And One Remembers...

Busy day.
Late night.
Early morning.
Another busy day.
I am left feeling abundantly blessed. ♥

One of the many things that Kyle & I have discussed changing for our lives as individuals, our lives as a married team & our life as a family in 2014 is cashing in...
Cashing in on opportunities...
Invitations...
Fellowship...
Spontaneous memory-making moments...

We used to be proficient at such a living style (just ask our friends of old)...
But as Kyle's diagnosis with UC began unfolding several years ago...
And as the drive of ministry consumed us...
And life happened...
That changed.

Frequent trips to Rochester...
Hospital stays...
Treatments that compromised his immune system...
Medications that depleted his physical strength...

Stayed home more.
Ventured out less.
Self-protected.

And as ministry became more of a burden than a blessing...

Criticizing words...
Condemning comments...
The pressure to always be present...
Attempts to make all people happy & never succeeding...

Inwardly & outwardly coiled in.
Serving paralleled obligation.
Drop-by-drop, joy seeped ever so slowly out.

There are times in life where you just do what you have to do in order to make it work...
In order to keep going...
In order to survive...

Yet many times as one adapts to the process of survival, they forget...

Who they were...
What they enjoyed...
The essence of happiness...
How to live life to the fullest.

They become so accustomed to "self-protecting" that they fail to remember...
What that life...
The other life was like.

They cease from choosing life...

Abundant life...

(abundant = plentiful, ample, rich, abounding, overflowing)

A life of freedom.
Spontaneity.
Savoring the seconds.
Relishing the moments.
Living.

That was us...

And then God in His graciousness tears down walls...
Loosens chains...
Removes the grave clothes...

And one remembers.
And decides it's worth taking the chance.
Chooses to trust.
And discovers freshness of life.

So many things (chronic illness, ministry, financial stress, homeschooling criticism, ect)  have played into the "prison" that both Kyle & I (and subsequently our girls) have felt encompassed by for many years. No one's fault but our own for allowing the walls to built as a method of protection during taxing, fearful & difficult seasons of life, yet it happened.

And now, God is allowing us to SEE...

At the start of every year, each of us, in our family, choose a word...

We seek God, pray & contemplate what He is speaking to our hearts that "thing" we need to work on, make our focus, & hone in the 365+ days ahead. It may seem like there are "many things" that need our attention yet as we pray & seek, He is faithful to make one thing apparently clear that He is longing to refine within us. We journal "the word", research it a bit & then pray some more as to how God wants to work it out in the hours, days, weeks, months & year before us. A heavenly college course, per se. :) A "topic/subject" that He wants us, with His direction & instruction", to master in order so that we may be used more effectively here & prepare us for there...Heaven. ♥ A "chapter" in this, our book of life on earth.

Individual words have been chosen & now the tutelage begins...

I'm thankful for a patient Instructor. ♥

At least three in our family have chosen words that aptly apply to the essence of this post...
Words that challenge us to move out of the "safe area" & into the vulnerable...
Out of the restricted & into the liberated...
Out of the charted waters of "self protection" & into the sea of God's divine security...

Words that stretch us in allowing God to uncover that which we have succumbed to burial...

So...
As we journeyed home (doing all we could to fight sleep & stay awake) at 12:45 this morning (with the reality that two of us had to be up at 5:30 a.m. & another one a little before 6:00 a.m.) following an evening with precious friends taking in the MIZZOU game, eating, chatting, pinteresting, screaming, yelling (at the television...like that does any good), and lots of strumming on some ukes, I was reminded that moments & memories can never be reclaimed. We hashed & rehashed the decision knowing the night would be late, the morning would be early & the day would be full yet Kyle & I recalled our discussion to do things differently this year... Despite the tired eyes & the weary body (sleep will eventually have the opportunity to come), I am thankful I have those moments & memories tucked deep... Moments & memories with people we love... Never to be taken from this heart of mine. Or Kyle's. Or MaKayla's. Or Mal's. ♥

It's a new beginning...
A time for cashing in...
And seizing spontaneous memory-making moments... ♥

And yes, MIZZOU won...
And everyone went to bed happy...
It was a sweet victory. :)
In more ways than one... ♥

Rich & Priceless Treasures...

The rooster crows...
The rain falls...
The quiet music plays...

Oatmeal has been made...
Eggs have been boiled...
Coffee has been sipped...

Bibles have been read...
Kisses have been given...
Prayers have been said...

It's a Tuesday.

Yesterday started our new schedule with MaKayla back home. ♥
A wonderful, productive, blessed day. ♥

We had breakfast together & then Mal & I dug into school while she did her own thing.
Seeing her have time to open her Bible & really read...study...absorb...
Was a beautiful picture for me to see. ♥

We all chatted from time to time but for the most part stayed very focused on what we were attempting to accomplish. Each of us something different.

Eggs were gathered...(more than once) :)
Bathroom cabinets organized...
Refrigerator cleaned...

After lunch we hunkered down in the basement with the goal of putting together our crafting/sewing room that has been in the works for a while. MaKayla has greatly missed working on her sewing projects & currently has a quilt that she has been asked to create/make. In order to do this effectively (since she is highly OCD), we need a designated space/area. An area where she can see what she has/needs... A place to spread out... A space that is organized to her liking... :) She's really been wanting to teach Mal to sew as well & after receiving correspondence from a friend yesterday asking if she would be interested in doing a craft show together, the wheels were quickly set into motion.

We sorted...
We organized...
We cleaned...

Today we hope to finish.

As I flipped through my journal yesterday looking for something I knew I had penned,
I came across this...

#1471 - burgers in a streetcar

#1472 - too high balconies

#1473 - late night visits

Therefore, my beloved brethern,
be steadfast,
immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
~1 Corinthians 15:58

#1474 - king size bed

#1475 - high count white Pima sheets

So thankful for this one that I love... ♥

He makes my feet like hinds' feet,
And sets me on my high places.
2 Samuel 22:34

In the city you simply see it all...
Tie-die from head to toe...
Even his shirt...

Enjoying the street musicians...

#1476 - a warm, strong hand on my back

You have delivered my feet from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
~Psalm 56:13

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction,
out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon  a rock making my footsteps firm.
Psalm 40:2

#1477 - Starbucks coffee freshly brewed

Some nice young man offered to take our picture... ♥

Memories...

Sweet, wonderful memories...

Memories with ones we love...

Memories with ones who loves us...

Memories of relaxation...

Laughter...

Sharpening...

Catching up...

A few weeks back I received a text from Beth asking if Kyle & I would be interested in taking a weekend away with she & Tom. Although we were eager to jump at the opportunity, Kyle was already scheduled to work one of those days & the reality of the cost made the idea seemingly impossible. They assured us that they had gotten very good rates for the rooms however we regretfully declined the offer & dismissed the prospect from our minds. As the week lingered on, Tom had been in touch with Kyle & I began to pray that if God wanted us to go, that He would open the door. Tom & Beth were needing some time to unwind & they knew how desperately we needed to get away...

To clear our minds...

To regroup...

To reevaluate the stresses we were dealing with in life...

I prayed...

Let go...

And trusted God...

On the Friday we would have been departing, my cell phone & our home phone both rang at the same time. One call was from Kyle saying things had changed at work & he didn't need to go in on Saturday, and the other call was from Tom saying, "I just can't let go of the prodding that we are supposed to do this... Is there any way Kyle could convey the circumstances & see if they would let him have the day off..." Needless to say, God was at work.

We discussed our plans with MaKayla & Mal, they strongly encouraged us to go, plans were made for them & I began packing... Quickly packing... :) By 4:30, Kyle & I were on our way to meet our friends. ♥

The weekend was a blessing in many more ways than one for Kyle & I. ♥

They gave us the swanky room... ;)

We talked late while eating fresh fruit & cheese...

A little shopping here...

A little shopping there...

Supper in a streetcar...

Breakfast in a downtown diner...

Dinner in a delicious Italian establishment...

Coffee sipped...

Yogurt enjoyed...

Open market strolled through...

Street musicians listened to...

Produce purchased...

The scent of herbs/spices breathed in... 

Tom & Beth were so generous, thoughtful & kind & we were once again reminded what rich & priceless treasures they are in our lives. We've been through much over the years as friends & our love for them continually grows in unexplainable ways... ♥

 

 It was one of those "best weekends" tucked safely in our hearts... ♥

I'm glad friendship doesn't come with price tags.

For if it does, I'd never afford someone as great as you.

~Author Unknown

Today I'm remembering a wonderful weekend... ♥

With wonderful friends... ♥

Today I am forever grateful... ♥

Friends come and friends go,
but a true friend sticks by you like family.

~Proverbs 18:24 

(The Message)

Three Men of "Brotherhood"...

The last time these three men were in the same place at the same hour was when Tom was in ICU for the second go round...

Little did we know that the first time Kyle, the girls & I ever saw/met Bill would be the evening prior...

Being together in an ordinary hospital room, casually exchanging introductions, sharing a love for the same man...the same family...yet we didn't really "connect". Knowing Bill lived in South Dakota & was in town for a short visit & that Tom was tired, we didn't stay long that particular evening so that they could have time to visit & catch up. We had no expectation/anticipation of crossing paths again. When we left to go home, the talk was that Tom's dismissal would be either the next day (Wednesday) or the day following (Thursday) & although neither Kyle nor I had any sense of peace in regard to him being released, we trusted that God was in control...

Little did we know that we would be seeing Bill again on a much more personal level in the early Wednesday morning hours...

Sharing love for the same man... ♥
the same family... ♥
the same faith... ♥
the same God... ♥

It quickly turned into a "brotherhood" that has been beautiful for this wife to see develop.
Simply something only God could do...
Through heart-wrenching circumstances (literally)...
A circle we never could have dreamt...

Three men who love their wives, their God & one another.
Three men who clearly see God's hand moving, working, transforming.
Three men so deeply grateful for grace.

Kyle received a text from Bill mid-week saying he was in town & wanted to get together. Last night we were so very blessed to be able to do that very thing.

Sharing life's victory's...
life's struggles...
life's uncertainties...

Sharing the faithfulness of the same God...

It was a sweet evening filled with wonderful food, precious fellowship & cherished laughter.

With tears of thankfulness in my eyes...  ♥

And joy in my heart... ♥

Until we all meet again... ♥

Just as lotions & fragrances give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. 

~Proverbs 27:9 (The Message)

Sobering...

I write this evening's post with a heart of prayer & anticipation...

To say that it has been a sobering week would be an understatement, especially from Kyle's perspective. Kyle's bestie (I'm not sure men would appreciate that terminology like women do however I'm going to use it anyway) Tom, fell ill last week. These two men have been life long friends from boyhood until now...40somethings...
Grade school...
High school...
Football...
(Kyle the quarterback; Tom the center... MaKayla said Tom once told her, "Your dad played quarterback & I played center. He had his hands between my legs all the time..." :) Boys will be boys...)
Band...
FFA...
Bachelor outings...
Best Men...
Brothers-in-Christ...

Children born...
Daughters graduated...
Good times...
Tough times...
Most all times in between...

Kyle spent a great deal of time at Tom's house growing up...thinking of him as a brother he didn't have & seeing his parent's as an integral portion of who he is today. He still says Tom's Mom, Lois makes the best fried cheeseburgers & laughs over crazy pranks they pulled on Tom's brother, Joe. They were & continue to be family...

Subsequently, Tom's wife Beth & I have been besties over the years as well. And in turn, our children have grown up together & formed special friendships.

By Sunday evening it was concluded that Tom had suffered a heart attack & by Monday mid-morning tests revealed that all arteries in Tom's heart were 95-100% blocked. After Kyle was able to get in touch with Beth, he called me...
Broken...
Distraught...
Shocked...
Concerned...
Overcome with emotion...

As we drove to the hospital, Kyle was quiet...processing...preparing...

We visited...
They embraced...
Tears were shed...
Hearts were united...
Prayers were offered...

By the grace of God & His divine hand of protection, the One who has Tom's days numbered, had angels hovering over him...guarding his life...preserving his heart (literally)...securing his health...

We are beyond grateful...
We give Him praise...
We stand in awe of His goodness...

For Tom & Beth, the week has been full of tests & procedures, waiting & resting, praying & believing & waiting some more. Kyle received the call this evening from Beth that open heart surgery has been confirmed for tomorrow...

Sobering...

The wait is over...
The time has come...
For such a time as this...

Some situations in life are situations we would rather not face yet some situations are divine reality checks reminding us of the fragility of life & compelling us to cherish the ones we love more than we ever have before.

For those of you who are intercessors, our family asks that you cover Tom, Beth & their children (Morgan, Sylvia, Alex & Zoe), Tom's parent's Richard & Lois as well as the doctors, surgeons & nurses who will be administering & overseeing Tom's care in the next hours & days.

Thank you to those who are willing to take the time & pray...

Jesus looked at them and said, 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26