Just Ponderin'

I have been thinking about how wonderfully blessed I am.

Even though we weren't able to be at Christopher's 5th Birthday celebration through Facebook we have seen many pictures of that day and a very happy boy.

Christopher anticipating the great ice cream cake his Aunt Darcy made him alongside cousin Colton all the while dreaming of opening those gifts!

Gathering a big gulp of air to blow out that candle!!

Admiring one of many presents!!!

Time for the Basketball (what else could it be?) pinata.

Mom, Danalyn, giving some pointers

Dang it!  I missed.

Trying again!

Cousins Colton and Jaden along with big brother Max as Christopher continues trying to break it open.

Getting a better aim without the blindfold

And another big swing

Yeah - time for the spoils!!!

 And a few of the brothers.

Happy Boy Alexander!!!

Don't know why Treyson missed out on the pictures, but this Grammy found one from our recent trip to Oregon.

Big Brother Max taking aim!!!

Seeing The Presley's

We were blessed with free tickets to go and see The Presley's.

Before the actual show there is a pre-show that included singing many old hymns.  What a blessing to hear so many people from many walks of life sharing of God's love.  They closed with Amazing Grace which is one of our favorite hymns.

 

 

And spending each and every day with my sweet and loving husband!!!

Fighting the snow to get to work. 

Our family Ron, Jamie, age 35, Alice, Brandon, age 33

I am thankful for a husband who loves me and has walked this journey of life as we have climbed many mountains and stumbled through the valley's.

I am thankful for two wonderful son's who are the best sons, husbands, daddy's, and young men.

Most of all I am thankful for Our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross and took all my sins away.

Thank you Jesus for making me a daughter of the king!!!

Reminders & Memories

 

** reflections from my devotion today **

Have you ever really thought about what the word "amen" means?  I always thought it was and ending to something, sort of like "good-bye."  This morning I found out it means "so be it."  And it made me think of my prayers  and how I end them, of sitting in a worship service listening to a sermon and saying or hearing others say "amen" and thinking it was a way to be in agreement with what was being said.  This morning what I realized is that when I say "amen" at the end of a prayer I am asking God to make it so.  This reminds me of my word for the year for 2012 and again this year "intentional" or "deliberate" ~ 

be specific, purposeful, planner, and thoughtful ~ wanting things to be right.

There is only one way into God's blessings ~ renounce sin and call on God to keep you from it (sin).

Proverbs 25:

2 ~  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.  

Don't be a snoop, it does not lead to positive things.

 

 

16 ~ Have you found honey?  Eat only as much as you need lest you be filled with it & vomit. 

Do things in moderation; too much of a good thing is bad for you. 

 

21 & 22 ~ If your enemy is hungry give him bread to eat.  And if he is thirsty give him water to drink.  For so you will heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward you.

As soon as I read this I heard the Lord challenging me on what/how I have been thinking about two people in my life and how angry I get about their behavior, their past actions and how they do/do not interact with me.  Wow!!  How much clearer does God have to be then in the scripture above - my anger and frustration whether visible or internal is wrong and not at all characteristic of how the Lord wants me to behave.  One of the things I prayed was for the Lord to take my thoughts captive when the angry, frustrating thoughts come to mind and to pray for these two people.  And to remember it is not my place to judge but the Lord's.  It is my place to pray for them, for God to lead them the way he wants them to go.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I immediately thought of a very difficult day I was having while our son, Jamie, was in Iraq.  There were many days I was paralyzed in fear, staying in bed, crying with worry that something would happen to him feeling like I could not go on.  And I did what I so often did during that time, I called Pastor Charles, asking him to pray for me and for Jamie.  And he did.  And then he said "I want you to do something."  I asked him what that was ~ he said I want you to call Jack (his wife had passed away about six months before) and tell him you want to come and clean his home.  Just do it.

And those who know me know I did just that, because I was told to :)

I went and cleaned Jack's home, making it sparkle and shine.  All the while being watched by Orca, Jack's dog.  I am sure she was wondering what was I doing in her home and where was her dad.  Orca made me nervous ~ she was big and had a large bark.  And by the time I was finished, about four hours later ~ the house looked great and I felt so much better.  

I was reminded this morning that I need to not focus on myself 

BUT focus on others needs, assisting where I can.  

And I needed that this morning as I have been letting myself feel anxious about things 

I have no control over and feeling frustrated 

because certain things have not been done the way I think they should have been. 

Thank you Lord for your word this morning to keep my focus on You

and You alone!

Friendship ~ What a Blessing

On one hand can't believe it has been since January that I have written but on the other I know it has been.  I have kind of been in a funk since December YET the Lord is gracious and loving.  

Most recently we have (still are) been on a 12 day road trip from Branson, MO to Blaine, WA with some stops along the way ~ more on the trip later at The Wandering Workentins. 

Today I am jumping to our time in Greeley & Colorado Springs, CO.

It was 34 years and almost two months to the day since we had seen our sweet friends Mike & Conny Jensen.  Our friendship began while we were stationed at Camp New Amsterdam in Soest, Netherlands.  Our 3 year tour was cut to 14 months due to the failing health of Ron's dad.  A lot has gone on with both of our family's over the years: births of babies and even grandbabies, deaths of many of our parents and grandparents, many moves, joys and trials but through it all our friendship remained.

And finally yesterday, 3/18/13 we were able to actually be together again!

Ron and Mike chatting in the hallway of the Jensen home.

Ron & Mike - so fun to spend time laughing and sharing of our lives.

Ron, Conny & Mike

 

 

What a blessing!! to be together after all this time.  

Let's hope it's not another 34 years before we get together again.

From Greeley, CO we drove down to Colorado Springs where Alice had a reunion with high school mate Corrine (Randall) Lanier.  It has been almost 38 years since we had been together.  We had lost touch when we moved to Holland.  But with the help of Facebook, finding Ed Randall (Corrine's brother) and leading to Corrine we have been reunited for the past three years...just not in person.

And here we are today!!

Co

And unbeknown to either of us we both wore black :)

Another blessing for sure!!   We spent 3 hours together, figuring where our lives went after graduation and how parallel they have been.  Sharing how God's love and blessings have brought us through so much and kept us strong and growing in Him.  Too bad her hubby, Bill had an appointment today that could not be changed BUT next time we will all four be together and it sure won't be 38 more years!!!

Colorado Springs is also the home of Ron's cousin Tammy Bach Davis.  After sending a message via Facebook and then a couple of phone calls it worked for Tammy to join us as well.  And she brought her grandson, Dominic along to visit as well.  

Dominic giving Santa Ron a hug good-bye!  Dominic turned two this past January.  Don't you just love all those curls?

Back Row: Alice & Ron, Front Row: Tammy (Ron's cousin on the Thiessen side) and Dominic.

So fun to catch up with family and friends!

So thankful for God's provision and blessings in our life!!!