Life In Our Castello

There is so much happening in the lives of those who dwell in our Castello. Lots of changes. Some of the changes are good. God is stretching us. We are stepping out of our comfort zone. Some of the changes are sad. All the changes are drawing us nearer to our Lord. Growing pain hurts, but He has a purpose. God is good... ALL the time.

My Knight and I have been asked (three times) in the past, if we would be interested in teaching the college/career Sunday School class. It's not that we didn't want to teach that class. It's that we've been working with the youth. My Knight teaches High School boy's Sunday school class and I help teach the high school girl's class. We have felt that, that's where God wanted us to be. Well, lately we've been wondering what He wants us to be doing. Through a series of events, we feel He wants us to leave the youth and teach the college/career class. The high school class is split up by gender and grade. So now my Knight and I will be teaching together. I'm really looking forward to being together in a Sunday School class again.

I was a little concerned about how Soaring Amongst The Clouds and Still Waters felt about it. They have had me as a Sunday School teacher all through high school, but I wondered if they minded having me as a teacher again. Would they be embarrassed? Now that they are young adults, would it be a nuisance for their parents to be the teachers in their Sunday School class? My Knight and I prayed and talked about it. We felt God leading us in that direction. We spoke with our Fair Maidens and were blessed by what they shared with us. They were pleased to hear that we would be teaching their class. The only thing they asked was, for us not to call on them and "make" them participate. We will honor their request. I'm so blessed by them.

The Seamstress (my mother in love) just celebrated her 80th birthday. Back in the beginning of August, I went down to her home (265+ miles) , to pick her up and bring her to our home. She had not been doing well. Her bp was 210/108 and her blood sugar was 250+. She was very agitated and not thinking straight. She was not herself. We were concerned that she was having some sort of dementia. We were able to get her in to see a specialist the day after we got her to our home. After MANY doctors visits and seeing many specialist, her bp has returned to normal. Her blood sugar is now below 100. YEAH! She is taking some medication to help her memory. She has the beginnings of Alzheimer and was diagnosed as being depressed. The medication she's taking is helping her. BUT we have realized that she can no longer live on her own.

We are praying and trying to decide what to do. Putting her in a home is not an option. She will be living with us. I knew that this is what God would want us to do. I just felt a little threatened about having "another woman" in our Castello. I felt that the Seamstress might judge me. I also didn't want our children to hear how critical she is or to be around her negativity. God spoke to me and I realized that I was letting my flesh get in the way of His work. So I've laid it all at His feet. I know that He will see us all through it.

I look at my children and can't believe they are 20 (next month), 19, 17, 13 & 11 (in 2 weeks). That means, that my Knight and I are also getting older. Since we are getting older, our parents are getting older too. My dad celebrated his 71st birthday this summer and my mom her 65th birthday. I never really thought about them as "getting old". Seeing what the Seamstress is going through has made me realize that one day, my parents will be in the same situation. I mean I know they were getting older but I haven't really thought about it. The thought saddens me. God in his infinite wisdom knew what I needed to hear.

Below is the devotion I received in my email this morning. I know it might not look like it has anything to do with what is happening in my life, but it does. It's exactly what I needed to hear. I hope you are blessed by it, I know I was.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: When you are tempted to complain about something
you don't have, stop and remind yourself to be thankful for what you
do have. God will reward your thankfulness.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY: Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have. Hebrews 13:5


Headed Homeward
by Max Lucado

Aging is God's idea. It's one of the ways he keeps us headed
homeward. We can't change the process, but we can change our
attitude. Here is a thought. What if we looked at the aging body as
we look at the growth of a tulip?

Do you ever see anyone mourning over the passing of the tulip bulb?
Do gardeners weep as the bulb begins to weaken? Of course not. We
don't purchase tulip girdles or petal wrinkle cream or consult
plastic-leaf surgeons. We don't mourn the passing of the bulb; we
celebrate it. Tulip lovers rejoice the minute the bulb
weakens. "Watch that one," they say. "It's about to blossom."

Could it be heaven does the same? The angels point to our bodies. The
more frail we become, the more excited they become. "Watch that lady
in the hospital," they say. "She's about to blossom." "Keep an eye on
the fellow with the bad heart. He'll be coming home soon."

"We are waiting for God to finish making us his own children, which
means our bodies will be made free" (Rom. 8:23).

Are our bodies now free? No. Paul describes them as our "earthy
bodies" (Phil. 3:21 MSG). Or as other translations state:

"our lowly body" (NKJV)
"the body of our humble state" (NASB)
"these weak mortal bodies" (NLT)
"our vile body" (KJV)
"our simple bodies" (NCV)

You could add your own adjective, couldn't you? Which word describes
your body? My cancerous body? My arthritic body? My deformed body? My
crippled body? My addicted body? My ever-expanding body? The word may
be different, but the message is the same: These bodies are weak.
They began decaying the minute we began breathing.

And, according to God, that's a part of the plan. Every wrinkle and
every needle take us one step closer to the last step when Jesus will
change our simple bodies into forever bodies. No pain. No depression.
No sickness. No end.

This is not our forever house. It will serve for the time being. But
there is nothing like the moment we enter his door.


From Traveling Light
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2001) Max Lucado


It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.
~E. E. Cummings