The Afternoon of Life

Today I had another wonderful Christmas worship experience.   I was home alone (which is sort of a miracle these days with wonderful hubby in the house most of the time and adorable grandchildren here quite a bit too).   I had picked up some of the clutter left from three boys playing at full-speed for several hours.   I sat down to rest a minute and kept hearing in my head a tune I’ve heard somewhere but can’t remember where or when… “Happy Birthday, Jesus!”   I love that I can Google and YouTube anything that is puzzling me.   So I YouTubed the title and found an adorable little 4-yr-old singing: Happy Birthday to You … Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday, dear Jesus …Happy Birthday to You.   Happy birthday Jesus.   I’m so glad its Christmas. All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice, But the real gift is You. Happy birthday, Jesus.   I’m so glad its Christmas. All the carols and bells make the holiday swell - And it’s all about You. Happy birthday Jesus …Jesu

 Picture this…daughter and grandson offer to take us out to dinner (after, of course, I hinted that they should).   We’re headed to our favorite Chinese restaurant…one of few “sit down” restaurants in town.   The wind and rain are pummeling our van to the point that Dan drops me at the door of the restaurant and LeeAnne pulls up in her vehicle so that I can unload Holden without us getting soaked hopefully.   So far all is well.   We all walk into the restaurant, damp bodies but not dampened spirits.   Holden’s on his best behavior.   Mom serves him first and I sit at the table with him while Dan and LeeAnne move to the buffet to get their food. Then all goes black! I’m talking pitch black.   I can’t see Holden who’s seated next to me.   I can’t see my hands in front of my face.   And we’re sitting next to a window! There are gasps around the restaurant.   I reach out to hold Holden and reassure him that everything’s okay.   LeeAnne, my wonderfully bright, intelligent and beautifu

 This week I’ve had the opportunity to hug and hold and snuggle with all 5 of my grandchildren.   This morning I was driving down the interstate.   It was gray!   It was gloomy!   It was horribly windy!   But all I could think about as I drove was how incredibly delightful each of these children are in my life.   Holden, oldest of the bunch…what can I say.   LeeAnne has shared this blessing with us from the day he entered her life.   There’s something incredibly special that goes on between Holden and me.   I delight in his enthusiasm for life.   I laugh with him.   He snuggles in just about better than any child I’ve ever known.   I cannot describe how my heart lights up when he comes around the corner from the kitchen, sees me, smiles and says loudly and cheerfully, “Gee-Gee!!!”   It takes my breath away.   This is the same child that has to be spanked occasionally because he refuses to obey.   He’s the same little boy that has to be placed in a time out chair to think about what h

 My friend died today…and again I face a grief that is so hard to swallow.   The grief is not for Rick.   Rick gave me a gift in life.   Whenever he was around I had a smile on my face – the kind of smile that makes your face hurt!   We had dinner together in September…Rick and Shawna – Dan and me.   We laughed.   We enjoyed Christian fellowship.   We laughed some more.   I shared with Dan that evening that I didn’t remember Rick being so friendly.   He was gregarious, charming, funny…the kind of person you want to go to dinner with.   And how he and Shawna loved and understood each other.   They never picked on each other or put each other down as many couples do these days.   It was just pure joy to enjoy an evening with them. And therein lies my grief.   There’s no more “them”.   Shawna walks forward from this day without her high school sweetheart.   While Shawna and I spent most of our time together without our fellas, it was just a given that Dan and Rick would be waiting at ho