50th Anniversary, Summer Reflections and Future Opportunities

I feel like I have to type fast as the internet is still flaky.....don't want to lose another post!  It's been a busy few days.  We celebrated my parents' 50th wedding anniversary on the weekend.  All the siblings were together including my older sister and her family who drove up from the States.  Even though only 3 of us have children, it totals 18 grandchildren just between the 3 of us!  My brother and his wife will hopefully add to the crew one day which will bring that total up even higher!

It was an awesome time of seeing God's goodness in the generations, reflecting back on my parents' 50 years and all that they had done, how God had led, how they had relied on Him all those years.  As children we saw it and as adults we are grateful!  I was most moved by two particularly special parts of the afternoon when we were gathered as a larger group including all their friends.  My mom had asked a representative from each family to speak from a grandchild's perspective.  I had no idea who my sisters would choose to speak and I had no idea what they would say.  It was so interesting to see that each one of us had one of our older boys who are now all young men (it seems like they were toddlers playing together just days ago.....sigh) write a few words down.  Each cousin wrote basically the same thing without knowing what the other would say.....they blessed my mom and dad for all they had done for them over the years, the models they had been and how grateful they were to have them as grandparents.  It was beautiful.  Then my brother-in-law, who happens to be a pastor, came up to pray a blessing over my parents, but then he caught me off-guard, and called all the families up, to stand around my parents, including every little grandchild.....I could barely keep it together as he started to pray a beautiful prayer acknowledging how grateful to God we were that He had been with my parents all those years and had touched so many people through them.  As we all bowed our heads, tears were flowing for me.  I heard all sorts of clicks happening as pictures were being taken of this family that was so blessed to have a Christian heritage that came even before, from the parents of my parents.  A very beautiful and special time.  I could only humbly thank God myself for that powerful blessing.

I love special occasions like that!  Last year it was my brother's wedding and this year my parents' 50th....there's no one else left to get married and no more 50th anniversaries!  What can I look forward to!!!???  I told the kids to quickly get married so I could have more fun things to do next summer!  Well, it is my 20th anniversary, but that isn't as big an event that the whole world can celebrate, though I wish they would!

My oldest daughter continues to surprise us with her evangelistic heart.  She followed through this past week and gave a tract to her long-time piano teacher who amazingly enough took it whole-heartedly!  I guess we'll see what happens next week!  Hopefully she'll read it and hopefully my daughter will get an opportunity to discuss it with her.  She mentioned how during the whole lesson, before giving her the tract, a battle went on in her head.....should I give it?  what if she won't take it?  what if she is offended by it?  Satan was right there.  He was trying to put all sorts of doubts in her head.  I heard a sermon on that very thing.  In the parable of the farmer sowing the seed, it can be immediately plucked up by the weeds and birds.  The pastor talking said that when the seed falls on the soil, Satan is always prompt and shows up immediately, trying to take from the person that has received the Word.  For the seed that falls on hard soil, only prayer and fasting can make that person receptive.  So during this time of fasting I've been bringing up the name of this teacher.  It's all we can do.

We are almost at the end of the fast - God has continued to show us Himself throughout these 40 days.  It has not been easy though.  Yesterday I wondered if all the thoughts going through my head, thinking about food, thinking about "when will the end come????", etc. would have been on a small scale what Jesus went through in the desert.  He was certainly hungry and thirsty as he had given up all food and water.  I haven't been quite that extreme....Satan certainly tried to mess with him, at least the 3 times recorded in Scripture.  I was grateful to remember that Scripture was the only thing Jesus used to fight back.  I see the heat being heated up as the fast is coming to a close.  Satan doesn't ever seem to take a break.

The street preachers come back next week for a few days.  We'll have some evangelism training at the church and enjoy their fellowship again before they return back to their respective homes.  The summer went fast as they first arrived at the beginning of the summer and now it is the end of August...how can that be?  I'm always sad when the summer comes to a close.  No vacation, per se, happened and I always wonder if my kids had a good time even though they didn't go away in the typical sense of the word, but it was a full summer - lots happened, lots of friendships were made.  We managed a day trip here and there, berry picking, visiting people, hosting people, celebrating people...I still feel that it was full.  They really never complained as their days were usually occupied doing something.  These are days my kids will look back on and I think they will have many positive memories. 

I'm nearing the end of my early morning planning times....it is not easy getting this all done, but slowly but surely it is taking shape.  I think it's going to be a great school year.  I'm not sure we'll get everything done that I'm hoping or follow the schedule that I'm making to a "T", but at least there is a bit of a framework...This year we've decided to take on a new responsibility as a couple.  We're joining the board of our local homeschool group.  We hesitated and had to think about it for a while as we weren't sure we were ready to take on additional responsibilities outside the family, but after praying about it, we realized we have to step up!  Homeschooling is in such jeopardy, it's hard to know how long we'll be allowed to do it in this province.  Our premier would not be happy if she knew how many homeschoolers there were out there completely against her homosexual agenda.  We joined the board so that we can hopefully help keep homeschooling alive.  One of the board members made a great point when we met last night.  If the board falls apart due to lack of interest, then the homeschool group falls apart, then there in no homeschool presence in this area, no support for any families....homeschoolers need each other!  So, we're excited about this new opportunity and I'm thrilled we can do this as a couple together.

Time to throw in an early morning load of laundry......bye for now!