God is coming... God is COMING... GOD IS HERE!!

HE IS COMING!!

HE IS COMING!!!

How do you know when someone is SO HAPPY to be with you?

For me... it's what I feel with my grandkids... they run to me with open arms (used to be more frequently than now since most are taller than I and much more mobile... as inevitably happens right?)... But still... when I walk in or they walk in... I get wrapped in hugs and smiles.

I KNOW I AM WANTED!!!

I started wondering... Do you think God knows where He is wanted? welcomed? anticipated?...

like when those little ones in our lives wait at the window, watching.. waiting... waiting... watching...

THEN begin hollering through the house when they first see or hear the truck coming into the drive delivering me and/or Troy..... I tell you... I want to be there, I can't wait to be there!! It never gets old!!! to KNOW you are welcomed and wanted. THAT, my friends is what JOY is all about, and I believe there are places that I can feel God knows He is desired, anticipated and truly wanted.... those are places that His Spirit hovers and smiles...and will even "rest"... at least that's what I believe.

I want my home... even my truck... wherever I happen to be to resonate with that TRUTH.... God is coming... God is coming... GOD IS HERE!!!

Easter Weekend at home and at Deeda's old home place 4/4/10

Easter morning, April 4th, 2010... everything is ready for our "adventure" filled day!
"See Em, just take out one of the "e"s in the Reisen and you have it... "RISEN"...
THAT'S what this day is all about...
HE IS RISEN!
"I assure you!" how many times did He tell us that in Matthew 25-26?
The good Father prepares His children... "I ASSURE YOU"... you will be ready,
listen and KNOW that you are not orphans,
I am the good Shepherd and I care for my "sheep"!
We have some help as we start our trek to the prayer chapel this bright beautiful morning!
We find the markers and then the little tupperware cups with the "memories" inside.
Could there be one in here Poppy?... no there are no floating boxes!
They will all be on your "right".
Don't worry, you won't have to look in disgusting places to find the surprises!
There will be a blue cross to mark the area where you will find a surprise box.
Not only were there the markers, there was a path of wildflowers spread across the road
like rose petals on the bridal walk.
Everyone got to find a box... some had more help than they wanted!
The redbuds were bowers to the end of our journey...
ever in front of us like rosy fire in the skies.
After some family pics, we began the final two parts of our morning...
"do this in remembrance of ME"... Oh Jesus....
lest we ever forget... keep YOUR words on the hearts of our children who KNEW
the truth their parents speak always to them.
Your story of sacrifice was clear in each of their little hearts as we walked and talked
and opened each box.
Blessed are the feet of the one who brings good news...
YOUR WORD, OH GOD is the gospel we want written on our hearts.
I am thankful for the priests YOU'VE placed in my life. This one I love LORD,
and thank YOU most sincerely for the anchor he is to my life.
... and then for YOU to add these two... we are richly blessed with such diverse and
complimentary gifts! Thank YOU Father!

And now... LUNCH!
EE picked the cake.... PINK with "prinkles" all over the top!
ummmmm good.... but not so much the "prinkles"... just the cake!
Poppy thinks so too!
.... Playing in the sand is a universally fun activity... whether you are 9 or 2 years old!
Then off to Deeda's.... (Jiji and Bobo's family ranch)...
"I can see your place over there Em....you can see for MILES on a clear day!"
..."and that was once an old school house boys... moved to this valley"
... about 50 lbs of rocks were found and carried off the mountain on that hike!
Thanks PopT for carrying them for me!
This is certainly the way a boy would dress for an Easter hike up the mountain!
... and when the coals are just right... all the skewers go onto the grill...
KG made the most wonderful fruit salad...
and Hannah had the same idea as I with the veggies!

... just like the sand pile... make a bonfire and ALL the kids are happy!
... What a way to finish... SMORES... by the campfire!
.... and sweet sweet family time!
Thank YOU LORD for HOLY FIRE in our lives...
in our hearts....
and before our eyes!
You are the ONE WHO shows us the way and
ASSURES us of our place in this world.
You are the ONE WHO paid the price and gave us the right to be called sons.
THANK YOU LORD! YOU ALONE ARE GOD!
and YOU are good!

Resurrection weekend, "everything changed"! ... yes it did precious ones, yes it did!

What a week this has been...

and yes,

Em's word that kept being echoed in my thoughts was....

"because of "this" everything changed!"

I must concur my sweet one... I must agree.

...Politically things keep swirling,... a bow or a cultural deference? WHO KNOWS?

...economically, who knows what is the truth!

...pirates holding a brave captain who gave himself for his crew... and military wait and see stance? What is that? pardon me if this offends, but why not use our marksmen and take them out all at once! (which, as I write this seems to be what they did!... captain going home for a chocolate bunny with his family)

...and each of us trying to decide... so many things

... tea party protest, or does what I think even matter?

...BECAUSE OF THIS, EVERYTHING CHANGED!

I find myself boiling events and things down to this...

What is REALLY important?

and today, the day most of the Christian world celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus...

I find much of my answer!

Life....Freedom....Truth.... and underlying it all......LOVE!

I offer a glimpse of my weekend...my TRUTH...the LOVES of my life... and

my FREEDOM as a child of the LIVING LORD!

Elements of a Texas Resurrection weekend tend to be a bit different I suppose!

boots by the diaper bag alongside Nana's bunny treats... yep... True Texas!

My garden revealed something I'd looked for the past 3 years! I'd pulled up the root runners of my passion vine for the last few years as they refused to bloom.... Then this morning! LIFE!

Family is sometimes beyond the bloodlines yet bound by HIS blood line! We loved seeing the Connell crew... how that little one has grown!
Eli can now pick up swords with the best of 'em... and well... I suppose that means he can
get whacked with the best of em too!!! sorry!!! BOYS... I just love them!
Thank you girls for our gift! "we find this treasure in earthen vessels"... your words bring more than you know! And just as the rain starts to fall... KG brings in blossoms from the garden and the yard... THANK YOU PRECIOUS ONES! you bring us such joy!

Sunday morning.... I wonder if there were butterflies like this one on the way to the tomb?...
I wonder if they scattered as the women ran to tell the news... the TRUTH... ???

I loved seeing this guy this morning as we left!

Spring always means a new beginning to me.... LIFE!

Then Nana's... not much can be said other than this is what "home" is...
Welcome,
Peace,
Family,
generations of good traditions (there are no so good ones in the world I'm discovering)

The kids table was clearly shy 3 very obvious omissions.... that was sad!
But little EE was so excited about getting to sit in a real big girl chair and not a
high chair or booster... some things change year after year.
But then... some things remain...good food, good feelings, good gatherings!

Our family has become decidedly more health conscious through the years... as is evidenced by the cuisine choices of this holiday.

But then I can say... once again....
Nana no one can set a table like you do!
YOU ARE A CONSUMMATE HOSTESS!
We love what you do...
and we love what it means to be
FAMILY!

Lord, I ask today whatever I do betray what I believe...
I ask that I recognize the Truth that is in me...because Your Word says that Truth is YOU!
I ask that when the deceiver comes to kill steal and destroy, (and he does and will!) that I will recognize immediately his ploy, his lie, and his strategy!
I thank YOU for Family,

I thank YOU for Truth,

I thank YOU for Freedom,

and I thank YOU for LOVE...

the kind that allows me to have the gift of LIFE freely because YOU paid the price for me.

I believe You when You tell me that "it is not by works... but the free gift of God to those who choose to believe". I love YOU LORD... and I thank YOU with everything in me!

Because of THIS.... everything changed!

Freedom April 9-12, Haggadah

The word "haggadah" means to tell....

The Passover is a story of Freedom...so

The holiday, our Easter is about FREEDOM from the bondage.

What is our "freedom" becoming today?

What do I consider "freedom"?

America.... the land of the FREE, the home of the BRAVE...

we are a nation established

on God..

"one nation, under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL"

I am thinking about this NOW... today.... what does our FREEDOM mean to us? to me?

The three questions posed (usually by a child) at a Jewish Seder meal are these (and others):

1) Who are we?(who are sitting around this table)

2) Where did we come from?
3) What do we stand for?

Ours is a story of freedom!... Ours is a country based on FREEDOM...

Ours is a GOD of liberty in Him

Lord, may I not ever forget the cost of freedom... for this country,

but more, the price YOU paid for my very life.