Look Up....

Finally... finally able to spend some time physically with my children.  This crazy world has been a wake up call to many, including me.  My children and grandchildren bring me some of my greatest joys that I have been blessed with in this life.

The other day my daughter was trying to get my youngest grand daughter Nova, to take a nap.  After several attempts she was allowed to lie on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.  There was much noise and business going on around her, and still she slept peacefully while life when on around her.  I love watching children sleep.  They have a beauty and peacefulness that surrounds their entire being.  

I happened to be in the kitchen and saw her father come in and snuggle up against her.  He had seen her waking up and wanted to let her know that he was near.  She on the other hand was not ready to be fully awake, and did not appreciate his interfering with her intent to fall back asleep.  She did not hesitate to voice her opinion on the subject.  She does this little thing that turns into a big thing if she is not heard.  She begins with a low growl, which if unheard, turns into an even bigger growl and escalates from there.  His intentions were not to make her angry, but her unwillingness to waken could not be mistaken.

She ended up on the floor, in a little ball with her hair completely covering her face and her arms tightly surrounding her legs.  She was doing her bet to shut out everything and everyone around her.

How many of us find ourselves in this very situation at the moment?  So many of us were happily going about our days, surrounded by chaos yet happily and blissfully asleep on the sofa.  As the world began to crumble around us and the noise became more intent, a large portion of us simply wanted to go back to sleep.  Many being forced to open our eyes have curled up in a small ball with our hair covering as much as possible and our arms circling us for protection.   

I will admit that staying asleep to what is taking place would be the simpler way to go, but is it the best choice.  We are at a crossroads, one that the entire world is being asked to maneuver through.    The time has passed that we can afford to stay sleeping in our state of bliss and ignorance.  Lines are being drawn and a side must be chosen.  You are being asked to awake and arise.

I found Nova in her little ball on the floor.  Instead of grabbing her off of the floor and forcing myself upon her, I gently and meekly called out to her.  She softened, and I touched her shoulder asking if I could hold her.  At first she did not move, then ever so slowly she loosed her grip on her legs and reached up for my hands.  She climbed into my arms and buried her little head into my shoulder and  wrapped her arms around my neck.  I love when she allows this to happen.  I love feeling her melt into me letting me just hold and protect her.  I love her spirit and her resolve, and her stubbornness, and I love her obedience and soft heartedness.  

The adversary would love to see us stand in defiance, fighting one against the other.  It loves the fear and division that is being created among us.  It relishes in the contention and hate that is being manifest all around the world today.

God on the other hand loves when we will allow ourselves to enter into His arms, to find that safe place that only He can provide.  He is calling us, ever so quietly in this noisy world to look up, to see His face in the midst of all this confusion.  He wants to hold us in His arms.  He wants us to melt into Him.  He has promised to fight our battles if we will allow Him.  The challenge is, we must choose to wake up.

All we need to do is look, in faith, nothing wavering.

Longing for Home

Today is my grand daughters birthday. She is a beautiful little fire cracker.  She along with her mother, father, and 5 year old sister were going to be at my home this weekend.  We had lots of plans and lots of ideas, and I even had ingredients to make that special Peppa Pig birthday cake that she wants so very much.

Plans change, and life gets in the way some times and we make adjustments.  Today, she spent the day with her parents and older sister in  another city riding bikes and playing in the sunshine with her other Nana and Papa, who I am eternally grateful for.  Family is such a blessing and now more than ever I try to appreciate having people around that love me and those that I love.

In my heart I know that I will be able to hug and squeeze them again, but inside, there is a place that feels like something is missing.  Something that I might not get back.

As I have been praying for the past couple weeks, remembering my family in my prayers and asking for messengers to watch over each of my children, my eyes cannot help but become moist.  Asking for their protection in this troubled world, asking for them to be safe and to not be fearful.  Desiring for them to stay close to the spirit and to listen for that still small voice of warning....my heart aches for them and so many more.

I cannot help but wonder and ask...Father, how do you do it?  How can you send so many of your children, that you love so dearly into this world knowing what they will face.  Knowing the heartache they will endure, the difficult choices they will need to make?  The love that I have for my 4 children, and my soon to be 8 grandchildren is so great, it is difficult to imagine what He and Heavenly Mother must feel.

I do know this, I know with my limited knowledge of all that is, and the intensity of  love that burns in my heart for all my children and grandchildren and the fact that I would literally do anything in my power to keep them safe, and watched over and happy, the love that our Heavenly parents and Christ have for us is without measure.  

I know that my children will soon return.  That I will make that Peppa Pig cake and I will get to squeeze that little 3 year old tight, but tonight my arms ache, and I long to be with my family.  What I really want is to be home, in heaven surrounded by all of my children and grand children and great grandchildren for all of eternity.  That is what keeps me going.  That is what makes each day worth living.  Because there really in nothing I would not do, to bring them each safely home.

Our Heavenly home is like that.  A Father and Mother that desire for us to be safe and happy and at peace.  They desire our protection from the evil of this world.  They long for us to find happiness and joy in this life and in the eternities...and there is no limit to their love for us.  Some days we get sidetracked, plans change, and we course correct. We can always know, their door is always available if we but knock. There is nothing like going home.

I Remember