Rejoice, be patient, be constant...

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12

Isn't this just the CUTEST thing you ever saw?  My girls saw it on Pinterest and made it for me for Mother's Day (with a few "tweaks" to make it their own!)  I LOVE IT . . .  and I LOVE THEM!

REJOICE in Hope - yes, we do, the HOPE we have of a glorious, Heavenly, ETERNAL reunion!

Be PATIENT in tribulation - I'm not always good at patience, but, I'm learning - He is teaching me, step-by-step!

Be CONSTANT in prayer - yes, I am, and others are for me (for us) and we can feel it - especially on days like today - days that could be melancholy and sad, but end up silly and happy and fun and filled with new memories!

I woke up this morning to BRIGHT SUNSHINE ☼ streaming in my bedroom window (we forgot to close the curtains!) and a clear blue sky . . . we OVERSLEPT was my first thought, as I rolled over to check the clock . . . 6:20 a.m., on a SUNDAY.  The ONLY day I COULD sleep in this week . . . ugh . . . or ahhh?!  It's all in the perspective, isn't it?  I decided to make it ahhh rather than ugh and got up, put on my running clothes, grabbed my iPhone, turned on the worship tunes and hit the road . . . I returned home SIX miles later - every song on "shuffle" was a praise song so it was six miles of praise & worship - enjoying the beauty of the day that was dawning!  

When I got home, I got breakfast in bed (kind of - I ruined that surprise a little), the cute wall hanging above and Happy Mother's Day wishes from my 3 sweet girls!  A wonderful start to what was a wonderful day!  Before Sunday School, we brought Gramma Dodo (Rick's mom) her Mother's Day gift - a hanging basket of flowers  -  I also thanked her (via Facebook!) for sharing her Rickey with me for these 20 years . . . he really was the best gift I EVER received (besides SALVATION from my Lord, but you know what I mean!)!

Speaking of wonderful days, at Sunday School, we sang What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon His face, the One by His grace, when He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day that will be!  Takes on new meaning when I realize that Rick has experienced that glorious day!!   He has been taken by the hand of the One who saved him by His grace . . . he has been shown around the Promised Land!  During church, we sang "It Is Well" . . . and I echo the chorus It is well, with my soul, it is well, it is well, with my soul.  That doesn't mean that I totally understand, or even that I like it, it means it is "well" in that my faith carries me through the not understanding and the not liking it, so I CAN say with the songwriter of old, Oh Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as the scroll.  I have that promise that someday, the FAITH that I have in the Lord WILL become sight and all of the circumstances of this life will be made sight.  Between now and then, I'll have FAITH that HE does know!

This afternoon, Baccalaureate was held at the High School for the graduating SENIORS.  There is never a large turnout, but it is still a nice service.  Most of the kids who showed up this year have been really good friends since their early elementary school days, so it was fun to see them celebrating this milestone together, praising God and taking fun and silly pictures afterwards! The service started with Tessa's best friend Katie playing "I Can Only Imagine" on the piano, and ending with Tessa playing "I Will Rise" (which I linked to last night!)  Her Daddy would have been (is) so proud of her!  

After the service, Kajzi & I ran to town, got a few more graduation party things, some ice-cream cake and lemon meringue pie and then some Brothers 3 pizza which we came home and had with my parents and Tessa's friends Claire & Katie.

Today was ANOTHER first, in a line of FIRSTS that we are facing, but today, all I can say is that I must have been totally bathed (smothered) in prayer, because it was a WONDERFUL day!  I thoroughly enjoyed it and am going to sleep tonight (in clean sheets that smell so good from drying out on the line - I LOVE THAT) with a smile on my face for the BLESSINGS that HE has bestowed upon me, and for the FAITH that He allows me to grab hold of - the faith that He has NOT left us nor forsaken us - we are His precious children!

"Be on the lookout for what I am doing in your life . . . worship   Me by living close to Me, thanking Me in ALL circumstances" ~ Jesus Calling

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18