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Monday, January 28, 2008
I wrote this on 4 July, 2007 -- during our visit back to the States. Someday we'll all be together, and we'll never have to leave. There will be no oceans to cross in order to end seperation for a time. There will be no weeping or heartache or any kind of sorrow. We will never have to feel empty or alone or afraid. Time will stop slipping away from us, and perfect days will never come to an end. And we'll never have to stop singing. Someday. And then forever. I will finally be Home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today is our 2 year anniversary of arriving in Australia. God has taught me a whoooole lot; I have so much left to learn.
Charity | 11:11 am Comments-[ comments.]
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Lord took our dear Mee-Maw (Betty Eger) to be with Him today. Well, I guess it was "yesterday" in the States. We found out exactly a week ago that she had been diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors "gave her" 2 months to live. God gave her a week. But, before that, He gave her 15 years to serve Him. I can't ask, "why" because I know. We live in a sinful world; we and those we love must eventually die. I wouldn't wish her back, ultimately, because I know she is now free of pain in her Home. When I was almost 3 years old, my dad took me knocking on doors near where we lived in Evansville, Indiana. We stopped at the door of Mrs. Betty Eger. Later, she said she only opened the door to my dad because she saw that he had a little girl with him, so she figured he would be nice enough. Through that, and a series of other meetings, God used my dad to lead her to the Lord. She became a member of our brand-new church, Evansville RPC, and attended regularly until it closed in 2000. She visited us when we moved to Indianapolis, and then she eventually moved to Lafayette, Indiana, to be near her son and his family. She still had us overnight sometimes in her tiny apartment in Lafayette.  [Mee-Maw, in her Evansville house.] She was always our "adopted grandma". We started calling her Mee-Maw after Benjamin was born. She said that he would be her special little boy, and she would be his Mee-Maw. It stuck for the rest of us, too.  [Our dear, fun-loving Mee-Maw never got tired of being with us, especially her dear Benjamin.] When we were in Evansville, we took lots of walks to Mee-Maw's house and had lots of sleepovers there. We played many times at the park near her house. She always made the best eggs and bagels for breakfast. She also made the most beautiful stamped cards. Sometimes she would get all her wonderful craft things out and let us make cards with her. On Easter, she would set up an Easter egg hunt in her backyard just for us kids. We loved it. Sometimes, months later, we would find eggs that had never been found and enjoy a belated Easter treat. Mee-Maw liked collecting Beanie Babies, and a few years ago, she gave most of her collection to me (I had to leave it with a friend in the States when we moved here because we needed room in my suitcase for something else). Mee-Maw told us off when we needed it, was always laughing with us, gave us the best hugs. She always drank caffiene-free Diet Coke. Dad always teased her about asking us if we wanted some "butter-bread". When we got a dog (in '99, maybe?), she said we were crazy and said she would never keep him if we went away. However, she kept him for us several times, and whenever she came to visit, she swore he smiled at her every time.  [Dad made sure that Benjamin gave her a kiss when we had to say goodbye after our last visit.] When we saw her during our visit to the States last June-July, we knew it would probably be the last time we would be with her here on earth. We loved her so dearly. We weep that she is not with us anymore. We rejoice that she is with her Savior in Paradise. Here is the letter I wrote that never had a chance to make it to her: 22 January, 2008 Dear Mee-Maw, Do you like the card I made for you? I always had so much fun making cards with you. You made the most beautiful cards. I hope you are feeling better and are not in too much pain. I cried when I found out you had leukemia, but I had to be happy, too, because I know you will be completely free of pain when God takes you to be with Him. Thank you for being a wonderful "adopted Grandma" to me. I have so many good memories with you. Remember that little 3-year-old who came to your door with her daddy all those years ago? I am so thankful that God brought you into my life. We both serve such a great God! Thank you for all the times you had me over to spend the night. Thank you for keeping Paul, even though you said you never would when you heard we were getting a dog. Thank you for the Easter egg hunts you let us have at your house. Thank you for visiting us when we moved to Indianapolis. Thanks for being my one and only, priceless Mee-Maw. I don't think I will see you again until we both get to Heaven. I will miss you. I will miss your laugh and yours hugs. I am praying for you and for your family. I am praying that God will give you perfect peace, and that He will bring your family to know Him. "The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him." -- Nahum 1:7 May the Lord bless you and keep you, my dear Mee-Maw. I can't wait to see you again, even if I have to wait until Heaven. I love you very much. I'm sending hugs and kisses. Love, Charity xoxoxo ...Blessed be the name of the Lord. "I will cry sometimes because I miss you; I will laugh sometimes because I knew you."  [I love you, Mee-Maw] Charity | 11:15 am Comments-[ comments.]
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Upon arriving home from our bike trip and finding Benjamin in the back yard... Maria: Umm, Benjamin? Why are you mowing the lawn? Benjamin: Because I've been locked out of the house for half an hour and I am taking my anger out on the lawn! Me: Mom, you're so nice! Tamara: Mom, you're really nice! Mom: Okay, what do you want? Maria: Mom, I think you're nice for no reason! Mom: Aww, you're doing what the Bible says! "Her children shall rise up and call her blessed!" Maria: Tamara, if you ever do that, I will personally make myself not related to you anymore! Benjamin: What's an ass-a-lum? Maria: Asylum. It's where crazy people go. Do you know what crazy people are? Mom: Yeah, Maria. -------------------------------------------------------- They make me laugh. -------------------------------------------------------- We survived the bike trip! (and actually had a lot of fun) -------------------------------------------------------- Tomorrow is our last Sunday morning in McKinnon. Charity | 7:59 pm Comments-[ comments.]
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
We've been seeing a lot of our good friends the Blakstons lately, and that is always so much fun. They are planning on moving to Frankston within the next few weeks, Lord willing, so you could pray with us and them that Jono would find a good job and that they could also find a suitable house. We are really hoping they will be able to live closeby. It will be such a huge blessing to have them laboring with us here in Frankston! We are VERY excited about the Frankston RP church being officially organized on the 2nd of February. We will be starting morning services here in Frankston on 20 January. Please pray with us that God will be working in expanding His Kingdom here! Pray that we as a church would grow in our love for people -- both one another and the unbelievers around us. Along with that, we need to remember the McKinnon congregation. For the last couple years, the Frankston group has been meeting on Lord's day mornings with the congregation in McKinnon. It is going to be hard for both sides to go from a small group to two much smaller groups. Please pray that God will be at work in McKinnon. Pray that He will equip Alastair McEwen as he serves there. A woman from Frankston and a man from Geelong have both been diagnosed with cancer recently. Please pray for them and their families as they go through this very difficult trial. Pray that God would be very near unto them and that He would place His healing hand upon them. Pray that the other members of the congregations would be an encouragement and support to them. You could also pray for me. I have a big-ish decision to make in the next couple months: whether to stay here in Australia for uni or to go back to the States. I've been accepted to Purdue University and Geneva College and am in the process of applying for scholarships and financial aid. I've been thinking a lot more about staying here. If you ask my sisters, they will tell you that I change my mind almost every day. I am praying that God will make it very clear as to what He wants me to do. I am definitely seeking lots of counsel and getting many different responses...but it's been very good. One friend told me to remember "God is calling you to serve Him. Location is secondary." Our church is organizing a bike ride for this Saturday. It should be interesting after our last experience...riding 21 k's up and down sand hills. We figure it couldn't be any worse than that. We've been encouraged to bring along friends -- especially non-Christians. Pray that we could be a witness to anyone who might come along and that we would glorify God in the fellowship that we have together. Charity | 2:22 pm Comments-[ comments.] |
My life is not my own, for I belong to Christ.