June 25, 2012
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Getting Past This….
Nothing unusual here. It’s just the usual! I am loving any time that there is a party. I am in this Need A Party stage. And it’s one I don’t want to go past. I want to be IN it for awhile because it’s more fun than the mundane, ordinaryness of life. I’ve been to 2 weddings and 2 birthday parties in a bit more than one week. I’ve snapped LOTS of pictures. Too many, in fact. I just can’t keep up with them all and people are…………………waiting. And more people want me to do their photos, which I am certainly grateful for! I definately look forward to the brand new baby ones coming up!My kids have been so busy, my head is spinning. I’m grateful for that, too, but before I can say “WAIT!”, they’ll be off to college and Hubby and I will be here, just the two of us. just…the…two.. of US. I can hardly wait to see how we’ll go through that one. It’ll be dreadfully quiet. The house will be dreadfully neat and tidy. The laundry pile will be dreadfully small. The dishes in the sink will be dreadfully few. The refrigerator will be dreadfully empty. The dog will be dreadfully sad. Getting past this initial stage will be interesting. I’m grateful we’ll still have the little Wonders and their parents nearby to bring noise and interest and cuteness into the house. We just need to invite them over again!
The renewing of my mind is something I’m continually going through. I’m learning about spiritual things that are a bit different than what I was taught for years, thanks to Andrew Farley. (www.churchwithoutreligion.com) What a sense of relief and freedom I’ve received from learning what God says.
So many people are suffering. I’ve said that before and I sure don’t want to be Debbie Downer, but golly, my sleep time is shrinking as I pray more at night. Last night I was awakened many times by snoring hubby or my stomach pains or arthritic hip pain or still need that new crown on the tooth pain. Each time I tried to go back to sleep, I began talking to Jesus about this person and that person and what they’re hurting about or what their difficult situation is. I know He does what He does and it’s not always what we want. He does what’s best in the long run for the big picture, for his glory. My one earthly hero is Rhett, who’s daughter died of a brain anuerysm a few years ago. She was a beautiful, fun, smart high school senior who was very popular. Every Sunday, she’d flash me her pretty smile and say a cheerful, genuinely friendly “Good Morning”! When she was suddenly gone, it was a horrific shock. Her memorial service was huge. Many tears streamed from most of the faces there. Rhett was amazing through it all. So was his beautiful wife and their younger daughter. God’s glory held them through and continues to hold them. I have watched them along the way, wondering how it must be, really, but not wanting to feel that kind of pain. I cannot imagine how they are continuing with Getting Past This, other than knowing that God’s strength is bigger than what we can fathom. With that in the front of my mind, I pray for them all the time. I have more thoughts, but lack the ability to put them on here.
There are lighthearted things to write about but I’m tired and can’t think of the funny things. There’ll be no parties tomorrow, unless I throw one just for the heck of it. A Grateful For Party! A Getting Past THIS party! (Getting through some of this Being 55 is reason enough). I love you all.
Edit: It’s a brand new day here in breezy, warm, sunny central Arizona. Birds are chirping, a hawk was in our front yard, the garbage trucks have come and gone. We have our little agenda and trust that things will go accordingly. Sometimes I remember to begin the day with, “Okay, Jesus, what are we doing today?”
Comments (18)
I’m 74 now, and while parties are fun, they’re also tiring, especially when I’m the one throwing them. My daughter thought her kids had left, but 2 of them just moved back home, bringing wives, and a dog. (No grandchildren yet.) So she’s visiting here to escape. There seem to be many stages in life and some of them repeat themselves. So you might as well party as long as you can whenever you can.
i’m going to remember your words – ” It’ll be dreadfully quiet. The house will be dreadfully neat and tidy. The laundry pile will be dreadfully small…” cause today, it’s NONE of those things!! and I NEED A PARTY!!!! =)
love you friend and happy new week!
Thinking about you and your changes that are upcoming and your friend Rhett and his loss. Such a tragic story. I don’t even know them and I sort of hurt for them.
Have a party, invite me. lol
@ata_grandma - Ok, I”ll take your advice and party as long as I can! I do see what has happened to my parents, who are a teeny bit older than you and it makes me think I better have as much fun as I am able to! I do think it’d be frustrating to have kids move back in. I’ve seen near devastation in my own family when my parents allowed my brother to move back in. Loooong, sad story. But, I understand each situation is different and can be helpful. ( :
@grace_to_be - Dollface, if I could bring the party to you, I would! ( 8 I love you and am grateful for all of the wisdom and encouragement and beauty and humor I have been blessed to see on your blog! Hugs!
@bethro78 - Party…you’d be invited! Maybe it should be a Xanga party! I do want to encourage you to pray for Rhett and his family whenever you think of it. Courtney would be celebrating her 23rd birthday on July 6th. Family and friends gather at the cemetary to celebrate her life. More tears yet there is laughter, too.
As much as I don’t like my house getting messy, I dread the day when it will be quiet and calm and clean. (I think
Glad it is a sunny, warm, breezy day by you. It is the same here…75 and perfect! However, hot, hot, hot is coming and it’s supposed to be over 100 by Thursday…so we are enjoying today.
I can’t wait to see your pictures, because I KNOW you are going to post them, right? =)
Happy Monday to you,
I always love your post! You have such beautiful captivating pics! I was quite happy to see you comment to my pulse! LOL Yes I am still here I missed a couple months but I’m back! My friend Jenn came back too
So we promised to post more on a daily basis! I will blog again tonight.. But u should see my current one to be caught up a little bit 
Love and miss ya lots! Praying for the things you have wittnessed your friends endure! When ya lose someone it is by far difficult , escpecially of un-natrual causes, or a way that still leaves ya having questions rather a unexpected accident, or in my case my dad’s suicide…. But truth is.. your right! God’s mercy and his faith never fails! It is surely what has helped me endure I know in the end I did not endure such a tradegy because! I know he will use it for his glory and allow be special opportunities to speak life into lifeless people or encourage people that have lost their hope and show them as long as breath is in their bodies no matter how bad it is THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE, AND FAITH! 
Jesus is always there to catch us and make it right and better for us! 
Prayers and lots of love and hugs for you! Hoping to see you around more too I am gonna try to be … xoxoxoxoxo
cool post.wish i were at more parties lol.
@Elizabethmarie_1 - Yes, I AM going to post pictures! Me with a hat on! 75 degrees sounds so perfect! I hope you have an air conditioner for your house when it gets really hot! Love ya!
I like your party attitude. We are at that stage with no kids in the house but it’s exciting to see what’s next for our kids. It’s funny how you get used to the tidiness, quiet and only worrying about your own likes in the fridge andthen it’s so special when they do come to visit and you get to fuss over them again but then they leave and it’s back to just the two of you….it’s kind of like the best of both worlds!
@Ms_BeautyExpert - Thanks for the love and hugs, Ms. Beauty! And like you said, there is always hope, and faith! I’ll get over to your blog and get caught up on what’s happening in your neck of the woods. <3
@DawneElla - That really does sound like the best of both worlds! (once I get used to it!)
Good Morning Gail! Do you still remember me??!!
As usual, I enjoyed reading your post. You took my emotions up and down……in a good way. How I remember saying goodbye to each of our children. My heart goes out to your friends saying this kind of goodbye to their daughter. We have close neighbors who had a 17 year old dear son killed on a four wheeler. I heard someone say, “We don’t understand God’s ways but they are still God’s ways.” It still takes much time to work through these hard things. I said goodbye to a lovely aunt last week – just three years older than me. She had cancer for about seven months and is gone so quickly. I want to cherish loved ones, daily. I pray for God’s grace and strength for those who miss them so very, very much.
I have LONGED to be on here. This year has been so very full that I felt I had to close chapters for awhile and posting was one – for now. Nevin’s parents went to a Retirement Village because his mother had dementia which came quickly. We spent a lot of time with them. She went Home to be with Jesus in May. I had the privilege to be by her side as she took her last breath; I never dreamed I would have the courage to do that. It was awesome to know when her last breath was taken – the next moment she was in the presence of Jesus. She went peacefully.
We just returned from spending time with our son and his family in CO. We try to do that once a year. This time our daughter and her family went along. What a joy for this mother’s heart to all be together at one time.
I’m not sure how much of a party person I am but what I DO love is spending time with other ladies…..sitting around a table having food, fellowship, and fun is high on my priority list as we all leave feeling encouraged. That was one chapter I felt I needed to continue. There are three of us who have/had mothers in a Retirement Home. Every once in awhile one of us will say, “We need a Erma, Nancy, and Cordy day” as one of us needs encouragement. Looking back over the past six months I see that has happened with quite a few ladies. I guess those are my parties! Right before we left for CO. one of my friends celebrated her 60th birthday. She has had many health problems so the Erma I mentioned invited six ladies to her home to help bless the birthday lady on her special day. She has three sons so it was time for her lady friends to step in and help celebrate this day. I could enjoy those kind of parties weekly!
) Maybe I am a party person afterall. 
It was so good talking to you, lovely lady, and I pray you are having a really good day. I leave here soon to spend a couple hours with Nevin’s dad at the Retirement Home. He is a gentle man who is 89 and my heart goes out to him. Then it’s home to catch up with chores that are waiting. Love and blessings, Cordy
@threejoys - Cordy, I could never forget you, sweet friend! I’ve been praying for you off and on, figuring that life and its busyness had taken you into its realm and away from this “social networking”. Loss of Loved Ones is difficult, to say the least. I can’t imagine being with someone at their last breath. I was able to stand near the foot of our friends’ daughter’s ICU bed. She was already “gone”, but hooked up to life support for her organs so they could be transplanted to other people. Those people’s lives were touched by more than the organs they received. ANyway, it was painful to see her like that, but there was such a peace in knowing WHO’s arms she was in. Yes, I think you’re a party girl after all. We all need a fun little respite from the trials and difficult moments that can drag us down! I just wish I could find the most fun hat I’d ever been given. It was from 2 great friends for one of my birthdays; the silliest, poofiest pink floral thing that sat a bit high. …something that would make the most stern old lady giggle. And OH, we all sure need a giggle now and then, don’t we? HUgs, Gail
@Richgem - It was SOOO good to hear from you again. I hope you can find that special party hat ~especially because of the memories. And – it blessed me to know that you pray for me from time to time. Many thanks. Just yesterday I came across a blog called “I Take Joy” with this explaining the title – “Life is too short to live even one day without God’s joy. I invite you to take joy in life with me.” Today was the first in came to my inbox and she is showing two pictures of what they are seeing from their home in Colorado Springs. What a very difficult thing to watch. My heart can hardly imagine this horror. It was encouraging to read of their faith.
Your dear friends….Rhett and his family. Oh my Gail, how they must miss her presence in their home. I don’t think anyone can fully understand until they walk this valley. I will pray for them. Sometimes it is hard to trust the heart of God. It is then I go to scripture and am encouraged once more. We have friends who lost their 9 year old son in March….he was playing in a pile of freshly ground corn…as boys would do. But he jumped in and suffocated. Last week his dear mommy had a miscarriage/stillborn….a little girl she had longed for. They will bury her in a tiny box beside their very missed Kevin. God is still our faithful Father….our all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present Heavenly Father. “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”
Blessings on your Thursday dear friend.
@threejoys - It’s terribly sad that your friends lost not only their little boy, but their baby daughter, too!!! Their grief must be horrendous. I have seen the I Take Joy blog also…Sally Clarkson, right? I really appreciate her and what she’s doing and I’ve prayed for her family there in CO. I feel very fortunate/blessed to live where there is no fire (right now anyway) or earthquakes or floods or volcanos or tornados, etc. It’s pretty safe and we’re counting the blessings! Let’s keep in touch my friend!
Hello sweet Gail,
I was glad to see your comment…Praise Jesus for my online friends or should I say my online prayer warrior friends lol….I am so thankful for all of you.
I love that idea of the hat pic so I need to get hubby to snap a shot of me in a straw hat lol…:)
I am gonna post tomorrow after my doctors apt….please continued prayers…but I am a bit better….(((
HuGs
)))