If I am honest, which I try to always be, I love the sappy happy ending kind of books. You know, the love stories, the feel good inspirationals and historicals, and the real life biography's...if they have a happy ending. Like all good stories, you need a good plot. Something to keep the readers interest.
Every book I read is always a good one, because BEFORE I read it, I like to look at the last chapter and read through the ending. I know, I know....I get that sort of reaction all the time. I can handle it. =)
Do you know my favorite story? My own........
8 years ago today, I married my best friend.
Though I couldn't see the last chapter, I knew then like I know now- it is going to be incredible!
Looking back our lives have included (but not limited by or to -just these few photo's).
There has been an incredible story wrapped up in this.
One of redemption, and one of Joy...
Look at that little cutie! Don't you just want to eat him up???
Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for everything.
"A time to give birth....Uproot....Plant...heal....weep....build up....laugh....dance...embrace....let go....keep....throw away...silence....speaking....searching...to mourn..." Ecc. 3:1-8
There is a time for everything under the sun.
"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things...Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will suceed, or whether both of them alike will be good...Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness....Ecc. 11:5,6,8
We mourned the stroke that took so much from Aaron's dad, but rejoice that he is still with us and through this we are able to see many examples of leadership, Godliness, and that by serving one another we can truly become free.
We built our dream home....and sold it a couple years later.
We moved...and them moved again. Only to be moved soul deep into greener pastures with the Lord.
We embraced these two...and had to let them go...
Only to be knit back together with their family two short years later....
They have been the worst of times...
And yet, the best of times....
Ecc. 7:13 "Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?"
"For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that...(everything we do and all that happens to us) is in the hands of God." Ecc. 9:1
All of our endings with Jesus, are always Happy.
If I could do it all over again, I would.
In many ways, Aaron has been my photographer through these pictures. He has held me up and allowed the Lord to work through me, because he made the decision to trust the Lord when he was 8 years old. And that decision to trust laid the firm foundation to trust Him again in this life, looking through the Lens of the Father.
When I see this picture (which hangs on our living room wall), I have such bittersweet emotions.
This was one month before learning of my cancer. However much I love this, I would never go back because I could have this picture, but never know what deadly disease I could still be sick with.
So, I choose to see the beauty in it. The wisdom of gray hair; the smiles that have "knowing" in them. The covenant relationship that it represents. The crown of glory that the Lord has replanted on my head since this was taken.
Yes, we have experienced much under the Sun.
Like many of you.
We have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.
We had heard of the Lord, but now our eyes have truly SEEN Him.
He has given us His wisdom and His camera lens with which we are learning to focus...and to leave you with one more thought:
"A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam." Ecc. 8:1b
Within these 8 beautiful years lay more than 1000 gifts.
I look forward to counting the 1000's more.
Yes, we are still smiling.
And, in a sense we are acting out this same picture today.
We are taking our seats and buckling up,
because the best is yet to come...
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