Spring a Time For New Beginnings

How fitting this title would be for what has gone on in our lives to date! As I sit and read and let my eyes wonder out to the trees, I see new buds trying to peak out from there winter rest. The snow has melted and the lush green grass is peaking out as well. The amazing thing that spring is truly happening right before my eyes, brings a similarity to our lives at the same time.
As trees bud and grass turns green, we have a newness about our life as well. Jack has a new road ahead of him and we hope that it will be green and budding as well. We pray that the newness of things being bigger and better than the last but most of all that he may fulfill his need in wanting to continue to help others.
I see so much newness a head including a home that we hope to call our own in just a few short months. We have watched on a daily basis from just a basement poured to having a floor put in place, to now having walls put up to form a real main floor. We hope to watch this "spring time of a home" come to life and bring happiness and delight to all of it's potential, just like the road ahead in life. We all want a happy road filled with being content, happy and pure pleasure. We don't want any disappointment or sadness but isn't that life as well? We have to learn from mistakes or hurt from others but the key word is to "learn"!
I want to go and worship with others but right now I still can't do that. Jack and I have started to do more devotions together. We have become closer and more guarded in our future plans but again we have decided when the time is right we will once again share with others in the Christian faith. Protecting each other is something that I see when birds build nests to lay there eggs and keep predators away...sometimes I feel like that protective bird not wanting others to come between my family, my home, my husband. And yet I know that the wanting and needing of being with other Christians praising the Lord and singing in harmony is still within my soul. So for now I will keep at arms length and share with a few until that day that I have to leave the nest and venture to a new home filled with Jesus love for us all.

Where is Your Church Family

I'm sure that most won't be surprised by this title, and maybe some will be. But our church family was ripped away by six men who arbitrarily decided that Jack shouldn't be employed by the church do to "restructuring" and so a decision like that wipes out what/where/who you belong to after 11 years for me and a life time for Jack. Is there hurt - you bet! Is there a sense of being kicked to the curb - you bet! Do I feel rejected - you bet! This is something that I have never ever felt in my lifetime. When we came to the church it was because some young punks decided to re-design our home in a destructive way. And the church welcomed us, helped us heal and offered us a safe haven of not judging people and being there for them in their time of need and their time of joy. I felt like I had reached the end of a rainbow, so I threw myself into events that I loved to do to give back. To give to others that needed a meal or a hug or to just come to something that showed people cared. I even felt so inclined to be re-baptized and to make the decision as an adult to have this done. As I had been baptized in infancy and now being a mature adult and having a wonderful, supporting small group who encouraged spiritual growth - now was the time.
As I stand by my husband, which has been something that I have done for the past 18 years of marriage I realize that together, no matter what has been done, we as a couple must not and cannot have our faith taken away from us. We must journey together and try to realign ourselves with a "new" church family. For me, I will still have reservations and for Jack, it will probably never be the same as his family heritage stretches so far back with the Church of Christ. Yet somehow we have to trust in God to continue and not let us be bitter towards friends in Christ as in the end, it is God that judges and for us we pray that God will be walking with us in our new journey of "Where is our NEW Church Family"?

Encouraging Sunday

Easter Sunday this year brought back many happy childhood memories. One was going to church as a family (this year my two daughters, Breanne & Nicole came with their 2 babies, Lyla & Wyatt). Plus Jack's son-in-law, Rob came for Easter service and even took communion with me. His wife & girls went back to Saskatoon for Easter/Spring break.
The singing was particularly good with many harmony songs. The communion was at stations (just like stations of the cross or like the Catholic church in coming forward to have communion or just a blessing). This was very encouraging. The only sad thing was not seeing some of the familiar faces that no longer attend for whatever the reason might be. I miss them but I understand the dilemma that they are going through.
Then our day was complete with all of my children & their spouses going to Nicole & Cecil's place for a complete turkey dinner. This was Nicole's first ever turkey, stuffing & gravy making attempt and boy she did a fabulous job. We all brought the rest of the meal and to top it off Breanne made for the first time (all because she had the Easter Egg Platter) deviled eggs. Again, a total surprise.
So to not be done over by his sisters, Ryan made a salad that even included him making candied pecans with cheese & cranberries and on top a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. I don't know if I can keep up with them and all their hidden talents. However, I guess that all the entertaining and cooking that I did when they lived at home has paid off for them to realize that KD isn't the only thing to make. I was so very, very proud of each of them for making my memories come to life on this very special day.
I pray that Easter was a special time in each of your hearts and that you had many old and new memories renewed.