"If you were to remove from the Bible all the stories about afflicted men and women,
all the psalm of the sorrowful, all the promises for the distressed,
and all the passages for the children of grief, the Bible would be a small book.
It is clear not only that the poor and needy are observed by our great King (Psalm 139:3) ,
but also that the Holy Spirit's pen has been greatly occupied in recording their affairs......
When your situation is recorded on high, it will be worthwhile to be among the poor,
the despised, and the sad, for you will magnify the dignity of our Lord.
Praying in the Holy Spirit, I say this to bless and cheer some depressed saint."
C. H. Spurgeon
Psalm 139:3 (CEB)
"You study my traveling and resting.
You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways."
This Christmas was hard for me and it wasn't until a few days afterwards that I figured out why that was true. Just like last year, Mike's Mom and his brother's family drove down from Ohio and we stayed in a Residence Inn. Mike did not stay with us this year, but we were able to pick him up from
10-5 both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. He didn't do as well as he did at Thanksgiving, but no aggression or real agitation either, so we were thankful. He would get stuck saying "no" for a while every now and then and was a bit impatient at times. We enjoyed eating out, playing games at the hotel, a mid-afternoon worship service on Christmas Eve and a big traditional Christmas meal on Christmas day, plus a nice walk in
the afternoon. Mike has a very hardy appetite and although he doesn't talk a whole lot, he thanked his family for coming and enjoyed the time with us. It was especially wonderful to be able to
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Fun in a photo
booth! We tried
to get a Christmas
border & ended
up with this! |
go to a worship service with him and hear him singing. There were no difficulties getting him back to CSH either evening. He just said goodbye and went right in with the staff. I felt anxious before we picked him up on Christmas Eve and became quite emotional when we dropped him off on Christmas day. There's been an underlying sadness within me throughout this Christmas season which has been hard to shake. In the days following our time together, I think I figured out the reason for my sadness. Last year he was so much
better than he had been, so Christmas was very exciting, encouraging, and brought a lot of hope. This year, he's much the same as he was last year. When we took him back to CSH, he was anxious to get inside because it was time for supper. With prompting, he gave quick hugs to his family and then just he and I went inside. He was in such a hurry to get to the dining hall that he could barely spare a moment for a quick kiss before he disappeared behind the door to get his coveted supper meal. I gave the staff his Christmas gifts which they had to comb through and separate into different areas with very few things actually going with him to his room. While I waited for this to be done, the sadness overwhelmed me and I could not hold back the tears. Thankfully, one of his favorite staff members, Jay, was on duty and when she came to let me out of the door, she gave me a big hug and assured me they were taking good care of him. I'm thankful he is fairly content, it's just painful to see what he has been "reduced" to - where food is of such importance in his life and family is dismissed without a thought....seemingly. Mark, Jenney, Maggie & Sam helped soothe my broken heart through compassion and prayer before we drove back to the hotel. They headed to the pool and Mom Rice and I enjoyed some quiet companionship while working on a jigsaw puzzle.
Keegan, Amy & Aria spent Christmas with Amy's family this year, but we were able to video chat with them. Of course, Caleb and Anastasia were in Arizona, but we were able to briefly video chat with them and see our
grandson! Watson Alexander Rice was born at approximately 11:00 pm Arizona time on Christmas Eve (1:00 am Christmas day, our time!). He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21 inches long at birth. He is adorable, healthy and has a good strong cry! We are so blessed to have 2 beautiful grandchildren now and so thankful that they are healthy. It was a long day for Anastasia & Caleb, but all went well and they went home the day after Christmas. I have the pleasure of going out there January 8-18 to meet baby Watson in person. I can hardly wait! (see more photos at the end of this post)
New Year's Eve during my time with the Lord, the weight of sadness began to lift. The above quote was part of my reading for the day and I took time to meditate on Psalm 139 and Spurgeon's words. It's hard to form into words on paper just what the Lord was speaking to my heart, but I again was made aware of how much the Lord loves, cares for, and thinks of us, His children. It also let me know that I am in good company with many in the Bible who struggled and went through tough times. He knows me intimately and fully, I am totally hemmed in by Him, not in a cramped, confining way, but in a shielded, protected way. It's more than I can comprehend! There is no place where He cannot see me and no sadness or pain where He is not right beside me. There is no darkness with Him. He is my light, my creator, and all His works are wonderful. vs. 16 "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." He knows my story in it's fullness, He's got this! Waking or sleeping, He is still there. This is all true for me, for Mike and for you, O precious child of God. He loves you so much! Don't ever believe anything else. (those last two sentences were in a card I received a few months ago and were another needed reminder at the time.)
Please, if you do not know Jesus as God's Son and what He has done to grant you access to His Father, please search the Scriptures for yourself, let His Spirit speak truth to you, "taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 You may also contact me at mcjrrice@gmail.com. I'd love to talk about Jesus with you. Don't delay. His love and gift of eternal life is for all who seek Him. What do you have to lose? A lot.
To continue the above story...the afternoon of December 31, my niece, Erin, called and said she had spotted and was watching the eagle if I wanted to try to come and see it. There is a bald eagle that lives around here and everyone seems to see it except me. I have looked and looked for over a year probably, but it has always eluded me. I've even prayed at different times that the Lord would allow me to see it as a sign for various prayers for Mike's situation. I hear and see a hawk fairly often, which thrills my heart every time. I think they are so beautiful and I really like to hear their screech. Anyway, I rushed out the door and headed to the back field. As I passed the first fence posts, there sat 2 hawks - one on each side of the road - so I was able to see them fly off and observe their beautiful wing markings. As I approached Erin's car, I could see a white spot in the top of an old bare tree. Sure enough! It was the eagle turning his majestic head this way and that looking for a tasty morsel. I sat and watched him for a while and then drove slowly closer and closer, stopped and opened the sunroof and poked my head out to look at him, then a bit closer, and watched him fly away. Beautiful! Wings spread wide, white tail and head. He flew around to the other side of the strip of trees and after driving a bit more, I could still see him. I don't know why, but it just thrilled my soul to see this great creature soaring across the sky and it somehow fit with the release the Lord had given me in His word in the morning. A lightening of my heart and I praised God for the gift of seeing these 3 mighty birds that He made. It was as if the Lord had given me wings! See? God is thinking of us all the time. This wasn't in response to any specific prayer I had prayed that morning, (The Bible does say that a "wicked and perverse generation asks for a sign", oh dear) but He knew it had been a desire of my heart and in some way it helped to remove the heaviness and brought great joy, praise and a lifting of my spirit. God is so worthy and sends us love notes all the time to encourage us and lift our eyes to Him. I'll leave you with another Scripture quote from my reading of December 31. Give it some thought:
I Corinthians 1:27-31
But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise.
God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong.
And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life--what is considered to be nothing--to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing.
So no human being can brag in God's presence.
It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus.
He became wisdom from God for us.
This means that He made us righteous and holy and
He delivered us. This is consistent with what was written:
The one who brags should brag in the Lord! (Jeremiah 9:24)
Photos of Caleb, Anastasia & Watson
My trip to Arizona was truly restful and wonderful in every way and I thank God that I had the opportunity to go for an extended visit. There were a few airline/airplane glitches along the way, but I had a good book to read and kind, uncomplaining people sitting beside me, so we just waited it out pleasantly. Flying into the city at night was really a beautiful sight with all the various street and house lights shining brightly in the dark. Caleb, Anastasia, and Watson picked me up and once we arrived at their home, I was able to hold my first grandson. He is adorable, of course, and we are so blessed that he is strong and healthy. Caleb had a roast in the crock-pot, so after a hearty meal, shower, adoring Watson, and a bit of talking, I was ready for bed (they are 2 hours behind us). I usually don't sleep well the first night in a new place, but I was out in no time and slept 9 hours! The entire time I was there, I slept at least 8 - 10 hours every night. That is unheard of for me - at least in the past few years - and it was wonderful!
Caleb was working during the week, so it gave Anastasia and I a chance to get to know each other better which was wonderful also. We just hung out at home, reading, holding Watson, taking walks, I did some baking and we did a little bit of weeding while Watson slept in his bassinet-type portable bed. The weather was also wonderful, upper 60's to mid 70's during the day and then down in the 30's or 40's once the sun went down. Lotus, the cat, and I would go sit in the sun for a while and enjoy the warmth. Lotus also became by sleeping buddy. She liked her own space, so we got along just fine.
I had the privilege of going with Caleb to church. (they weren't ready to take Watson out around lots of people yet - smart) The pastor talked with us for a while and shared that Caleb and Anastasia have been a great addition to their small group. Is so nice to be able to picture where they are involved and the service was a blessing. Afterwards, Caleb took me on a drive to show me where he works and then back home we took Watson out for his first stroller ride. Arizona is a very different kind of beautiful compared to the east coast. Most yards are some type of stone rather than grass, palms and cactus replace oaks and pines, flowers were still blooming in January and the city is laid out in squares with straight streets, rather than windy roads.
Caleb took a couple of days off the following week and we did a little sight-seeing. I took lots of pictures, but will just share a few below. It was really great to see a different part of the U.S. and I enjoyed every minute. I had such a fabulous time with the 3 of them and felt more rested and relaxed than I have in years. There were no responsibilities, no time schedule, no agenda or expectations, no worries or cares for 10 days and it truly was wonderful in every way.
We talked, laughed, played Settlers of Catan (a family favorite), watched movies, ate well - even some "nostalgic" (as Caleb said) food favorites and played with and cared for baby Watson. Although I would love for us all to live closer to each other, nothing could please my heart more than the fact that they love the Lord, each other and are settled and happy. It was such a joy to be in their peaceful home and feel their love and care for me, as well. It's actually hard to put into words what my heart feels, but I really have felt better overall since this time with them! My heart is full, my body rested, my spirit renewed and I am very thankful to God and them for that gift.
