I have been missing blogging!! So I am just giving a quick update for now. Today is Ethan's last day of school (wierd, I know...to end on a Monday!)

Kayla and Andrew closed on their house on Friday, so we spent the weekend painting, panelling, moving and shopping. I found them a stove on Criag's list. We had our old refrigerator in the "man-cave" as my boys call their shed. Lol! They still need a microwave, water heater and a washing machine.

We went through my old paint, and found enough to do the kitchen, one living room wall, bathroom, and bedroom. It is so fun to see the house transform! I'll post pics soon.

The Lord blessed us with long-awaited rain this weekend, wonderful, steady rainfall all day Saturday and again today! My heart is rejoicing for freedom from watering our extra large yard. I still have much to do, such as transplanting perennials to new locations. It will be so much easier with moist soil! Praise the Lord!

Wedding plans are coming along. The boys got measured yesterday for their tuxes. The girl's dresses are coming in. Mostly what is left is keeping the yard tip top shape, and the projects there. IT'S ALL SO VERY FUN AND EXCITING!!

Hope to visit more when the brunt of the moving and yard projects wind down!

Deuteronomy 8:7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills...

Me? A "mother-of-the-bride"? OH MY!

A couple of weeks ago, I heard an older song on the radio entitled "Butterfly Kisses". Do you remember that one? A daddy remembering his little girl on her wedding day. The song progresses from her being little when Daddy tucked her in and they shared butterfly kisses, through her walking down the isle with little white flowers all up in her hair. He was reminiscing over cherished, sweet times together. I was in a pool of tears...my little girl has been talking of a wedding. She has been looking @ rings w/Andrew, they have been talking about their future. And...planning.

Today we looked at gowns. Kayla tried on eight or nine elegant, glistening, white dresses. Yes. I cried. A little bit. But we had a truly wonderful day. It is amazing to see your baby in wedding dresses, ready to move on in life. I found myself wondering at how in the world I went from being a bride to being the mother of one. Where did the time go?

And people are asking, "Did she get engaged?"

We laugh. Andrew has made his plans known, but is still saving money for the ring. They want to get married Sept. 4th on our farm, so we really need to get started with all the plans. It feels a little funny to me. Without a ring, it is hard to think of it as being "official". So I answer their question, "she is betrothed".

We are planning according to a promise.

It kind of reminds me of our faith journey.

As believers in Jesus, we live by faith in His promises. We have the holy Spirit as a "seal" of Jesus' betrothal. The Spirit in us is love. Kayla is resting all her plans on the love that she and Andrew have for each other. And resting in the promise that the ring will be there. I know, they are a little counter-culture; they are not going the normal route...ring, then plans...I admit I have had a hard time with the lack of a ring. I have felt-tentative-until today. Seeing her in those dresses created anticipation in my soul. A desire to move forward with her, as she has the assurance that the thing promised will come to pass.

We went to lunch and pulled out my planner. We began the list "to do". Painting, digging, building, researching flowers, caterers, photographers, lights, plants, decorations, centerpieces, napkins, and we know the list is still incomplete. We have a lot to do.

Suddenly, in the faith parallel, I find myself asking, "Do I live in anticipation like this for the great Wedding Feast to come? Am I preparing with such enthusiasm and careful attention to details?"

I am excited for this wedding! I know it is going to be a lot of work in the process of pursuing the day. Difficulties will inevitably come. Such things as the guest list (how to keep it in the budgeted amount?) or, "how are we going to pay for all of this?". Perhaps disagreements between Kayla and I, or her and Andrew...and then there is the added workload of prepping the yard...I know what will get us through those challenges is keeping focused on the future event, and the united life together that we are planning for.

Just like our betrothal to Jesus. It all reminds me of this passage of scripture I memorized at a retreat one year on 4-17, 18:

2 Cor: 4:17,18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Knowing that Jesus never breaks promises helps me not be tentative about moving toward the Great Wedding when we all feast with our King. I pray he will help Andrew be faithful to his promise to Kayla. Will you pray too? I guess I might still feel a little tentative...