Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Graduation


Graduation is 1 : a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantity; also : these marks
2 a : the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma b : commencement
3 : arrangement in degrees or ranks

I like the first definition the best...a mark, a hard stop in one's life, indicating the quantity of life lived so far.

Graduation is not only for the child, but for the parents as well. Both receive marks from the journey. One might say the marks are actually scars. Scars tell a story of triumph, so either way is fine with me.

My oldest daughter graduated from high school this past week. My nephew graduated last night. Both of these wonderful young adults bare many marks.

My daughter has dealt with dual homes since she was three years old, getting the best of both her Mom and Dad (my husband)...she has overcome adversity with forgetting homework at one place or the other, missing uniform pieces, and other various things which all comes with trying to live in two places at once! She has overcome learning challenges, social challenges and the challenges of adding new members to the family, especially babies!

Just when I thought the world would get the best of her, God surprised me with all HE had planned for her...the successes, the graces, and the mercies! She has become more than I ever imagined her to be!! I cannot wait to see what the future holds for her as she leaves to begin a new chapter in her life!

My nephew has had more than his fair share of challenges as well. At the young age of 9, he was diagnoised with Type 1 Diabetes! Just when he was getting the hang of that, at age 12 he lost his mother (my sister) to cancer. He has been fighting to survive ever since. I am so proud to say that he graduated high school and will be going to college in the fall!! It has been rough for him, but again, God has plans for him that we do not know and sometimes cannot see!!

Being the one on the sidelines of both of these lives has taught me about prayer, trust, surrender and grace. Without them, I would not be the person I am today!!

You two have blessed in ways that I never thought possible! You have stretch me and strengthened me at the same time. God has used you both to refine me!! Thank you for allowing me to be apart of your lives!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

For My Mom



My Mom is one of four girls, an identical twin, and a mother to nine children. She is also a wife, teacher and an artist. But mostly she is my best friend.

She has taught me how to cry, how to stand strong, how to cook, sew, and soak in all creation.



She is a living example to me on how to have a real, gut check, kind of relationship with GOD, JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT! She knows GRACE first hand.

Four of the nine children have already gone HOME, three of these I never had the chance to meet, but I know them through my Mom, she carries all of us with her everyday.

The lessons l have learned from my mother are too numerous to count. The words spoken through her are life changing and life giving. No, she was not always perfect, but she knew GRACE and she taught GRACE and she lives GRACE.



But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 1Corinthians 15:10




Thank you Mom, for teaching me GRACE and how to be a momma!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

All my love, Jean