From my heart, from my window, from my Face Book page....and PM update

Its always fun to have company from out of town and my aunt and uncle from Georgia are probably about my favorite company to have (hard call.I DO have lots of favorites, but  like when my kids ask me "Who is your favorite kid?" my answer is unique for each child."YOU are my favorite 13 year old this year." "You are my favorite 8 year  old girl this year." "YOU are my favorite green eyed teen aged daughter"  "YOU are my favorite tallest son, ") SO when I knew my aunt and uncle were coming to visit, actually coming to visit my mom, who is my aunt's only sibling, I was hoping we'd have time for a family gathering with  as many of us as possible. PRETTY GOOD SCORE. Hannah  had gotten  together with them Tuesday night for Braum's ice cream since she was seeing Jon yesterday,  Esther and Gideon had to work but Malachi was home,  Jael didn't have work last night, Charlie was home, no basketball or tennis practices were already on tap for the other kiddos,   The WHOLE HOME TEAM was  H O M E ! Add two friends because that's how we roll,  my mom, aunt and uncle...and that turkey dinner, complete with mashed potatoes and rice (of course)  gravy, corn bread dressing, fresh cranberries, corn and (store bought YUMMY )  Razzleberry pie was a wonderful family reunion dinner. Add the balmy breezes blowing through the patio door with no bugs blowing in,  even  the extra busyness of driving 80+ miles earlier in the afternoon getting Mady for Hannah and being late to pick Jael up from school, just dissipated into the comfort of family fellowship.............................
With my mom being in her mid 80's, my aunt and uncle in their 70's and that 1100 mile distance between Toccoa, Georgia and here, we never know if  or when we will see each other again. I know it is such a high point for my mom to have her only sib and brother -in-law  able to come for a visit any time its possible. Its special for me too, since these were really the only relatives I  really knew growing up as well. (SECRET: my Uncle David at some point in my youngest part of  life nicknamed  me "Linda Gink"   I  have no idea where that came from, and it was only his special name for me. He still to this day calls me "Linda Gink". ) I only really know two of my uncles, and they are favorites for unique reasons of their own, but Uncle David is my favorite uncle from Georgia who gave me a life-long silly nickname!
Right before dinner when Hannah came to get Charlie and Mady, we'd put Charlie on the floor to crawl. Little Super Man  headed around the sofa and onto the stairs! He had never seen these stairs before. There is only one stair in his life at Hannah and Jon's house, but he somehow at 7 1/2 months of precocious age knew how to climb the entire stair case, pass through the landing and complete the second set of stairs to complete his journey in Daniel's room (where Charlie  takes his naps too) Hannah grabbed her phone so we could video this Big First, Naomi stayed behind him as he scaled the 16 steps up to the landing, and I went ahead to seethe proud smiles of accomplishment on his face. He KNEW he had done something COOL (albeit for the last time: the gate goes up tomorrow morning when he comes back) and it is all on video!I promised Hannah that if Charlie did anything "first" with me, I would not tell her about it so his "firsts" would be "first " for her, but this was a first we both got to share together with him!!He spends a lot of time with us while she is working  so I am glad that so far most of his "firsts" have happened with her and Jon anyhow.
FUN FAMILY TIMES TO TREASURE!!
Goats. I love my goats, I do. I  started letting  the baby herd out of the "nursery pen" to graze in the back yard and to give them more space to romp and exercise. Yesterday they discovered the garden: specifically  the tomatoes which I had strategically planted right up to the fence line so that I could stake and tie them off onto the fence. WELL, I did not give fore thought to goats sticking their nosey noses through the fencing to nibble every tender leaf and newly blossomed yellow "promise-of-a-tomato" flower on all 8 of my plants.
BOO HISS. I can chicken wire inside the garden chain link fencing to keep the nosey noses out in the future, but, yah, I have to start over with tomato plants. Glad that's all they were able to get, but it was ...........enough.
As the tulips fade into spring 2010 history, the roses are blooming beautifully! I awoke to several gorgeous, deep red,  Mr Lincoln blooms this morning, several  orangey Tropicana blooms and my Joseph's Coat a lovely splash of yellow, pink and pale orange blooms.  The pink tea roses, which were a gift from our then -pastor's wife to welcome Naomi ThiRose home from Vietnam 8 years ago continue to faithfully delight me with hundreds of flowers at a time all spring and summer long.. This year is no exception.  Farther over in the front gardens, my Twilight Girl has two striking pale lavender blooms where she stands next to  a large white peony bush which is covered with dozens of heavy  white flowers. The bush is so heavy laden with flowers that the stems are  bent over , causing the blooms to "kiss the ground" around the bush.  For the 5th or 6th year in a row, my deep purple clematis  with its hundreds of bigger-than-palm-sized blossoms has sent its vines and increasing number of blooms meandering  up its trellsis and has spilled all over the far end of the rose garden.  All this I can see from my "computer corner" as I work. Pretty blessed spot to have put my computer desk, wouldn't you say?!I  can see the front  bird feeders from here too, so the cardinals, finches, blue jays,orioles and other winged visitors  who stop by add their beauty and personality to my wonderful view! How I love God's imagination and  creativity in all that I see around me. Truly "Indescribable, Uncontainable"!
It is National Day of Prayer today and we had hoped to be participants in our city event. Naomi's gastro-enterologist's appointment has to take priority. Four or five times a year we see the Doctor to assess the status and progress, or lack thereof, with Naomi's Hep B. She has been complaining of symptoms which she has never mentioned before so I am suspecting that her viral load counts are even higher than they have been, and that perhaps some live involvement is taking place. So far  she has been totally healthy despite a crazy high viral DNA count, crazy high . Her  body an her immune system have not responded to the prescribed meds and the virus has continued to mutate and increase in number. She is in God's hands and always has been. The outcome of today's lab values won't change that in the slightest even if the course of treatment is changed. I am so thankful that she is here, in our family, where we can get excellent medical care for her and most of all where we can pray for her  as we seek treatment and know that others are aware of her and are praying for her with us. Thank you!!
***** NAOMI UPDATE after the doctor visit:
Because she has gaiend several inches in height and 4 pounds of weight  her doc thinks that perhaps her meds are not as effective right now as they could be so rather than order lab work today, he bumped her doseage of anti-viral meds up a bit. We are  going to schedule the ultrasound of Naomi's liver and raw her blood work in about 6 weeks. He is a bit concerned about the stomach aches and tiredness but we will assess that in 6 weeks too. She may need some meds for her stomach to counter act what the anti-viral may be doing to her stomach . Her liver  and spleen are normal sized which is a good sign and she has no evidence of jaundice whatsoever.  For these absent symptoms I am very grateful!!!********

As I think about this particular National Day of Prayer, I want to share a prayer from one of my favorite (there's that category again!)  pastors who write and  share in cyber space. From Scotty Smith

 A PRAYER ABOUT THE EVERY NATION DAY OF PRAYERS

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Revelation 7:9-10


Dear heavenly Father, on this “national day of prayer” in our country, several important things are milling around in my heart. First of all, I praise you for heavenly citizenship—the magnificent and merciful realm from which I so eagerly await the return of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He already has everything under control and he will, ultimately, transform all things—including my body, to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21). What comfort and what joy that good news brings…


Secondly, as broken as our country is, I’m still so very thankful to be an American citizen. I praise you for the many freedoms we still enjoy and the multiplied privileges that go with being a citizen of this nation. I bring our sitting president before the occupied throne of heaven, and ask you to be at work in his heart and through his hands. As with all “kings,” you set them up and you sit them down at your discretion. So I trust you for the accomplishment of your sovereign purposes through our president, in keeping with the eternal wisdom of your heart. I don’t look for a lasting city in our country, but for the City whose builder and maker is God… that would be you!


That brings me, to the last, largest and most glorious thing milling around in my heart this morning. Father, I choose to fill my faith-gaze with John’s vision of the “every nation day of prayer”—the Day when men and women from every nation, tribe, people and language will be wearing the white robes of grace-secured salvation… while waving palm branches of praise and shouting in perfect harmony… “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” That’s not inspirational hype, but our living hope.


Indeed, by the light of that eternal Day of prayer, this isn’t to be a day of fear, cynicism, and selfishness… but one of courage, humility and servant-love. Help me… help us to be good citizens of two countries… until the kingdom of God arrives in fullness with the return of the true King of glory… that would be Jesus. So very Amen, I pray, in his sovereign and saving name. "



Scotty Smith

Pastor for Preaching, Teaching and Worship

Christ Community Church

1215 Hillsboro Rd.

Franklin, TN 37069

615-468-2230