Going Home

Yesterday, while my two oldest were at girl scouts, I took a journey back in time.
I went back home to my old home place, the first time in 15 years.

Ten years ago today, May 20, my dad too made a journey home, his heavenly home.
God is helping me through many things right now and I just felt compelled to share this journey with you.

The same people who bought the home in 1994 still live there today. It was our home for only 10 years, but they have now lived there 15. Their kids stood in the same spots we stood for prom pictures by the lake, the kids have all grown now and grand kids come to play.

I was allowed to walk back to the lake to spend some moments in quiet reflections, as I looked around, the good memories flooded in like much needed rain.

All the work my dad had done on this yard...... railroad tie by railroad tie, brick by brick, pier by pier. He did all of it by his own hands. I stood on that pier and remembered Saturdays working in the yard helping my dad mow the yard.

He used to get so mad at me. I practiced my driving on the riding lawn mower, and it never failed, I'd always run right over the newest little tree seedling he planted, every time.
We thought that tree would never grow.

Oh but those trees did grow, they are great pines now, cypress and oaks, towering over us like great giant soldiers.
I remembered roses, 4th of July, fish fries..... and oreo cookies on a swing.

This past week our family experienced a very frightening situation, someone we knew had a gun and was heading in our direction......... again a flood of memories came rushing back.........

My dad was a policeman, 28 years on the force. He loved that job. But there were times........sometimes, well, we just weren't safe, or were we? There were times when dad's life was threatened.

You know how most kids are taught a fire escape plan at home if ever there was a fire? I had a "Duck & Cover, Get down if I say so", plan growing up.

My dad worked undercover at times. So I was taught at a very young age that even in the grocery store, if he said, "Get down," I was to get down and stay down. I was also taught that if ever a strange truck or man approached the house, I was to run and get my dad.

There were times when that happened and the Plan was put into action.

So you can imagine my horror this past Saturday when we received the call that someone we knew had a gun and was headed this way. It was a man my husband had just spoken to on the phone, a man we are trying to help. We were outside: my husband, my children.

We went in the house, shut and locked all the doors, closed the blinds, and I prayed.

I had put all of that behind me, I didn't want to relive this again. But I was, only this time it wasn't my dad, but my husband and my family at risk. I hated this!

Memories flooded back. My dad was in SWAT. I remember each time the SWAT team got called out. My mother started cleaning. She'd scrub floors, she'd clean. She wouldn't stop till he came home. I understood at this moment why she did that. "Dear Lord I've got to do something and I don't know what to do! Keep him safe! and Bring him home!"

Our Saturday situation progressed similarly to those SWAT situations. The man with the gun showed back up at his home, and my husband, our pastor and three policeman with rifles went over to his house to make sure he was unarmed and was not going to hurt anyone.

I was so glad God brought my husband back home Saturday night.

I can imagine my mother felt the same way each time my father came home.

In fact, 10 years ago, when I got that call that dad had a heart attack and they were taking him to the hospital, I had to stop and remind myself that Daddy was off today. He was at home.
I always figured my dad would die on duty. I had to remind myself he was at home.

And how true those words were, " Dad was home." My dad went home to be with the Lord, May 20, 1999.

God has been using my memories, life situations, my children's lessons and scripture to guide me and lead me along the way. I'll be perfectly honest, I don't consider myself a, "baby," Christian, but I will tell you my grades are not good and I will probably repeat many many years before being, "promoted to glory."

My eight year old has been reading the story of Moses and the Israelites in the desert.

The children of Israel, they were just that, children. Trusting one moment, rebellious and disobedient the next. Over and over God did all he knew to do to draw them to himself. All they had to do was trust and obey.

It's sad when we get to the part of the story where Moses is disobedient and God says, "OK, that's it. You don't get to go into the promise land Moses. It's time for you to go home."

Go home.

There it is again.

But you know what, that story of Moses is a good story to explain death.

I teach my children that God is always with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.He loves you so much. He chose each one of us. He adopted us. He created us. He knows everything about us, all our needs.He has special plans for each and everyone of us and we are all part of his wonderful loving family,all brothers and sisters in Christ. I also believe that God is not going to take any of us home until our work on this Earth is done.

Go back to Moses. He was working for God. When he struck that rock instead of speaking to that rock. He disobeyed God. He could no longer be the people's leader. A new leader must be chosen, Joshua. There was no more work left for Moses to do. It was time for Moses to go home.

And that's how I accept death. God is the one who gives life and God is the one who takes life, and he won't take you home until your work on this Earth is done.

My dad's work on this Earth was done, it was time to go home.

If I had stopped to ponder this concept, there wouldn't have been any need for fear.

Psalm 23 (NIV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The Lord is our shepherd. He leads us. He guides us. He protects us.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

There are going to be days when bad things come our way. We will face troubles. But we are His.
We have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our life and he has anointed us and covered us with His blood. We keep our eyes on Him. Trust in Him. We are His. We belong to Him, and we will not go home until the work he has for us to do is done.

My two oldest daughters and I are reading together the books of Elsie Dinsmore.
These stories are about a young girl's life from the tender age of 8 to her death.
The story begins by explaining that her mother and father fell in love and married secretly.
When the guardians find out, they separate the young couple, send the young man off to schooling in Europe. The young woman is with child. She delivers Elsie and then dies of a broken heart. Elsie is then raised by her nursemaid and a loving Christian Scottish woman until she is about 4 years old. The nursemaid and Scottish Woman pour the love of Jesus and the knowledge and scripture into that child's heart, soul and mind like nurturing milk.

At the age of 4, Elsie is forced to move to her father's home place, even though he is still in Europe. She is now to live with her grandfather, his second wife, and her children. None of these are Christians. They see Elsie as strange, an outsider. They treat her most unfairly.

Elsie is so knowledgeable in the love and saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that despite all the ill treatment and troubles surrounding her, she pours forth her soul in prayer to God and devotes her life to studying the scriptures and being Christlike.

We are now in book 3 of the 60 something books in this series, and even though the young girl in the book is only 10 years old now, she has taught this 37 year old woman many things about keeping your focus on the Lord. Cry out to Jesus. Turn to Jesus. Pray. Study the Scriptures. Memorize the Scriptures. Take Comfort in Gods words and His promises in His WORD. Dedicate yourself to having the same qualities and character of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I know I can get through anything for Thou art with me, and when there is no one who can possibly understand, no one to talk to talk to, no one to seek guidance from........... God is with me.
Take it to the Lord in prayer. Let God, the God of all comfort, love you, comfort you with his words and promises and give you peace.

Peace........, I made my peace yesterday on a dock on a lake. On a dock built by my own earthly father's hands, I surrendered my life, my all, my everything into my heavenly father's hands.
I will now do my best to Trust in my heavenly father's care and Lord and gentle shepherd of my life. I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33 (NIV)

In His love, Amy.

Psalm 23 (NIV)
A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.