Teach Me Thy LOVE Beyond Compare

O teach me what it meaneth,

Thy love beyond compare,

The love that reacheth deeper

Than depths of self-despair! 

Yea, teach me, till there floweth

In this cold heart of mine

Some feeble, pale reflection

Of that pure love of Thine.

Lucy A. Bennett

Happy Birthday Blessings to Caroline

I'm a tad bit early, but I wanted to jumpstart the JOY February 26th brings as we celebrate the gracious, long awaited and prayed for gift that Caroline is to our son, Mark Stephen, and our family.

We are extremely thankful MS's pursuit of you was because of your faith and desire to align your heart and life in accord with God's word. 

Your beautiful eyes and smile, "adorable", fun-loving personality, and curly hair are huge pluses too!  <hehe!>

Thank you for being a tender-hearted, organized, loving, and health conscientious wife to our much loved son, and for being united with him in the very valuable life altering lessons of a covenant marriage relationship!  

We continue to pray, "May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ" (2 Thessalonians 3:5).  

We love you, Caroline. 

Happy Birthday!!  

We're looking forward to celebrating together. 

Our Savior is the Treasure

In heav’nly love abiding, No change my heart shall fear;

And safe is such confiding, For nothing changes here.

The storm may roar without me, My heart may low be laid,

But God is round about me, And can I be dismayed?

Wherever He may guide me, No want shall turn me back;

My Shepherd is beside me, And nothing can I lack.

His wisdom ever waketh, His sight is never dim;

He knows the way He taketh, And I will walk with Him.

Green pastures are before me, Which yet I have not seen;

Bright skies will soon be o’er me, Where darkest clouds have been.

My hope I cannot measure, My path to life is free;

My Savior has my treasure, And He will walk with me.

Anna L. Waring, 1850

Grannie Maude loved children;  she loved her four boys, her grandchildren, and especially her great-grandchildren!  
It always brought soo much joy to my heart to visit her, especially after she went to live at Bayview Nursing Home in her hometown of  Nahunta.  
Grannie had lived in her home alone until late January of 2000 when she fell down her side steps and fractured her thigh.  She was 89 at the time and needed rehabilitation care.  We all knew it would be hard for her to be away from her home of approximately 58 years!  
If I remember correctly, she recovered well from the fracture, but then she began having bone on bone knee pain, so any hope of her returning home, at least from my perspective, quickly diminished, because she would not be able to walk and move around her home.  I'm thankful Bayview was able to welcome and care for her.  It was a very lovely place, but we all knew Grannie missed her home immensely.  

Seeing this picture stirs me to tears and joy for knowing how much Grannie appreciated our visits.  She knew it was a little more than a hop, skip, and a jump over for us to visit, and required much effort on my part to rally Mark and the boys and a baby together to drive an hour and a half north.  The hard work was definitely the preparation and energy to make it happen.  Of course, being at Bayview required some concerted effort from both Mark and I to make sure all three children weren't loud and distracting to the residents there, but for the most part, they did well, and the residents adored their faces, voices, and behavior.  The children were a delight to their eyes.  
One of our favorite places to retreat to was the dining area, which had a large enclosed case of finches close by.  There were soo many small birds flitting and flying around.  The back of the case had wire secured with nesting material so the birds could retreat and come out to socialize with the other birds.  They appeared to really enjoy their large home.  Our children loved watching the birds as much as I did.  

Oh, how I wish we could go back and relive those precious days of visiting Grannie, and enjoy her fellowship.  How I wish I could linger a little longer in a conversation with her, and talk about the matters on my heart, to glean from her many years of living the fruit of her labors and the fellowship she enjoyed with the LORD.  
The consolation I have in this impossibility is knowing her body is whole and her faith is perfected in the presence of Jesus her Savior.  
I'm extremely thankful the LORD has given me sweet memories of my Grannie Cleland, and that one day we will be reunited to worship the LORD for eternity, our Savior and Treasure!!   

Ministers Who Do His Will

"The shop, the barn, the kitchen, and the office become temples-
when men and women do all to the glory of God!"
Charles Hadden Spurgeon

Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!  
Psalm 103:21-22

























This is my dear friend, Nancy, doing what she enjoys three days a week while ministering grace and encouragement to those who need her, especially those, like myself ,whose path took a turn they were not expecting. 
She ministered to me, and still does.
Twenty years ago, she took a personal journey down a hard road, and she testifies of how God lead her every step of the way.  Her testimony of hope, and her experience of healing grace, has encouraged my outlook and faith greatly.  She is a living testament of God's care for her through the people He placed on her path just as she and others have been for me.  She is a minister... a balm of comfort to those who need it most in a timely way. 
I could not be more thankful!!
The LORD continues to show mercy and compassion to me daily as I continue taking steps of faith along the way to trust His care and provision.  He truly has sufficiently provided, and He continues to give light for the steps in front of me.  I am learning He will sufficiently provide for the days ahead.   
Had He never lead me down this path, I can assure you, I would have never chosen it on my own, and I realize I would have never learned how tender He would be.

"He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).

I am soo very thankful for the faces, the names I cannot remember, who continue to minister God's will to me for my good, and for His glory!!
I still recall Pastor Shane's statement the Sunday before this journey began, "The glory of God is enough to sustain me", and the LORD has proven this sooo true for me!
Thank you, LORD!

Birthday Joy Bubbles Over

I cried for a few days after I saw my doctor that Tuesday.  I was 39 weeks and one day, and wasn't expecting to hear his suggestion for me to be admitted Friday morning for induced labor!! I'd not had an induction before, and it had never been my desire to schedule a birth.  I loved having surprise babies, but after hearing and sharing the doctor's concerns with Mark and our mothers, I was out numbered and urged to consent to the doctor's plan.  I called to confirm that plan the next morning so they could put me on the schedule. 

There was no harm, I thought, in asking the Lord to bring this baby before Friday, so I prayed!  If this baby didn't come before then, I was resolved to believe an induction was what He desired for me.  My doctor said I was very induce-able.   That encouraged me, but I still prayed for a natural jumpstart to my labor! 

After examining me that day, my doctor was sure this baby was over 8 pounds, and possibly bigger, though I was still a week away from my due date.  Because my labor with Matthew was uneventful, and QUICK, my doctor also desired to minimize risks, especially that of not making it to the hospital on time.  That comforted me, because that too was a concern of mine.  I was not too keen on the idea of a home birth, though I had friends who wouldn't birth a baby anywhere else.

I admire their faith.

As it turned out, the evening before my induction, we stopped by to visit my parents, then took the boys to their cousins' house for a sleepover, just a mile away.

Katherine was born the following morning in less than four hours following the start of my drip at 7 a.m.

Looking back now, I am thankful for her birth story.  She weighed 9 pounds and 8 ounces at four days early. 

I'm not sure how or why she was soo big, but I birthed her without any complications. What a praise! 

Off and on during my pregnancy with Katherine, and also during my labor, a reoccurring prenatal heart arrhythmia issue was detected and monitored, but resulted in little information to form a conclusion as to why it was happening.  During my labor, my doctor and delivery nurse notified the neonatal cardiology team there that day, and they were standing close by should they find our baby was in distress. It turned out she came through the delivery fine, and they allowed me to hold and nurse her before examining her. 

The team of neonatal cardiology doctors then took her away to examine and run tests on her throughout the day.  Because of their concern, I was concerned.  I cried a good bit that day. 

By 8 pm that evening, a neonatal team of doctors came in to my room to inform us that the issue surrounding Katherine's irregular heart rhythm was associated with an electrical issue that they could not determine the cause for.  They said it was not an uncommon issue, but that it would take time to monitor.  They prepped her to wear a heart monitor for a couple of days, and soon thereafter brought her to me to nurse.  I could not have been more relieved and happy!! 

Following our discharge from the hospital two days later, we followed up with both our pediatrician and cardiology team of doctors for regular visits.  They told me it was common to prescribe medication to manage the electrical firing of extra heart beats, but they did not believe she was having enough to warrant that necessity, so we were especially thankful.  

I'm thankful to say,  after three months of follow up visits with the cardiologists, medication was never prescribed, and the irregularities of Katherine's heart rhythm went away.  

We were elated.  

Today is Katherine's  19th birthday.  It's hard to put in words the JOY she has brought us.  In fact, I actually wanted to name her Katherine Joy, but Dad suggested the name Katherine Hannah, and I agreed it sounded better with a short last name. 

Her name means, Pure and Full of Grace.  From the start our prayer has been that the LORD would draw her and purify her heart through the gracious gift of Himself.  We have seen this answer to prayer come to fruition in her life.  

When Katherine was young, she never met a stranger.  She always spoke with confidence, much like her oldest brother MS, and it was no surprise that she  brought a smile to everyone she met. She has a special gift for loving and serving the LORD and others.  I am thankful for the many ways she has loved and served me from an early age.

I'll never forget when someone nicknamed her "Joy Bubble".  There couldn't have been a more suitable name that soo perfectly described her enthusiasm for life.  After losing two babies to miscarriage,  I prayed for a year that the LORD would heal my fearful heart for the losses, and restore the desire I had for another baby.  He did.  What a JOY!   When I learned of my pregnancy, the LORD truly gave me a peaceful and joyful heart for carrying another baby.  It was a JOY to give Dad a positive pregnancy test for Father's Day that year, 1998.  It was especially fun to surprise him with the good news.  He and the boys were elated.  Family and friends began asking the boys if they wanted a brother or a sister.  Mark Stephen, being the contented, easy to please personality he was, always responded by saying, "I'd like to have a baby brother or a baby sister", but Matthew?  He would say, "It's a sister, because I prayed and asked God for her."  We were concerned that his confidence might be disappointed, for knowing, the LORD may not give him a sister, because after all, Dad always said, "I want four boys.  You can have what you want after that."  So, my question was, "Who's prayer would God answer?"  

When Matt's prayer was answered, we had great reason to rejoice that day when Katherine was born.  I thanked the LORD for giving me a daughter, but we were as much relieved Matthew's prayers were answered when he received a sister.  

I wish time would slow down... 

All of a sudden, our children have grown up soo quickly...

Katherine and Grace after spending the day together. 

Counting all these blessings and more for the gift You are!!  

We love you, Katherine!  

Most Beloved

"There are some who by God Himself are brought into manifold temptations, and are suffered to experience much darkness in their souls.  And though at first sight it should seem as if these persons were less beloved of the LORD than others, the truth is, that they are often to be found amongst those that are His chief favorites: "Whom the LORD loveth, He chasteneth;" and usually, those most, who are most beloved." 
Charles Simeon Commentary on Psalm 88

The "I Will..." Meditations of My Heart

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2

The LORD is leading me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake...a daily journey to show me the "By faith..." steps of my journey are more about Him than myself.

When I am tempted to say, "I can't...", He shows me daily, He can, and He does!  
My heart is being transformed by His grace to believe by faith that where He leads me, I can follow.  

Caroline's Christmas Kitty

How often, LORD, our grateful eyes

Have seen what Thou hast done,

How often does Thy love surprise

From dawn to set of sun. 

Amy Carmichael

It's truly not difficult to see the many joys God sets before us when we're least expecting.  
A surprise we enjoyed recently was having this precious little kitty in our home for about 20 days.  
She was pure delight, and the LORD knew the timeliness of her presence would be a sweet gift to me.    

I miss her little tigger self;  her name is Tilly.


Katherine and I went to our local humane society in early December, per the request of Mark Stephen, to find a Christmas gift for Caroline.  Our reason for going so early, was to see the kittens they had available before they were boxed up and taken to the fairgrounds for their huge December Mega Pet Adoption Sale.  Their packing process would begin on Wednesday around noon, so we went Tuesday afternoon.  <smile>

We were thrilled to help MS out, but knew there would be the great risk of our emotional heart strings left dangling when it was all said and done.  And... yep, they were! 
Who doesn't know there's a cost to pay for living to love?
We also knew there would be many sweet surprises to capture during the days we would enjoy her.  

So, we arrived at the JHS, and there was only one kitten available to see.  Of course, she won our hearts immediately!  She was adorable.  However, the volunteers told us there were more coming back from surgery in just another 30 mins, so we waited. 

When the first wagon of boxed kittens were brought to the kitty room, you can imagine our reactions!  They were all soo adorable. 

This long haired grey kitten immediately captured Katherine's heart.  She was still a little groggy while waking up from her sedation, but she was a beauty! 
I'd naturally already fallen in love with the first kitty, so we had to talk and discuss, and talk more, before I agreed, "Yes, I did say, 'It'd be neat to find a little grey kitten for the newlywed Grays.'"   So, the process of choosing her was quick, and had to be, because I could have fallen in love with all of the kittens, and couldn't linger much longer in that room.  

Yes, I cried, but I dried my eyes, and kept on going, while I prayed that the LORD would give the first little kitty a special family that would love her the way she deserved to be loved.  When one lady saw me wiping my tears, she said, "But they're buy one, get one."  "Yeah, I wish I could get two, but no thank you!  We can only get one today."  So we waited our turn to be checked out, and we left very happy to take our new little "Caroline's Kitty" home. 
She was ready!  

Upon our arrival home, we immediately set up her lodging in our master shower stall, with the box she came home in.  We had a spot for her food, water, bedding, and litter box, and even squeezed in another grey kitty to keep her from feeling alone.   

  







We'd used the shower stall when Calvin was a kitten to keep him contained, and it worked extremely well.  Caroline's kitty could see us through the sliding glass shower door, and we could see her, as she adjusted to her new temporary home during the night.  
during the day, we enlarged her space until she felt comfortable in the bathroom.  

I think the most fun we had initially was sending pictures to Mark Stephen... He loved receiving them, and I loved being assured he adored her.  

This was Caroline's kitty's first selfie....  

>*.*<  CHEESE!!


Her first introduction to Grampy Gray...

Her first shopping adventure to PetSmart with Aunt Katherine and I the next day.... (I know that was risky, but Katherine insisted! I was nervous about her jumping out of that purse the entire time, but she didn't.  She was just as nervous!)

Her first yummy, stinking food meal mixed with the boring dry food the humane society sent home with her.  That wasn't yummy enough, so that's why we had to take her shopping to pick out more appetizing canned kitten food.  She loved it, and smacked it up!  
A hungry kitty could not have good eating manners... Sorry Caroline!  

Her first photo session...because we thought Daddy needed to see how beautiful she was.  He said, "She's gorgeous!!"  He was right!  

Daddy was soo drawn in by the photos, he had to come for a quick visit the following afternoon after work so he could meet her in person.  We thought that was pretty cool, because we wanted Caroline's kitty to know how extra special she was that he took the time to make a special effort to visit with her.  I think she was convinced then how extra, extra special she was!!  

As the days passed by, we sent many more pictures to "Daddy"...

First discovery of how fun toilet paper was to play with when Grammy Gray wouldn't wake up one morning... 

Her first computer lesson with Uncle John...though notice how disinterested she was!  

Until he showed her how fun it'd be to follow the arrow on the computer screen, and he was right...  

Not sure why the video isn't working... : (
There are many more photos I wish I could share, but I'll save them for another post. 
These last few though are extra sweet...

We can't say we endured not using the shower for that many days, because honestly, we had a blast needing to share that space!  For 20 days we had a 5th kitty in the house, hidden away so when Caroline came over, we would not risk letting her hear "Little Miss Kitty" as we also called her, playing wildly with the bouncing ping pong balls across our hardwood floors upstairs, or pouncing down off the bed, or mewing at the other cats laying in front of the bedroom door, waiting and wondering, "Why on earth will you not let me in?"  The master bedroom became her extended play area when we were home so she'd get the exercise and interaction she needed to socialize well.  We knew her adjustment to change would be easy, and it was. 

She even let me read to her a few times in the evenings  before bedtime...ha!  But her attention span was much too short!  
One of my most favorite times with her was nap time.  When it was obvious she was winding down and tired, I'd scoop her up and zip her up into my jacket to hold her close... She didn't seem to mind that at all. 

I enjoyed every minute of loving Caroline's kitty, but when the day came to give her to Caroline, we were thrilled for knowing how much joy she'd bring to Caroline and Mark Stephen.  

I regret not getting pictures of Caroline seeing her kitty for the first time... it all happened so quickly.  

We've visited Tilly once since she moved to her new home, and seeing her in her own home environment was a joy.  She's a very active little thing, and for the short time we saw her, she was thrilled to come out of her room, the downstairs bathroom, to greet us as guests to play.  

If every little Grand-kitty could be as sweet and loveable as Tilly, I'd be willing to risk loving and losing a few more... ha!  

"What greater gift than the love of a cat."

James Herriot