For My Children

Last weekend I was with Carson and Carissa; last night Cody and Elizabeth came home from their skiing trip. I love being with them, hearing them talk, laughing with them. In one of her devotionals, Dena wrote this prayer for her children. She writes from her heart and with my own changes, this is the prayer I'm using for my children today.

Thank You, Lord, for the precious gift of my children. Because Your Word says that every good gift comes from You, I know that You have given them to me--You chose me to be their mother. Help me to love them the way they need to be loved. Help me to teach them with my words and actions. Help. Show me places where I continue to hang on to them and enable me to release them to Your protection, guidance, and counsel. Help me not to live in fear of possible dangers, but in the joy and peace of knowing that You are in control. I rely on You for everything, and this day I trust my children to You and release Cody, Elizabeth, Carson and Carissa into Your hands. I pray that Cody, Elizabeth, Carson and Carissa will be reliable, dependable, responsible, compassionate, sensitive, loving, and giving to others. Deliver them from any pride, laziness, slothfulness, selfishness, or lust of the flesh. I pray that they will have a teachable and submissive spirit that says "Yes" to the things of God and "No" to the things of the flesh. Strengthen them to stand strong in their convictions. Help and guide me and Mark, as parents, to model these attributes to them and that our children will recognize them in us as well as their family and friends. I pray for Cody and Elizabeth's upcoming marriage. Bless them, please. I pray for Carson and Carissa's future spouses. Please work in Carson and Carissa's lives, as well as the young woman and man that You have chosen for them, that they might be sold out for You and that as they draw close to You, they will draw close to the one that You will bring into their life. Please give them safety as they travel. Please guide Carson in the plans You have for him after graduation. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen

Thanksgiving At Easter

I am thankful I could spend Easter in Wisconsin. I am thankful that Mark did all the driving. I am thankful that the temperature didn't get 3 degrees higher, but we were kept safe as we drove through the snowstorm. I am thankful for the opportunity to meet Jenny and get to know her. I am thankful for a generation of young women like her. I am thankful for Johnson's Bakery and mudpies. I am thankful for my mom's servant heart and her love for making such absolutely delicious meals. I am thankful for my dad's gentle spirit. I am thankful that they welcome us so warmly into their home. I am thankful for the beauty of Lake Michigan. I am thankful for shopping at Gurnee Mills. I am thankful we could pick Carson up from O'Hare Airport and have him and Carissa with us for Easter. I am so thankful I'm their mom; I love them so very, very much. I am thankful for Potbelly, good sandwiches and free cookies. I am thankful for Easter services. I am thankful for Easter brunch in the church basement. I am thankful for my brothers, Jeff and Dale; I am thankful for my sisters-in-law, Nancy and Shari; I am thankful for my nieces and nephews, Garrett, Katie, Noah and Brianna and how much I love being around all of them. I am thankful for Nicki, Pete and Delores, aunts and uncles who grow more precious every time I see them. I am thankful for my life-time friend, Brenda. I needed more time with her, but I am grateful for the time we had. I'm thankful for Brenda's husband Dale who takes time to chat when I come over. I am thankful for Zach's incredible gift of music and the mini concert I had while visiting with Brenda. I am thankful we were all able to get up early enough to enjoy mom's carefully-prepared breakfast yet get Carson back to Iowa City on time. I am thankful to be back home with my very own bathroom. I am thankful for Spaghetti Works and our hostess/waitress, Julia's pleasantness. I am thankful for interesting games at the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. I am thankful for the very nice family from Minneapolis who sat next to me at the Tournament and how it's just fun to get to know a little bit about other people. I am thankful for the life of Dr. Bartlett and how he made a difference in the lives of so many. Finally, I am so very thankful for my salvation and the knowledge that My Redeemer Lives. He Is Risen. He Is Risen Indeed.