Lawrence Welk rocks

One last thing.... I am finishing the night watching Lawrence Welk on PBS. I love LW. I am instantly relaxed and transported back to Max and Ethel's (grandpa and grandma's) davenport. I love that word. I have just decided to use that word exclusively... No more couches for me! Ps..... I wish I could buy a dress or two like the one I just saw. And matching shoes. Sigh. Retro. Heaven right here on PBS.

spent.......

I have no joyful tears left i have expended so many in the past 24 hours.

First-my family gathering.  The waterworks were held in check (barely) throughout most of the day.  I love my family.  Just being in their presence is love defined.  Accepted and loved despite myself.  I told my cousin Molly "I'm not going to say goodbye, I'm just going to say that I have to run out to the truck." OK she says but then when the time came and I said "Hey Mol, I'm just running out to the truck" she grabbed hold of me and we both let it go....and that was just the first cousin.  20 relatives or so later Jim said "I should just build an ark-we'd get home faster there is so much water around here!"  Later he said "I just sat there watching you all.  It was a good thing."

Second-stopped briefly at my 30 year class reunion.  Hugs and laughter-no tears.  :)

Lastly-a most blessed, holy, joyful day for my church family.  Pastor Rolf was ordained and installed while 200+ watched.  Simply beautiful and moving.  Many, many joyful tears.  Looking so forward to ministry with he and Cheryl.

And now-off to my 2 week retirement to rest and reflect and recharge.

Help me not just to serve you Lord, but to serve you well and let the love in my heart pour out into ministry.  Amen.  Amen.  Amen.

Sharing the U.P.

So....several friends are coming to the U.P. while we are there-including some who have never been to the U.P. (how could that be????)  So hard to decide where to take them!   So much of God's incredible creation to share with them!!!!!  Can't wait!!!!

can you feel the love.....

I can...my heart and my stomach seem to know that my far flung family is closing in on our fair Michigan.....I want to know when they are arriving and when they are leaving so I can spend every waking moment basking in the love......

A heartfull.....

So.....looking forward to 3 major events this Weekend. 

First, on Saturday is the 80th birthday party for my Aunt Esther in Marlette-up in Michigan's beautiful thumb.  Aunt Esther is the second sister in my Dad's family.  She is the elegant, world traveler sister.  Always on the go.  Ever faithful to her Lord.  And she wrinkles her nose when she laughs and I could just cry thinking about that right now.  Most of my dad's family will be there.  My heart hurts in anticipation.  I will be lucky to make it 10 minutes without dissolving.  (Note to self-bring makeup to reapply.)  We like to say when one gets cut, we all bleed in this family and it has been FAR TOO LONG since we gatherered (especially for a joyful reason).  I hope I can even begin to tear myself from them when the time comes to go.

Later that evening is my 30th class reunion.  Yikes.  I'm sure you are all thinking "how could you be THAT old".  I'm sure I will be thinking "who are all of these old people?!"  I just spoke w my longest, dearest friend Ruth who is one of the extraordinary planners of said reunion.  She gave me a rundown of the rsvp list so I could look them up in the yearbook.  Yikes again!  Did I really graduate w/ these folks?  Some of them wrote such lovely things in my yearbook that it moves me to tears and yet I seem to have no recollection of some of them.  Oh well.  It will be a lovely time to recall and reconnect.

Finally, on Sunday, our new pastor, Jim Rolf, will be installed and ordained.  What an exciting new chapter for my church family.

Whew-good thing Arsenic City is only a day or so after this weekend.  I think I will need to decompress and bask in the love that is family and friends.  I hope your summer is as heart full.

Summer....

So a big chunk of summer has come and gone.  Had a wildly successful VBS at church thanks to the efforts of sooo many.  I used my God given talent of bossiness (its my spiritual gift!) to lead the masses!  Halleluiah!!!

Through that and for much of the spring/summer we have been preparing for the Beasley Family Reunion which we hosted here last weekend.  What fun!  What joy!  Had a wonderful time reconnecting with our family.  The highlight for me was Church on the Farm on Sunday morning.  Wporshipping, Praising, Praying, Crying together as a family-the Beasley family and the family of God.  Truly a special time!

Now I am looking forward to my annual trek/get away to Arsenic City-to regroup/rest/prepare for the coming year...school, church, sports, etc....

God is good.  all the time!