Wow, what a week we've had! The roller coaster from memorial services to the amazing Christmas program has me exhausted!

However, there were several "moments" that have stuck with me (and WILL stick with me for a LONG time!)

#1. The words quoted at Sarah's memorial service... "There's more to it that this"...referring to the importance of a relationship with Christ and family and fellow Christians in comparison with everything else that tries to get in the way of that.

#2. The story about the visitor to the memorial service who turned to one of our
members and asked, "Are all of your members like Sarah was?" Wow....so profound I hardly can take it in....so many layers of meaning packed into such a short phrase!

#3. The blending of voices in our chorus for the Christmas program. It felt amazing.

#4. Seeing Sarah's daughter sing her heart out in song for the church..l day after her mother's memorial...continuing the tradition that her mother has instilled in her to share her voice and praise ... a lesson for all of us!

#5. The praise that we were able to do via the songs...especially "This Is Our Son"...the chorus praising God, and acknowledging the "mortal and immortal voices"...
well, I was singing there right along with Sarah, with my dad...with all who have gone before and are already singing praises for eternity!

Moments to carry me through life for a while....WOW.

Wow, I just was looking at my blog heading...and re-reading my comments at the top, noticing that I had referred to the song "It Is Well"....that song has always been top of my list of favorites...because it is what I truly believe and strive to communicate. AND, I've just found out that it is the song that will be the focus of the memorial service for Sarah Bergquist tomorrow night!

We never, ever know what the future holds for us...the next day, week, or even the next moment. We are taught to be prepared at all times, to be ready to journey on to live with God. And we are taught for it to be "Well with our Souls".

Am I ready? I like to say yes....however, I've always couched that response with a prayer to God to "wait a minute", just in case He had plans for an early exit for me! When my kids were young, I prayed that I would live to see them grown and dedicated Christians. For the most part they are...although I now pray that I can be around a little while longer so that maybe I can continue to help Matt in healing his spirit...and be there for little Ian who has gone through (and will continue to go through) an up and down life having divorced parents...and the confusion that comes from that. I hope and pray that God will let me be there for him. And I continually pray and pray that Steve will acknowledge the power and Glory of Christ someday soon...he is a good man....I'm confident that somewhere down the road he will overcome his pride and humble himself in front of the Lord.

However, whatever happens, even in sad times like we're facing this week, I want to remain confident that "It is Well...with my soul".

I've joked with my family over and over that there is one particular song I'd like sung when I pass...."The New Song"....it is such a glorious song...with such hope and confidence and praise. We sang it at my dad's funeral....and it is truly written on my heart.

I am so thankful for the gift of song. When I was little I remember sitting in on rehearsals of my dad and a quartet who sang gospel for a local radio station. Then I learned to play the piano, and the glorious beauty that God had given me the talent to use in making music! The older I get, the more I recognize that the gift of music is one I MUST use to His glory. It is powerful...it is moving....it is instructive...it draws us nearer to Him. Whether I am playing the piano, singing in the choir....or listening to someone else offer this gift....I continually praise God for that gift.

It is my humble prayer that as I sing tomorrow night with the group singing at Sarah's memorial service, that once again, God lifts my voice as a gift of music and praise - for His glory...and for the encouragement of everyone there. Sarah loved music...embraced it....so in her honor...and for HIS glory...it is the gift I bring.

I hope this doesn't become a trend in my posts - because it certainly isn't what I expected...but I have to tell you about an incident on Monday at work. Someone was telling me about a compliment someone paid me, and in describing me to that person - to make sure they were talking about me, I was described as the nurse who "looked like Mrs. Claus" - because of my granny glasses! WELL, the rest of the day I was known as "granny" and am being asked to bake cookies!!!

ARRGH...I truly don't FEEL as old as my granny - but, then, I guess technically I AM a granny!

Isn't life great ?

Oh, yes, I'm also planning on baking cookies..........

Am I Becoming just another Q-Tip?

Hello from the great state of Texas! We've just returned from a few days in the gorgeous Ozarks mountains of Missouri, where we joined at LEAST a million white-haired people enjoying the beauty, the crazy, the outlandish.....whatever adjectives you can insert...that defines Branson, Missouri! What an interesting place! Steve and I kept looking at each other and wondering if WE looked as old as everyone else there!

Seriously, though, it was a great adventure with my mom and sisters - we've never taken a trip - just the 5 of us...and it worked out great....we all got to see at least one show we enjoyed, my mom actually LEFT HOME to travel somewhere (something she hasn't done in years)...no one got sick....we didn't argue (as sisters COULD do, but we didn't!)....the food was great...the prices even greater! (how cool is it to travel to a tourist trap and not feel taken by high prices! actually - it was probably a psychological trap - we spent MORE because we felt like it was a "deal"!.)

The generation gap was very obvious, though, with one particular show....the Jim Stafford show....If you remember, Jim is an incredible classical guitarist...who, in the 70's decided to make his schtick a bit vaudevillian by adding jokes and gimmicks with an "aw-shucks" attitude....I vividly remember him on Johnny Carson show...on "Laugh-In"...etc, etc....and he was every bit as amazing this week as he was back then! Well...my "little" (younger) sister, Marca was absolutely horrified at the "stupid" show...she hated it. Now, I agree that everyone has their likes and dislikes...but seriously...how can Jim Stafford be called stupid...when her absolute FAVORITE of the week was the...
Venriloquist who had an act making his DOGS TALK?????? Seriously now, what is the definition of "stupid" here?????

Gotta laugh....and laugh we did - loud and long, each and every day...healthy, wonderful laughter...

I highly recommend it.
(and for those of you who don't know it..."Q-Tip" is a reference to the white headed seniors of our world..just look across an audience filled with 70-somethings...and it looks like a bunch of Q-tips!)

Going....and not sure of what's ahead......

Faith.....what we are commanded to have

so scary.

so true.

so right.

Life does have a way of coming at us fast....sometimes when we think we're most prepared...we find ourselves woefully unprepared! I've been blindsided by my eldest son, Tim, moving to Texas.....intelectually it makes sense...but emotionally I'm a wreck...probably mostly because I KNOW what is it to live halfway across the country from my family. It stinks...I hate it...but can't do anything about it.