Loss and Gain

A long-time friend of the family recently and suddenly lost her husband to a massive heart attack. Her life and the lives of her adult kids are devastated. When sister and brothers in the Lord go through a horrible event like this, our hearts ache for them and our tears weep with them.

Just today on the freeway I was praying and crying for them. I could not believe one day being beside your husband and the next, completely and for the rest of this life, without him. And that is death. An unforeseen thief.

Of course, this man is beholding Jesus and we cannot have pity on him. He is gloriously changed to be like His Savior. Whole. Pure. Unafraid.

Death is like this, it shakes us to the core, forcing us to ponder eternity. Is there a God?  Is there life after death? Am I ready to face whatever there is?

With full assurance, I know I am ready to meet God, that He exists and He offers life everlasting to those who believe in and follow Him.

But are you? Are you scared to die? Do you have questions that make you afraid of this present life? Are you at peace with God?

You do not have to become good to come to God. He wants you broken, with all your scars, your past, your emptiness. Those who are full of themselves, thinking they have it all together, they are good enough on their own, are the ones who have a hard time of surrendering to God. Becoause even if we think we're good, we still are selfish. We do things for the wrong reasons. We are born to love ourselves first, love others and God last. That naturally unloving part of us is called our sin nature. God, Who was never created but is Eternal, has never sinned and is perfect. But like other gods, does He stand aloof, not caring about people, not caring about what happens? The opposite is true. His Son came down to earth, became a man, and sacrificed Himself in death to cover our sins and completely erase them, that we might have a relationship with Him while on this earth and go to be with Him forever when we die.

Must we give Him a sacrifice, or do religious things like pay penance, say prayers, give to the poor, or become a better person for Him to love us? No. The Bible says, that WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ loved and died for us. His gift of eternal life after death offered to the whole world, not a select few. We need only cling to Jesus to save us from our sin(s), our nature of selfishness and "good enough-ness", believe that His death was enough to pay for it all. Its that simple.

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Thus, for my friend, she has lost her best friend and dear husband. But for him, he has gained. He has finally met the Lover of His Soul!

Miss Her

I sure miss her. Upon giggling like a school girl when I got my sweet-smelling soap in the mail, I realized their was only one other person who would have been as excited as me, my grandma.

She was always thrilled at the small things. We will never fully comprehend how much we pass on to the ones we leaved behind. This is something she passed on to me. 

Whether, it's a caramel machiatt"i"as she called it, a drive throught he country, or spotting a wildflower, it just gave her the utmost pleasure.

Its really a gift, to find joy in the simple. To thank God every day for His mercies. To not long for what's not ours, to have our hands loosely holding the things of this earth.

My goal is to keep a journal on here of the Goheen Lodge. I have not updated in a while because...we've been crazy busy!

Last Wednesday (was it only last week?!), God answered a seemingly impossible prayer request (He delights in putting His stamp on things). I found a rental fitting all the perameters we needed and moved in by Saturday. A gal posted the rental ad (not even an MLS) on facebook just after I happened to log in. Immediately, I made the call, returned an application, Mike just happened to be heading to the area (thank you Lord!) and by 1:30 that afternoon, the landlord agreed it was our home to rent. If we had been a moment later, no kidding because another couple walked right up after they shook hands, we would not have gotten it. God's perfect timing. And a nod to the CRAZY market over here right now.

Also, just a week before, we received our permit!!! Day two of excavation. Hoping to head over with the kids to take a peek.

Fun tidbit, Mike was remodelling a home for a customer and because they don't have a care about money, they were literally going to throw out a brand new modern jetted tub just because it was in the area to be redone. Also, they were going to throw out a beautiful door. Little things like this are a blessing!