Birthday Wishes....

Many folks who know me - know today is my moms birthday. 1945-2006 - 62 she would have been today. I think about the birthday singing taking place right now in heaven. Mom it must sound pretty awesome and I know you are enjoying that worship time - I bet Elvis himself is standing with ya. You always loved hearing Elvis sing and God blessed him with a voice ahead of his time. Enjoy your day mom - we are all OK here. My promise is still valid and am trying my best to uphold those promises - even though they are hard and seem impossible at times. Thank you for passing on many great things to me - including your love and passion for good things. For making others a priority and to always press through when times are hard. Thank you for your smile, your brown eyes and giving heart. You were always happiest when everyone was around even though it was tough being around everyone - because there was so much wrapped up in those relationships and only of few of them were really real in the first place. You showed me how to put up with people - to accept them as they are and for doing things I have to do regardless if I want to or not. Mom you were pretty amazing - thank you for making my lunches, for laughing so hard we would pee our pants, for swimming with us in the summer, for caring and worrying all the years in Judo and praying we would not get hurt. Thank you for loving dad and sticking with the marriage even though at times it was pretty hard - thank you for leaving a family that sticks together even though right now it is hard to stick anything together without you. Thank you for the green thumb and the peace at night when I look up at the stars and wonder what you must be seeing. Thank you for waking me in the middle of the night, calling my name, from time to time. Thank you for checking in on us from time to time and when I hug Kyle at night - I tell him that his grandma loves him. If you were here mom, dad would come around more and take part in our lives and come and see Kyle's baseball games. He wouldn't let almost a year pass before getting in the car and driving down to see us and to see his grandson. He would be reaching out to others because you were the driving force in everything he did. I pray for him everyday - to come to peace with himself and find direction in life and even more important a purpose - a purpose in JESUS. Mom - I am doing my best with trying to pull him from his inward shell he is in. I think at times he is making progress but other times I question that progress. I know your body is on the side of that mountain but you are flying in the heavens Mom, dancing and singing like you always did on Sunday mornings. I hold my promises deep in my heart mom - I will always carry those responsibilities on my shoulders until the day I die. They are important because it is what holds everything together. It is worth fighting for and praying for. LOVE is the most important thing - something YOU MOM - had an abundance of. Something this family right now is in need of - God will get this families attention again because we have not learned from our past mistakes. Lord - please lead our family - come to us now and give each of us a purpose, a mission to serve each other and to help each other with our burdens and struggles. Life is not meant to go at it alone - we are in this together. It is the easier path to choose if we just put down our own agenda - our own selfishness and serve each other. Mom - thank you for everything -my grass stained paints and dirty socks, my bicycles when I was young and for taking us to the drive in to see Jaws. Remember that GIANT bag of popcorn dad got from Harry when he worked there? It took him months to eat all that popcorn. Those are good things to remember - things to reflect on and to hold dear. I remember you writing your name in the snow in Wyoming when we were out there - and Craig climbing on the railing next to the Grand Canyon. Bowling with you, dad, Mary and Tony -ya'll never made me feel like a 5th wheel.
I miss ya mom - but I know where you are and as I wipe my tears this morning- they are happy tears. Tears knowing that you took responsibility for your eternity and accepted Jesus sitting in front of Pastor Jimmy. He holds your salvation tissue so dear to his heart knowing that your story mom, will bring others to Jesus. You leave many things that are good and lasting. You leave many good things to remember and honor - I pray you look down from time to time on me Carol and Kyle. Cheer us on down here and help us keep our eyes on what is important - things that need to be addressed and taken care of. Help us keep our eyes on Jesus.... and bring peace, direction and forgiveness to our family through our Savior in Christ Jesus. Lord I don't see ANY progress being made these last few months - things seem to be worse now than before but I have to trust those seeds are planted and growing through Your hands and Your living water.
Forgive me where I am falling short Lord. "I PROMISE" is written everywhere I see and in the eyes of everyone in our family.
Happy birthday momma - I will be dropping roses off from Carol to the Sr. Citizens home this evening in your honor mom. Carol wanted to me send a little smile to someone today who needs it. Tears on my face this morning - but smiling at the same time. My heart is in the right place at least even though times like this really hurts.
I remember not long ago reading Psalm 100 with you~ smiling when I was done and you saying, "Praise God". I couldn't agree more.....
Love and miss you,
Forever your son - Randy

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks. 1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.