November 4, 2013
Glory in His Holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth. 1 Chronicles 16:10-12
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:31
Embracing Remembrance…
We often dash through life…to meet the deadlines…to fulfill the commitments…complete the lists…to exceed expectations…to finish the race…and we find ourselves exhausted, missing the laughter…missing the moments. We fail to stop, and to remember, and to celebrate the gifts of relationships in our lives…
May we, in this season of Thanks and Giving…pause in our busy-ness to remember our relationship with Christ Yeshua…May we remember the great and mighty things, the loving and sacrificial things that He has done…May we remember the beautiful relationships which have blessed and enriched our lives in the past…and the ones which we experience and cherish in these moments of today.
May we Embrace Remembrance…
She remembers the new life she began with him,
When she became his bride,
They have lived a lifetime as one,
Together, side by side……
She remembers…
She remembers the joy of a mother’s heart,
As she rocks her son and holds him close…
She remembers the pain of sleepless nights …
As she prays for him, for his repose.
She remembers…
She remembers the child, always at her side,
Her laughing eyes and tender heart,
Her little dance and her little song,
She remembers her search, and her faith made strong.
She remembers…
She remembers the laughter of family and friends,
As life is shared…and memories lived…
She remembers the tears as she lets go…
Of those she loves…she trusts and gives.
She remembers…
She remembers the beauty of the glorious day…
The morning sun’s brilliant hue,
She remembers the Master Artist’s Touch,
His canvas, each day, renewed.
She remembers…
She remembers the miracle, the gift of Life…
Undeserved mercies new each day…
She remembers her Savior’s tender eyes…
His loving and faithful ways…
She remembers…
I want to remember. In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to look back to past times; memories of relationships have flooded my mind, warming my heart. I am reminded of people and events which have had a tremendous impact on my life, and I am so deeply thankful for them. One of these remarkable ladies was my mother-in-love (law). One of my dear friends calls her in-laws, “in loves” and this is a perfect description of Bill’s mother. Boots would turn an ordinary day into something extraordinary…I want to remember…
Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8
Hospitality, laughter, and kindness are characteristics reflected in the life of this incredible woman who touched many lives with her smile and beauty. Life is a journey and many of the circumstances are challenging and difficult, certainly true for her. Boots was a woman who taught us all to “dig our heels in, never give up, and to laugh as often as possible”. Love knows no boundaries, and she loved her family with every breath of her life. She graced her friends and family with her delicious meals and her gracious hospitality.
Thanksgiving was one of her favorite times of year. Weeks before the celebration, preparation began as lists were made, fresh ingredients purchased, and the kitchen organized to make room for the car-loads of groceries soon to arrive. The menu preserved itself as the family held tightly to the delectable tradition established by the years of Thanksgiving celebration. And celebration it was! Cooking began as soon as Monday of Thanksgiving week and continued with each day holding special assignments of its own.
The vegetable soup was prepared on Monday or Tuesday so that the flavors could blend (because everyone knew that it was always better the next day!) Anyone walking through the kitchen became the official “taster” as they were asked to sample and give their expert opinion of what the soup needed. We talk about her recipe, but it actually was a “list” of ingredients by the time she finished cooking because she added “pinches” of ingredients until she proclaimed “Soup is done!” And that meant that it would sit for at least a day in the refrigerator for the flavors to blend. Family and friends would gather on Wednesday night to enjoy “Boot’s Soup”. And it was worth the wait!
And the Thanksgiving Day menu was incredible…with each dish prepared with love and lots of fresh ingredients…Wonderful memories have come from the “kitchen time” when moms and daughters worked side-by-side. About the time the dishes were done, it was time to start over again for the tasty left-overs and the evening meal. (As everyone would say, “I just couldn’t eat another thing,” but everyone managed to!)
I learned so much from this lovely lady. I learned that each day deserves celebrating; it deserves laughter…I learned that the efforts of gracious hospitality are worth the work…and are valuable in relationship building. No one could forget the excitement of their visit to her home. Her warmth and her welcome left each guest relaxed and comfortable, always memorable moments!
I remember my first visit; she made the weekend special and extraordinary with her warmth and her delicious food…and through the years, she hosted grandchildren over and over, entertaining them, loving them, and returning them safely…giving them wonderful childhood memories of exciting adventures, from feeding ducks in the lake, tracking the foot-prints of dinosaurs in Glenrose, to fun shopping trips for grand-daughters, enjoying delectable popovers with strawberry butter. Those visits are engrained in their memories.
Boots left us far too early from her battle with pancreatic cancer. She came to live with us after her diagnosis and we had the honor and privilege of walking with her during the last weeks of her life here on earth. She maintained her joy and her love of life…her laughter and her gracious heart blessed each one of her family, as she courageously faced each day. I continued to learn from this beautiful woman each day until her last breaths were taken. I want to remember…
I want to remember how she embraced me as a daughter at a time in my life when we began our little family with the birth of our children. She came and stayed in our home to help with the new-borns, when my mother was unable to. She encouraged me as a daughter during challenging times…She was always available…but never at the expense of times with my own mother…she understood and she loved…and I called her my “other mother”. I want to remember…
Some of the greatest legacies left for each of us are the incredible relationships which are built on the tradition of celebration. Our relationships developed while in the kitchen working together with Boots, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters and in the gathering of family to eat the food prepared with love and in the sharing of memories and laughter together. Boots gave us a beautiful gift of gracious hospitality and a deep sense of gratitude toward her friends and her family; she will always be a part of the celebration in our hearts. I want to remember…
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8
As a celebration of Boot’s life, we compiled a cookbook of her favorite recipes and included Boot’s Words of Wisdom. Our family remembers little lessons she shared with us; practical wisdom shared with a grin… laughter…and lots of love…
Boot’s Words of Wisdom
What Recipe?—A pinch of this and a pinch of that…..
Dessert is the best part of the meal!
Don’t boil the vegetables in the vegetable soup!!
Always de-seed the watermelon when you cut it up…
Put the wilted lettuce leaves in ice water to rejuvenate!!
If you are going to hide the candy—do it well!! You can’t have too many gummy bears!!
Always stand on your tippy toes in the family picture—if you don’t, you will be the shortest!!
Always de-string the string beans and make sure they SNAP!!
Always peel the tomatoes!!
Sweet onions are the best!!
Pay attention to the gin game!! And don’t cheat—even if you have a hand like a foot!!
Boiled peanuts are a true delicacy!!
Pumpkin pie is very good for you—especially for breakfast, eggs, milk, and pumpkin!!
Don’t cook the okra too long or it will get slimy!!
Don’t fight over the boiled egg garnishing the potato salad. Sneak it off carefully!!
Don’t be afraid to play with the children—even if you do break a nail!!
Never forget a good joke!!
You might as well laugh!
Give gifts whenever possible!!
Everyone loves a great party—Lots of Food and Laughter and Friends!
Orange is never too bright!!!
Ladies, don’t go anywhere without your lipstick
A Southern Bell always has good posture and never chews bubble gum.
Always wear a life preserver to feed the ducks!
Always compliment whenever possible!
Every girl needs a Christmas sweater and Thanksgiving and July 4 and etc….
A pair of shoes for every outfit—or maybe three pair!!
It’s okay for grandmothers to spoil the grandchildren!
Chicken soup is the cure for whatever ails you! (Home-made of course!)
Love each day! (Sometimes easier said than done)
Always dance with the one you love!
Dance whenever you can!
Life’s moments are the sweetest,
When you laugh and dance again……..
Embrace Remembrance…
I want to remember…I want to remember the gifts that the Lord has lavished on me…I want to consider each one…I want to have a heart of gratitude for His Goodness and for His Grace and for how He allows relationships into our lives to enrich us and to empower us. And, He orchestrates those relationships for us to be the givers of the same… I want to remember…
My life has been incredibly blessed by the family that He gave me. By my parents who gave me life and loved me first…then by a husband who has loved me with a humble and courageous love…and by his family who invited me and accepted me into their lives…then by our two children, their spouses and their beautiful families…I want to remember and to be thankful…I want to laugh…I want to share…I want to celebrate…I want to thank my Almighty God for the richness of His Grace and His mercy…I want to be thankful…I want to remember…
Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth. 1 Chronicles 16:12
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:31
I love the words of the Apostle Paul as He speaks a greeting to The Church. He embraces them with His words and speaks peace and grace into the lives of Believers…and He prayed for them continually. I pray those things for each Believer that I know…and each Believer that you know…May we together, pray as Paul did…that we would be people of thankfulness…that we would be giving people. That we would celebrate each day because it is a gift from our Almighty God, and He deserves our celebration! That we would remember the great and the wondrous and the mighty and the amazing and the wondrous and the miraculous things that our Savior has done for each of us…and that we would be filled with thankfulness and gratitude every moment of our lives…as we remember…and as we anticipate our futures with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords…
May we, in this season of Thanks and Giving…pause in our busy-ness today.
May we embrace remembrance…
Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done…
1 Chronicles 16:12
Abundant remembrance and joy,
