July 2011 Newsletter

Aloha,

"O Israel, rejoice in your Maker, O people of
Jerusalem, exult in your King. Praise his name with
dancing accompanied by tambourine and harp. For
the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the
humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that he
honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on
their beds." Psalm 149:2-4

June was quite an exciting month in our house. For
weeks I'd been preparing. I cleaned the rooms in the
basement and put up some decorations. I sanded
and painted tables and dressers. I bought special
little gifts and laid them out on the beds. I stocked
the fridge and cabinets with "fun" foods like mac
and cheese, frozen pizza, ice cream, etc. etc. etc!!!

Camp Popo 2011 was all set to begin! The first
guests to arrive were the grandchildren from
Arizona. Jack and I were beside ourselves waiting
for them to deplane! Bethany, 14, Savannah, 12, and
Silas 7, ran to our open waiting arms! They were
going to be with us for a little over 2 weeks and we
knew just how fast that time would fly by.

In week two of their visit, Josh, Taylor, and our
youngest grandchildren arrived. Jack is 3 and Finn
turned one on July 2nd. What a joy it was to see all
our grandchildren together! Every now and then I
would catch Jack's eye and we would just smile. We
both knew what the other was thinking...."I just want
to drink this all in...every fun chaotic moment"....we
were delighting in our children and our children's
children.

While all of this was going on there was another
homecoming taking place. Jack's precious mom,
Ethyl, was getting ready to go home to heaven. I can
only imagine the scene in heaven as word was
passed around to her precious Bud (George), and to
her four sisters who had gone home before her! I
wonder what special preparations were going on in
heaven the day mom left this earth?

Bethany, Savannah, and Silas were able to spend
some time with their great-grandma the first week
they were here. She delighted in them. Her eyes just
beamed as she hugged each one of them. I could
see she was getting tired, so Jack took them outside
to find some ice cream. She and I talked about how
precious our children were. She delighted in her
children Arlene, Jack, and Annette and lived long
enough to delight in her grandchildren and even
great- grandchildren!

By the time Josh and his family arrived Grandma
was no longer conscious but Josh was able to hold
her hand and tell her how much he loved her and to
thank her for her godly example and all her prayers
for him and his brothers. He cried as he told her that
all three of them were now in the ministry and were
committed to raising their families to know the Lord
the way she had raised Jack and his two sisters. It
was a precious holy moment to be there with her
as she was letting go of the last tethers of this life and
preparing to spend eternity with her Lord.

Ethyl had spent a lifetime preparing for this day. She
had delighted in her Lord and she knew He delighted
in her.

As the family and friends gathered to celebrate her
life I was reminded that we who are alive and in
relationship with the God of this Universe are also to
be in a constant state of preparing. I should be
longing for and preparing for my next life in heaven
in the same way I look forward to and long for the
visits from my children and grandchildren.

The more I worship Him, draw close to Him in
prayer, read His word, and fellowship with other
believers, the more excited I get about going home!
It is so easy to get distracted down here on earth. So
much of our lives are taken up with the urgency of
the here and now. Purposefully setting aside time
each day to focus on Christ and my future with him
is so much more important than anything else in my
day!

The words from a familiar song keep running
through my head. "This world is not my home. I'm
just a-passin' through. My treasures are laid up
somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me
from heaven's golden shore. And I can't feel at home
in this world anymore."

None of us know or are guaranteed a certain number
of years on this earth. But, if we are trusting in
Christ as our Lord and Savior we are all given an
eternity of everlasting life with Him and each other.
Praise the Lord.

SSF UPDATE:

Sunday July 24 -SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER-IAN
LEACH

Sunday July 31 SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER-Steve
Leach (Ian’s son)

Aloha Ke Akua,

Jack & Maree