Vacation was satisfying to me

I needed a few days to rest up from my vacation so that I could write about it here. I am almost back to Mountain Time and my usual schedule, except that I still go to bed too early! I thought I would just list a few thoughts about our two weeks, because if I tried to discuss the entire experience, I would run out of room! From the first day there I was grateful for the peace and quiet and the chance to read to my heart's content - too bad I took only 3 books! I could have read several more. Another thing I enjoyed was the chance to get to know Zac, who is such a cutie! I think I really like 2 year olds that are not my own. I see only the good stuff and not the "terrible" stuff you hear about. Besides, I don't have enough strength to keep up with them for too long!

The different worship experience at Avery Presbyterian was another plus. I enjoyed the hymns, the fellowship, the warmth I felt there. It is always good to see how others do things on Sunday mornings. Both Sundays were highlights for me! It didn't hurt that we got to go out to eat each Sunday after church, by the way! That is as it should be, I think, but not possible on a regular basis. Much of that time was spent with Katy's extended family and they are so much fun to be around. I especially enjoyed my birthday celebration at their house (Gary and Nell's) with the wonderful beef brisket and the birthday cake that Katy made for me. Lots of good stuff! My actual birthday was so wonderful in that we got to spend the day in Lincoln and then eat at the original Valentino's, which brought back many great memories.

The plumbing problems that occurred at Scott's place made for some memories, too. But not the pleasant type. They took up lots of Scott's time (and Dad's, too) but everything got resolved, eventually. I guess a service contract is the best way to go, if you are a homeowner.

We enjoyed our time with Claire, for sure! And the Farmhouse Cafe was another special time, for several reasons. We enjoyed Scott's neighborhood, but I could do without Interstate travel. Too many souvenirs in my Journal mess with the Binding, bottled water gets expensive when you have guests, and I don't need a big screen t.v. I guess that about sums up my musings for today. I really enjoyed my time there and am really thankful for the experience!

Cloudy day musings

I am writing today only because it has been a month and I really need to keep up with this thing that I have started. At least, it seems to me like once you begin something you should make every effort to finish it. I need to set a good example for the next generation - insofar as it is up to me, anyway. So, today, it is gloomy and rainy and that really affects my mood. It is so much easier to be thankful and cheery when the sun is shining. Maybe I should be living in California or somewhere where it is sunny more often than it is in South Dakota. I have discussed this with God at great length but have not succeeded in persuading Him that I need more sun! I wonder what He knows that I don't know. Regardless of my mood, though, my list of answered prayers is getting quite long! And that does truly put a smile on my face when I consider it. There are many fervent prayers yet to be answered but I have faith that the answers are on the way.

Tonight at our Ladies' Bible Study we will be studying Leah - the woman with the lovely eyes and a husband who did not love her. I am not the leader so I do not know how it will all be taught but I know for sure that I would rather have a loving husband and nothing else than to have riches and beauty and an unhappy marriage. And, Leah had God to help her and walk alongside her in her hard times. I have that, too, and a loving husband and several good kids besides! So what is all this gloominess and crying out for sunny days? Well, I am only human, you know. Check back with me in May or June and see if I have learned anything from all these April clouds and rain - maybe some flowers are in store?

A Blessing a Day Keeps the......

I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to hook my computer up to myself so that at night when I have these great insights I can just push the button and it will read my mind and print out my thoughts! I can never remember the next day all the things I wanted to write down and that would help me out a lot! Last night I was thinking about my new practice of listing at least 3 blessings in my journal each night before I go to bed. Sometimes I cannot recall 3 (!) and so I have to ask someone around me to add one or two to help me out. And if that does not work, I add the line that "only God knows" because I figure there are undoubtedly many wonderful things that God has done for me each day that I did not see or did not remember, and that way I am covered. Some of the more easily overlooked blessings have been things like a sunny day, a great cup of coffee, a toe that no longer hurts, hymns that have such a great message, prescription coverage, polka music, beef pot roast, coffee with friends, and that "this could be the dawning of That Day". And that would be just for March alone. I am training myself to write down smaller blessings because anyone can see the big ones like health, food, family, etc. I am trying to see if the recognition of blessings can help keep the Devil away. I have noticed that I have a tendency lately to complain and whine too much and I know this does not please God, especially as He does so many wondrous things for me. When I do this, God likes to bring before me the faces of people who really do have a problem worth complaining about - like Jenni and her Sjogren's, and Lisa and her knee, and my friend whose husband left her, and Scott who went so many months without employment, and like Rachel from our Bible Study whose father tricked her on her wedding night and gave her intended groom to her older sister, and like the paralyzed, the really poor, and so many others. Okay, so I have a rather long list of things that I wish were different but God is telling me that He knows what I need and that He is completing in me that Salvation that He began almost 54 years ago. That knowledge alone should be enough to change the whining to praising. I am working on it!

Page 2 of 2

Today as I sat in our car waiting for my husband, I looked down and saw a note I had written on some scrap paper. The corner of the scrap paper noted that it was page 2 of 2 and that got me thinking. I love to turn innocent signs into funny messages and this was no exception. I thought that it would make a good status report for my facebook account or for my yahoo account but I could see the many questions it would raise among my friends and family. So I decided to flesh it out on my blog site. My first thought was that, "Yes, that is where I am at in life - I am on page 2 of 2. But when did page 1 flip over to 2? Was it at age 33 and the end may be soon? Or did it turn at age 66 and I have lots of time left - or maybe at age 50 and ...well you get the picture." Then I thought about how this page 2 of 2 is just an extra attachment to the real receipt that we had printed for an online bill payment. It was really kind of useless in one way, but very useful for scrap paper needs. Some may have thrown it away, but I was happy to recycle it. Then I said to my husband, "this will preach!" kind of similar to "that dog will hunt", etc. You know, none of us knows just what page we are on in our life span. Good thing we don't know - saves a lot of unnecessary worry and stress. Maybe the best is yet to come, and maybe not. Either way, the Person at the word processor is in charge and we can just relax and let Him finish His story as He plans. Secondly, in His plan, there is no useless paper at the end. He only prints out what is needed and if it looks useless to me -well I just better be getting busy and recycling it and finding new uses for it! In the same way that the pot does not question the Potter, so the paper does not get to question the Printer ( a little license with Romans 9:21). I just love the One who created me, and I feel confident that His plan for me is best. Wherever I am in His story for me, I want to give Him glory and meet His expectations!

Februarys in my life

This week we are thinking about Valentine's Day and I have lots to think about when it comes to February 14. My first thought is that my most important Valentine must always go to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. No one has ever loved me more than He does and someday I will be able to tell Him in person just how much I appreciate that love! But after Him, I remember that it was on February 11, 1965 that Rowland A. Benedict asked me to marry him and I surprised him by saying, "yes." There was a lot of drama in my life at that time (a very long story) and he was not sure where he stood with me. I knew that it was God's will that I marry this guy, but I had a few loose ends to tie up first. How very patient he was, while I got things settled! It was surely training for him because I don't think I have ever really been what you would call a predictable wife - but 45 years from that night I can say that I am so glad that I listened to God and made the right decision. In August we will celebrate 45 years of marriage and that is not nearly long enough to love him and be loved by him! If you see him this week, be sure to tell him what a great guy he is for treasuring me all these years - I plan to tell him that daily for the rest of my life!

Every February I temper my joy with sadness when I remember the February 12,1995 when my mom passed away and we were so many miles away that we could not get back to celebrate her life with the family there in New York. Then, 3 years later, on February 11, 1998 my "favorite" sister passed away, also in New York. This time our church people paid our way back to do a burial service for her and to join many of my siblings to remember Marion . As we gathered, we also spent many hours remembering my mom, and this was a very healing time for me.

To my 3 children and their spouses, and to my grandchildren, and to my great-grandchildren, and to my treasured friends - thanks for making February a happy month in 2010! And to my husband, "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart! I love you more than life itself!"

On Birthday #13

Today, Julie is 13! Happy Birthday, sweetheart! And now that both of my youngest grand-daughters are 13, it brings back memories of that time in my life. That was way back in 1955 (could you girls believe it?) and I celebrated at a family camp outside of Corning, New York. I remember what a fun time that whole week was, even though it rained a lot, as always happened at camp, it seems. And it was so humid that even though I curled my hair every night, sleeping on those awful rollers, 5 minutes after I left my tent my hair was straight and limp! This is not what you want when you are trying to catch the eye of certain young man but there was no solution for us in those days. And it did not keep me from enjoying the activities of camp. I made lasting friendships at that camp that continue to this day. But the most important friendship I made that Summer was the relationship I found with Jesus Christ. He became my saviour, my friend, my confidant, my counselor, my comforter - everything that I had been looking for, and all that I needed! He remains so to this day! This friendship has made the biggest impact on my life and influenced everything I did from that point on. My choice of college, my choice of my life partner, the career path I chose, my choice of friends - there is nothing I have done since July 15, 1955 that has not been guided by my choice to serve God and follow Him to the end of my days. I have not always done the best I could, but I have always wanted to do right and have accepted His forgiveness for the times that I have disappointed Him. Now, what does this all have to do with today? Just that I would say to Julie and to Claire, and to all my grandchildren that there is no bigger decision you will make today than the decision of what you will do with Jesus. I have prayed long and will continue to do so that you will choose to serve Him and put Him first in your life. Many choices will come your way as a teenager that will have lasting consequences - for good or for bad. Having Christ in your heart will make these choices easier and more wise. Before this day is over I hope that your best friend will be my best friend and I know you will never regret it - guaranteed!

Thinking about Family Ties

Today it is warm and sunny and has been for several days. I thought I should probably note this fact since I spend much time complaining about the weather. I doubt that my wishing for warmer climes will cease, however, so don't get too excited about today!

What I am thinking about more is various family members who rarely get notice in this blog. It occurred to me that I have not mentioned Dan, even though I wished a public happy birthday to each of my other kids in 2009! That was just an oversight that I thought I would correct before we celebrate another Thanksgiving - wouldn't want him to pretend that I am not his mom because I snubbed him. And, after all, he is the one who set up this blog site in the first place so that I could complain to my heart's content! His birthday was in June and I promise that next year I will note it properly. He is such a good kid and deserves many blessings!

I have spent many hours in prayer this past week for my sister in New York. She is my only surviving sister of the 7 girls that God gave to my mom. She lost her husband 2 years ago and has had a hard time getting through that loss. Each passing of a family member has been hard on me, as it is for everyone. I have 2 brothers left and at least one of them has had a rough year with family and finances, so I have been thinking much about all of them lately.

I also have 2 daughters-in -law who are a treasure to me but who get little notice in this blog. Stacy and Katy, I love you both and thank God daily for the support and love that you provide for my sons and for your love and care of Dad and me! May God give you peace and joy and any other requests you currently have out!

Holly, Julie, Claire - I love you much and pray for you daily, for your present and for your future. May you find Jesus sufficient for all of your problems today. I think that covers everyone that I have not mentioned previously - just so you know that I do think of you and thank God for you. Please take time today to thank God for our family - all of them - and remember that as life goes on you all will become ever more important to each other. Don't let anything get in the way of your love and care for every brother and sister you have been given. I know that I really miss all of mine, and I also know that I did not treasure them all while they were around. I was too human all those years and I would want better for you kids and grandkids and great-grandkids of mine! So, God bless and be ready for Thanksgiving Day this next week - make it the best one yet!