Passing the Torch

-

This morning I get on a plane and fly to North Carolina to visit my mom, stepdad and grandmother.  I'm looking forward to it because it's been almost two years since I last visited with them.  It's hard when your parents get older and they can't travel like they used to.  It's hard being in ministry with little money which makes it difficult to not only find the time to get away, but to find the money to do so.  So the solution was to have me go by myself.

I'm going to miss Dan and the kids but this is such a necessary trip.  One of my reasons for going is to help my mother out a bit if I can convince her to let me do so. (Picture me wrestling a vacuum away from her).  You see my 73 year old mother and 82 year old stepfather have been caring for my 90 year old grandmother for the past year and a half.  And that is tiring.  My mother not only moved my grandmother into their small home but nursed her back to health.

I love my mother with all my heart.  She has so many wonderful qualities, including the desire to care for others.  She often puts her own wants and desires aside to put another person's needs first.  She has worked hard all her life - as a girl, teen, an adult.  She raised and cared for three children by herself.  She sacrificed her whole adult life for the three of us and often did without so we could have things.  She loves the Lord with all of her heart, soul and mind.  There was nothing she wanted more than for the three of us to have that same faith.

I'm looking forward to this visit so that I can do something for her.  I'm looking forward to listening to my grandmother's very interesting stories.  (On a side note, did you realize that my great, great grandmother was the seamstress to Hannibal Hamlin's wife?  He was the vice president under Abraham Lincoln.  Sewing runs in the blood!)  I want to give my mother a bit of a break, even if it's only for four days.

I'd like to think that my mother passed that torch on to me.  I want to carry that same spirit of hard work, determination and love for the Lord that my mother has.  In turn, I want to pass that on to my children as well.

So I'm eagerly boarding that plane this morning, ready to get there and love on my parents!

Comments

  1. Kathi DJanuary 22, 2015 at 8:12 AM

    Enjoy your visit with your family and safe travels to you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathy in IllinoisJanuary 22, 2015 at 9:28 AM

    Have a wonderful time, Terri!! Your mother and grandmother have to be so proud of you as you have such love for the Lord. All 3 of your children do too. The torch has been passed with honor.
    God bless, Kathy in Illinois

    ReplyDelete
  3. ElizabethdJanuary 22, 2015 at 4:26 PM

    Revel in every moment with your dear family.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love your comments and encouragement! I can't always respond back but do read each comment.

Popular posts from this blog

Oh What to Do; I'm Sixty-Two!

-
Image
Today is my sixty-second birthday and it's hard to believe I've achieved that....um....seasoned age! My first thought this morning was one of not being sure that I like it. However,  as I thought I about it, I decided to take joy in the fact that I've reached an older age. Because age comes with benefits. Benefit #1 - I'm a bit wiser.   When I look back at some of the decisions I made when I was younger, I cringe. With age has come the ability to slow down and think things through before I make major upheavals in my life. I've also discovered that getting worked up about certain things is just an absolute waste of emotional energy. Benefit #2 - I'm enjoying my life.   As I've aged I've learned all kinds of skills and hobbies and can honestly say that I'm never, ever bored. I love all the different things I'm able to do and it's fun! Benefit #3 - I've learned to appreciate my relationships. With age I've learned to work on developing a...
Read more

Eating to Live

-
Image
  Despite the unexpected busyness and interruptions, I have been plugging away at my weight loss as well as writing the plant-based, whole food cookbook. Recipe testing fell by the wayside the past two weeks, but I've still gotten a good chunk of the book done. I also got on the scale this morning for another one pound loss which makes a total of 61 lbs. since I started this journey back in July. It's second nature at this point and I have so much more energy and feel healthy. The only negative is that because I've lost so much weight I'm seeing some sagging, crepe-papery skin happening. Yuck. Some of that is age and I need to figure out some toning exercises. It's definitely a life-style change, but a positive one which I'm so thankful I started on. The pictures above are a small selection of meals I've eaten the past two months and many of those will be included in the book.  This will be a printable e-book as I find that will be the easiest and most cost ...
Read more

When the Unexpected Pops Up

-
Image
On Thursday afternoon, just as Dan and I were getting ready to leave for a meeting, we received a phone call from our son. He was sitting on the side of the road with a blown engine in his car. The problem is he lives 3 1/2 hours away. After back and forth phone calls he called a tow truck and got it towed to a garage. He ended up renting a car and headed here for the holiday. We've been working with him to figure out his next steps because he still owes thousands of dollars on the car which will also take a significant amount to replace the engine. His rent is going up in the new year. His seasonal job ended and he is trying to find something else, but needs a car for that to happen. His car still has not been looked at by the mechanic. It is all more than a little overwhelming. Long story short, we extended an invitation for him to live here temporarily so he can get out from under all of this. It would save him money on expensive rent and utilities.  The timing was right since h...
Read more