May 10 Mother's Day

Sunday:  Mother's Day. Oh goody. Another day to feel like a failure ...  or to reminisce how confusing it was to be raised by my parents, or be unliked by my mother. But no. No. No. NO. I do not have to focus on any of that today.

I have much for which to give thanks this Mother's Day. I am almost 72 years old and am somewhat healthy and active. I have three sons. THREE. And I am thankful the Lord let me be their mom, even though I wish I could now make different decisions as I look back on those years of being a single mom. I was invited to come over to Dylan and Kelly's today and we arranged that I would do that after the kids' flag football game. I really wanted to come earlier so that I could see Shane for a little while and try to interact with him--at least tell him that I love him--but then I would interrupt whatever else they were doing during the time Shane would be over. I didn't want to do that because Shane's Sunday afternoons with the family are important and special.

I was reading in Deuteronomy Friday morning (that's how far I am with reading through the Old Testament this year--I've finished the Gospels and am now reading Acts) and came across this verse:

"The LORD your God will cleanse your heart and the hearts of all your descendants so that you will love Him with all your heart and soul, and so you may live!" Deuteronomy 30.6 NLT

I realize that this passage refers to the children of Israel NOT to me personally. But it got me thinking about my DESCENDANTS. I have ELEVEN of them presently: three children and eight grandchildren. If the Lord doesn't return before too long, I will have more and more descendants. My parents, though now dead for many years, have 38 descendants presently. My grandparents have somewhere around 60+ descendants (not counting adopted grandchildren).

Anyway, I decided to ask the Lord every day for the rest of my life to CLEANSE my heart and the hearts of ALL my descendants so that we will love Him as we should and LIVE the lives He wants us to live. Only God can change our hearts, and only He loves us with perfect love. The Bible teaches that oftentimes we don't have what we want because we just don't ask Him--I do, however, pray that God will have His way in all of my children and grandchildren--but now I am going to ask that He will make our hearts CLEAN so that we can truly live a life worthy of what He has done for us. I feel confident that the Lord will answer this prayer for each of my family members.

Anyway after the football game, I drove 3 of the 4 kiddos over to their house with me. We flew paper airplanes around the house, ate a nice meal together, and I was once again thankful for family. My family. It was a nice time with them. I also had a good visit with Dylan, and as much as I am burdened by what we discussed, I am going to choose to TRUST that the Lord will meet the needs of their family. I will fast and pray!

Cal eating his chicken sandwich, which he stuffed with as much chicken as possible ...

Kelly laying out our feast ...

I love you, Kelly-O!

The kids and I hung out downstairs for awhile, folding airplanes and playing video games ...

Erin chewed a piece of gum (from my car) for TWO hours. She was quite pleased with herself.

Dear Aidan. Love you so much.

Aren't these glasses perfect for Callaghan?

I left their house sometime after 7:00 and drove over to say "hi" to Jesse. He was very welcoming and we had the nicest time together. Thank you, Lord. Jesse also gave me the great news that Matthew has moved out to an apartment on his own! Jesse and Kaity helped him with the move yesterday and Matt is now all moved in with his own furniture, etc. He is living in an apartment complex off Plainfield, nearby where he works. I am so happy that Matt has been able to do this--he has wanted to for a very long time. 

Despite my dread all week as I anticipated it, it was a good Mother's Day. I don't have to live in the past--it's not where the Lord wants my head to be. I can be thankful for today: for health and strength, for the finished work of Christ on the cross for my salvation, for my little house where I have been so happy, for my books ... for my ELEVEN descendants ... so much He has blessed me with. Thank you, Lord.