Roasted Marshmallows

Last night was so much fun. After dinner, we all went outside & my wonderful B-I-L made a fire in the fire pit. AC & I, along with Dan, Susie & the boys roasted marshmallows, talked & laughed, and we even tried to get some songs going, until about 11:30; that's when we girls decided to call it quits! The guys stayed outside until the fire died down.

The point is that in doing such a simple thing as making a fire outside, we were able to enjoy not only the company of one another (which we do already) but also the outdoors - the fresh air, the night sky, Melody & Chloe chasing whatever dogs chase outside in the dark. God's creation is a marvelous thing, most of which we quite often take for granted. I'm thankful for the opportunity we had to enjoy a bit of it last night.

Sweetness

My 7 year-old nephew made me breakfast this morning. He got out a Little Debbie HoneyBun & put some fresh raspberries on top. This child did this without any prompting, hinting, etc. - just out of the blue! How many kids do you know today (or even adults for that matter) who would make someone a special treat "just because"? I am blessed!

120 year old woman?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23173016/

This story is exciting! "Relatives said she has 10 sons and one daughter, her eldest, now in her late 80s. She has about 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great grandchildren, they said." I hope the government will be able to verify this woman's age.

We should all be able to live this long, however I believe that our poor dietary habits inhibit us from doing so. If we treated our bodies the way God intended us to instead of saturating our systems with chemicals & processed foods, we'd not only live longer but have a much better quality of life.

Losing a Son

My friend Sarah lost her son, Kelly at 2 a.m. this morning. Not a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day. There is a measure of comfort in knowing that he was a believer and is now in heaven. At 40 years old, he had just started a new job a few months ago, and was a newlywed of only 2 months. He suffered 3rd degree burns over 70% of his body in the Dixie Crystals plant explosion last week.

I cannot imagine losing my son. I have my daughters and my step-children, but Eddie is my ONLY son. There are times when I'm reading my Bible and meditating on God's sacrifice of his only Son, or of Abraham's willingness to give up his cherished son, and my simple human mind finds it hard to grasp.

My son, while not walking in the path of righteousness, is still a joy to me. We have had our ups & downs, especially through his early teens, but we are closer now than we have ever been. He has never been ashamed to say he loves me or show affection, even in front of his friends. He's quite handsome and charming, is blessed with a good sense of humor, possesses tremendous creative artistic talent, and uses his manners (at least when he's around me and my family). I cannot imagine my life without him, even though he lives in another state.

I know I would lay down my life for any of my children (including my steps), but to permanently give them up on purpose? I like to think that if God asked me to make that sacrifice, I would have the faith to do as He asks. It's hard enough to step aside when they are in trouble after I've asked God to do what He must in order to bring them to Him.

My heart goes out to Sarah, as well as her new daughter-in-law, her other children, and everyone else who lost Kelly as a vital part of their lives. My thoughts are with them as they grieve, and I pray that they will have the strength to cope with their loss. Perhaps they will even be able to celebrate that Kelly is now with our heavenly Father. Nothing happens without cause, and it is my hope that through this tragedy someone will come to know Christ, or come back to Him.

Happy Valentine's Day

This morning, I was hoping my hubby would hit the snooze button just one more time, as I had gotten to bed quite late last night. It was already almost 5:30, so of course he didn't. Realizing I had to wake up (I really don't, but I love to be up when he leaves for work), I said, "Happy Birthday, baby."

His reply, "How about Happy Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah, that too."

Gotta love sleepy talk!

Kelly Got a Job!

My daughter Kelly landed a job yesterday afternoon. Kelly is my miracle child, and she's been quite the test of the strength of my faith in the past few years. Let me explain just a little:

Kelly was born with a rare neuromuscular disease. She was born with what was called "floppy infant syndrome," a generic term for lack of muscle/muscle control. The consulting physician told her father & I that she would not live, due to a highly elevated level of muscle protein in her bloodstream. At the time, I was not a believer, but I agreed to let others pray for her, and decided that I would enjoy whatever time I had with her. The MDA has been a tremendous help to us over the years, although we have never gotten a definitive diagnosis. Today, she is an active 24 year old young woman who uses her wheelchair to get around when there is a lot of walking to do. One cannot tell that there is anything "wrong" with her just by looking at her.

Kelly is very intelligent, is easy to get along with, and loves people. Other than her limited mobility, she's pretty much "normal". (That being said, think of "normal"in terms of rebellion as well.) However, she has a lazy streak that I believe she has cultivated over the past few years to almost an art form. She has been on SSDI since she was 2 years old, and as an adult, has maintained that "income" so as to have the freedom to do whatever she likes whenever she likes. She has only held one full-time job, and that was short-lived.

The fact that Kelly has decided to work is a major milestone. She has been living with friends in Colorado for almost a year, and was planning a vacation to Florida to visit with family and friends. Her cousin is having a baby, and Kelly hasn't seen her father, brother or sister in some time. The decision to take this position instead of a vacation is a mature decision, and I'm proud of her. She made this choice on her own, without prompting from her parents or friends (whom she usually call upon for advice/support in such matters).

YAY, Kelly! And thank you, God!