Thursday Morning ...

This morning, I read an email from a wonderful friend up in Falls City, OR. Kathy is a mother of 9 children as well, and was my adopted mom while I lived and worked up there (she still is!). She shared a few things that she would like to see at the end of her life: her children singing praise songs, reading the Bible, praying, and talking about Heaven together. As I shared the email with mom, we thought about how God has allowed us to do all of those things! We look forward to talking more about what Heaven will be like and what she will get to do up there. For the believer, death is not a "goodbye," but a "See you later!" Because time is different up there, it's only going to be a short while before we will be reunited with her. What a fabulous hope we have through Jesus Christ!

Our conversation with family this morning centered around Heaven. I asked mom what she was looking forward to in Heaven. "To get to see so many people that will be there." What is thing you are looking forward to the most? "To see Jesus," she said with a smile.

1 Peter 1 fits so perfectly with my mom's life and standing with the Lord. We read this passage this morning (brackets are added):

"[Pam], an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of [Grants Pass, Oregon and abroad] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls...

"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Mom has not had the strong pain in her side like she did earlier this week. She was alert this morning, even enough that Dan was able to videotape her talking alot about her childhood and life.