Aleah Masters

Update: Timm had a day without a headache yesterday. Praise the Lord! Hopefully we are starting to see some positive results.

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Yesterday, a dear family friend of my husband's went to be with the Lord. Aleah Masters was a wonderful woman. She, her husband, and kids were long-time neighbors and friends of Mike, his parents, sister and brother. All the kids still keep in touch. His sister, Jodi and Sharon are best friends. They talk a lot, are there for all the joys and tragedies and heartaches. Tom and Darrell are close and we are all thrilled every time we see them. I know that sounds weird, but it is true. Even in the sorrowful times, we love to see them. They are extended family.

Even though funerals are sad times and I cry at most of them, it is nice to see our friends and family. Sad to say, but sometimes it is the only time we catch up. Everyone is so busy and moved around and away, and none of us seem to be able to make time for everyone. So we get together and see each other for a few hours during the visitation and funeral. Is this not a sad commentary of life in the United States?

Aleah was like a mom to Mike. When the kids were born, Aleah and Harrell were one of the first people Mike took them to see. Aleah never minced words, was a wonderful cook and I always thought she was funny. She always told of how she came up to Ohio with her husband, did not know a soul. How she moved in and set up house and got to know her neighbors. That was when neighbors really got to know and depend on each other. She developed Alzheimer's several years ago, but in the last few months, just not done very well.

We pray for the Masters family.

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Have you ever felt hopeless? I mean that even though you know what you are doing is for the best and what God wants, people are not going to be happy? Why do we feel guilty if we know that what we are doing is in God's plan? Because we do not want to see our family and friends unhappy. We want them to be always happy and love us, but that doesn't seem to be the way of humans.

We are very complex people. Some of us try to make everyone happy all the time, which is impossible. Some of us seem to want to make everyone upset and mad. That seems to be easy to, doesn't? Life isn't about how fair things are. If it was, we all would be on the same level in every aspect. But we are not. Some of us are lucky in love, some of us are lucky in money. Some of us are bad at money and some of us are bad at friendships. That is what we have each other for. To help each of us through the good and the bad times. To help us celebrate the love we have for God and each other as well as wallow in our self-pity and share our sorrows.

I know God wants us to rest on each other and depend on him. To do that you have to share your thoughts and your lives with each other. Fellowship is the best way to do that. Join in when things happen at church. Join a small Bible Study group. Become a part of choir or help with the youth. Be around others that are like-minded in Christ.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Trusting Friends

Yesterday afternoon, I took Allie shopping for a Homecoming dress. It was quite the experience. She seemed to know where she wanted to go, and her friend Austin, and Timm went with us. Now, Allie does not have a date to go with, (which is fine with Mom and Dad), but she was in a great mood to try on clothes, which doesn't happen often. She even let the boys pick out a couple of outfits for her to try on.

She had us laughing at some of her descriptions of how some dresses fit. Two of them, she wouldn't even come out of the room because she stated that they were not covering enough of her. But in spite of it all, we had a successful trip and she is now the proud owner of a pretty Homecoming-esque dress. Everyone approved. Well, except Dad. He stated that it was too revealing, but that is his job to say that.

I asked Allie who all are going to the dance and she said she had no idea. She says everyone she asked if they were going were either not going or not sure yet. She is kind of disappointed in her "friends" because they do not seem in to going. Austin is going, but not as her date.

She is pretty excited about getting dressed up and going to this dance. I hope she does it. Her self-confidence is good, but she is wanting to have fun and do more with her friends. To her, friends are very important right now. They are what matters and for her, they are hard to come by. Trust is a big issue with her. Luckily, we all know that God can be trusted and he will bring her and you what is needed. It may not be understood, but God has that plan for you and when it unfolds, you will go, "Oh, now I see."

Psalm 31:14 "But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."

Let us all pray we have the trust that God will bring us through whatever we need.

Love Them

I am sad today. One of my favorite teenage crushes has died. Patrick Swayze, the actor who made dancing cool in the nineties, being a bouncer glamourous, and making us believe that love transcends death, has died. He was definitely an actor that I did enjoy watching on the big screen. How will he and the other actors of this year that have died be remembered?
There is quite a bit of controversy around Michael Jackson's death. Farah Fawcett may be remembered 20 years from now as a beautiful pin-up poster. Ted Kennedy will be history books, I am sure. But what about all the brave soldiers who died fighting in the war in Iraq and other countries around this globe? Family, friends and admirers will all miss them. Their names may be honored on a plaque in their hometown or in their family home. But you and I will never remember all of them. Only the people who have touched our lives in some way.
Do you want to remember someone in a special way? Do you want those around you to know how much you care? Tell them every day. This world needs more of us to tell each other that we love them and we care for them. I have a group of friends that I talked to just about every day. I have my family, but these people I make sure to tell every day that I am thinking of them or I care for them. It is now a habit that we all have. It makes me feel better that they know how I feel and that they are as comfortable telling me how they feel.
To each of you that read this, I want you to know that I appreciate you. I love you with the love of the Lord. James 2:8 "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right."
Tell someone today how you really feel. You might be surprised in their reaction, or you might feel closer to them.

Yesterday, two friends at church sang a song and dedicated it to my Dad. Most of you know that my Dad has just gone through 3 months of radical raditation and chemotherapy. The song message was 'if we didn't go through the valley, how could we know that God would lift us up to the mountain top.' They did a great service to him. He was very touched, and so was I. Dad is feeling better and some of his energy is coming back. He can't do a lot of what he use to do, but that's okay. He should not be doing everything he use to do.

Somtimes our valleys are just little dips. Sometimes they seem to go on forever, with little hills and bumps along the way. Which are you in right now? Remember that God is there for you and will take care of you.

"Be not dismayed whate'er betide.
God will take care of you.
Beneath His wings of love abide.
God will take care of you.

Chorus:
God will take care of you
Through every day o'er all the way.
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
when dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
(Refrain)

All you may need he will provide,
God will take care of you;
nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
(Refrain)

No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
lean, weary one, upon his breast,
God will take care of you.

Words by Civilla D. Martin
Music by W. Stillman Martin