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Mothers’ Day

Cerwin – my best friend and the father of our four children honored me with…

a beautiful bouquet of mums.

I love you Cerwin.

Diane, Jere, Deb, and Jeff with us on a trip to Ithaca, New York.

It doesn’t seem long ago that there were only six of us on Mothers’ Day, and I thought I knew a lot about mothering and love.

Photo from Mothers’ Day 2009

Today I talked with each one on the phone while sitting in the cab of the TFC truck waiting for the Make-A-Wish Convoy to begin (more about that tomorrow).

Jeff

I always know that he will show up on Mothers’ Day Saturday with flowers. He rarely sees me without greeting me with a kiss.

I love you Jeff.

Diane

She is great at making sure I know that she loves and appreciates me. This year she wrote:

Jere

He may bring flowers, he may write a note, or maybe he will do something else creative. He is quick to say, “I love you Mom.” This year he delivered this card…

Remember giving your children a “spit bath” on the way to church when something from breakfast was still on their face? Remember using spit to make a stubborn hair lay flat?

I am going to like this – a date with him.

I love you Jere!

Debra

Deb is very vocal about her appreciation and love for me. She does it with phone calls, emails, kind words, gifts, and cards.

This year she sent two cards and scheduled a future lunch date with Cerwin and me.

I love you Deb

~~~

I cannot imagine life without our four children. They taught me far more than I ever taught them. 

Then they all decided they needed a partner – who multiplied my love by leaps and bounds and blessed my life with sixteen grandchildren.

Jeff and Chris

Jordan and Nathan

Jenna, Diana, and Gloria

Mark and Diane

Elizabeth, Hannah, and Josiah

Abigail, Nathaniel, Hezekiah, and Lydia

Jere and Kristen

Josh and Jana

Ian, Jared, and Jesse

Deb and Roy

~~~

These twenty-six people bless my life to overflowing.

I am blessed – so very blessed.

~~~

 Because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans 8:2 (New Living Translation)

 Because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans 8:2 (New Living Translation)

Love Feast & Communion

We just got home from a mountain top experience with our church fellowship, which began with a footwashing service.

Our visiting minister Paul Schildt, challenged us to “Remember.”

Remember your commitment to serve others.

Our love feast is a simple fellowship meal of rice soup, bread, and roast beef.

Remember you are my disciples if you love one another.

Remember Christ died for you.

Love Feast & Communion

We just got home from a mountain top experience with our church fellowship, which began with a footwashing service.

Our visiting minister Paul Schildt, challenged us to “Remember.”

Remember your commitment to serve others.

Our love feast is a simple fellowship meal of rice soup, bread, and roast beef.

Remember you are my disciples if you love one another.

Remember Christ died for you.

God, your God, is with you every step you take.

Joshua 1:9 (The Message)

God, your God, is with you every step you take.

Joshua 1:9 (The Message)

I’ve Been Thinking

It was a combination of things today that caused me to think about Romans 12:2 (New Living Version).

Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Am I allowing God to transform me – or am I satisfied with my human nature?

Am I more patient than I was a year ago?

 Am I less selfish than when I accepted Jesus into my life at the age of ten?

 Am I doing better in giving the things I would like to control over to God for His control?

How about the times I feel like being stubborn? (Stubborn is not a fruit of the Spirit). Am I less stubborn than when I was ten.

 Am I more joyfilled than when I was twenty.

 Am I more loving than when I was thirty?

Am I more longsuffering than when I was forty?

Am I displaying more gentleness than when I was fifty?

 Am I feeling a deeper peace in my soul today than when I surrendered my life to the Prince of Peace?

 Do I feel a deeper calmness during times of uncertainty than I did twenty years ago?

 Is God satisfied with my progress?

 Am I?

 It’s good to examine ones life.

I discovered growth, but I also found much room for improvement.

~~~

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.

I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

Philippians 3:13-14 (The Message)

Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (The Message)

Locust Trees

(I think they are honey locust)

…and a few other things from today

When I closed the office this afternoon, I realized that I had not taken any pictures today, so went outside to look for something interesting.

When I looked up, I noticed beautiful locust blossoms.

These are old trees that are native to our area. When I was a girl there were lots more – many lining our road (a dirt road then). They have a fabulous, sweet scent.

There are a few more on the border of my brothers’ field to our east.

While taking the previous photo, I noticed that our lilac bush is in full bloom.

It was a beautiful, cool, airy, sunny day.

This geranium (a gift from Keith and Janelle’s family on Sunday) needed to be watered, so I planted it in our patio flower bed.

During the summer I like to keep a fresh flower or piece of greenery in a small vase at our kitchen window.  My choice today is a begonia and lilac.

After getting a new kitchen floor last week, I decided it was time for new place mats on our kitchen table.

I ordered them online, and think they look nice in our kitchen.

~~~

It’s been a busy few weeks for us, as Cerwin worked on final chapel construction jobs, and I prepared several mailings (newsletters, sponsors, and vendors) for the upcoming Truck Rally on June 26.

The chapel has been delayed in the paint shop due to the job they had prior to the chapel, so our plans to deliver it to Indianapolis on May 14 will not happen. We hoped to deliver it on our way to Staff Conference in Muskegon, Michigan, but know that God’s timing is always best.

Current plans are for Cerwin and Glenn to deliver the chapel to Indianapolis on June 7 and set it up the next day.