He would have been

He would have been 91 yesterday. Well, I guess we could still say he turned 91 except where he is, years and birthdays don't matter anymore. Many birthdays spent down here were joyful and crazy. Probably more the crazy on my side than anything. One of those birthdays was special because we totally blew it by him. Tyler, my son's, birthday is one day later than Franks birthday. We invited Frank out for a birthday party. He assumed it was for Tyler. We just never told him. He said later he wondered why there were so many old people at the birthday party. We were having fun visiting and sharing and only when I brought out the cake that said, "Happy Birthday Frank", did he get it.Many times I went to McDonalds, taking a cake or cookies. At least one time I dressed up to be an interesting looking lady, with wig and false teeth. He had no clue it was me until I took off the wig. Boy was that every hysterically fun! Now, we celebrate alone. But then again what are we celebrating? On earth we celebrate days we are alive. What do you celebrate in heaven? Does it matter that we have had birthdays on earth? I have a son who didn't live to celebrate one birthday. Does that matter? So, now that birthdays on earth are over, how do we celebrate the lives of those who made a difference in our lives? Is it as simple as a prayer thanking God for their presence? Or, do we just pretend it didn't happen? Just a question, I have no answer for but a question never the less!!! So Happy Birthday Frank; we loved the time we had with you and I know you are enjoying heaven; probably still looking for a Ford up there too.

Quiet...

It's quiet here. No more teenage son stomping up the stairs from the basement. It's quiet here. Baihley is in college, post secondary and loving every minute. It's quiet here. Addlea is teaching in Singapore and more tired than I think she thought she could be. Summed up in a couple words: growing up and working a real job is hard. It's quiet here. Jim is getting ready for the harvest. He comes in caked in grease and oil and washes himself at the kitchen sink. It's quiet here but it will be noisy again. Not too far away a family is having the same quiet, except their quiet is so loud they cannot think. Their senior daughter, Baihley's age, died when her mini-van hit a parked bus. It's quiet there; deathly quiet. I am so thankful for the hedge of protection God has given me. I am so thankful that my quiet is peace in my heart and that I don't have to worry about fighting in my back yard as they are in Syria. I'm thankful my quiet is peace in my heart because I have a relationship with Christ. I am thankful that the loud things in my heart are probably placed there because of me, not others. I am thankful the quiet is from God and I know that too will pass but for the meantime, God is allowing me to have quiet! And it's a beautiful quiet.