We buried our sister today
Our souls burn red with pain
No longer will we touch her face
Or caress her skin again
We buried our sister today
God, what have we done wrong
To have her stolen from our arms
When our faith in you was strong
We buried our sister today
Next month she would be three
Searing, ripping, tearing, aching
Emotions overcome me
We buried our sister today
Thank God we have each other
We couldn't walk this path alone
When breathing is a bother
Nancy Joy (June 1963—May 1966)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Thoughts on Turning Fifty-Four
Fifty-four, 54, hmmm, what can I say about being 54? It’s great to be here? I have a few more aches than I did at 20 but oh so much more sense of myself, more confidence and less fear… I know, scary, huh… at least for those of you who knew me then. Why is it that when you finally become comfortable in your own skin—your skin isn't very comfortable any more?
But it's good to be here. It is a time of transition. Our parents are gone. Our grandchildren are coming. I miss friends from my past and family members that have passsed on, but also I look forward to meeting and interacting with the people the Lord will bring across my pathways in the days and years to come. I desire to learn more and more of His ways; to become more and more intimate with Him—and then, to have the opportunity to share Him with others.
With a few edits, I’d like to share the lyrics of one of my favorite
John Denver songs: "Poems and Prayers and Promises":
"I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s time
All the things I’ve done and how it’s been
I can’t help believing in my own life
I know I’m going to hate to see it end
I’ve seen a lot of sunshine; slept out in the rain
Spent a night or two all on my own
I’ve known my boyfriend’s pleasures
I’ve had myself some friends
Spent a night or two in my own home
I have to say it now it’s been a good life all in all
It’s really fine to have a chance to hang around
To lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire
While all my friends and all my fam’ly
Sit and pass the time along
We talk of poems and prayers and promises
Things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone; how right it is to care
How long it’s been since yesterday and what about tomorrow
What about our dreams and all the memories we share
The days they pass so quickly now; nights are seldom long
Time around me whispers when it’s cold
The changes somehow frighten me, still, I have to smile
It turns me on to think of growing old
For though my life’s been good to me – there’s still so much to do
So many things my mind has never known"
I’m glad I raised a family; what’s next for me today?
To love and share and give myself away.
We are given now and now is what we are all about. We have always known that we cannot do anything to change yesterday and that tomorrow has not happened and indeed, may never happen.
This person we are with in this moment, is the most important person. This decision we are making in this moment, is our most important decision. In this moment the choice is ours: regret for yesterday, care and concern for tomorrow, or to expend our energy on what the Lord has put before us to do this minute.
The Lord Jesus said, "take no thought for tomorrow."
Again, I would like to share the lyrics of a favorite song of mine:
Andrea Crouch's "Through It All":
"I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t choose right from wrong.
But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation,
That my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word.
I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own
So, I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do"
But it's good to be here. It is a time of transition. Our parents are gone. Our grandchildren are coming. I miss friends from my past and family members that have passsed on, but also I look forward to meeting and interacting with the people the Lord will bring across my pathways in the days and years to come. I desire to learn more and more of His ways; to become more and more intimate with Him—and then, to have the opportunity to share Him with others.
With a few edits, I’d like to share the lyrics of one of my favorite
John Denver songs: "Poems and Prayers and Promises":
"I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s time
All the things I’ve done and how it’s been
I can’t help believing in my own life
I know I’m going to hate to see it end
I’ve seen a lot of sunshine; slept out in the rain
Spent a night or two all on my own
I’ve known my boyfriend’s pleasures
I’ve had myself some friends
Spent a night or two in my own home
I have to say it now it’s been a good life all in all
It’s really fine to have a chance to hang around
To lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire
While all my friends and all my fam’ly
Sit and pass the time along
We talk of poems and prayers and promises
Things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone; how right it is to care
How long it’s been since yesterday and what about tomorrow
What about our dreams and all the memories we share
The days they pass so quickly now; nights are seldom long
Time around me whispers when it’s cold
The changes somehow frighten me, still, I have to smile
It turns me on to think of growing old
For though my life’s been good to me – there’s still so much to do
So many things my mind has never known"
I’m glad I raised a family; what’s next for me today?
To love and share and give myself away.
We are given now and now is what we are all about. We have always known that we cannot do anything to change yesterday and that tomorrow has not happened and indeed, may never happen.
This person we are with in this moment, is the most important person. This decision we are making in this moment, is our most important decision. In this moment the choice is ours: regret for yesterday, care and concern for tomorrow, or to expend our energy on what the Lord has put before us to do this minute.
The Lord Jesus said, "take no thought for tomorrow."
Again, I would like to share the lyrics of a favorite song of mine:
Andrea Crouch's "Through It All":
"I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t choose right from wrong.
But in every situation, God gave me blessed consolation,
That my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word.
I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own
So, I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do"
Thank you Lord for fifty four years.
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