Thursday, May 17, 2012

Home!



Home! so many memories of home. Bud asked me to marry him the summer of 1982. Knowing he was headed for ministry, he prefaced his proposal with a reminder to me that we might never own our own home. If I married him, I was stepping into ministry with him....whatever that meant for us and wherever that took us. Was I willing? Yes, a thousand yeses! We married July of 1983. Graciously the Lord took us to Evangel Baptist Church in Taylor, MI, the summer of 1984 when Bud finished seminary. We moved into our home in Woodhaven in October. What I thought might never happen became a reality. We owned our own home! Little did we even guess then that we would live there for 22 years. All five of our children were born while we lived there. The neighborhood was wonderful with other families with young children.

Home! Meals, diapers, repairs, guests, discipleship, music lessons, books, chores, homeschooling,toys, loving, prayers.....home. I am so grateful for the many memories of our first home. My heart was to make it a refuge for Bud and for my children. A place of training, education, growth, safety.

Home! now the memories flood my mind.....
Doing dishes at the kitchen sink and looking out the window to suddenly see my 2 year old Janelle on top of the monkey bars. How on earth did she get up there?

A 15 year old son Jeremy heading out the door for a mission trip and remembering to come back in to say goodbye to Mom and give me a hug.

Jason sneaking into the girls' room at night after lights out to talk with Joanna and Janelle. They wonder if I knew?

Bud praying with Joanna in the living room in the very early morning before her knee surgery.

Joseph up on the ladder at 6 or 7 years old helping hold a piece of siding in place for Bud as he worked to reside the house.

Bud desperately trying to turn off the water to the house while a pipe in the utility room had sprung a leak. Water spraying everywhere....Bud soaked! Little vignettes of sweetness!

Home! I quote Henry Beecher, "Home should be an oratorio of the memory, singing to all our after life melodies and harmonies of old remembered joy."

1 comment:

  1. Such a wonderful story. I can just imagine you watching these events. Love you so much. Elaine

    ReplyDelete