Thoughts for the weekend: Psalm 121

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
         From whence comes my help?
 My help comes from the LORD,
         Who made heaven and earth.
         

 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
         He who keeps you will not slumber.
 Behold, He who keeps Israel
         Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
        
 The LORD is your keeper;
         The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
 The sun shall not strike you by day,
         Nor the moon by night.
         

 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
         He shall preserve your soul.
 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
         From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Dear Mom,

Hi, I've been meaning to write this to you for a while now.  I just want to say thank you for all that you have done for me.

For giving me life
Encouraging my love of books and reading, even when I sometimes read instead of doing my school work
Encouraging my drawing
Letting me spend so much time with Grandma and Grandpa
Allowing me the freedom to bike all over town by myself
Encouraging me to keep going when I get discouraged and tired of life
Teaching my school
Putting up with me when I had a bad attitude
Putting up with me for being "brutally honest" as you called it (I'm trying to learn to be tactful!)
Letting me "help" with cooking when I was little; I learned more than I ever realized
Helping to talk dad into letting me have a dog
Helping us take care of the rabbits
Putting the time and effort into homeschooling
Always finding time to take us running in the mornings for soccer
Playing soccer in the front yard with all of the neighborhood kids
Sunday dinners

And so much more....

I love you, Mom.
~Joyce

Remembering

Shock. Confusion. Chaos.

I remember mom and dad turning on the radio that morning, just like every morning.  Only the regular programs were interrupted by the news updates.  Calling us kids to come listen.  I remember being confused because I didn't understand what was going on.  America under attack?

We went to my grandparents to watch the news because we didn't have a tv with channels.  We watched multiple replays of the towers crumbling inwards on themselves.  I remember everyone praying for America and for protection for the rest of the country over and over again.

10 years later, we still remember.  We still pray for our country and for the people serving.  Thank you to the service members who have risked their lives to preserve our freedom.  Thank you to the first responders for the people you saved and the lives you gave in exchange for theirs.  You have made a difference and showed America the quality of the people serving our nation.  Thank you for your willingness to serve.