Yesterday

Eight grandchildren filled our walls with laughter yesterday.  Amazing!  Three remain with us this morning as their mom and dad are returning today from celebrating their 20th anniversary in San Francisco.  Solomon knew what he was talking about (Duh!), grandchildren really ARE the crowning glory of growing old.  Joan and I feel SO blessed!  Caden's quiet wisdom.  Corban's committed heart.  Cooper's enterprising spirit.  Marlee's exuberant nature.  Riley's kind heart.  Carson's tender strength.  Carter's determined spirit.  Reese's ever-busy productivity.  Each unique.  Each designed by God with meaning and purpose.  Each given hope for their future.  Each nurtured by families who choose to wait upon the Lord.  Each empowered by Eagles' wings which results from such waiting.  None weighed down by worry.  None forced to grow up too early as SO many in our culture are forced to do.  Allowed to be kids.  (Thank you, Jesus!)  Thank you for all those yesterdays of colic-filled nights and messy diapers; for skinned knees and warm hugs; for tears to dry away and laughter to overflow our walls; for newborns whose heads nestled against our chests on those cold winter's nights and for adolescents whose various commitments have warmed our spring and summer days.  And, thank you for the hope of tomorrow: for graduations to attend (the first arriving in 2014); for weddings to celebrate, for great-grandkids to cuddle against our chest on those truly cold nights in the winter of our lives.  Thank you, Lord for yesterday.  And, especially, thank You for the hope of tomorrow!