising their kids to know and love Jesus.  I love that they each have a very deep and personal relationship with Jesus that shines through.  One of my favorite memories of Tim is from a mission trip that we went on to Toronto.  He walked right up to a homeless man, sitting on a park bench, and gave him his lunch.  And then he stood there and talked with him.  The youth are drawn to Tim and Gwen.  It is a wonderful thing to see the impact that this couple is having on young men and women who are going on to change their world.  And I love how they are nurturing their own children and encouraging them in their specific giftings.

Yes, I know that Ken and I are very blessed.  Both of our kids found the ideal mate and we are so proud of each of them.   Gwen, Tim, Doug and Susie - we love you!

Jesus, thank you so much for Tim and the wonderful husband and father he is.  Holy Spirit continue to pour your presence and power over and through Gwen and Tim.  Bless Doug and Susie and reveal your peace and love to them.  Jesus, thank you for continuing to bless my generations through my children and grandchildren.   Amen

The highs and the lows...........

Just had to start this blog with this adorable picture that Gwen just posted of my four little sweeties!  I guess every Grandma has the right to brag, and I am going to brag about these cute adorable faces.  I love that their personalities show in this photo.  I just want to hug them!  How can you feel bad when you look at these faces?

I am still sort of voiceless.  It has been a long, long week, but I am believing that I am getting over this stuff.  Let's face it.  Most people know that Chicago has had some wild and wacky weather this year and this week has been CRAZY!  We had a major dump of snow on Monday (about 6-8 inches), then on Tuesday the sun came out and it was actually "pleasant" (or so I was told. I never left the house).  Then came Wednesday and it seemed fine at first, but then it started raining.  By nighttime there was thunder and lots of rain.  Thursday was so awful.  It just rained - really POURED and the roads and the parking lots were flooded.  The snow was melting but there was no where for the water to go.  And then the wind started.  There was one point when our entire house was shaking.  Today I got an email that really brought clarity to the crazy wind last night.....

This is a picture of the church where I worked for 13 years.  Both of my kids were baptized at this church.  And the email described that this window was blown apart from the brick supporting wall by about a foot at the top of the window.  Thankfully, there were people in the building.  Because of quick action there was no damage to the building, aside from the window. This window has been through many, many storms since 1973.  It even survived the tornado that blew over the church one year.   So this just gives you an idea of the wind! 

So this is sort of the highs and lows of this week.  The highs are those four amazing faces.  The lows are my ridiculous sounding voice and the wacky weather.  But in it all, there has been so much peace.   I have really felt surrounded and covered and I know that this is the result of the many, many prayers of so many.  You know it is during these times when you understand the value of community.  I am so grateful for everyone who remembers me in their prayers.  This week I felt that support.  Even during the winds of sickness and the weather, those prayers kept me strong.  Those winds caused that window to break free of the brick support.  With the prayers of others and the peace of Jesus, I felt solid and strong. 

Thank you Jesus for your love and peace that both fills me and surrounds me.  Holy Spirit, thank you for knitting me into the community of believers and providing so many to hold me up in prayer.   Thank you for preserving this church and providing a quick repair to prevent major damage.  Jesus, thank you that you are the healer!  Continue to bring restoration to my entire body.   Amen

The highlight of my day......talking about Anna!

I did go to work today, even with my very little voice.  I woke up with a scratchy throat and my head very heavy.  But I was determined to go to work.  My voice actually got a bit better as the day went on, but I was very, very tired by the end of the day.  During the kids "nap time" I was talking to a teacher that I don't work with very often.  She was asking about my grandchildren and I got to show off some pictures of my little sweeties.  And then she asked me about Anna's name.  So I told her a bit about the back story of all my grand children's names.   And I got to thinking, again, about Aunt Anna.  This evening I came across this picture that I got from one of my siblings.  It was not saved in the same file as most of my scanned pictures, and it is a great photo!  I wish I would have found this picture to go with a past blog post about my mom and her family. 

In this picture - left to right is my mom (Nona Johnson) my aunt Eunice, Aunt Anna Toensing, my grandfather (Henry Arnold Toensing), my aunt Phyllis, my aunt Beatrice.  My guess is that this picture is from the early 1950's.  What a treasure.  And I just love this picture.  The way that they are standing with their arms around each other.  I love the big smile on my mom's face.  And I can see the personality in each of my aunt's faces.  Yes, this picture is a keeper. 

 

Here is a picture of Anna from Monday.  She is making her "O" face!  She is such a sweet little girl.  She is calm and very laid back.  At a bit over 2 weeks old she is starting to have some more awake times and she doesn't get bothered by anything that her older sisters and brother do.  Even the loud noises don't seem to bother her!  I just can't wait to watch her grow!  I drove to Gwen's on Monday, even with the "Severe Winter Weather Warning" that had been issued for 8-10" of snow.  When I left my house very early in the morning, the sky was clear and there was not much traffic (It was President's day and the school's were closed).  I got to Gwen's in record time.  I got to help Gwen with Anna, play with the other kids.  Watch a couple of "shows"  (These are Lia and Ellie and Zeke productions, complete with music and dancing and costumes - quite fun!)  Gwen and I kept watching the weather radar, however it was very confusing since it would say it was snowing at her house and there was nothing falling from the sky.  Finally around noon time I decided that I needed to head home. It was snowing very steadily most of the way home.  We had about 5 inches at home when I got there.  And more fell over the afternoon.  But I am so thankful that I braved the weather to spend time with Gwen and Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna!

And talking about the history of the grand kids names, made me forget my lack of a voice for a few minutes!   I love that these opportunities come up to share a bit about my family, my faith and even my generations.  I know that these are Holy Spirit appointments that turn a somewhat crummy day into something quite different!

Jesus, thank you for reminding me of the amazing gift of my family.   Thank you for the time that I get to spend with Gwen and my grandchildren.   Holy Spirit, I love that you provide opportunities for me to share.   What a wonderful bright spot in a somewhat dark day.  Thank you for health and healing.   Amen