Church Family...

A church home...a church family...something I guess I've always taken for granted because I've always had one. Matthew (and Sarah and Aaron) have not. Oh, they've gone to church pretty regularly but not to the same church and not long enough to cultivate relationship, friendship, that sense of family and support you find when those relationships are made. So it was eye-opening when a few weeks ago Matthew said, "It's kinda cool to go to the same church all the time - where people know you." Then yesterday after church, he helped wash dishes after the teen fund-raiser lunch. (OK, he didn't volunteer to help, but he still helped). Afterwards, he said "I actually have a friend at church. Not just one you say, 'hey, what's up,' but we really talk..." It goes right along with what Ron and I have been reading in the Purpose Driven Life Book, God designed us to be part of a church family. Now I see from a new perspective how important it is.

Things aren't as they appear...

Early Tuesday morning, August 24, 2010... at 4:00 a.m., I wake up to Ron's alarm going off. I reach over to wake him up, but he's not there. I look in the bathroom - nothing. I look in both boys' bedrooms - they are sound asleep but no sign of their dad. I go downstairs, he's not on the couch, or at the desk. I feel around in the predawn darkness for his cell phone - it's gone... I look in the garage, empty except for my car. I go outside, the driveway is empty, his car is gone... when I come back in and go back upstairs to our bedroom, his wedding ring is on the dresser. At first glance it might seem like a troubled relationship...but things aren't as they appear.

Ron has trouble with his esophagus tightening up if he's really, really hungry and eats too fast. Last night, we were trying to have a nice going-away-to-college dinner with Sarah (who is going to Pepperdine tomorrow), but it's not working. She's tired, Ron's throwing up every couple of bites cuz the first two pieces of meat are lodged and not moving up or down. Sarah leaves at 8:00 p.m. Ron continues to have problems (it's never been this bad before). But just before we go to bed, (after vomiting for the 10th time) he thinks the problem has resolved itself ... I was just about to ask if he wanted to go to Urgent Care, but when he said he thought he was OK. Well, I didn't ask...

So, when I couldn't find him this morning -there was a brief moment of panic and then I figured he probably drove himself to the ER. Why didn't he wake me up? He thought I would be too sleepy from my sleeping medicine the night before and he would be in better shape to drive than I would plus I have to take the kids to school. Still it would have been nice to at least wake me up!

I tried calling the hospital, but had trouble getting through until around 6:00 a.m. when my alarm went off. Sure enough, he was there. They were going to sedate him to remove the two pieces of bar-b-qued rib from his esophagus. I would need to come pick him up because he wouldn't be able to drive. I got there just as they were about to begin...it only took about 30 minutes and then he was awake enough for me to see him. CRAZY!!

But the empty bed, the wedding ring on the dresser, the car gone - things are not as they appear most of the time...

Wuv, Tru Wuv

Ron and I had watched The Princess Bride Saturday night - so, 'wuv, tru wuv' was on our minds. Then last night, we're sitting around the dining table talking to Aaron and Matthew and in the course of the conversation we find out that the parents of one of Matthew's friends is getting a divorce. (The guy was having an affair, just 'wasn't interested' in his wife anymore. Now, after many years of marriage and 5 kids, he's not interested anymore ...pah-leese!) Anyway, we kinda talked about what true love is, that the warm-fuzzy-lusting-feelings can and will come and go in a long relationship, BUT true love, real love does last forever and is what marriage is really all about. The kids seemed to understand...

A little later, Matthew came downstairs while I was watching TV and he said, "It just dawned on me. All of my friends parents are divorced now. It's like an epidemic." He paused, "But it won't happen to you..." "No," I assured him. "It won't happen to us." It's such a sad commentary on life right now for so many people. How desperately we need to pray for the protection of our marriages, pray for the future wives and husbands for our children. Satan is having his way right now, and people are suffering, lives are shattered. But ...

Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam... wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva... So tweasure your wuv. (from the movie, The Princess Bride)

Life Right Now...

Yesterday was the first day of school. It's a milestone day this year - it's the first day of Matthew's first year in high school, it's the first day of Aaron's last year in high school. And, how cool is it that they can experience this milestone together ... brother to brother.
But school starting changes 'life right now.' Because ever since school ended a few months ago (wow, the summer went by fast), I've enjoyed my mornings and breakfast alone - that sounds a little weird since one of the reasons I give for getting married again is to have someone to eat dinner with :) and that's still true. I want and need someone to share dinner, but I love breakfast alone - just me, my coffee, favorite cereal, 1/2 of an english muffin with homemade apple butter (from my grandma's recipe), and whatever book I'm reading at the moment... ah, a peaceful way to start my day.
Now, just as I'm sitting down to breakfast there are two boys running down the stairs, throwing back packs on the floor, fighting over who gets to use the toaster first... laughing, punching each other (the way brothers do you know)... so, I close my book, say good morning, and believe it or not... enjoy life right now.