This thing is amazing! I had fun sending it to you today :) On mine that I got from Kristy C. is doesn't even try to say my name :( Goofy say, "If our Special Guest doesn't show up..."
Don't know if some of you know it or not but one of my all time favorite movies is "It's a Wonderful Life". I am a sap when it comes to the happily ever after, Jimmy Stewart, and Frank Capra movies. Every time I reach for this DVD my family sighs and I ignore them and indulge myself in 2 hours of pure unadulterated sappiness. George Bailey learns his lesson in the end that our lives affect so many others and if we weren't here life would be different. We don't always know how significantly we affect others but I know many people have affected my life and continue to do so. If I took one of them out of the picture it might have changed things dramatically, so I need to be every greatful of my wonderful life.
Here's a list of people who have affected the course of my life and prayerfully, I have made an impact on them also...
My parents, Joe Neil and Selma Clayton. They taught me love, the value of friendship, kinship, and love of God. Through their example and faith I learned to stand on my own, with a husband, and most of all with the Lord. They have been and always will be my heroes.
My grandparents, L.B and Era Clayton and J.A. and Vera Hander. Both sets were servants of God, servants to the household of faith, and servants to their neighbors, family, and friends. I think of the laughter, the love, the gatherings of our family with one or both sets of grandparents and feel so favored to have have the privilege of being their grandchild. I also was blessed with an additional grandmother, Pearle who loved and kept my grandfather Clayton on this earth for several more years after my Clayton grandmother died. She gave him something new to live for and I thank her, because like my other grands she too was a servant.
My siblings, Terry Clayton, Michelle Malone, and Juline Rose, who have encircled me with love and friendship. They all married lovely people, Donna, Ronnie, and Joe who are all spiritual rocks and lots and lots of fun to be around! They serve the Lord with gladness and continue the legacy of servitude found in our parents and grandparents.
My husband, Ron, who loves me even when I am unlovely, and takes his guide from our Lord in how to care for our family. His love language is "acts of service" and you can imagine from my family history why I was drawn to him. He brought with him into our family an amazing grandfather and grandmother, J. Hugh and Myrtle Ritchie, who I claimed as another set of grandparents long before Ron and I were friends, and an extended family of mother and father, Harold and Kathleen Ritchie, siblings and spouses Steve and Jeannene Ritchie, Wendell and Leslie Ritchie, Marc and Lisa Stone. All Christians and servants of our Lord.
Of course life was made even more wonderful when first I became an aunt to Brad and Cara Malone (Cara's now McCrain and we added another family member, David, recently). And then the Lord blessed me with my own children, Chad, Aimee, and Valerie. They are all a blessing but the one kink in this wonderful life is they are not all servants of the Lord. We continue to pray for Chad as he finds his way back to the service of our Lord. But, Aimee and Valerie are strong in the faith. However, they are all strong in love of their family and servants of their neighbors and friends.
More nephews and neices Justin then later Jessi his wife, Sean, Aaron, Melinda, Hailey, James, Beau, Rachel, Emma, and Sadie. More love, more laughter, more servants. And now I have a daughter-in-law April and granddaughter, Felicity which is another phase to this wonderful life.
You think this tale is done but one thing I know about my wonderful life, it would have not been so wonderful with the brothers and sisters I have had in the faith. Living with and for the Lord has distinct advantage in that your family is expanded. He brings people in and out of our lives, puts them in our way to build up and encourage us, sometimes even challenge us. But in the end we truly know we have lived a wonderful life.
Thank you to you all who have touched and made my life so WONDERFUL!
I love this post! And I love that once upon a time your path and my path met as we were journeying along, young and impressionable. Thank you for adding to my joy and resolve to continue my path with the Lord.
It's just so great to be back in touch with people whose journey continues in the Lord. One day, we're going to all meet again in that beautiful place above. How sweet the thought!
About not updating this thing. Blogging means you need to let people know what you are doing so, I will try to do better. I hope. Maybe. I wish my life were more interesting but it's not so I'm going to take a page out of my daughter's blogging and let you know exactly what has happened in my last week.
Sunday - Worshiped with the best group of God's people.
Monday - Worked, had family "Monday Night Dinner", started sniffling.
Tuesday - Went to work until 11 a.m until my sniffling, runny nose, achy body got the best of me and I went home.
Wednesday - Stayed at home, slept a lot, missed church because of this sniffling, runny nose, achy thing.
Thursday - Drug my self to work until 11a.m. when my sniffling, runny nose, achy body got the best of me and I went home - again.
Friday - Stayed at home, slept a lot, tried to do some things but mostly stayed in the bed or on the couch with my sniffling, runny nose, achy body. Started to feel a little better in the late afternoon but was exhausted by trying to do some household things.
Saturday - Felt better, attended a ladies holiday brunch with 70 of my closest friends and "sisters". Waited for my daughter to get home from Kentucky. Went to bed early when my sniffling, runny nose, achy body was replaced with my back hurting (probably from laying in the bed and sitting on the couch with my sniffling, runny nose, achy body).
Sunday - Worshiped this morning with the best group of God's people.
Sunday-Downtown Chicago-->worship-->drove home-->worship--crashed Monday-Recovered most of the day from a long weekend in Chicago (with my mom), volleyball tournament, drove to Indy & stayed overnight b/c my mom's flight left early Tuesday-Went back to work, came home & recovered Wednesday-Worked @ 3 different buildings, bible study Thursday-Work, volleyball tournament (1st place!) Friday-Work, volleyball with Dan, IHOP with volleyball friends, bridal shower @ my house (that I was super late to), lots of sleep Saturday-Slept in until noon, went to work, had company over for pizza, brownies, & a movie Sunday-Worship, Big Brother's Big Sister's Meeting, relaxing with Dan, Tyler (our little brother), cats, coffee, & football That's my week. :-) Hope you feel better.
My dad, Joe Neil Clayton, will be 80 on the 28th of November, so my sisters and I are flying to Northern California to celebrate an early birthday. He is one of the two greatest influences in my life(the other is Mom). He is a gospel preacher and as of his birthday will have been preaching for 62 years. He taught me to love the Word of God and especially how the Bible should be studied. He instilled in me compassion, humor, and a love of board games and puzzles. He started the Disney fanaticism in my life by taking me to Disneyland 10 times in one summer. He scolded, praised, lifted up, and guided all at the right times. (He steared me towards my favorite verse (Isaiah 40:31)in one of those moments.) He has been and always will be my hero who unlike other heroes do not really stand the test of time.
I wish you could all meet him. But for now, pray for my sisters and I as we travel on Tuesday to celebrate the greatest man in my life (sorry Ron, but Dad's do have special honor).
Glad you get to celebrate with your dad. Enjoy every one of those precious moments. My daddy was a man much like yours, and very special to this daughter - I miss him.
John 3:14-15
"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life."
Just like the children of Israel, being "cured" of our sins is dependent upon two things, Christ dying of the cross and us being willing to lift up our eyes(do something) as the Israelites had to do to receive our salvation. We don't merely recognize that Christ died for our sins (accept Him as our personal savior), but we have to actively (works) do something to receive that salvation.
There were many in the wilderness that perished because they didn't obey and look upon the brass serpent. We can say we believe and have faith in God and Christ, but until we do something about it and obey God's will, we too will perish. Hebrews 11, is full of examples of the "heroes of faith" who DID something by faith and because they DID then they were found righteous/faithful.
Pretty cool when you find a nugget of truth in something you have always read but never realized the impact of the statement.
