I got it wrong...

I got my Grandmother's saying wrong. It should be, "I am sometimes so heavenly minded that I am of no earthly good." I little different, huh?
So I guess I made up my own say. My point being that some times I get so wrapped up in the things of this world that I eternity doesn't cross my mind. I pray that I will begin to get less wrapped up in today and begin investing more in eternity.

Heaven weighs heavy on her mind.

Several weeks ago Meig began asking questions about heaven. I would link you to a previous post, but I don't know how... scroll down to May 1st to read about our previous conversation. This evening, while driving home from church, she brought up heaven again. She asked if heaven was in our neighborhood, to which I responded that heaven was a place God was getting ready for us. Nothing said for a couple of minutes, and then I heard a little whimper coming from the backseat. I looked back and there was a very serious girl, lip sticking out an inch, with a tear in her eye. I asked her if she was worried about heaven, and she said that she didn't want to go someplace far away because she like our neighborhood. I tried to put her fears to rest by telling her that when it is time for us to go to heaven we will be happy and love it even more than our neighborhood.
This little conversation has reminded me of a saying I have heard from my Grandma. It goes something like this... "Sometimes I am so earthly bound that I am no heavenly good." It seems like I can get pretty wrapped up in my life on this earth, and forget that this life is just a preparation for a much more glorious eternity. At times I feel like I am hanging on to this life pretty tight, and just a little bit afraid of leaving this "neighborhood" cause I might miss out on something. Silly, I know. I am praying that God helps me loosen my grip on this old earth, I truly want to be a more Heaven minded believer.

Who did you remember today?

Today is Memorial Day, a time to remember. Specifically, it is a day to remember the men and women who have sacrificed all for our freedom. I only have to look at my girls to be reminded that we in the US are blessed with great freedom. In the country of their birth men and women sacrifice greatly to do what we are able to do so freely... worship the Almighty God. I am so very thankful for the men and women who have so bravely fought to establish and to protect this right.

We normally go to the cemetary to visit the graves of three of my grandparents and my dad. While my dad was not a veteran, he is the one that I have thought of most today. Earlier this month marked the 20th anniversary of my Dad's death, pretty significant as I now have been without my dad longer than I had him in my life. I have thought of him often this month. He was far from perfect, but he was my Dad. The last few years were pretty rocky, but he was my Dad. I loved him very much, and I know that he loved me. I think that the thing I miss most about him was that he was an awesome encourager.
I was living in CA when my Dad passed away, and it had been nearly a month since the last time I had talked to him... like I said, things were a bit rocky. I came home for the funeral, but had to return to CA to finish up finals. When I was packing my room to move home I found a letter written to my by my Dad. I did not even remember reading this letter, and only knew it must have come before Christmas. I was able to date the letter only because the P.S. read, "Here are your tickets!" I remember sitting in a half packed room reading this letter and thinking that it had been dropped straight from heaven... the first line read, "Well, I'll bet you never believed you'd get a letter from me. Here it it!" I will not quote the entire letter, but it was filled with word of encouragement. He closed with "Please remember that I do love you- very, very much." I am so thankful that I found that letter, even more thankful that I didn't throw that letter away in my anger.
We didn't make it to the cemetary this year, my mom did and I am sure she put flowers at his grave. Thanks, Mom. We did have a big get together with family and friends, all of my siblings and their children were in attendance. I think that he would have been delighted in the way we spent our day... laughing, playing and just enjoying each other. Time has passed, and the deep pain of grief has subsided... but on days like today I miss my Dad. I love you, Dad.

A Broken Heart

Tonight we have a special guest in our home. It is my pleasure to be able to take care of one of my students for a couple of days (his younger brother is staying in the home of one of my teaching partners... fortunately we live in the same neighborhood). For confidentiality reasons I can't share much about the circumstances...but this little guy has not had any easy go of it. I have no doubt that he is loved by his family, but those closest to him are broken people who just didn't have the ability to love the way he needs or deserves. This little guy has never had a soft place to fall, but he did have a familiar and consistent place... and now that is gone. I don't understand why such heartbreaking things happen to children, but I do know they are loved by God and He has a plan for their lives. I would very much appreciate if you would lift these little guys in prayer.

It doesn't get much better than this!

What a blessing it is to see my girls together. It has been almost two years since the first time I saw Kate's face... on a blog :) I looked at her and my heart said... she doesn't look like Meigan, but she looks like she belongs with Meigan. Here they are together, and I can't think of two little girls that are better suited for one another.

Let me introduce my new best friend...

Here she is ... isn't she beautiful. After much thought, and consultation with my sister (not the usual impulse purchase) I decided to invest in a Dyson. I have two dogs (Pugs... don't let anyone tell you they don't shed much), and I live in the middle of a dustbowl. My time for housecleaning is limited... at least between the months of August and June. In order to feel like I really got my carpets clean I was having to use the hand held attachment. Well, I am now 100% sold on the Dyson. I couldn't believe how easily it picked up and thoroughly cleaned my carpets.

Oh, yeah... I used part of my stimulus check for this. Now I feel that I have done my part to help stimulate the economy :)

Heaven

The other night Meigan asked me about heaven, she wanted to know where it was. I tried to explain the best I could that Heaven is where God is and that someday if we believe in Jesus we will be in heaven. To that she responded, "When we go on vacation will we be going to heaven?"