Gratefulness and My Grandma Ellen

I think having a spirit of gratefulness is so beneficial in life. I realize that, for many, it’s hard to feel grateful when you’re in the middle of difficult times. 

We’ve all had bad days, amiright? 

But think about this: at our worst, at our very, very worst...Christ died for our sins. Yours and mine. He took OUR place on the cross, in order to provide a way for US to spend eternity with Him. #grateful 

Periodically, at choir practice, our worship pastor will ask us, “tell me somethin’ good.” I can almost always think of at least one thing. A few days ago, it was our niece, Macy’s, birthday. So many people commented on how much she looks like my Mom...people who knew, or had personally met, my Mom...or people who just noticed the resemblance, from the photos I post. That people noticed, and commented...that they remembered my Mom? Well, it made me all kinds of happy. 😊 

Today’s “somethin’ good” is this: my grandmother was born 100 years ago today. She has spent her last 14 years in Heaven. I miss her every day. 

Growing up as an Air Force brat, we never lived near our family. My grandmother? She missed pretty much everything in our lives...the big events, the small ones, and the every day ones...because of distance. But she loved us, and we loved her. And even tho we saw her maybe once a year, it always felt like home when we were together. 

This gives me great hope for the future, if I don’t get to spend as much time with my other grandchildren...as I’ve had with Rhodie. 

The impact my grandmother made on our family is immeasurable. As a young mom, she did as she had been taught by her mother: she took her kids to church...every Sunday. I read a statistic that said 85% of people who come to know Jesus, do so before the age of 18. 

And while church attendance does not save your soul, that simple act put my Mom in a place where she learned more about Jesus, and what He did for her...and she committed her life to Him at an early age. What my grandmother did with my Mom...ended up being the greatest gift she ever gave me, because I am certain I will see both of them in Heaven one day. 

The other greatest gift she gave came to us because she had a heart that was tender to the voice of God. She was pretty set-in-her-ways, even more-so as she got older...but her heart was full of compassion. And that compassion led her to make decisions that changed the make-up of our family...and I’m so grateful. 

My grandmother didn’t leave us wealth, as the world sees it. What she left us is a legacy of strength...of working hard and loving family and perseverance in difficult circumstances. She outlived two husbands, some of her siblings, countless friends, and her only daughter. She left us a legacy of faith. She changed my life, and the lives of my family, for eternity...and I’m forever grateful. 

Happy Heavenly Birthday to my Grandma Ellen.

"Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Powerlifting and Losing Focus

We drove up to Fayetteville for a Special O Powerlifting competition. 

Joshua’s meets are usually first thing in the morning...on a Saturday. This meet was in the afternoon, on a FRIDAY...and that put Joshua in an unsettled state from the get-go. 

Add to that the extra time it took to set up the room, and get volunteers there to help (because this was a school day, and the volunteers were students), and Joshua was D-O-N-E before the thing even started. 

And so, for the first time in, well...forever...he struggled. 

It got me thinking (which could be a good thing, or not!) about how this experience is, many times, just like life. Or, like MY life. 

Because I have plans...you probably do, too. 

Joshua had a plan for his day. He had prepared for it...he was ready. He was physically ready. He had trained hard. He had set a goal to make a personal best. 

But things weren’t going according to plans, and he lost his focus in the waiting. 

HE LOST HIS FOCUS IN THE WAITING. 

He got weary...distracted. And then he had a misstep, and he got discouraged. 

Anybody? 

Anybody relate to having a plan that doesn’t work out? To working hard for a goal that you don’t make? To getting distracted, discouraged, and weary in the waiting? To experiencing a bump in the road, and just giving up? To sometimes, maybe, just “phoning it in”...not preparing or working hard enough, because we’ve been there before, and “we’ve got this?” 

I mean, where does the line form, amiright, people? 

No, it was not the best meet ever, but it was still a good day. We had fun being together, and he brought home 3 gold medals. 

More than that...lessons were learned that will hopefully last longer than the events of this day: perseverance, determination, grace for ourselves and others, taking responsibility, encouraging others in THEIR attempts, being grateful. 

Lessons for many areas of life. 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3)