"The Stages of Life"

It is quite evident that we ALL pass through stages of life and never moreso evident than when I went to the barbershop with my son and husband today. I go with them always. . . in fact there probably isn't a haircut I've missed since Levi's first one at 10 months of age. I often, in the past, (but not so much anymore) wondered if Amanda, their barber lady, has ever wondered to herself "Why does she always come?" And if she did so choose to wonder then I would simply reply "Because I don't wanna miss a thing! And I enjoy it!" The very same reason, when I'm not taking Levi to school by myself on Mon and Tues, that I gladly jump in the car with David in my PJs to ride along with them to school.....I don't wanna miss a thing!

You see there is somethings I understand - 1. Life is SHORT. 2. Kids DO grow up.

(Sidenote: Although kids DO grow up....they also DO come back home! Someone forgot to tell us about that part! HA!)

So today, I couldn't help but look around and notice what lay before me in this small barbershop. First of all....another blog....YAY! Secondly, an opportunity to stop and reminisce. And lastly, life and it's stages.

As I watched Levi sitting in the chair getting his haircut, I realized just how tall and older he looked. Life happens so quickly at times. No more the little boy who needed to sit on the board to be tall enough to have his hair cut! That's when I glanced over and saw another little boy who was indeed sitting on the board to get his haircut. His Dad and the barber lady were working as a team at times to keep the little boy preoccupied. I guess you could say that's when this whole blog idea started coming together. I sat there thinking back to all the by-gone days of my Levi sitting ever so still and filling out the chair more and more each year. Making silly faces at him through the years and watching his reaction change with time.

But as I watched these two boys at different stages of life. . . I began to realize other presence of stages in the room. There was also an older teenage boy, the previous mentioned Dad of the little boy, my David and at other times have been the elderly. Do you see the stage pattern here to which I'm referring? 1. The toddler. 2. The young teenager. 3. The older teenager. 4. The young Dad. 5. The middle age Dad. 6. And finally....The old Dad.
Each one a stage.....a passage of time..... a next step.

{Maybe I should be saving this blog for Father's Day! Haha!}

It's no new revelation to anyone reading this that we pass from birth to old age, and everything else in between, in a time set up for us just by God. But what we can also see here is that like these set stages of life we pass through.... we also pass through stages of our walk with God. 1. Some maybe a brand new baby learning that God is indeed real, He cares for them and loves them. 2. Others maybe beginning to learn what faith is and finding God is the One we reach out to in the time of need....as well as all other times.

3. Some may be finding that God is a forgiving God and remains constant - even when we don't. 4. And yet still....others may have reached that place in their life where they understand that simply God is. God is EVERYTHING and all things. God is sovereignly in control.

My friend, wherever you are in your walk with God - and yes there are many other stages of our walk, these were just a few - know that it's right where God wants you. When He is ready He will move you to the next step/stage. . . all in His perfect timing. And remember that your walk may not resemble another's , but it's YOUR walk with a God Who loves you and relates to you where you are.

God has perfectly tailor-made plans for your life and through each stage He reveals a little more of them each time. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Also, in Philippains 1:6 it says "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." So as God moves you along through your stages of walk/life know that He has it all mapped out....planned out to a capital "T" and makes no mistakes. And we can KNOW that He will see us through no matter what stage we are in whether it be a walk that is close to Him or even a walk that once was close and has grown distant. He stands ready to guide and restore. Deuteronomy 31:8 assures us of that, "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

If you are unsure if you have a walk with the God who loves you, then it's very simple to know for sure. It's as simple as ABC!

A= Accept that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour!
B= Believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead!
C= Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and call upon Him to save YOU!

As for me. . . I'm gonna keep goin to every single one of those special hair cuttin moments that I am most certainly welcomed at....for I know as my status says for now "This too shall pass."

Enjoy each and every moment you are given my special friend..... :)

"To the one I call....my brother"

There once was a little boy who was born into my family and that little boy was my brother. This boy was special for many reasons and one such being that God placed him in our lives exactly a year to the date of a sweet baby girl's passing. You see there was another special baby that God brought to us a year earlier, but we never truly knew her for she was a full term stillbirth. God had His reasons for taking just as much as He had His sweet and blessed reason of giving and for both we are truly grateful. You can imagine the sweet thankfulness and gratitude of receiving this precious baby boy into our lives!

I was all of 7 years old when I inherited a brother. I loved him. I helped with him as any big sister would. Many times I would take him and try to calm him while giving my Mom some needed time to do whatever she needed to do. . . this boy was a crier! We have a picture of me trying to calm him the best way a 7 year old could and between me and the dog....I think we succeeded! We were outside, I was holding him....and the dog's part was licking him. Hey whatever works! I can remember times of going to dinner (out of course...for those who knew us) and every single time my poor Mom would sit down to eat the boy would know somehow and turn on the tears. I can remember them putting springs on the legs of the baby crib and seeing my Mom laying on the floor pushing the crib gently to soothe him.
Like all families we made it through those days and he grew into the next phase of life.

Dan was a wonderful little brother and I was his little Mother. He brought smiles, laughs, love and sweet times into our home. He was the sweet little boy that we loved dearly. Those days were long ago and the memories tend to be vague. One such funny one that seems to stand out for some reason is when he was about 3 years and I was having a slumber party. My friends and I were all outside.....here comes Dan. He must of had the urge to relieve his bladder so, in the middle of my friends, outside, he decided to take care of that business. We were all shocked and laughing in utter disbelief! And wouldn't you know it....that boy has kept us laughing many years later as well. He has a "talent" for that. :)

There would be a day when the roles reversed, at some point, and the baby grew into a protector of his "big" sister. Those memories are tender. In the sweet boy's mind there was no seven years difference....he was put here to watch over his sister, and he did a fine job of it. He wanted NO worldliness whatsoever to enter my world and as small and as big as he was....to this day I thank him for that. He seemed to know his job was done when David entered my world. Finally, he could relax, sit back....take a breath and give the role to one older and wiser. :)

In all honesty, I believe Dan grew up thinking and feeling that his sister was more loved, more special, more accepted by our family. I am here to dispute that thinking. Children though raised exactly the same way can experience life very differently. . . .this we all know. The only real differnce I believe there was resulted in two words. . . I listened. Not in any way shape or form do I lift myself up and say "Look at me...I listened and you didn't. Aren't I the special one!" Children are just made and bent differently and respond in different ways. This I know for certain.....our parents loved, accepted, prayed for, and cherished BOTH of us from the very beginning and that love has NEVER weakened....in fact it has grown with time I'm sure.

As a time has a way of doing....we grow up....and in growing up we go our seperate ways. But in our seperate lives there is and always will be one word that we share.....FAMILY. And that word "Family" holds many truths along with it. . . Love, Respect, Forgiveness, Acceptance and Hope. All of these come from a loving God who values the word FAMILY moreso than most any other thing. I am so thankful that my hope is in a trustworthy God who is/has worked mightly in BOTH of our lives. He is and He has brought deliverance, strength, forgiveness, restoration and hope .... always hope. To God be the glory! :)

So with this writing and thoughts.....I dedicate this Blog to my very own brother.

Dan, I love you more than you know and I am SO extremely proud of you in so many ways! Keep your life focused on the One Who loves you most!

With much love,

Your Sister