What Labor Day Means to ME!!!

Labor Day week end. It means different things to different people.

• Celebrate the workers of our great country.
• Traditionally the last official 'week end' to wear white (although I think this one is kind of a 'passed' tradition, many wear white year 'round')!
• The first three-day week end of the school year...
• The beginning of the school year for some.

For my family, this is a week end we look forward to the whole year. Labor Day for us means getting together with dear friends--all together in one place to laugh, visit, pray, laugh and eat together for as long as we can, from Friday evening to Sunday evening...sometimes lingering even to Monday. (not this year, though, we're getting older and we need a day to rest up before returning to real life!)

We started this tradition in 2003. We've moved the destination around a couple of times, bur for the most part, and as with this year, around 40 of us gathered at the Bopp's home in Wentzville, MO, to celebrate our friendship. At one point all of us had lived in the same town, and served at the same church, where some were in paid positions of ministry, and others were in volunteer positions in the same body.

Through a 'blessed tragedy' many had to move away and find positions in ministry in other places...far away places. It was truly one of those things that Satan had meant for bad, but God used for GOOD!!! And, as a way to fulfill His purpose, more than likely, in all our lives!

When this happened, we committed to get together 'officially' each year, and see each other through out the rest of the year as often as possible. Our 'official' time together would be Labor Day Week end. Through e-mails and phone calls, week ends here and there, we've remained close through the years, even though we're separated by miles, and all of us have busy lives with kids and jobs and ministry responsibilities...but there remains this commitment to our friendship, and an unexplainable love we have for each other. Picking up conversations where we left off.

We have raised our kids together and, they range in age from 8 to 25. (Now, Randy & I have grand kids and so, we're on to the 'next generation' of our gathering!) Four of us have had babies 'later in life'! --my husband & I have had three such babies as we 'stopped' having children twice but then, in God's timing, adopted twins, then had a very blessed pregnancy! (oh, what great memories we share--like when we 'first found out we were pregnant'...or 'told each other' we were expecting yet another child!) We've been such an encouragement to each other to depend on God for health and wisdom throughout this journey of parenthood.

These families were great support as we were going through the adoption process for our twins. And then we were able to rally again as one of the other families went through the adoption process for two little girls from Russia about four years ago. Such a bond we've formed throughout the years!

We've celebrated birthdays together, weddings, funerals, and church services together. These friends were among the first to arrive when we lost our Macy and then also among the first to arrive as we celebrated our oldest daughter's wedding a few months later.

This group of friends is founded on our mutual love for God, and a desire to serve Him well, and finish our lives strong in His strength. We've cried, prayed, studied, laughed and talked our way through personal crisis, natural disasters, political and economic mysteries, difficult passages of scripture, reasoning it all in light of God's Word. All of these are either in paid positions of ministry, or serve in their churches faithfully in some capacity. Their personal relationship with Jesus is evident in the way they live and relate to others. These are people that I truly look forward to spending eternity with in Heaven in the presence of our Savior.

We used to weep every time we'd leave each other, as if it would be the last time we'd see or speak to each other. Now, because our friendship has stood this test of time, we no longer weep. I think it's because we remain, thanks in part to the electronic age...but also, because we know that our future is secure. Here or There...we're good!

God is so good to me, to give me friends like these!

Our days...

Stay with me here, I've not been very faithful in writing to you...so...bear with me and take a listen to a short 'twin' story...and then I promise, we'll get down to business!!!

Official Twin story: We are officially in our second full week of school. It seems like things are extremely calm here...perhaps I don't know 'everything that's going on' but the girls are loving it! They laugh a lot, and play crazy music...and talk about clothes and make up and hair length and piercings...part of being 13...I suppose. I sometimes forget how OLD I am compared to how YOUNG they are!

I was abruptly reminded of the 'gap' this past week end when the girls were singing along to a popular song on the radio...lyrics went something like "swish, girl...do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips..."--they were just singing along...and I said..."Do you even know who Helen Keller is/was?"
"No," they said.
So, being the great and profound mother that I am, I proceeded to explain to them about her, and her life, and about how she couldn't hear, see or speak...and, of course, you are WAY ahead of me because one of the girls said, "Well, that can't be right, she had to be able to talk, because otherwise, who sang the song?"Oh, my. OH MY!

The reason I blog: My husband and I attended a couple of different celebrations last week end. One was an anniversary party, celebrating 50 years of marriage by some friends of ours from church. It was great to see them laughing and having fun with friends and family. 50 years is a long time to be married. But, at the same time, when I congratulated them, the wife said, it just doesn't seem like 'that long ago'...and I think she's right...time flies--doesn't it?
The next day, we were privileged to attend a wedding celebration for another couple that attends our church--just starting their journey together. Quite a contrast, but that's the way life is, isn't it?

I have friends who are celebrating new life with babies, and marriages, and I also have friends who have just lost loved ones and still others' whose marriages seem to be crumbling around them. That's the way this life on earth seems, isn't is...good/bad...hope/joy...highs/lows...we can learn from each moment, each experience...each celebration: Life is precious. It is a Gift. Celebrate it because NONE of these moments is a surprise to Our Great God...

I not only take great comfort in the following, I glean from it great hope about the character of a Holy, Great, Mighty God....take a listen...
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid you hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wins of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," event he darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.--Psalm 139:1-16

You can get the idea here...I read this and it brings me to tears...to think that in the very next verse, it says that the number of thoughts that God has concerning my life would outnumber the grains of sand...and HE is still with me...

I sit and think and

just in the quiet think about that...just quietly...without words...think...about...HIM...and HIS thoughts...and HIS Holiness...OK, now without words...you ... do..... the..... same...