The ONE who's gone astray

The farmer searches for his calf, when he finds him, he carries him out

 (Paraphase John 10:3)



(Look closely  behind all the cattle (in the very center of the picture above)  you can see the good farmer coming out from behind the bush, carrying his calf.)  

        Even though the farmer may own 100, he will leave the 99, 
to go in search of the 

one who has gone astray.   Matthew 18:12  

He gathers the lambs (calves) in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.   Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)

He Knows My Name

At 10:16 on a rainy Sunday morning,
Many years ago TODAY,
I made a squalling entrance into this world

Mom reminded me this morning!!

There have been a few unexpected and
unwanted paths.

There have been many joyous and welcomed retreats.  

All I really needed to know was,
“He Knows my name” 

Remember that

Life is short !!

Hug your children

Tell your family and friends that you love them

Laugh

Love fully

Forgive quickly

Count your blessings. 

And  . . .  do not forget:

He Knows Your Name!
He knows YOU!

He will bring you out.

He will bring you through.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  John 10:3

Fear not, for I have redeemed  you;  I have called you by name;  you are mine.  Isaiah 43:1

Happy Birthday to My Sister - 2012

The first memory I have of you - the little burden bundle of joy - was hearing your little cry from somewhere . . . . far off in the distance.  I do not remember seeing you – just hearing your cry. 

Well . . . . . . . . .  I think it was you.  Mom and Dad told me it was you.  But, they could have told me anything.  I was only 4 years old, had the mumps, was feverish, and was still extremely gullible. 

Last night's dream

Under construction.  

Today's devotional really 'spoke' to me today.  Especially after my vivid dreams during the night.  It was based on Ps 84 - which is below.  


But first to my dream.

I dreamt that my parents had a new huge house. 

There was room there for ALL their children, grand-children

and great-grandchildren. 

It was noisy, but calm and peaceful. 

It was awesome. 

I've never seen anything like it and never seen Mom & Dad so content. 

EVERYONE was there!!

Did you get that?
EVERYONE was there! 
Not just the ones who are now living. 
  

Portraits of my family

Thanksgiving 2009 - Gerry, NY

Every Thanksgiving my brother, sister, my husband & I head to our parent's home in Gerry, NY. 

For Thanksgiving 2009 all my parents' children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were there.  Along with some of my parents siblings and their children. 

It was awesome! !

We are beginning to have a few empty places at the table now. 

We said "it's so wonderful that EVERYONE is here this year!"

and at the same time we are all thinking, 

"NO! Everyone is NOT here!"  

Family gatherings usually have that tinge of the bitter-sweet. 

My brother is missing his wife. 
His children are missing their mother. 
My sister is missing Frank and
her children are missing their father. 
Heather is missing her Dad and her grandfather. 
I am missing my 16 y/o son.  
My daughter is missing her brother. 
My mother even tried to rescue a slice of stuffed pepper for Uncle Harold,
Then it hits her.  She stands there with a blank look on her face holding the plate. 

Life - What a Treasure!

Four (4) years ago tonight, I was given a gift

My husband!

No – it wasn’t my wedding.
We’d been married 38 years.

So - how could I possibly be given something I already had?

Well . . sometimes we do not know we have
something, until it is taken away -
or, thankfully, 'almost' taken away.

My strong energetic husband
was unwillingly & unwittingly
plunged into a fight for his very life.

Literally!

4 years ago tonight he was on a ventilator!
In surgery into the early morning hours,
as an awesome trauma team fought to save his life.
Fought to put him back together.

Veteran's Day

Today I think of my 88 y/o Dad.

Corporal Charles E Beckwith.

57mm Anti-tank gunner;
405th Anti-tank Company;
102nd Infantry Division (the Ozarks);
serving in the 9th Army during WWII.

On September 11, 1944, his unit, 'The Ozarks' left quietly in the night, around midnight. Gliding silently and in 'black-out' conditions - past the Statute of Liberty and out of the NY Harbor to begin the journey across the Atlantic.

A convoy of forty-six ships of all types zig-zagged across the Atlantic. Escorted by the Navy to help protect against German submarines, which were sighted at one point on the 12 day trip to Cherbourg, France.

My Dad endured weeks & months of rain, snow, artillary, forests, hedgerows, more artillary, more rain, floods, and battle after battle after battle.

From France, into Belgium, and across Germany.

Crossing the flooding Roer, the Rhine, and on to the Elbe.