Pages

Sunday, June 19, 2011

oh, how i miss them...

"My flesh and my heart faileth;
but God is the strength of my heart,
and my portion forever"
(Psalm 73:26)


Both of my sons-in-law are pipeliners. We have been so blessed that they have both had jobs close to home for the past year and half or so. Their jobs in Louisiana ended last week and yesterday morning my oldest daughter and her husband left for Pennsylvania for a pipeline job that should last about 6 months. This past week has been a week of trying to spend as much time with my daughter and sweet grandbabies that I could. I miss those sweet faces already, but am so blessed by the many memories that we all share of our time together.


Eli, Mikaela and Mercie spent lots of time with me and papa the last few weeks. (Silas can't spend too much time away from his mama..) I am so blessed with precious children and grandchildren. I stand amazed daily at the goodness and mercy and grace of my sweet Savior.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They spent time swimming with their sweet cousins Bryton and Sawyer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They explored in the 'woods' behind our house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They drew with chalk in the parking lot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was so sad the morning they left. I spent some time hugging all the sweet faces and getting some really good baby sugar. Little Mercie just didn't understand why she couldn't go home with me and her mama and daddy had to pry her little hands from around my neck. She was crying so hard that my heart broke. And is still breaking....


Mercie's smile quickly went from this sweet grin to this:


My heart just hurts each time I see this. Today as they traveled, she has been asking to go to Nana's house. And then she gets mad when they tell her that she can't. That makes me so sad, but the good news is that in a few weeks, we are going to Boston to take our daughter Melissa her furniture and we will go by Pennsylvania on the way home to spend a few days and to see those sweet faces again! Praise the Lord He is so good!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning after the kids had left my house, I found this picture that Mikaela had put in my bible. She always leaves me little notes either under my pillow or in my bible. She said she knows that I will find it there. My sweet girl. I miss her already. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am so thankful for God's Hand in my life. So thankful that He continues to convict and correct. Renew and restore. Reveal and revive. He causes me to seek Him with new passion. Desire Him with new longing. Search for Him with a heart that wants to be like Him. 

I rounded out my first 500 of my 1000 gifts and have had my eyes opened to His continual and infinite Goodness.

501. That my husband has lost 18  pounds in 3 weeks and is feeling so much better!
502. That God has enabled us to walk 2 miles a day together for the past 2 weeks. 
503. That our church is growing in spirit! We have baptized each Sunday for the past 6 weeks! Praise You Lord for the outpouring of your Spirit in our midst and for hearts that are truly seeking hard after You!!
504. God's abundant provision of Him in my life. I need Him more each day and am so thankful that He is always there to draw me, guide me and strengthen me. He is my portion. He is all I need.

"...I am the LORD that maketh all things;
that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;
that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself"
(Isaiah 44:24)
~~~~~~~~
Father God, may I never take you for granted. May my heart continue to seek after You in a mighty way. I thank you and praise you that you are my strength and my shield. You are my portion forevermore. I pray that you will never cease refining me and restoring me. Continue to reveal sin in my life that I may confess and repent and turn away. Strengthen me daily as I do my best to walk in your ways. May I be compelled by your Holiness to be like you. I love you from the depths of my heart with all that I am. 

9 comments:

NanaNor's said...

My sweet friend, I am going to write to you because there is so much on my heart-but the Lord brought you to mind this evening and the need for prayer, so I'm lifting you up dear sister. I know the grief in your heart and that of your entire family-especially your sweet granddaughter.
I also love your gratitude list-it always inspires me to get mine going again.
With love and prayer!
Noreen

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

I already miss them FOR you! The picture of Mercie just got my heart. But already God has a silver lining Beth, delivering Melissa's furniture and letting you pop in to see these precious faces, and I'm betting there will be more trips! Even so, tonight I am lifting you up and praying for God's sweet peace to cover your heart.

xo

Denise said...

Spending 20+ years in the military, I felt like that little one during a few of our moves! :O) The beauty is though distance keeps you a part - sweet memories keep you close in heart.

Praying for your daughter and her family as they settle for a time in PA! Praying for you that the time passes quickly until you are making that trek to Boston and PA!

Denise :o)

Nana Jul said...

Where in PA? My 2 brothers and SILs live in PA, along with my Dad. Email me :) Maybe we could hook them up?! Who knows what God is up to? Could be something AWESOME - cuz that is what He does!
Love ya sweet sista! Praying for you!
Julie

Yolanda said...

I can sense you are looking upon this trip with eager anticipation.

Love,
Yolanda

Anonymous said...

How wonderful to have those moments from your little ones. It was so sweet of Mikaela to give you that cute picture. Praying you have a safe trip.
Love,
Miriam

Wanda said...

Beth I feel your pain. Your pictures are just wonderful. Such love coming from all of them.

For 27 years while we pastored a church in Northern CA, we lived away from our children and grandchildren. I would come down for a week or two when each grandchild came along (all nine of them)...and longed to live close. I wrote letters, sent cards, called...but there is nothing so sweet as living close to all of them now in retirement.

Our grandkis range of 23 to 10 with two great grandsons 2 and 4.

Love your one thousand gifts list...mine is getting close to 200now. I think I will add you to my list...you are such a blessing.

Warren Baldwin said...

Wonderful pictures of your grandkids! Maybe in a few years Cheryl and I will have one :) We do have a daughter getting married in January. Her fiance is going into sports medicine and will work with the KU football team, so they have to wait until football season is over!

Glad to hear your church is doing so well, too. You guys are doing a great job. wb

Beth E. said...

Awww...this post brought a tear to my eye! I know you miss your grandbabies and their mommy and daddy!

I know your visit with them can't come soon enough!

Hugs...