It's Good to Gather

 


"The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table." author unknown


"A sweet friendship refreshes the soul."  Proverbs 27:9



Easter Sunday: Rhett, Ethan, Roge, Helen, Terrie, Michael, Mom, Dad, Toni, Allison, James, David, Georgia and Nina (+ Lilah looking bashful) 😊


I am convinced that our heavenly Father delights in family celebrations and special occasions. It is especially delightful when we gather in gratitude for His greatness (like on Easter 😃) and to enjoy simply being together over good food and lively conversation. Reflecting back on our family's time together this Easter I am filled with thankfulness for another Easter with mom, as well as feeling blessed that our family genuinely enjoys hanging out together. No weird uncles in our family ~ LOL.

There was a lot of delicious food and laughter ~ with the majority of the family gathered in the kitchen area [of course] noshing & chatting. These are two activities that give my mom great joy and Ann loved having her family together in mom and dad's home. I noticed how attentive various family members were to mom; checking with her to make sure she had plenty of snacks and something to drink. Meanwhile, Ann multitasked watching The Masters golf tournament on television and chatting with family. It was a blessed day and another great memory for all of us.

In more recent news... this past Saturday was our second family "work day" and several of us tackled the sorting of boxes/items in mom and dad's garage. Once again we were both productive and treated to a 'time capsule' of sorts as we found my dad’s really worn cowboy boots from when he was maybe 3 years old, handmade Mother's Day cards from my sister and me, a Rams football helmet that belonged to my brother Joe and a host of other Rupp and Niblo family momentos.

Mom and dad had a pot roast in the slow cooker to feed those of us who could stay for dinner. Sadly, the slow cooker stopped cooking at some point so we had to go to Plan B: Costco pepperoni pizza. No one complained. 😋 James brought more chocolate chip cookies. Pizza and cookies ~ what could be better? It has been incredibly meaningful for me to gather for holidays and an average Saturday to support mom and dad, but also to have a lot of fun together as well. We can easily become preoccupied with the busyness of life and fail to make time to be with extended family. A silver lining of mom's illness is the opportunity to be intentional as a family. I am thankful to God for the ways He can bring good out of the most difficult situations.

Updates:
  • Mom had her second Avastin infusion last Wednesday and she experienced no side effects. Her chemo oncologist, Dr. Fong commented on how well mom looked and seemed to him. Both mom and dad were quite encouraged with his comments.
Prayer Requests:
  • One not so great thing occurred on Saturday as my dad tore his hamstring muscle trying to keep my dog, Molly from getting out of their backyard. It is a 6 - 8 week recovery. Sigh. Please pray for dad's muscle to heal.
  • Dad has also been experiencing some concerning symptoms with increasing frequency that are quite possibly heart/stress related. Prayers that he can be seen by his cardiologist before his May 3rd appointment and for protection over his health. Thank you so much for your prayers.
  • Prayers for mom's 24/7 caregiving situation. For financial provision to come somehow so that caregiving will continue beyond mid-May (especially with the issues my dad is experiencing). To be transparent: I trust in God's faithfulness and care over my parents and yet I am struggling with fear about this particular situation. Again, thank you for your prayers.

With deep affection & gratefulness,
Terrie

"I do believe (in Jesus's ability to heal, etc.), help me overcome my unbelief." Mark 9:24b

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ann's Obituary

Image
  Ann Patricia Rupp May 13, 1946 - July 20, 2023 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am; there you also may be." John 14:1-3   Ann was most definitely the heart of her home. She always had the warmest smile, the most welcoming demeanor. Ann wanted her family and friends to feel embraced and comfortable; loved and fed. Nourished body and soul. She had a very generous spirit. She loved giving gifts even on a day (like Mother's Day) when the day was meant to celebrate her. That's how thoughtful she was. It's impossible to imagine there was a person who knew Ann that didn't like/love her. Ann was a beautiful & happy baby. Ann was born Monday, May 13, 1946, the day after Mother's Day. She was a wonderful gi
Read more

In My Father’s House

Image
  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1 - 3 Ann Patricia Rupp May 13, 1946 - July 20, 2023 In my Father's house.... these are the verses my dad chose for mom when the time comes to have her memorial service. Honestly, I feel sort of numb. Like it's not really real. Yet I know that when I go to visit mom and dad, my mother will not be there.   This is how I think of mom. Ann/mom was most definitely the heart of her home. She always had the warmest smile, the most welcoming demeanor. She wanted her family and friends to feel embraced and comfortable; loved and fed. Nourished body and soul. She had a very generous spirit. She loved giving gifts even on a day (like Mother's Day) whe
Read more
Image
  "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:    He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his  name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the  shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they  comfort me. " Psalm 23:1-4 My beautiful mom and her radiant smile. To all who have been on this journey with Ann/mom and our family since July 2022, I want to express my deepest gratitude for each one of you. Your words of encouragement and comfort; your generosity of spirit to contribute financially these past 11 months; your prayers (probably most precious of all) have uplifted us and have made a heart wrenching year easier to bear. I am fully confident your prayers have made a significant difference in Ann's life, my dad's life and for all of us who so dearly love her.  Although I knew the day would come when I woul
Read more