For Everything a Season

So, it's been nearly a month since I've updated. It is sometimes hard to believe how fast life can move! This last month, and particularly this last week, has been full of contrasts.

On the one hand, I have Garrett, who announced tonight that he is ready to be baptized. He said he wants to show everyone that he believes in Jesus. We'll be talking with the pastor some more, but this is a step toward eternal life for him!

On the other hand, I have my grandfather, who passed away on Friday night after a long, hard road. He fell off the ladder (or the roof, we're not really sure) in October, and he never recovered. We're sad about the loss of such an amazing man, but we also know he is in a better place now. He never would have wanted to live in the condition he was in. This was the man who thought absolutely nothing of walking up to total strangers and striking up a conversation --sometimes even to the point of knocking on the door of another person's motorhome at a rest stop just to introduce himself. He was not happy lying on his back in a hospital bed. I have wonderful memories of him, and I hope that maybe my kids will remember him at least a little. They are sad about "Grandpa Bill" going to heaven, but they keep talking about how he'll get to see Jesus and Grandma Ruth. So maybe they have better perspective.

In between the earth-shaking moments, we've had a lot of the little, mundane things that often make up life. Paige got a sinus infection and is very happy about having to take her "bubblegum" flavored medicine three times a day! (Thank you to whoever invented that!) Dave is currently on jury duty, and actively praying that he will NOT be chosen for a jury. (We worked on possible avoidance strategies -perhaps saying he believes in the death penalty for all infractions will do the trick??) I attended a 12-hour workshop for teaching, and I have so many good ideas I don't know where to start. Can I have a week off to process and start over? And, Garrett lost his other front tooth, so he can officially sing "All I Want for Valentine's Day is my Two Front Teeth". (It's supposed to be Christmas, but I hope he doesn't have to wait that long!)

So, as usual, life has presented us with a range of emotions and tasks that we must face. Thankfully, Jesus is always with us, so we can laugh, cry, and avoid jury duty knowing that He'll take care of us always!