Honor your father
and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God
is giving you.
It is good to be home. I am not talking about the structure where I
live with my wife and children. I am
talking about the place where my parents and brothers are. My oldest daughter and I are in Oklahoma to
spend time with my family and to celebrate my niece getting married. I enjoy being here.
About five months ago I began getting text messages
and eventually a phone call saying that my mom was on the way to the hospital
because she had broken her ankle. It has
been a long road as she has been in a nursing/rehab facility since that happened. She is finally gaining strength and hopes to
be home by the middle of this month.
Thank you for your prayers.
The days and weeks went by. We talked on the phone and through text
messages and Facebook posts, but there was more to it than that. I missed my parents. With her pain and struggle the more my heart
longed to spend some time with my mom and with my dad.
Yesterday I was able to spend extra time with
them. Dad drove an extra 3 hours to pick
us up at the airport in Oklahoma City.
We talked much on the way home. Last
evening we spent several hours with my mom.
It really is good to be home. I
even went to my favorite BBQ place when we got to town (that’s important too).
Though we live 1,100 miles a part and see each us
maybe once a year these people still have my heart. I miss my brothers, Ric and Steve, as
well. I pray for them all by name
often. But there is nothing like being
with family. I am looking forward to
time with each of them, my brothers and my parents.
I sat in my mom’s room at The Villages and was
overcome with the understanding that I am blessed. My parents raised us to know God and to know
we are loved. Our home wasn’t perfect,
and we may be a bit dysfunctional. But
we know what love looks like and feels like.
One of my favorite signs says “love you more”. There is one hanging in my mom’s room where
she is staying, and there is one over the front door of my parents’ home. That is something we have said to each other
and bantered back and forth with for many years. I know in this place as in my home in
Virginia love is the real deal and must be cultivated and protected in our
homes.
I am blessed.
Spending time with my mom I know that I have missed many days of her
struggle, but today we got to catch up some, talked about the kids and
life. We got to just spend time
together. Dad and I will do that some
more too. These are days to be
treasured.
Oklahoma seems hotter than Virginia at times. The land is much flatter. But this is where I grew up (though some would
say I haven’t grown up yet). This is the
place where I learned to live and breathe, and this is the place where I
learned that I am not alone. That is
important. I am never alone thanks to
God. Mom and dad taught me that.
That verse I began with is one we quote pretty
often. I even joke about the phrase
“live a long, full life” because if you don’t obey they will kill you. Not really.
What I have come to know is that the people around our lives are
important. Loving is a give and take
kind of thing. You have to give love to
those around you. Also you have to know
how to accept love and acceptance from those who love you.
I am blessed.
In the next few days I may share a story or two from my childhood with
you. Consider that a warning. I will miss my wife and our two youngest
children, but I am planning to savor this time with some people who I don’t get
to be around very much.
… the family
of the godly stands firm.
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