Seems God thought we needed a great big HUG from Him a whole lot sooner than June. I am pleased to announce that Brock Andrew "Kelii" Sipes arrived at 4:03 p.m. on May 23, 2008.....eight hours BEFORE Grandpa Bill's birthday. He weighed in at 8lbs. 13 oz. and 21" long. What a great gift for Grandpa and to all of us. Brock wasn't support to be born til June, at least the doctors didn't think so. Brock and family are all doing well. I need to explain "Kelii." Mommy is of Hawaiian decent and all her children are given a Hawaiian name by her grandmother. Great Grandma decided Brock's Hawaiian name should be "Kelii," which in Hawaiian means, "Chief." What a needed blessing this is for our family.
I've been on vacation and I wanted to share it with all of you. I'm sure you'll think my vacation was a bit "different" shall we say, but nonetheless, I'll not question the vacation God sent my way.
I opened my email the other day to find an email shared with me that had all these really neat and funny pictures of animals. They were showing pictures of animals that don't normally get along. As I scrolled down thru the pictures I saw a kitten playing with baby ducks. Not chasing them or trying to cause them harm. They were playing. There was the dog and the cat laying together with their "arms" around each other like they were hugging each other. I saw a horse being curious about a duck. There were far too many pictures for me to list them all. I believe my favorite was the one with the orangutan and the dog. My how it looked like they was dearly enjoying their time together and their "hugs" to each other.
You may laugh and say, "Dea, that's no vacation." For me it was. For those few brief moments in time, I rested. I enjoyed myself. I laughed. I didn't cry over my mom. I didn't fuss over personal problems in my son's life. I didn't stew about broken and hurting grandchildren. I didn't mourn over the loss of my stepdaughter. I didn't have work on my mind. No, for those few moments in time, I was on vacation. It felt good. I am thankful I didn't miss it.
I remember reading in the New Testament often about Jesus going to the mountians. Why? To rest and be alone. Jesus knew how important it was to be refreshed and renewed. It seemed the times He'd go to the mountains would be after big events in His life and times of difficult challenges for Him. What an example we have to follow. It doesn't say that Jesus booked a flight on a camel run and went off to some gorgeous beach and layed in the sun for days to rest and renew. Jesus took advantage of what was available to Him. He went into a quiet place of creation and prayed, rested, and was renewed. Nothing expensive. Nothing popular. Jesus took advantage of what He had. I can't encourage any of us enough to make sure we don't get so wrapped up in our challenges and stresses that we miss the "vacations" God allows for us.
If that wasn't renewing enough, God and I went to Alaska the other night. As I watched the Travel Channel on TV, I saw so many different wonders I'd never seen before. As much as I cannot stand cold weather and snow, the ice and the glaciers God has made in that part of our country are absolutely magnificent. I got to see the hump back whales as they went up and down in the ocean. What a wonder! I saw so many beautiful places of scenery in greens and blues, and reds, and yellows. I saw moose, I saw children play. I saw a HUGE ocean liner that takes people to this wonderful part of our country. They say they usually take up to 2000 tourist on one trip. I'm not much of a water person, and I really don't like boats or ships. I think I'd rather sit in my office with God and see His wonders here where it's safe.
God not only allowed me this wonderful vacation but the other day I believe I got the BIGGEST HUG of the century from Him. The challenges and heartaches with Mom have been so wearing on all of us. Mom and I have been so close all my life, to see her slowly wilt away is tough. Early last week I went to visit her and I couldn't get her to wake up. That's never happened before. There wasn't anything really wrong, she just wouldn't wake up to visit with me. Even the administrator tried to wake her, and Mom wasn't waking up . I know she's in God's hands, and I know more times like are going to happen. But, it bothered me. It bothered me more than I can explain.
Two days later I had the day off and went to visit her again. This time I found an alert, upbeat mom. We chatted and talked and even laughed together and oh how good that felt! Mom began scratching the palm of her hand. I said, "Mom, that's so cool." She asked, "What?" I told her, "You're scratching the palm of your hand and you always told us when that happens it means you're going to get a lot of money." Mom replied, "Oh boy! I hope I get a bunch of money." I said, "Mom what on earth would you do with the money if you did get?" Mom pulled her little throw quilt up to her chest and very plainly said, "I'd give it to my kids." I nearly cried. I said back to her, "Mom, we know how much you've always done for us. We know. You'll never know how much we appreciate all that you have done for us." Mom pulled the quilt a little closer to her neck, closed her eyes and said, "Yes I do."
WHAT A HUG! What an awesome hug from our awesome God! What a memory He has given to me to remember in the days to come. Mom remains very safe in God's hands. We wait. We don't like it. We ask for His mercy to take her on home to all the glorious things she has waiting for her. For us kids, Mom doesn't deserve this slow way of wilting away. But God sees the whole picture. We trust Him. To God all of this is just a brief moment in His time. We know He knows best......and we wait.
I encourage you to keep those ears and eyes open to those vacation times. I wouldn't want any of us to miss any minute of a vacation God provides.
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I HAVE COME THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE, AND THAT YOU MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY. I am your Good Shepherd...." John 10:10-11
Til next time.....................stay in the Word....................DEA
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)