SEPTEMBER'S SONG.....

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--" Ecclesiastes 3

"A time to give birth and a time to die...

9/1 -- We are traveling home after saying "Goodbye" to Sam, my only sibling.
This day marks the 18th anniversary of Daddy's death.
9/7 -- Sam would have celebrated his 69th birthday.
9/13 - Reports are that 2-month-old Elijah Hugh has doubled his birth weight.
9/16 -- Mother would have been 98 this day; she would not have wanted to live this long.
9/18 -- Mother died 19 years ago this day. I still miss her.


"A time to kill and a time to heal...

We are having an exceptionally warm Fall. We do not necessarily see every spider, but they have left their webs everywhere...in trees, on the grass, in every corner of the house, light fixtures, between cars parked beside each other for more than 10 minutes. We find ourselves at least tearing down cobwebs.

Mosquitoes are still hatching (and biting). Benedril helps the healing process some.

"A time to keep and a time to throw away...

The letter Sam wrote me for my 60th birthday has suddenly become more precious to me.

When I came across my stash of 2004 Christmas cards, I closed my eyes and tossed them; something I hate to do.

"A time to weep and a time to laugh...

When my wonderful friend and prayer partner called last night, the tears came...just thinking about her ordeal with cancer and treatment.

When she shared with me that her hair is starting to come back in. I thought it would be curly; she thought it would be blond. We were both wrong, and laughed together...she is Asian.

"A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted....

Harvest time is really crazy this year. Neighbors are still picking corn and cucumbers and squash and tomatoes. The squirrels have been very busy burying walnuts gathered from our neighbor's tree and hiding them in little holes they have dug all over our yard.

The grapes need a frost before being ready to harvest. Now to get that bit of information to the birds.

Constant Reminder

God’s timing never ceases to amaze me. For instance, what are the odds of my husband and all three of my children as well as two out of three in-law children all being in the same room with me at a crucial moment? One of the three we see maybe two or three times a week; maybe more; maybe less. She lives about 10 minutes away from us. One of them we see maybe three or four times a year for one or two days maximum. His branch of the Wyatts live about 200 miles east of us. And number three we see perhaps twice a year; he and his family live in Juneau, Alaska. The purpose for this gathering was to see and hold the newest addition to the family.

The point of all this is directed at any statisticians who might figure the odds of us all standing in my kitchen when our phone rang on August 21. The news was not unexpected, and it was brief. First my nephew called to say, “The time has come.” Moments later, my niece’s husband called to confirm what he had been preparing me for – they had removed my brother Sam’s life support systems, and his body could not function on its own.

“Alone.” I cried in John’s ear as he held me in his arms. “I feel so alone. All of my family is gone.” That pity party lasted less than 30 seconds because I was surrounded and touched by each and every person in the room. They joined me in tears and a group hug for the length of John’s prayer. Then my two youngest grandchildren approached (one in arms) to assure me I am not alone by any stretch of the imagination. There is always a constant reminder that we are never really alone in Christ.

Hebrews 13:5b-6a “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you.’ so we confidently say,‘The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid.’”

P.S. This very day, Sam would have celebrated his 69th birthday.