This week has been a really tragic week for the people in Connecticut! My heart hurts for everyone in that community. Something like this affects the whole community.....brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, classmates, grandparents.....you name it someone in that community knew one of the victims. They loved them, maybe played with them on the playground, maybe ate lunch next to them, maybe they shared a room with them, huddled with them on the couch on movie night.....you get the picture.When tragedy hits like that everyone mourns the loss.
Those precious innocent children will be missed and the teachers will be missed. The parents of those precious children will forever have a hole in their hearts, the brothers and sisters of those lost will remember them always. My heart has been so heavy just thinking about what life would be like for one of my grand babies to lose their brother or sister.....their playmate.....best friend....you get the picture!! Everyone hurts and life as they once knew it will forever be changed!!
Just the thought of losing one of me grand babies brings tears to my eyes. As grandparents we have a very special love for our our grand babies. In fact when the grand kids start coming our own children take a back seat to the grand babies. I only go to my kids house because that is where my grand babies live!!! That's just the way it is and will always be!!! My kids just have to accept that about me.....Daniel, Caleb, Kamryn, Cooper and Addison are number one in my eyes and heart!!
Just the thought of them not being a part of my life.....well I can't even think in that direction. It would be heartbreaking. Because I am a Granny.....when I hear of things like the shooting that took place I think of the grandparents and the pain they are feeling. They will miss so many things of their lost grand child's life. They will miss seeing their grandson playing his first baseball game, miss buying all the candy that they have to sell for their scout troop so they can win a prize, miss getting the bear hug when you surprise them and take them for ice cream....just because. They will miss out on the cuddling that grand kids do so well with their grandparents, they will miss the privilege of getting to stay home with a sick kid just so they can be held all day and rocked by Granny!! They will miss the first dance recital or play that their grand child is in, they will miss making cookies for the first time with a grand daughter or taking their grand son fishing for the first time. You get the picture. It's just a loss of love on so many levels.
When I heard the news Friday about the shooting my first thought was of my grand kids. I wanted to go see them, hug them, give them kisses and just keep them close to me. I want to protect them from ever having to deal with the pain of losing a friend, teacher, family member, etc. But you know what, we can't keep them from pain, we can't protect them from the evil in the world. What we can do and I feel have an obligation to do is teach them that they are never alone, that God is always with them and that He can calm them when scared and protect them when in danger. I feel very strongly that as grandparents we have to constantly bring Jesus into our conversations, to make Jesus real to them, to teach them that Jesus is our source of strength, our comforter, and our Savior. I pray that as my grand kids grow that I will be able to develop the type of relationship with them that they will come and talk to me when they can't talk with their parents, they can share their fears, their secrets, their hopes with me and that I will use every opportunity I have to show them Jesus. I hope to be able to pray with them every chance I get.....even if it is just for the loss of a dog.....I want to install in them that we can take anything to Jesus and He will always be there for them!!!
To me one of my greatest duties as a Granny is to live as Jesus lived so that my grand babies will be able to see Him in me in all that I do. There can't be a greater joy than to see one of my grand babies naming Jesus as Lord of their life and putting Him on in Baptism!!! I pray that I will live long enough to witness that for each of my grand babies.
Our time here on this earth is limited, we don't know what tomorrow will bring for us or for those we love. We have to be purposeful with our children and grandchildren telling them of Jesus and His love. I pray that I can be the type of mother and Granny that will be able to help my kids and grand kids get to heaven and that we will walk this walk on earth together. I constantly pray that my family know that I love Jesus more than them and that Jesus is Lord of my live. I fall short a lot and make lots of mistakes but I so so so want my family to remember me as loving the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind before all others!!
People our time on this earth is short.....love your children, love your grandchildren and teach them to love the Lord Jesus!!
From my corner of the world.....loving my grand babies and spoiling them rotten!!!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Mom and Dad
It was 22 years ago December 2nd that I got a call from my sister letting me know that my mom and dad were gone. Called home to be with God.
That is a day I will never forget and one that I wished had never happened! I can remember almost every detail of that day and the days that followed. I remember the faces of the people that had gathered at my parents house waiting for me to arrive....there to offer love and support following the tragedy. You see, my parents were loved more than any one I know. They were the type of people that made everyone feel like family. I can't tell you how many people were there that night.....I just know that when I walked in their house there was love....love for my mom and dad.....and love for my sister, my brother and myself.
Mom and dad were very giving people. They were always helping people, having people into their home, going to visit someone that was sick. My dad especially was ALWAYS helping someone. I remember he would help people lay carpet in their house, fix a leaking pipe, work on a car....you name it he was willing to help. He could fix anything and people knew it....I can't tell you how many times people would say "Call Jack he'll know what to do", and if he couldn't fix something he would work at it until he got it figured out. Saddest part of dad's willingness to help people was that he sometimes got taken advantage of....that never stopped him. He never would take money as people would try to pay him and he always refused. He just did it out of the goodness of his heart.
Mom was the encourager. She would call to check on people. Send cards to those that were sick. She always had a good word to say about people and could always see the good in every situation. She loved to laugh and could talk your ear off.....that's where I get it from.....so don't complain!!! LOL She loved sports......loved the Texas Rangers......loved the Dallas Cowboys. She could watch a football game on TV, listen to a baseball game on the radio and crochet all at the same time and never miss a play or a stitch. Yes she could multi-task!! She also loved to entertain. Mom and Dad loved having people over, cooking outside, riding horses, they loved to open their home to people!!
There was never a time when I didn't feel loved by my parents. They were very involved in my life growing up as well as my brother's and sister's. They were so proud of all three of us. We were a really close family. I think it would be safe to say that my parents were the type of parents that all of our friends flocked to. Our door was always open for our friends to come hang out and they did.
Mom and dad were hands on type of parents. They were youth sponsors during the years that I was in junior high and high school. They nearly always went on the retreats with us.....dad would drive the Church bus and mom would be one of the cooks. I have lots of fond memories of the whole family going on church retreats!! Praise God for their involvement in my life at such a critical stage. They loved being around the youth group and all the kids loved being around them. They were also at all of my sports games.....dad would either be coaching or helping mom keep the official score for the umpire. They were my biggest fans!!
One of the things that we enjoyed as a family was camping and boating. We had our own boat and would go to the lake every chance we got. We also went to a lake in East Texas every summer for years and stay up to two weeks.....camping out.....boating.....fishing......water skiing.....just being together. More times than I can count one or more of us kids would bring a friend along and they were always welcome and treated like family. I can't tell you how many of our friends learned to water ski behind my dad's boat. He was very patient and was a great teacher!! Such great memories.
I know I have said a lot about how wonderful mom and dad were and well they were pretty great.....but they weren't perfect. They messed up some but they were always the first to admit their mistakes and try to make things right. They had faults and we didn't always get along.....especially when I was in my teens. You see I was the "wild" child of the three kids....I know right....who would have guessed. I was always involved in something....playing softball......basketball.....volleyball.....or running up and down the drag!! Memories!! I'm not sure they knew what to do with me when I came along after my "first born" sister. She was pretty perfect in their eyes and was the type that would get up early just to make their coffee. We were and still are as different as night and day. Mom and dad's parenting skills were really tested on me and some of the stunts that I pulled. But no matter what I had going on....they were always waiting up for me when I got home to ask how I was doing and tell me they loved me and kiss me good night!!
I learned a lot from my parents....more than I can write in one post.....I'll save that for another time. In closing I think that the most important thing that I learned from Mom and Dad is that God is to be the center of my life.....to love Him and serve Him will my whole being. Mom and Dad loved God and lived as Jesus would have them live. We were a family that played together and prayed together. They never made big family decisions without having a family meeting for discussion and for some time of prayer. God was always in the middle of our family. For this I am truly blessed.
I plan to write more in the days to come about some of the things I have learned from Mom and Dad. I hope that you will check back in and enjoy some of my writing.
From my corner of the world.....thanking God for my Mom and Dad!!
That is a day I will never forget and one that I wished had never happened! I can remember almost every detail of that day and the days that followed. I remember the faces of the people that had gathered at my parents house waiting for me to arrive....there to offer love and support following the tragedy. You see, my parents were loved more than any one I know. They were the type of people that made everyone feel like family. I can't tell you how many people were there that night.....I just know that when I walked in their house there was love....love for my mom and dad.....and love for my sister, my brother and myself.
Mom and dad were very giving people. They were always helping people, having people into their home, going to visit someone that was sick. My dad especially was ALWAYS helping someone. I remember he would help people lay carpet in their house, fix a leaking pipe, work on a car....you name it he was willing to help. He could fix anything and people knew it....I can't tell you how many times people would say "Call Jack he'll know what to do", and if he couldn't fix something he would work at it until he got it figured out. Saddest part of dad's willingness to help people was that he sometimes got taken advantage of....that never stopped him. He never would take money as people would try to pay him and he always refused. He just did it out of the goodness of his heart.
Mom was the encourager. She would call to check on people. Send cards to those that were sick. She always had a good word to say about people and could always see the good in every situation. She loved to laugh and could talk your ear off.....that's where I get it from.....so don't complain!!! LOL She loved sports......loved the Texas Rangers......loved the Dallas Cowboys. She could watch a football game on TV, listen to a baseball game on the radio and crochet all at the same time and never miss a play or a stitch. Yes she could multi-task!! She also loved to entertain. Mom and Dad loved having people over, cooking outside, riding horses, they loved to open their home to people!!
There was never a time when I didn't feel loved by my parents. They were very involved in my life growing up as well as my brother's and sister's. They were so proud of all three of us. We were a really close family. I think it would be safe to say that my parents were the type of parents that all of our friends flocked to. Our door was always open for our friends to come hang out and they did.
Mom and dad were hands on type of parents. They were youth sponsors during the years that I was in junior high and high school. They nearly always went on the retreats with us.....dad would drive the Church bus and mom would be one of the cooks. I have lots of fond memories of the whole family going on church retreats!! Praise God for their involvement in my life at such a critical stage. They loved being around the youth group and all the kids loved being around them. They were also at all of my sports games.....dad would either be coaching or helping mom keep the official score for the umpire. They were my biggest fans!!
One of the things that we enjoyed as a family was camping and boating. We had our own boat and would go to the lake every chance we got. We also went to a lake in East Texas every summer for years and stay up to two weeks.....camping out.....boating.....fishing......water skiing.....just being together. More times than I can count one or more of us kids would bring a friend along and they were always welcome and treated like family. I can't tell you how many of our friends learned to water ski behind my dad's boat. He was very patient and was a great teacher!! Such great memories.
I know I have said a lot about how wonderful mom and dad were and well they were pretty great.....but they weren't perfect. They messed up some but they were always the first to admit their mistakes and try to make things right. They had faults and we didn't always get along.....especially when I was in my teens. You see I was the "wild" child of the three kids....I know right....who would have guessed. I was always involved in something....playing softball......basketball.....volleyball.....or running up and down the drag!! Memories!! I'm not sure they knew what to do with me when I came along after my "first born" sister. She was pretty perfect in their eyes and was the type that would get up early just to make their coffee. We were and still are as different as night and day. Mom and dad's parenting skills were really tested on me and some of the stunts that I pulled. But no matter what I had going on....they were always waiting up for me when I got home to ask how I was doing and tell me they loved me and kiss me good night!!
I learned a lot from my parents....more than I can write in one post.....I'll save that for another time. In closing I think that the most important thing that I learned from Mom and Dad is that God is to be the center of my life.....to love Him and serve Him will my whole being. Mom and Dad loved God and lived as Jesus would have them live. We were a family that played together and prayed together. They never made big family decisions without having a family meeting for discussion and for some time of prayer. God was always in the middle of our family. For this I am truly blessed.
I plan to write more in the days to come about some of the things I have learned from Mom and Dad. I hope that you will check back in and enjoy some of my writing.
From my corner of the world.....thanking God for my Mom and Dad!!
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