Let the little children come

     We are the grandparents of two of the most handsome little boys on planet earth. One happens to be autistic and non-verbal. He has the best parents he could possibly have, who consistently put his needs first. It is not always easy, but they are shining examples.

    However, one thing that fell by the wayside was church attendance. You see, it is hard to leave a child who can't talk in the care of people you don't know. Our grandson is now four. He goes to a wonderful special ed pre-school and has had excellent OT and Speech Therapists, but still doesn't talk.

   This past Sunday, his dad decided they would come to church. We attend a small church, and there isn’t really a nursery for four-year-olds. I was ready to sit at the back and try to keep him with us during the service.

    In stepped my friend, Paula, who took him. Our son got up and checked on him a couple of times, and all was well. However, it was after church when Paula told us that Boomer came over to her and put his little hands on her face. He then put his check next to hers and said, Happy - Happy."

   My dear friend, this was truly a miracle from God for our little boy. I've spent the last 24 hours trying to comprehend what happened and can only find one word: Jesus.

    I know from working in the church nursery for years that there is not a more thankless job in God's Kingdom. Yet, it is there that we can be used to bring families to church, used to "wash the feet" of weary parents, and used to teach God's love to little children.

    Guess what, it didn't stop there. After church, I asked Boomer if he wanted to go get a hamburger or pizza. That sweet boy looked at me and said, "Pizza." So, you can bet we got pizza.

    I love it when God works in powerful ways, and to this grandma, this was truly something big!

  

    

Unexpected Assurances

 This week I have been blessed with an unexpected week off work due to weather conditions. While I did use the week to work on my edema issues, I also wasted so much time.

What you might ask did I do with my allotted time? Unfortunately, I spent the majority of my time trying to guess how my life is going to play out!

You see the last five months of illness have not been kind to me. So, I'm curious what God has planned.

Today, God reminded me He has it all under control.

I read John 9:4, "We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work."

Matthew 6:34 states, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Message Bible)

You see God has a plan and all my efforts are only guessing! But the epiphany came when I realized I am secure in whatever God has for me to do!

My friend, Lynn Reinstra's book Sacred Refuge states that, "Sacred refuge, then, is that place where God dwells with us, his people, and invites us to dwell deeply with him." (p. 13-14)

My future is in God's hands, but what a privilege that I can rest secure in His arms.

His Love Endures

 In Tricia Lott Williford's book, This Book is for You, she suggests making a list of your life's headlines. So, I did and soon I realized life is a road full of miracles!

I was born October 24, 1959 to teenage parents.
                             His love endures forever.

At three I learned the 23rd Psalm only instead of I shall not want, I said I ain't a gonna do it.
                            His love endures forever.

At seven my Granddaddy died of a massive heart attack.
                            His love endures forever.

My Great Grandma Whitfield died two days after my birthday.

                            His love endures forever.

At 13 my Daddy left my mom for a truck stop waitress.
                            His love endures forever.

At 14 my mom was diagnosed with cancer.
                            His love endures forever.

At 17 I graduated high school.
                            His love endures forever.

At 18 my mom died.
                            His love endures forever.

At 21 I graduated college.
                            His love endures forever.

At 21 I got m first teaching job in Springer, Oklahoma.
                            Hiss love endures forever.

At 23 I met Dan at Southwest Baptist Church in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
                            His love endures forever.

Our first kiss was at my Dad's house.
                            His love endures forever.

At 24 I married Dan at Southwest Baptist Church.
                            His love endures forever.

At 25 my grandmother, Mymomma, died, and my world changed.
                            His love endures forever.

At 25 we had Drew after a long difficult labor.
                            His love endures forever.

At 28 we moved to Gunnison, Colorado and met life long friends.
                            His love endures forever.

At 29 Drew was burned by a cup of coffee.

                            His love endures forever.

At 30 Matt was born.
                            His love endures forever.

At 31 we moved to Pennsylvania. (Norris was saved)
                            His love endures forever.

At 32 we moved to Madison, Georgia. Matt turned two the day we moved!
                            His love endures forever.

At 34 we moved to Macon, I started work at Central Fellowship Christian School and again we found life-long friends.

                            His love endures forever.

At 36 Gabe was born in Macon, Georgia.

                            His love endures forever.

At 37 we moved to Jackson, Georgia. I found friends closer than a brother!

                            His love endures forever.

At 41 I was the first teacher at Mary Buttrill Day School.

                            His love endures forever.

At 43 I started work at Piedmont Academy.

                            His love endures forever.

At 44 Drew graduated high school and started college at Berry.

                            His love endures forever.

At 45 I started work at North Mulberry Elementary School.

                            His love endures forever.

At 49 Matt graduated from High School.

                            His love endures forever

At 49 we filed for bankruptcy. My heart was broken.

                            His love endures forever.

At 50 my grandmother's ring was stolen from our house.

                            His love endures forever.

At 50 we bought our first house together.

                            His love endures forever.

At 52 Grandma Hestad passed away and the next week Dad moved in with us to start cancer treatments.

                            His love endures forever.

At 55 our first grandbaby, Remington Belle, is born.

                            His love endures forever.

At 55 Gabe graduates from High School.

                            His love endures forever.

At 56 Linda passed away. Even though she came into my life in a traumatic way I loved her dearly.

                            His love endures forever.

At 57 Grandpa Hestad passed away. We found out Grandpa had a financial secret.

                            His love endures forever.

At 57 Royal Rose Hestad was born.

                            His love endures forever.

At 58 Rex Atlas Hestad is born.

                            His love endures forever.

At 60 I'm diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

                 -I lost hearing in one ear.

                 -I retired from public school.

                 -I trusted an unknown future to an all-knowing God

                - I started teaching at Gordon and Piedmont during a pandemic. 

                            His love endures forever.

At 61 Matthew Boomer Hestad is born.

                            His love endures forever.

At 61 started back teaching full-time at Piedmont.

                            His love endures forever.

At 62 Boomer is diagnosed as autistic.

                            His love endures forever.

At 64 I was diagnosed with strep and seven days later can't walk - not once but twice.

                            His love endures forever.

At 65 I start a long recovery back to health.

                            His love endures forever.