So Long, Farewell...

I have come to a fork in the road.

I am going to have to say goodbye.  While I have loved keeping this blog, and meeting and getting to know so many wonderful people on this journey, I also realize that I can't walk two paths at once.  I want to thank anyone who read what I put up here, who offered encouragement along the way, who laughed at our antics.

You have meant the world to me.

Maybe we'll meet again!

Thirty-Six Years

Today we gathered at the church where my dad served as pastor for thirty-six years.  It was an emotional, wonderful, amazing day.  It was really something special.

Here is a poem I shared during the program for him and my mom (she certainly was a partner in his ministry!)...

One foot in front of the other, he walked along a path
That he was called to follow, his leader just ahead.
It wasn't always easy, yes, the path was sometimes hard
But the One he followed somehow carried while He led.

The follower kept on walking, for years he persevered,
And when he thought he could no more move forward on his own
Another's strength would rescue him reminding him of this:
There is no thing we do ourselves, we never walk alone.
 
Along the path were thorny bushes, others crying out, ensnared,
And as his leader taught him to, he helped them from their places-
His hands helped push the thorns aside, he helped to disentangle,
He helped apply a soothing balm, wiped tears from their faces.

The troubles he encountered are too many to be numbered-
Sufferings, injustices, sickness, loss and dying.
Sometimes it seemed an endless stream of things that made no sense;
Easy came the question,"Is is even worth the trying?"

The One he followed turned to him, firm and fierce was He,
"Nothing is in vain, my friend, you keep your eyes on Me."

He knew this was the only way to make it on this path,
So he trained his eyes upon the Man who went down this road first.
He watched as this One walked along, as He called to those He saw.
He watched Him touch, and heal, and teach, and feed, and quench their thirst.

While he himself had stumbled as he walked along that path,
His Leader never faltered, and He never didn't have
Just the thing that someone needed; He knew so perfectly
How to meet the ones who came with dignity and love.

The follower spent many years walking down the path
With his eyes upon the Leader, and this opened up his heart.
While he saw the thorny bushes, he could also see the rose-
The petals full of fragrance, with beauty to impart.

He saw it in the shining warmth of two who become one,
He saw it in the radiant face of the mother with her child,
He saw it in the infant's cheeks, new and pink and glowing,
He saw it in the trembling lips as the new daddy smiled,
He saw it in the feathers of the cardinal who sang,
He saw it in the red-cheeked laugh of a little girl's delight,
He saw it in the sun-kissed skin of the boy upon the beach,
He saw it in the lingering pinkish sunset light.
He saw it when he looked and saw the faces that he loved,
He saw it when he looked upon his wife and family,
He saw it when he looked around at friends from now and then,
He saw it when he looked to see his Leader take a seat.

The One he followed said to him, full of love was He,
"Nothing is in vain, my friend, you kept your eyes on Me."

As I said the other day, my parents are leaving a wonderful legacy behind.  What they are taking with them is a lifetime of memories.  It was an honor to be a part of today's celebration!  We heard stories, shared laughs, and shed some tears. 

It was a beautiful day.

We're Going on a Trip...

You know you're a mom when you can only sing that phrase Little Einsteins style.

The kids and I are headed to my parents' house for a visit.  We don't go often.  It's much cheaper for them to come here, and my parents usually don't throw fits on a plane, so the flight is more pleasant for them than for me with three kids. 

Actually, Christian and Michaela now do really well on flights.  They can keep busy and they understand that I cannot make the plane move any faster than it is already moving.  We've tried rocking back and forth, but that just irritated the people in front of us.  And it didn't speed things up.

I am hoping to take enough stuff to keep Eliana entertained, and enough food to keep her busy, for the duration of all legs of our trip.  While tomorrow will be a long day, there is a Chick-Fil-A at the end of the tunnel for them (Who am I kidding?  For me!) and of course, there is the great excitement of seeing Grandma and Grandpa.  I've already been informed of three separate bags full of goodies for the kids (and a box for me...my momma loves me) so I'm assuming I need to take an extra, empty suitcase for the return trip home.

I have managed to get all of our clothes into one smallish suitcase, and I need to work on the airplane bags next.  The kids have been pretty good today, and I am hoping to leave the house in decent shape.  Perfect?  Probably not.  But, good enough?  I think I can do that.  My main goal is to get the laundry down to almost nothing, and to clean the main bathroom.

And also to remember everyone's undies. 

We have some exciting things planned for our time in Virginia.  First up, is my dad's retirement party.  Did you know my dad is retiring?  Actually, he is already retired!  He preached his final sermon on May 30th.  His 1,800th sermon, give or take a few.  He was the pastor at Oakwood Memorial Baptist Church for 36 years. 

My parents have been at that church since the year before I was born; I grew up there, my brother grew up there.  Dad has dedicated babies, married young couples, married old couples, married people he watched grow up.  He has seen children come into this world, witnessed them become young adults, and then watched them start families.  He walked me down the aisle, sang, and did the vows as well.   He has baptized children who came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  He held my hand as I walked down the steps of the baptismal pool when I was nine years old.  He has had the honor of baptizing grown men and women who have been given the light of new life through Jesus Christ.  He has sat by the bedside of the dying.  He has held the hand of the suffering.  He has helped comfort those who have lost a loved one, or several.  He and my mom have visited hospital rooms, and homes of people who did not have the physical strength to make it to a service, but who still wanted to worship.  He has buried babies and cried along with their parents.  He has had to help families put young people in the grave long before they should have had to go.  He has sung at funerals for individuals who had become more than friends, but family.  He has celebrated military homecomings.  He has mourned with parents and spouses when heroes have died while serving.  He has prayed for, and witnessed miracles.  He has praised God for the cancer that is now gone.  He has seen cancer ravage bodies, but not spirits.  He has seen families struck down but not destroyed.  He has been the hands and feet of the Lord for countless people, even people he did not know well or at all.

I am not foolish enough to think my dad is perfect.  Only one man deserves to be called that.  Dad has flaws just like any human being.  But I count it a blessing that my parents are still married, that they have determined to work through the hard things that they have been through and seen, and that they can shut the door on this part of their history together knowing that they are leaving behind a legacy of love that will not soon be forgotten. 

This has been a difficult part of the journey for them.  For how do you say goodbye to your family?  Because the sweet people who have showed up on Sunday morning for the last thirty-six years are more than just a congregation; they are family. 

I am excited to go and celebrate his ministry, their ministry, and his retirement this weekend.  I am proud of my dad.  I love him so.  We have always loved his big bear hugs...it's a good thing you don't have to retire from giving those.  I hope there are many more years left for bear-hugging...and other fun things, some of which we'll be doing just next week!  We'll be headed to D.C., and hopefully the beach.  I'm sure we'll go to parks, and visit with old friends (I'm going to see my first roommate from college, whom I haven't seen in about fifteen years, as well as other college friends, and some from when I was younger).  It'll be fun...stay tuned.  I bet we'll laugh a lot, and I bet we'll cry a lot, too.  I better pack some tissues...and Depends would probably be smart.

Is There Anything Else?

This week at I Heart Faces they are focusing on "Play".  There are many ways to interpret this theme...one can play an instrument, or a sport.  The pictures could be of a group, of an individual, or of a couple of kids sharing a fun moment with a toy.

Since I have kids and they love to play (I mean, is there anything else?) I am going that route. 

We had a church picnic the other night at the park just down the block.  As soon as we got there, the kids headed for the balls, the bubbles, the hoops, and any other play paraphernalia they could get their hands on.  I told them on the way there that this was their dinner, and they needed to eat.  I'm pretty sure they squeezed in a few bites between tossing, running, catching, waving, jumping, and falling.

I took several pictures of all the kids playing; they were throwing a football back and forth, they were playing with mini-lacrosse sticks, they were going for wagon rides.  I also captured Eliana on the swings.  She loves to swing these days, and insists that I push her higher!  Higher! 

I told someone recently that if she could stay outside all day she would probably be the perfect child.  She wouldn't throw a single fit.  She would be 100% content.  (Those would be Mike's genes shining through.)  Her smile keeps me out there.  (Believe me, the heat, plus the bugs, plus the heat, plus the bugs are MORE THAN ENOUGH to send me inside.)  But she just wants to play.

Go take a peek at all the fun people are having...whatever it is that they are playing.  Check out the judges, too...they are very funny people, and their pictures are so happy and colorful!

Signs of Summer

Sweaty hair and flushed cheeks before we've begun our walk...

Blazing sun at 4:30 in the afternoon...

Flip-flops and maxis...

New orange glasses and sun-kissed cheeks...

Feeling too hot to finish going around the block...

Shaggy hair...

Finding the shade...

Tiger lilies...

Buying lemonade on the corner (or getting ice in a cup, if you are Eliana)...

Sweaty hair and flushed cheeks as we head home...

We are going on vacation soon.  Do you have plans for the summer?