Sunshine & Watermelon Moons

Driving home last night from my small group study I looked up and saw a watermelon moon as listened to "Lord let me shine, Shine like the moon, A reflection of you, All that I do".

There are rare times when songs on the radio just hit you. That one and Stay Strong by Newsboys were lyrics that got me.

"Stay strong, You are not lost, Come on and fix your eyes ahead, There's a new dawn to light our day, our day, We've gotta stay strong, You and I run, For the prize that lies ahead, We've come too far to lose our way, our way, Get up, there's further to go, Get up, there's more to be done, Get up, this witness is sure, Get up, this race can be won, This race can be won".

I love music and how it motivates and inspires me when I need it. I was starting to feel a little lost until my small group last night. I had a tough week with my Aunt Paula passing away. I traveled to Sutherlin, Oregon on Wedensday and stayed tell Sunday.

They came from all over the USA and even from Canada by plane, train, car and RV. My uncles home had RV campers parked all over his property. It was awesome to see family from everywhere and I know Paula would have loved to be there to see everyone.

It was pretty crazy and exhausting emotionally as well as physically with helping in the kitchen but I loved being there. I love that this side of my family that love Jesus.

My uncle and cousin play guitar and sing at church and have been serving for years. Several other cousins from that side of the family sing aswell. The music in their home was such a blessing to hear again. My uncle brought out the guitar after a few days and I actually saw my uncle smile a bit again.

It was a beautiful funeral where her life was honored and it had a awesome slide show of her life in pictures. There was a time of sharing stories about her too. I heard so many stories about how she was truely a servant proverbs 31 woman of God during my stay. I heard stories of her helping people in the hospital and taking elderly church members far and wide. She was also a grandparent for a child who didnt have family on Grandparents day at school.

She had served in her church and in her womans minstry for many years. It was really the little everyday things she did to make everyone in her life feel special and included that made her special.

She was famous for her cooking and Sunday dinners where she would invite people to come no matter who they were. Her home was always open with so many different flavors of ice cream that everyone had their favorite on hand. She would make three kinds of potato salad just so everyone had their favorite. She loved so many people and blessed so many lives.

Tears flowed many times this week thinking of her. I was so touched when we were going though her photo albums looking for photos for the slide show to find that she kept so many pictures of me growing up. She had some photos of me that I didn't even know about. She never threw away pictures and treasured her memories.

She was truely a beautiful woman who I will miss dearly but know I will see again in heaven one day. At the funeral my cousin Kim sang "I can only Imagine". I didn't really catch the connection tell now but last night at my small group our leader Kelly brought out some different colored glass marbles with words on them and I think it brought a connection for me. She asked us to each pick one that we wanted to pray about for our lives for the upcoming season.

I chose a clear one with "Imagine" on it. For me it was about seeing through this clear marble to see myself with the "imagine" in it. I want to see that hope of what God could have for me, believe in myself and be clear in the direction He would have for me.

I want to be wise in the decisions I make and choices. It reminds me of another song I love. "For who you are" by Hillsong. "Standing here in Your presence, Thinking of the good things You have done, Waiting here patiently, Just to hear your still small voice again".

I just want to see Him everyday and praise Him. I thank God for the watermelon moon last night, awesome prayer with a word to inspire @small group and the beautiful sunshine today.

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." - Louisa May Alcott

Fruit: Patience

Song in my Head: Shine - Salvador

Verse: Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,