Where AM I?

 So many things to post on...! THIS is what happens when you are LIVING LIFE! Everyday an adventure! It's March here in Alaska, although for this past winter it now feels like April or May. The sun is shining warm, the cat stretched out in the dining room, the homeschooled teenage tucked away in her room. And me... taking a glance every few minutes at my beading table. Cluttered with beads and notions, a lamp from my dad shining- beckoning me to come sit and release creativity. Also! Also! My books from school not far, reminding me of a test next week.

So yes, school! I enrolled in our church's ministry school in the fall of 2022. I completed one full semester and then the need to pull back and focus on the teenager. As she grows closer to finishing with school, we enjoy the freedom of mid-day coffee times, visits to Bill, and hanging out with other homeschool friends. We practice driving now and then... More then times than now...

Bill and I celebrated 26 years of marriage in December. 26 years of love, kids, church family, family-family, long drives, fishing, Lord of the Rings, sickness (you all know about that), health!, joy, sorrow, strength and weakness. We've spent the last few years, since covid, traveling and camping (fishing) in the summers. We've found ourselves with all the kids and nieces and nephews and times of just the two of us, grateful, thankful for every trip. Our winters have been spent in Spiritual growth, individually and together. 

My dad passed on in November of 2024. I was able to spend the last two months of his life with him, praying with him and for him. He came the last week in August and I realized in those first few days I would need to be there when he first woke in the morning. He would wake, confused as to where he was at. If the confusion set in for too long, he would become anxious and exacerbate the emphysema/ COPD. This caused more anxiety and stress and worsen the breathing. So, if I was there when he woke up I could explain to him where he was, what was going on, and that I was there to help and we would make it through the day. He woke most days shortly after 8:00AM. Now, I find it such a blessing that of all the places my father could have come--God choose Maple Spring Wasilla. It is 1 mile from our church and it just so is planned by God that our church has Early Morning Prayer Monday-Saturday 7-8AM. So I went to early morning prayer and then to my dad every morning. One morning about a week after he had got here, I was in Early Morning Prayer and the call was made for anyone sick to come forward for prayer, but then they added, OR if you know of anyone sick and would like to stand in for them, come forward and we will pray for you. THAT was my sign. I marched up, stood there with my hands up and received prayer. When I got to my dad's room that morning, I took his hand and asked if I could pray for him. I took all those prayers prayed over me that morning and gave them to my dad. We said AMEN and he smiled. "Now, tell me where I am!" he said. I sit here laughing. He made me laugh everyday I was with him. EVERYDAY. See, I believe God saw I was going to need healing (read the last post), so I could freely laugh with my dad, everyday for 2 months. Now I sit here crying. Maybe this is why I find this blog so challenging! I go from laughing to crying to laughing. But OHHH WHAT A JOY IT IS! Two weeks after he got here and about a week after going in and praying with him first thing, I asked him "Dad, you know Jesus right? He is your Savior right?" "Well yeah I guess so" was his answer. "Well you want to know for sure right, you want to be sure He is your Savior and you are going to heaven one day, right?" He coughed and just looked at me. In that moment I could feel the presence of God in the room. Ask him again, "So dad, I would want to know, I would want to be sure, don't you?" Again, another cough (like a clearing his throat, like, I'm-trying-not-to-cry cough). "Dad, I could say it with you and I would know and you would know". He looked down at my mom's blanket and back at me. "We could do that"...Now for those of us that have gone to church pretty much all of our lives and have heard and SAID the sinner's prayer hundreds of times, nothing quite prepares you for that moment when you lead SOMEONE else into the prayer. I lead him through. My brain going everywhere, trying not to forget anything, my heart happy, so very happy and yet tears in my eyes. Voice quaking, ears attentive and amidst all of that I heard God say, "My son, my son, finally." I wanted to run around the room and hug him I wanted to shout, instead I opened my eyes to see him, wiping his eyes and clearing his throat. "Well, I just have to ask you something Rhonda," "What's that dad?" "WHERE AM I?"

~~~To be continued~~~

Love you, love me, love you, love me.