Wouldn't it be cool to think that you and the Lord are sitting on your couch in your Heavenly mansion and the Lord says, "Oh, watch this - this is my favorite part! You had no idea at the time, but check out what I had planned!"
Today my Rockstar husband is celebrating his first birthday in Heaven. We celebrated it in HUGE way this past weekend. (which I'll share more with you in just a bit).
Today the kids are going to make those garden cement stones and we're going to have one of his favorite desserts for dinner. Pecan pie. I know many of you are praying for us today and we cherish them all.
This past weekend the kids and I met with what we like to call our "second family" in Bastrop, Texas. We all gathered at the Ranch where John moved to Heaven. Yes, it was difficult pulling in to town and seeing the last restaurant that we shared together and walking through the grocery store where he last visited.
Strangely enough the kids remembered that crazy grocery store trip & commented on how it was Daddy's last trip to buy groceries!
We all gathered around the tree and it was blazing hot - but no one really seemed to notice. One of the men spoke about the former governor of Texas - James Hogg. Hogg told those around him that he didn't want a headstone when he died - he wanted a pecan tree. Then he wanted the fruit of that tree spread over Texas so Texas would be known as a fruit bearing state!
Everyone agreed that this was the spirit of John Franklin! After everyone had a chance to talk about John and what he meant to them - we shared a beautiful time of Communion. As the elements were being passed around the circle I realized that this was Jordan's 1st Communion! (she got saved on June 8th)
She & I both were in tears! I stooped down to make sure she truly understood what we were doing. And what the bread and the "wine" represented. Afterwards, I shared with her that if her Daddy couldn't be here to administer Communion to her - at least we were at "The Bastrop" (what Jordan calls the Ranch) beside his tree.
No party would be complete without cake & singing! So... later that night we shared his favorite dessert... German Chocolate Cake - and the kids blew out the candles!
I woke up early the next morning. I wanted to go out and see the tree in the sunrise - but paused to read my Bible first. This is what I read... - I just love God's timing - even in His Word.
Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV)
Blessed is the man who walks not
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on His law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
I know there will continue to many "firsts" and we go through life without our Rockstar & Daddy. Today is a big one. But I also know I serve a very big God. In fact, the verses I read today in my One Year Bible brought much healing for a day like this...
Psalm 4:3,7 (ESV)
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself;
the Lord hears when I call to Him.
You have put more joy in my heart than they
have when their grain and wine abound.
Okay... I can see that I have rambled far longer than any blog post should be. I'll close it up.
Happy Birthday Babe! The kids are doing great! They both recently learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and how to swim underwater without a floaty! God is doing some amazing things in my life right now - but I'm sure you already know all the details! We miss you like crazy every day! Can't wait to see you again some day! It's my day to love you more!
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