Amazing Grace

Well, it's a new year! 2010! Can you believe it? Back in high school, I don't remember ever even imagining life past graduation... and here it is almost 30 years later! Wowza!

We were able to bring in the new year with our daughter, Leah, and her family in Coeur d'Alene. After picking up Bekah from the airport on Dec. 18th, we had our church Christmas party, did a little more shopping, and enjoyed a few days of just the 3 of us until the 22nd. Then we drove up north, and spent Christmas with Rachel and her family, came home for the weekend, then left again to Spokane to take Bekah "home". Got to spend some time with Sarah and Steven too, since they're in Spokane.

Whew... a lot of traveling! But, it was so good to see all of our kids and grandkids for the holidays. Our whole family. We don't take that for granted.

It's been kind of a rough year, or at least the last 4 months of it. We weren't sure if we would have James around for Christmas or to bring in the new year, but God brought him through - as He always does.

We celebrated James' 51st birthday at our family's favorite restaurant... a place we have been going to for special occasions for over 20 years! The "China Dragon" in Spokane has played a huge role in our family traditions (little do they know!). As we all sat around our favorite round table, Bekah announced, tearfully, that after much prayer and searching, she felt God had answered her cries, and called her into a specific ministry. We sat on pins and needles as she shared this special "gift" for her dad. Evangelism! "I feel like my ministry is specifically going to be to the lost." God had made it perfectly clear to her by reiterating it three times: evangelism, evangelism, evangelism! Joyfully, she responded with a hearty YES!

How can a mother put into words the joy she feels by just merely watching her children grow in the Lord, and serve Him with their whole hearts? Is it possible? I remember holding each of my children, as infants, and praying specifically that they would give their hearts and lives to Jesus at an early age, and that they would choose to serve Him with their WHOLE hearts ALL the days of their lives. In awe... just in awe... as I watch this unfold. Each one of my daughters were saved before they were 5 years old, they felt a calling to the ministry in early adolescence, and watched and waited for God to bring a young man into their lives at the right time, who shared a ministry calling.

I continue to pray for them daily, and that their ministries will be blessed and reach many souls.

All a mother can do is to sit back and watch God's handiwork, while all that goes through my mind is "AMAZING GRACE" - simply amazing.