Sunday Morning Reflections

Sitting here reflecting on some things like life, children, friends, family.

You see yesterday we heard some sad news.  Two of our blogger friends were killed in a horrible accident.  Bruce & Margie, from Bruce & Margie's Full Time Journey, were killed by a driver speeding down Highway 101 when he went off the embankment and plowed them down as they were out for their regular morning walk.  Their daughter, Stephanie, shared the news with all of their blog readers yesterday.


Margie was the writer of their blog.  They full-timed in the RV spending time traveling the USA as well as spending time in Tumwater a couple of times a year to be near family.  Family was very important to them.  This past summer they had the wonderful blessings of watching their grands, MacKenzie & Zoey, while mom and dad worked.  Margie shared their many trips, excursions and playing "restaurant" ~ their grands favorite game.  Whenever I read about them playing that game I thought of what beautiful memories for the girls ~ their grandparents were fun playmates.  It warms my heart to know the girls will always have those memories.


They also shared many pictures from their travels and time with family.  Another great keepsake for the family.  My heart aches for Stephanie, her brother, her immediate family and especially for the girls as they no longer have Bruce & Margie to spend time with.    It is just a reminder to me to enjoy each day and each moment that the Lord gives me.  Whether it is with Ron, my own grands, other family and friends.  They are what matters ~ people not things.


We have been blessed to have these few weeks to be here in Lewiston.  We offered to Brandon & Danalyn to keep the boys for the weekend so they could have a weekend away.  We have had a wonderful time (I shared yesterday about our day at soccer & the Pumpkin Palooza).  Hearing the news about Bruce & Margie made me extra thankful for the memories we made yest  day with the boys and using pictures to keep those memories alive.  This morning Max, Christopher and Ron let me sleep in.  Because of that we have changed our plans for the day ~ I woke up too late to go to church so we are just relaxing this morning while Ron & Max watch the Seahawks, eating left over mac & cheese and then we are going to go grocery shopping ~ beef stroganoff is on the menu for dinner as well as some cookie making for Max, Christopher and me.  The sun is shining and so after grocery shopping we are going to go for a little drive and then back to the motor home to make the cookies.   Christopher keeps asking about going swimming so that will be on the agenda after he takes a nap.  Brandon & Danalyn will be home around dinner time so we will all eat together before they head for home to get ready for the week.


I've been thinking about our life and how good it is.  Even though we have faced many different struggles and climbed out of many valleys God has always been faithful ~ even when we were not.  I am thankful for a Lord who loves us in spite of our failings.  I am thankful for the family and friends who have joined with us on this journey we call life.  And I think of what I shared with Charles just a few weeks ago ~ you never know what you have till you don't have it any more. 

I am thinking about our time with the carnival.  We met many new people, some we call our friends.  We saw a lot of the state of Washington and parts of Oregon ~ not always reveling in God's beauty, especially on the dark and rainy days.  One thing we admitted time and time again ~ we so enjoy being together.  Sharing our most inner thoughts, things we saw and people we met.  We realized we like working together and missed it the last few weeks when Ron was working in rides and I was in customer service.  Seeing each other for a half hour in the mornings, if that, and maybe that much in the evenings just is not what we like.


We confirmed to ourselves that we like the coziness of our home.  We like being able to sit across from each other in the living room and reach out to touch each other on the leg or tickle the others feet.  We thank God for our little home that we take with us wherever we go.  In thinking about the fire we had last November and wondering if we were going to have to find a new rig ~ we are glad that the insurance company paid to repair our home.  

We have been richly blessed with lots of friends and a great family.  As many of you know I faced many difficult issues while the boys were younger.  I am thankful for a Lord who guided me with great Christian counselors and doctors who worked with me in finding the right medication and identifying the many blessings in my life.  Helping me to recognize that being a victim is not how the Lord sees me but as His daughter.  The daughter of a King!  That even though I had things happen to me that no one should have to deal with I am a strong person because of those things.  I have learned how to persevere, to challenge things that don't seem right and find things that are pleasant and enjoyable.  

This last year has been a year of learning.  Learning new things about myself, about what it means to be a daughter of the King, learning new job responsibilities, learning to trust God to provide in ways that I could not imagine.  To trust Him when things were happening that were uncomfortable or embarrassing.  For recognizing His hand not only in the big things (like the motor home dropping the drive shaft near a great Christian mechanic, who had no problems with us staying in the motor home while it was being repaired and it costing $651 when we only had $645 in the bank) and in the little things like finding lost money (it was dropped right outside the door of the motor home one night after work and was still there in the morning) but then again, finding money that we thought we had then lost then found again really is a big thing when you are counting on that money to buy groceries for the week.  Realizing that the things we take for granted are the things we should be most appreciative of ~ family who we have good relationships with, friends who we share the good, the bad, the fun and difficult times, having a place to rest our weary bodies and snuggle in when it's cold outside and most importantly for being loved and able to love back.

I have also learned that things happen that are beyond our control but the Lord is in control and is able to handle them.  For that I am truly thankful.

In closing I want to say thanks for following our blog and keeping up with our little family.  I count you all friends and am thankful for each of you.  Some of you I have never met in "real life" but only through the cyber world.  Some of you have been a part of my life for many years and some just a few short months.  For all of you I thank you for your friendship and love, your support and encouragement, for the laughs and tears ~ you all have helped me to become who I am today.

May God bless you as He has blessed me.  

Alice