What fun to receive a Valentines Day announcement by email yesterday from my neice, my oldest sister Dorcas's daughter, about the new relationship a wonderful young man is forming with her, and asking prayer from the extended family as they begin this new adventure in their lives! It is always a blessing to watch God working, providing, and blessing in the lives of my brothers and sisters and their children.
I couldn't help thinking about how I received my very first phone call from my Jonathan
on Valentines Day
when I was an English and Bible teacher in Ukraine.
It was one of the happiest experiences of my life!
How it cheered a lonely day for me!
How it cheered a lonely day for me!
Twenty-four years later, today the Fed Ex van brought me Fresh Cut Flowers to my door--
from my same Sweetheart!
(He told me later he had gotten quite a deal from Groupon plus a coupon, which brought the price down to about 25% the original cost,
or I might have had a heart attack about how much I was afraid he might have had to pay for it!)
Not that Jonathan or I aren't worth full price--ha ha--it's just that we can't spend money like that and meet our bills, too!
At twenty-four years later, our own children are growing up and watching how their parents interact and show love to one another.
They watch us hug in the morning and kiss each other goodbye for the day.
They watch Mom make or set on breakfast for Dad, and plan menus and take care of Dad,
and Dad take care of Mom, bring her flowers on special days or when she is sick and down.
They watch us disagree and then make up--and still kiss each other afterward.
And they are out having relationships with other children, young people, and adults.
It won't be long before, like the airplane the boys are carrying, they will be flying away to start their own homes and families.
Until then, they are learning to interact and get along with all kinds of people,
such as the home school group that we are part of, meeting last week at Black Forest Park where there was this tennis court
where our boys' friends tried to fly an airplane till the wind made them quit.
Rose and Timmy are working down the road for a rancher and his wife a few times a week, cleaning her barn, feeding stock, and disposing of mice!
Sammy was the first one to work for her, and then Carrie, and now Rose and Timmy.
When the family saw the rancher's wife at the National Western Stock Show recently,
she gave Sam a big hug.
She dearly loves Sam, quiet though he is, probably because she is a very clear, straight-forward communicator, and he is very good at listening and obeying and being willing to do the hard or dirty work that they needed help with.
They got along superbly, as do the rest of the children with her as well.
Sammy was the first one to work for her, and then Carrie, and now Rose and Timmy.
When the family saw the rancher's wife at the National Western Stock Show recently,
she gave Sam a big hug.
She dearly loves Sam, quiet though he is, probably because she is a very clear, straight-forward communicator, and he is very good at listening and obeying and being willing to do the hard or dirty work that they needed help with.
They got along superbly, as do the rest of the children with her as well.
We are so blessed that Carrie has had a job now for a couple months at a restaurant that a family we knew from India has started right across from Compassion Ministries. Our children get along well with people from different ethnicities, it seems!
Carrie serves,
clerks,
stocks, cleans,
sweeps, mops, and whatever needs to be done.
We are so grateful that she has good bosses to work for, who enjoy lots of laughter and fun along with all the hard work!
Tomorrow, Rose has been invited for a sleepover at a Christian friend's home.
God has been good to provide us friends from all walks of life.
Stay tuned for news later from my brother Hoshea in North Dakota.
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