Happy 68th Birthday Dad

How do we thank someone that has taught us right from wrong--

“What?” I asked

“What what?” my daddy would respond.

Puzzled, this questioning went on until I finally caught on. “Ah, what--yes-- Sir…. “I added—and the conversation continued as my dad wished.

The legacy continues. When my daughter was 4 years-old, we went trick or treating. She came running from a house we had visited yelling, “Momma, I did it, I said my good manners.” The folks laughed and my heart just melted. I thought to myself, "Thank you dad."

How do we thank someone that slayed many monsters along the way? Endless nights, our dad stayed up until we both eventually drifted off into a sweet sleep.

How do we thank someone for cheese eggs.... the best.... in place of beans...praise you Dad!!

How do we thank someone for taking us from crayons to perfume?

How do we thank you – Sir

This daddy--an artist, a Pilot, served in the Air Force, loves music,birds, plants, loves the finer things in life. But most of all he loves his family and he loves Jesus.

I, at one time, wished to be Jacques Cousteau. For my dad had taught me the love of the Ocean. I grew up around the water. The creatures of the water were my family in a sense. I think about the love of each of us now. For we are a family— such as the dear Octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inner most hearts, ever quite wish to…..Connie

We Love You Dad and Happy Birthday... October 2nd...

Connie and Lynn

Building Sand Castles

I am over at Laced With Grace today (Friday)

Have a Supernatural weekend.

Watch For The Joy

“And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell face down.” (Leviticus 9:24)

“What? That is horrible, how can God do this to me?” cried the wife of one of my dying patients.

I took her hand and I sat there silently with her for a period of time. Finally, I said, “I don’t know what you are feeling, but the ones that do say to look for the joy in these times.”

“What do you mean?” She was appalled that I could say such a thing. “Joy? How can there be joy?” (And boy, if looks could kill)

And I told her that I really didn’t know but our Savior would show her the anointed "Joy" when the time was right. She only had to “Be still and know.” (Psalm 46:10)

She said, “I just don’t know about all this.”

I hugged her as I was leaving and said, “Watch for the joy.”

Today, I went to visit my sweet family. Her husband had joined the Lord in his final dance on earth last night. And as I arrived at their home, she came running to me and embraced me. She stepped back for a moment with tears in her eyes and said, “I saw the joy, we all did.” (Meaning her three daughters)

She went on to explain that before her beloved died, his face became a radiant gold as he glowed, appearing to look like a little boy, then he turned to his bride and “smiled the most beautiful smile” (he had been unresponsive for over a week). The oldest daughter had been out of the room so when she stepped back in, one of the other sisters cried out, “Daddy, sis missed out on our joy—but she is here now.” And one more time, he turned to his firstborn and smiled before taking his last breath.

As His light came into our world …. (Matthew 5:14)

“…For we saw the joy…”

Is There A Great Storm Brewing?

The one thing I remember about growing up at the beach were the storms. I would wonder where all of the sea creatures hid during these times. I’m sure they took shelter and protected their young.

Isn’t that our nature?

Join me over at Comfort Cafe today.... and I'll share this story.....

Is there a great storm brewing in your own life?

Where Is God?

(Daniel 2:28)"... but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries"

This week has been busy. I have lost many dear patients but then this is the job I endear. I cannot tell you how precious these families and lives are but more importantly, our Savior. He is so present during these sweet and precious times.

Yesterday, I was at the house of my one of my patients when her best friend, her lover became angry as he stood over her dying body and said to me, "So where is your God in this?"

He had already told me that he was agnostic. His spouse is a believer.

He is holding onto his bitterness. The bitterness that numbs his soul and keeps him protected from the sorrow he is faced with.

For if, just if, there is a God... he may be forced to face the fact that what he is dealing with at this moment is real... as he is about to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23) Denial is a powerful emotion.

But what he doesn't realize is if--- he would open that hand of acceptance of a God, my God, his God--he will find hope, hope born of suffering --well known by our Savior.

This would allow him to be held as he takes the hand of our Savior. Otherwise, he may walk this journey alone after she is gone.

My last words to my friend were, "Ask God to reveal Himself to you."

And at that moment, her perfectly still sleeping dog came over to him and jumped up as if to be held. He said, "Now, that is weird."

So, I whispered to him, "Ask God.." as I left his home.

Blessings...

The Brush Of Angel Wings

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12)

Swoosh.

What was that – as a small piece of my hair blew across my face? I felt the wind as something quietly moved into my space. Its’ warmth filled my soul. Peace washed over me like rain on a warm summer day.

I was out of town on a Christian conference. I had just arose up from a wonderful dream. One of my patients’ who really knew suffering from a terrible disease that caused him facial disfigurement was drawing near the end of his life so I had prayed the Lord would take him home. In my dream, he came to me and said, “Look Connie, I am whole again.” In my dream I offered to walk him home. So we strolled hand in hand together for a long walk until he disappeared.

The dream was so real to me that I had to call work later that morning and ask! Did my patient “Go home?” Did he pass away? And I was told, “Why yes he did, during the night.”

Swoosh…… And I felt the wings of Angels pass me by……

Before I left town last week, another one of my patients talked about a “Wedding” for two days. He is in his last days and not coherent. But he went into much detail to explain this wedding, from what he should wear to who will be there.

Then today, his daughter shared with me that her mom finally told her dad that he could “go on home”. She needed to give him permission to let go and go onto be with Jesus. We could tell he was holding on for his precious love, his wife.

Since then he has made the change preparing for his death. His daughter shared with me, in her father’s description of the wedding last week, he explained what he would wear. Not realizing it, his wife picked out the precise suit he had described this past weekend. Their three daughters brought this to their mother’s attention, “Mom, this is the outfit that dad described in detail for the wedding.”

Swoosh, and the small feather of an angel wing fell to the floor....

Today, I asked the daughter, do you think your dad was speaking of “The wedding” as in the Bridegroom and His bride?(Jn 3:29) For her dad was so passionate about this wedding and the date he needs to be ready. She began to cry. For the people attending the wedding have already gone on to be with Jesus.

Swoosh, and the presences of Angels were all around us…..

In Him,

LACED WITH GRACE

I AM BACK FROM NASHVILLE BUT I'M OVER AT LACED WITH GRACE TODAY SO COME
AND VISIT ME... WHILE I TRY AND CATCH MY BREATH...

Out of Pocket This Week....

Check it out... I will be here this week.... but yes, I'm going down early... smile....see y'all when I get back....

Praise Report

What a week.... But the weekend is here... and I have a few praise reports...

My dad's reports have come back and for "now" we are looking at a good report.. the doctor feels pretty good that it is not cancer... they will manage his symptoms with medications and continue to monitor him.. so thank you everyone for your prayers...

Last night, one of my dear dear patients / friends... saw Jesus....as he went home into His arms. In his last breaths..... he opened his eyes big, smiled and took his last breath. His wife was by his side as were probably 50 friends and family... He was one truly loved man. we all stood in a circle holding hands and had the most beautiful prayer. It makes me so thankful for the job I do.

I will be getting ready to go to my conference next week, I'll be meeting (my wish anyway) and listening to speakers-- Max Lucado, John Eldredge, Joyce Meyer, just to name a few... here is the website... http://www.aacc.net/ at the No Greater Love conference....

May you all be blessed this weekend....

Love you all

But Through His Gentle Whispers

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19: 11-12)

I cried out, “God, is that You?”

And there was no answer.

I kept walking along the shoreline of the beach. The waves had lined up to make nature’s precious song and then came crashing into the seashore like clashing symbols. A perfect harmony but still no word, no voice, I did not hear Him speak to me as He so often does here at the Ocean.

Another storm has come and gone in my life leaving thunderous roars against my heart. I can only hear the undulating noise echoing in my chest leaving me confused to its meaning. The drums of this song are also without words, I am left standing, wondering what my Abba could be saying.

I run for a while, looking, seeking, and trying to find wisdom to its meaning out of all of this, looking for answers from You. I have been in this valley too long. So, I go to the mountain top and wait. “Are You here, God?”

I grew weary so I had to rest, under the big tree, the weeping willow (the crying tree) over on the mountain top. And as the breeze started to blow it was a feathery wind. I felt something softly against my face. I had been kissed by the wind ever so slightly on my cheek. There where my tear had just fallen.

It was there in the gentle wind, I heard my Abba speak to me. His Words were to His beloved, me. And what He shared was so intimate that I have not yet shared those words with anyone, for they have only been treasured between He and I, for now.

My answers came not in the power of the day, the revivals of my journey or the storms of my life, yet through the quiet humbleness of my timid heart.

My heart heard His gentle whispers …..

And He calls to us all, if only we listen for His gentle whispers…..

In Him,

The Son Will Never Set Again

“..to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philip 1:21)

Just as with a new birth, the momma bird prepares her nest for her baby, and the momma bear will also arrange her den before her cub’s arrival. We, too, begin the process of organizing a place for our newborn. It is a God-given instinct—Nesting. A gift— given to us by our Father. For a new day approaches in our life.

Quickly, the years go by in our life as we fast forward. The nest that we built many moons ago has weathered countless storms. But we have fought to keep our home and those we love nestled safely in its place, protected from the elements of the world.

Our season has now come and the sun will soon lay down one last time in our life. We reflect. We may even shed tears over missed opportunities or over losses along our way. Some of us may sit and savor the beautiful sunset as we appreciate the hard day’s work and friends that stopped by through our passage.

For we have heard our Abba’s call home, we begin to prepare for the journey. I see it daily. It’s instinctive as the day we were born. The nest—prepared so long ago is now being torn down and distributed to those we love. Our loved ones sense something is happening but they dare not ask. It would be admitting what they already deep down in their hearts know.

Our spirit knows, too. There is a transcending peace beyond any earthly understanding. In my job as a Hospice Nurse, I see it in their eyes. They speak to me (and sometimes, they don’t have to) as if to say, “I’m ok, my work is done here, I have come to my season of rest.” The families want answers to what they already know. Sometimes, I only have to hold their hands and the tears will flow. For silence is powerful. (Lamentations 3:28 NIV) Our presence and our tears can be one of God’s greatest tools of love.

And when our last breath comes, it really will be our first breath with our Jesus. For then we will walk into the sunset, that of a beautiful Light, our Abba.

And our Journey continues on……As we go to prepare a nest for those left behind. (John 14:2)

Where the Son will never set again.

Rest In His Arms,

Marriage Meme

Ms Melli tagged me for this little marriage meme.... so I thought I'd play along... let's see if I can remember such wonderful intimate details.... here we go...

Where did you meet your husband?

Well, we actually had mutual friends... and we had met years before while we were married to our ex's......Then my husband now had been divorced for several years and I for several months when our friend tried to set us up on a date...Funny thing is, we kept running into each other all over town... and the date thing, well we never could get together through our friends, but he did call me on his own. The rest is history.

What was the first thing you said to your husband?

Oh how funny, he had asked my daughter and I over to our mutual friends to eat.. and I was out of town... so I called back and he could barely speak..... or so he says...so I carried on like a silly teenager girl would... Thinking, he'll never call back.. but he did later that night. And every night for one week before he ever asked me out... OMG...

Where was the first kiss? first date?

On the lips.. just kidding... our first date was October 31st, 1991. we took our kids trick or treating and then we went to eat sushi (a first for him) then dancing.. that is where he kissed me.. and I was in love ... BIG TIME.. and I still am...

Did you have a long or short courtship/engagement?

Probably long.... we dated 3 years... but after having come out of a marriage, didn't want to rush into anything...

Where did you get engaged?

My house.. he called my dad and asked for my hand first then asked me... how sweet...but there is a whole other story behind this...

Where did you get married?

if you note in the picture, that is my dad's backyard... it was beautiful. it did rain except while we were getting married... and the sun peered out for the ceremony. They(Whoever they are) say that is good luck.

How did the reception go?

Reception was awesome.. it was on my dad's huge porch... and we had lots of food, drinks.. and friends.. my husband had sent out the invitations.. casual.. socks optional...we had music...one of the best days of my life...

How was the honeymoon?

The absolute best.. we spent our time scuba diving in Cozumel.... it was Heaven...just as our marriage still is.... 13 years later...

I'd love for you all to play along.. either post and let me know or leave your answers in the comments....



have fun and Happy Labor Day!

Praying

Let our words be few.........

PHOTO HUNTERS SATURDAY

ME LOVES WORMS MOMMA (My daughter almost 20 years ago)