Four Generations

When we had our first grandson, Mark, Steve mentioned that he would like to get a four generation picture with his dad, himself, Jay, and Mark. We never took one and soon Awstin arrived and Steve said it would be nice to get a four generation picture with his dad, himself, Shawn and Jay, and Mark and Awstin. It's one of those things that you think would be nice and that sometime you will get around to it, but you just never actually do it. When Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer and seemed to be worsening rapidly, we thought maybe we had missed that chance.

However, Dad has stabilized and is actually doing pretty well. Steve commented to Shawn about the picture he would like to take with all of them, and Shawn said, "let's do it." Last evening, while Steve and I were visiting with his parents, Shawn stopped by with Awstin and Jay dropped by with Mark and we snapped some pictures. 

Marlin, Steve, Jay and Mark

Marlin, Steve, Shawn and Awstin

At this point in time, Mark and Awstin are the only two great-grandsons that carry the Lehman name. I have no doubt that there will be more but I am thankful that we were able to take these pictures before it was too late. 

Pictures of Some of My Favorite Little People

I looked back over my Blog and realized it has been two whole months since I posted any grandchildren pictures. Imagine that! I thought I better add a few before we forget what they look like (ha!). Kristen had jury duty in Lancaster the beginning of the week. Her mother kept the children on Monday and Tuesday and then we had them Tuesday night until Wednesday noon when Kristen came to pick them up. Actually, we didn't have Hannah over night, but Steve met Kristen in Lancaster Wednesday morning where they transferred Hannah from car to car and he brought her to our house. She has been a little uncertain about me (especially when Jay or Kristen were around and she could choose them), but I was really pleased because she seemed to like me just fine and was a happy little girl. The others stayed overnight and we slept upstairs for the first time. I had always just had the girls sleep with me in  my bed and we would chase Steve downstairs to the sofa but I finally got the upstairs somewhat organized since Megan moved out. I put a single bed in the one room and then in the other I have a futon that opens up into a double bed and I also put a toddler bed in that room. The girls and Mark slept in that room and I slept right next door in the single bed. After some initial "fighting" over who slept where and the normal excitement that is expected when children stay overnight, they settled down and slept through the night. In the morning, since it was Wednesday, Awstin joined us, so for a few hours all of the grandchildren were here. Awstin was jumping around and entertaining Hannah for a little bit and I snapped the picture posted above. I thought it was so cute. She seems thrilled with the attention he is showing her and he is delighted that she is laughing at him.

A day wouldn't be complete without a barrel train ride. We went to Megan and Jeremy's house to watch the train in their basement. Mark loved the Lehman Ag truck on the end and always ran for it. Thankfully the girls and Awstin didn't object to him claiming it.

The girls enjoyed playing with Samantha and Kit.

Handsome Mark!

What a face!

Cutie!

Hannah loved the swing!

The Anointing

¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up... ~ James 5:14,15 NIV

On Sunday afternoon we had an anointing service for Steve's dad. Steve's parents' pastor, Kerry, had asked Dad if he wanted to be anointed and even though Dad is very accepting of his probable death and is at peace with it, he said that he would welcome a prayer and anointing service. It was held in Steve's parents' home. Along with Kerry, some from their small group came and all of Steve's siblings and spouses were in attendance.

When I first heard that Dad was going to be anointed, I was a little uncertain if it was a good idea. I have been to several anointing services and usually they were for younger people dealing with cancer or suffering pain from some accident. I believe the oldest person to request an anointing service that I attended would have been when my then 68-year-old mother asked for anointing after her stroke. I certainly believe in the power of healing through anointing and the Bible definitely instructs us to do so. My question was this: "Should we pray for an eighty year old to be physically healed?"

Don't get me wrong. I love my father-in-law and it would be wonderful if he could continue as he was before his seizure. But realistically, he is eighty years old and if this cancer doesn't take him, the odds are that he will die within the next five to ten years of something else--maybe just old age. He has had eighty good years and that is more than a lot of people. Is it right to pray that we never die, when heaven is so much better?

I appreciated the way Kerry handled the service. Although he did pray for physical healing for Dad, he was very attune to the fact that Dad is not a young man and that death would be healing for his body as well. I felt that the service was meaningful for us as a family too. It allowed us to release Dad to the Lord and know that however the rest of Dad's life is played out, Jesus is walking with us on this journey. I believe that Dad and Mom were strengthened by the prayers and family and friends that surrounded them. I believe it comforted them and reinforced for them that they are not facing the future alone. God's love and peace encircled all of us.

In the end, I was glad we had the anointing service. We do not know how many days Dad has left on this earth, but we do know that God is faithful and our prayers were heard. Dad will either be physically healed or he will be healed through death. Either way, I believe our prayers will have made "the sick person well" and I know that the Lord will raise Dad up either to minister here on earth for a while longer or to rejoice with Him in glory. 

A Humorous Sidenote

Everyone needs a good chuckle once in awhile and I thought this anecdote was amusing enough to write down.

Alexis and Lydia slept overnight at my house on Tuesday and stayed through Wednesday until the evening. I of course had Awstin during the day as well. We had a great time. Sometimes we played together and sometimes everyone did their own thing, but it was a fun day. I enjoyed it and I think they did too.

I always invite any of the family that it suits to come for supper on Wednesday evening. Megan and Jeremy are regulars and so are Shawn and Awstin. (Melissa likes to grab a couple hours of sleep before she milks on Wednesday night, so it is convenient for Shawn and Awstin to join us.) This time Josh and Julissa were present too. 

Josh brought back a small refrigerator that I had loaned him while he was repairing his large one. He carried it in and I told him to just take it down to the basement and put it beside my freezer. He had to walk down the basement steps past the family room where the kids and I had spent most of the day and through a door that opens into a smaller part of the basement where my freezer is. I didn't think anything about it, but when he came back up into the kitchen he said with some concern, "wow, how long does it take for a child to make that kind of mess?" I'm not sure if he was trying to figure out how many years he had to enjoy before something like that hit his house or if he was just truly wondering. Anyway, it was funny and we just kind of looked at each other in amusement and Shawn said, "trust me it doesn't take long." 

I know when my children were small, the messes they made would bother me, but with the grandchildren it never does. That seems strange, but I think it is because they don't stay forever, and I kind of enjoy picking up a room after everyone has left and it is quiet. I remember what we played as I put each thing away and it is a sweet memory. Honestly, too, the grandchildren do often pick up before they leave. Alexis is a fantastic organizer. However, on Wednesday, we just left things lie and I will pick them up and remember each grandchild as I do and be thankful that I can spend time with them.

Josh meanwhile is still trying to figure out how children can turn a room into such a mess.  I have a feeling he will understand better sometime in the future J

Oh No! I Need To Buy Another Dress!

Well, now that the excitement about the news of the wedding has died down, I need to turn my attention to another important matter. As you know, if you were reading my blog through Megan's wedding, the part I dreaded the most was finding myself a dress to wear. My sister graciously supported me through this and in the end we were successful in finding one that I was pleased with.

Megan and Jeremy were at our house for supper the other evening and we were talking about the wedding. I mentioned the need to buy a dress and Megan said that she also would be looking to purchase one for herself as well. I suggested jokingly that maybe we could go together. I said this in jest, because Megan and I don't have a very good history of clothes shopping together. Unlike other women, who seem to thrive on shopping, it is just the opposite for us. We usually both end up in a really bad mood. I did not bring up the subject again, and figured that I would ask Lois to accompany me to try to find a dress.

Yesterday, Megan stopping in briefly and out of the blue said, "I've been thinking. Let's go together to buy our dresses for the wedding." I was surprised but delighted. I was secretly hoping that we could make it a joint effort but wasn't going to say any more about it.

The two of us have not been shopping together in a long time. Probably the last time was when we purchased her wedding dress and that went amazingly well. I'm hoping that this venture is successful too.

I called my sister to tell her that she had been demoted and would not have to go along with me to look for a dress. She laughed and said that she was not one bit disappointed. She loves those kind of demotions. Imagine that! Apparently, the dislike of clothes shopping runs in the family.

So...the saga begins. Hopefully Megan and I can actually enjoy this adventure a little bit. I'll keep you posted...

Hard Times

The last couple of days have been hard. Steve's dad has not been feeling very well and it is difficult to see him so weak and tired. I remember when my dad died, at the end he just kept saying that he was so tired. I know that every situation is different but it is hard for me not to compare. When I hear and see that Dad just wants to sleep and has no energy I have flashbacks of my dad's last days. I am so thankful that we can trust God in every circumstance. I keep thinking of the lyrics to a song written by Rodney Griffin:

If this is what God wants
If this is what God says
Then who am I to doubt
or try to figure out this circumstance
If this is what God chose for me
In all His majesty
Then surely I can trust and lean on what God says

Sometimes the storms in life are not what we would choose
if we had the power to choose them for ourselves
We would choose the easy way.....

I can't remember the rest, but you get the picture. God is in control and that is enough.

Another Wedding!!!!! (And a Prayer Request)

The big news is that we are going to have another wedding in the family! Josh and Julissa are planning to tie the knot on January 10, 2016. I could not be happier for both of them. It has been so exciting to see their relationship blossom over the summer. My other three children married young, but Josh didn't seem in a particular hurry to find someone to share his life with. I think he enjoyed being single, however, the past several years, he put out a couple of hints that he would welcome a relationship so of course, some of us were intent on helping him succeed! Although I may have had a small part in getting them together, Josh's grandparents played a much bigger role and obviously in the end Josh and Julissa were the ones that decided they were right for each other. Every time I think of them, it brings a smile to my face and it was fun to see the happiness of friends and family when they announced their engagement. Who doesn't love a happy ending?!?!

On a more somber note, along with all the joy that this wedding is bringing there is some sadness and a very special prayer request. Steve's dad (Josh's grandpa) has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. He and Steve's mom were the ones that were instrumental in introducing Josh and Julissa. When we asked Dad how we could pray for him, he expressed thankfulness for the love and support the family is giving him and requested that we pray that he would have peace, especially about his decision not to undergo chemo treatment. Then he added, "I would really like to be able to attend Josh and Julissa's wedding." It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it and oh, I hope and pray his wish is granted.