#SibsForLife!

This summer, while we were on vacation, we were celebrating our middle son's 15th birthday.  We were sitting around the dinner table, and everyone was laughing. 

However, my husband and I had no idea what was going on.

Yep - the kids were all laughing about their shared childhood memories.  Moments, events, experiences, toys, movies. . .memories my husband and I weren't directly involved in.  At one point, while they reminisced about some crazy video they had watched in their younger years, I looked over at my husband and gave him the "who knows" gesture, with a wide smile and laughter.

I had virtually no memory of what they were talking about, and I was loving every moment of the scene.

True, dear old dad and I were out of the loop, but that didn't matter.  What was so beautiful to me was their shared bond.  Independently of their parents, their shared experiences of living in our crazy house brought them joy.  The things they remember fondly brings me such happiness. 

When we are old and gray (which is actually today, I'm sorry to report), our kids will have each other.  No one else but their siblings will quite understand their unique childhood experience.  They will have each for support, for laughter, for family.  More times than I can count, I have reminded my children that their siblings will be the longest relationships they will ever have.  No one will know them as long and as well as their siblings do.  And that's a beautiful gift.

Earlier today, I thought of a phrase as I was doing the dishes and it reminded me of a quote from a movie my sister and I adored when we were teenagers.  I stopped what I was doing, grabbed my phone, and texted the quote to her.  A bit later, she responded with another quote from the same movie, and we went back and forth, entertaining ourselves with our shared memories.  I was laughing with each text that came back, and it was great.  Outside of my parents, my sister has known me longer than anyone else, and there's great comfort and peace in that. 

Brother and sisters!  What a blessing they are.

I Can Only Imagine

After worship this morning, I got in the car (after refereeing a minor scuffle about who got the front seat), and as we left the parking lot, said several things along these lines:

"Wasn't worship amazing?  The music - amazing!  Dad's homily - amazing!  Imagining heaven - amazing!  All the confirmations - amazing!"

The kids agreed that it had been a great morning.  And this afternoon, as we raked the many millions of leaves, I pondered it.

The homily talked about the resurrection of the body, and what heaven will be like.  At the end, my husband asked everyone to close their eyes and imagine all the things, moments, people that bring us immense joy.  And then he said to multiply it by infinity. . .and perfection.  And that is what heaven will be like.  My friends, I was teary as I thought of all the people I love, the scenery that speaks to me, the music that heaven will surely be filled with.  My eyes filled up at the love the Father has for us -- to send His Son to save us from our sinful selves, and then to give us such beauty when we live with Him in eternity!  What a generous God He is!

As I pondered all this this afternoon, while raking the endless leaves, the homily reminded me of something I had written a couple of years ago.  You can read it below (or linked here) -- it's all about how God fills our lives with our favorite things.  The list I had compiled in the blogpost included so many of the things I was thinking of while imaging heaven.  If God gifts me with so many beautiful things here on earth, imagine heaven!  In heaven we will be flooded with our greatest joys and best of all we will be in God's holy presence.  I can only imagine!


Raindrops On Roses and Clean, Crisp Sheets       March 19, 2018

Many of you might know that I attended the Theology of the Body Institute's first course last week.  It was equal parts moving, soul-searching, informative, heart-rending and faith-strengthening.  It was an experience I won't ever forget.  I look forward to the days and weeks to come as I unpackage all my materials and notes.

One of the things our instructor said early on in the week was about a song from my all-time favorite musical.  Yep - you guessed it - Jesus Christ Superstar!  Haha - just kidding.  If you know me at all, you know it is The Sound of Music.  His children had recently performed in the musical, and many themes from it were fresh in his mind.  And at the top of his list was the song "My Favorite Things".  He began singing a few bars and asked us to join in if we knew the words (ummm. . .I know the words).  Maria sings the song to remind herself and the children to think of their favorite things when they are afraid (or when the dog bites or the bee stings).

Our instructor took this song a step further, and reminded us that God knows all our favorite things.  He knows our favorite things sometimes before we know them.  And even better, God sings the song of our favorite things to us all the time.  Our lives are filled with the music of God singing to us those things which move us and shape us and bring us joy.  That admiration of the majestic mountains?  God singing to us.  Overcome with the vast beauty of the ocean?  God singing to us.  A bunny hopping across the neighbor's yard while on a walk?  God singing to us - what?  Does he only sing that verse to me?  Surely I'm not alone in that one.

The thought of God knowing me. . .little me, in an enormous universe. . .and caring to put in front of me all of my favorite things truly brought tears to my eyes.  Here I am, living my (small) life, and the God of the universe is loving me enough to give me joy.  He knows my heart and chooses to love me anyway.  His love and forgiveness are vast.

So - here are a few of my favorite things.  What joy I derive in them!  And what joy to know that God knows even more of my favorite things, and has plans to reveal them to me in the future.

My children's faces
Bunnies hopping across the yard in spring
Clean, crisp sheets
Sweet romance movies (think Anne of Green Gables)
Peanut butter in all manner of preparation
Worshiping with my church family
My home
Laughing with my children
Potato Chips
My sweet students
Taking a walk with my husband
Singing beautiful choral music
80s music
Musicals
A good book
Coke Zero
The ocean and Lake Michigan
Shadow's euphoria at my arrival home
Big family celebrations

Oh dear reader. . .the list could go on and on -- and I don't even know everything that goes on this list!  But God does.  He knows my heart and loves me so much that He sings this song to me every day.

What is God singing to you, my friends?

Sinner? Saint?

Recently, in confirmation class with my daughter, our pastor asked everyone a series of questions.  If the statement was true, we were to stand. If it was false, we needed to sit down.  There were serious questions and silly ones, and people were standing up and sitting down depending on their opinions. Then came this question:  Are you a sinner?  Everyone, of course, scrambled to stand up, knowing they were confident in this answer - we seem to mess up all the livelong day.  We all kind of laughed as we stood there, in agreement that we all were sinners.  While we were all standing, the pastor asked the next question:  Are you a saint?

And almost everyone sat right on back down.  A few people remained standing, but it was a small handful in comparison to the confidence everyone had in their sinfulness.  

Though I was raised Lutheran, it wasn't until college that I recall really hearing about the concept of being simultaneously sinner and saint.  I remember being quite intrigued with the idea.  I certainly knew I was a sinner, but a saint?  Hardly!  

But Luther defines a saint as a forgiven sinner, one who the Father sees though the grace of His Son.  As we celebrate All Saints Day today, one of my absolute favorite days in the church year, we think of those saints who have gone before us, those people who died in the faith and whose rest is won. I think we sometimes romanticize those faithful departed loved ones and those bestowed with the title "saint".  We might often forget that they were people like us -- who struggled, grieved and were tempted in many of the same ways we are.  They were sinners, and simultaneously saints here on earth!

As we think of those saints who have gone before us, may that give us such hope!  They are such an inspiration to us!  Last year on All Saints Day, I wrote the post below.  I hope you take a moment to read the words of the hymn at the end and ponder the lives of those who went before us, and also the great joy that is to be ours as well.  

Sinner?  Yes.  Saint?  Yes, thanks be to God! 

Blogpost from Nov. 1, 2018:

Today is one of my absolute favorite days in the church year.

All Saints' Day. Every November 1st, we get to celebrate those saints -- those who died in Christ -- who went before us.

And when I sing (pray, meditate on) the words of this hymn below, I am almost always reduced to tears. What an example the saints are! They lived their lives -- not perfectly, not without sin -- but they lived their lives with Christ at the center and forefront. They lived their lives fully for Christ. Every Sunday, as we commune, we are united with the saints who have gone before us. Every Sunday, heaven and earth meet as we share Christ's body and blood with those at worship with us, all Christians on earth, and with those saints who are living with Christ in heaven. How beautiful!


Take a moment to read the words below and think about the saints who struggled as we do, who fought here are earth, who never lost sight of Jesus. Those who died in Christ have won! They are brave again, their arms strong. These faithful warriors have been given rest in heaven with Christ. What comfort this gives us! Those who have gone before us -- both "famous" saints who inspire us with their lives of bold faith as well as those quiet saints who lived among us. . . friends, family members. They are in paradise with their Savior!


My dear friends, I have tears streaming as I ponder these words, because they are written for us too! Someday, as our warfare has run long, and our fight has been fierce, a distant triumph song will be in our ears too. And soon, soon to us - His faithful warriors, will come rest. Eternal rest in Christ.


Alleluia, Alleluia!


"For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest"
by William W. How, 1823-1897 

1. For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confess,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

3. Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

4. O blest communion, fellowship divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

5. And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

6. But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

7. From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

8. The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest.
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!