Not the Christmas I Had Planned

It's hard for me to believe that Christmas has come and gone. It didn't feel like Christmas--or at least not the Christmas I had envisioned. Our past week has been full of funeral planning, three visitation periods and the funeral along with a couple of Christmas parties. It was amazing to see the amount of people that came to visitation and/or the funeral. Students came that had her last year and students came that had her 30 years ago. It really is amazing to think about the number of lives she touched. The funeral was beautiful too. I think she really would have liked it. We sang some praise songs that might not be typical funeral songs, but they were songs that she loved and songs that were a CELEBRATION of her life here. As we sang "These Are the Days of Elijah" I could picture her standing next to me bobbing to the beat. She didn't care if she looked like a "dork"--she was praising the Lord! That was something that I may have been embarrassed by as a child but began to admire her for that as I matured and that I admire her for even more now.

Maybe it's because I've never lost anyone in my life as close to me as my own mother, but her death has made me think more about death and our life here and of our eternal life in Heaven. The pastor on Saturday mentioned one of my favorite versus--Matthew 6:25-34:

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

When you think about eternity, it makes you realize how short ALL of our lives here on this earth are. Whether we live 1 hour or 100 years, our time on this earth is SHORT. So why do we care what we look like on this earth? Why are we never satisfied with what we have? When I think now of how we have to go through my mom's things and get rid of many of them, it reminds me of another passage from Matthew 6 where it says "Do not store up treasures on earth". I'm not accusing my mom of having too many things--we all have "stuff" and we all need some "stuff"--my point is just that it makes me think more about how we can't take anything with us to Heaven so do I really NEED all that I have?

Something else that her death has made me think more about is what would be said about me if I died. SO many people have been saying what a great teacher and kind and caring person she was. I heard this song the other day and really thought the lyrics fit with what's been on my mind lately:

Artist: Nichole Nordeman

Album: This Mystery

Title: Legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me

And I enjoy an accolade like the rest

You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery

Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best

At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights

We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'

But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides

The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things?

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile

To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile

Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred

Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

***

Now onto our Christmas parties...

Saturday night we had our Raak (my mom's side) family Christmas party as planned. My grandma got the flu Saturday (I think hopefullly now we're done passing it along!) so she couldn't make it, but thankfully she still was able to make it to the funeral. To me, the party felt like something was missing. I wish that my mom could have been there, but I know that she's having a much better party.

Getting ready for the party (she definitely got her use out of her Christmas dress!)...

Playing with cousin Mason (my cousin's son) and "Uncle" Brian (my cousin's husband Brian)

Opening her gift from "Auntie" Mandi...I think she liked the paper as much as the present!

Layla having fun with Grandpa B.

Christmas' are now busier with all the kiddos!

Sunday night we had the Geurink Christmas party. Layla got some new fun toys that Gavin is already enjoying (he is over today). Layla doesn't mind sharing:-).

Layla enjoying her "stocking" presents (stocking is in quotes b/c they aren't really in a stocking--they're more like pre-presents)...

Too bad Joe cut part of Layla off on this pic! This was at dinner prior to the gifts. We normally have fondue, but this year we had pork instead--it was still very good!

Layla enjoying her Christmas dinner...yummy milk!

I love my gifts! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa G.!

A good reminder for Steve:-)


Just his size!

Joe's sister with Layla and Joe's parents with Layla...

Layla and her gifts!

While my mom was in the hospital Joe's family was very helpful baby-sitting Layla so that we could go up to see her. We were very thankful for their help and we're very sorry that we passed the flu along to each one of them!! Heidi took this last week while her and Steve were watching Layla (and Elv).