July 25

It’s not July 25 today?  OH!  It’s January 25.  Right.  That’s why it’s 30 degrees instead of 85.  I think I prefer July. 

The reason I’m writing about July 25 is because it’s a day that’s etched into history for me in a way that no other day is.  It’s the day that my dad entered into Glory.  So it’s always a bittersweet day when it rolls around.  So today, January 25, 2013, marks 5 1/2 years since he went Home.  Hardly seems possible.  So it’s fitting that tonight my entire family is getting together to spend some quality time … it’s our Christmas hotel night.  Yes, we already celebrated Christmas, but one of our gifts from mom was a hotel night – so tonight’s the night.  God just doesn’t miss details.  I love that. 

But… back to July 25.  I wanted to capture how I spent July 25, 2012.  (Yeah, this post is 6 months late, but who’s counting?)  :)  I took the day off from work and spent some one on one time with Trevor, since Brett was at camp & Eli still went to daycare.  We had the whole day planned, and he was looking forward to it just as much as I was.  Or at least I think he was.  It was our “Random Acts of Kindness Day”.  I got the idea from another blog (I honestly don’t remember whose blog it was, so I can’t even give credit where credit is due).  But here is an account of our day.

It’s no lie when I say that I woke up that morning and missed my dad so much that it actually hurt.  But, God took that mourning and turned it into dancing (well, not real dancing), but He definitely spoke to me through music that day.  I took Eli to daycare & was listening to KNWC, and right when I needed it, they played 2 songs in a row that completely hit me (in a good way).  “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me, and “Better is One Day” by Kutless.  Yep, my dad is right where God wants him.  And I can’t wait to see him again someday. 

On to more of our day.  Here is a list of our random acts of kindness…

• Took a bag of groceries &  thank-you card to Gretchen to let her know how important she is & how much we appreciate her
• Took a casserole & a get well card to a friend who recently had her appendix out (she’s actually a sweet friend who just happens to have a son who is one of Trevor’s best friends… bonus!)
• Took a flower to Grandma L. at work so she would know we were thinking of her on this day too. It’s not an easy day for any of us, but especially not for her.
• Took mini brownie cupcakes & a thank-you card to the police dept
• Took a cake & thank-you card to Phil & Wendi since they took us boating the weekend before.
• Took our crib mattress & changing table to Paul & Steph to get the nursery ready

Then we headed to Sioux Falls for a couple of other things.  Trevor got to pick where we ate.  True to form, he picked McDonalds.  (umm, I should have used some veto power, but I didn’t)  And I told him that because he picked McDonald’s we had some extra cash left over to do one more random act,so we gave the money to a homeless woman that was standing on a corner in the heat.  We told her how much God loves her.

After all of that, I surprised Trevor & took him to the Butterfly House & park.  We went through the aquarium displays & then to see all of the butterflies.  I had never been there before, and Trevor’s class missed out on this field trip, so it was fun to take him there.  Then we played in the park (they have very cool equipment that is a little more interesting to older kids, and they have a gigantic shelter house – the shade was a welcome sight on that hot day)!  We sat in the shelter house and prayed over all of the people we had served that day.  I hope it taught him something about how we can show God’s love to others in many different ways.  I know that I learned a lot that day & hope to make this a tradition with all of the kids.  (Oh, and we stopped for ice cream on the way home!!)

Thank you, Lord for the memories of that day, and for blessing me much more than I deserve.  Thank you for my sweet family.  May we all strive to always be your hands and feet here.  Thank you also for the memories of my dad.  On July 25, today, and every day.  Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him and miss him – but I know you are taking good care of him, and his days are filled with praising you.  Thank you for my mom and all that she is to our family.  She has taught me how to love others well, and forgive even when forgiving is hard.  Thank you for the gift of your Son.  May we always show the same kind of love to others that He showed.  Amen.