My Other Favorite

I'm writing to you today from sunny California... Jeff's here on a business trip, and we had a free airline ticket that we had to use by July, so I was able to come along for free! We're in the LA area ~ yesterday we were in Burbank, and today it's Newport Beach. It's not as warm as I might like - it's hovering around the 70 mark - but the sun is warm. Since Jeff has meetings all day, I have to entertain myself... I worked out at the exercise facility here at the hotel, then sat at the pool for a while and had lunch there. I'll head back out to the sunshine shortly, but I thought I'd take a little time to tell you all about Mrs. L - my other favorite at Morningside House.

Mrs. L is also a widow, a believer, and a sweetheart, just like Mrs. A. (In fact, these two ladies are good friends and spend time together going on walks and to entertainment events and such.) She was a missionary to Africa for three years in her 20s before she got married, so we have a bit in common. She's always wanted to go to China (the doors to missionaries closed there just as she was graduating from Bible college), and I always wanted to go to Africa, so we had fun sharing sharing our stories with each other! She showed me her Africa album and I showed her my China one. And oh my goodness - the stories she told..... She was a nurse there, working all alone in a clinic in the middle of nowhere - I forget which country. Since she was the only medical expert in the area (besides the local witch doctors, of course), she had to deal with all of the ailments herself ~ crazy ones! Ones she wasn't even fully trained to handle - but she did, as best she could. I tell you what, I have a lot of respect for this woman. She was brave and resolute in her calling to the African people.

She's a New Englander, and when she left home for Africa she left behind a man who she shared a deep love with. Some people told her not to go, because if she did this man might not wait for her. But she knew she wanted to go to Africa... and that young man did wait those three years she was gone! They corresponded (via snail mail - remember that?) all of that time, and then they got married when she came back. They enjoyed many wonderful years of marriage together before he died - I'm not sure how long ago that was. She longs to go back to New England, but she can't. Her sons live in Virginia now, and there's just no way she could live away from them.

Now she lives with daily physical pain, and it's a severe trial for her to go through. Every day is a struggle. She longs for the day when she can be free from her body and present with the Lord. The last time I visited with her, she opened up about these things a little more to me, and her tears flowed... Goodness, it's hard watching an old lady cry like that. But we prayed together, and hopefully that brought encouragement to her spirit. What a precious woman of God!

Orphans and Widows

James 1:7 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Over the past couple years I have been thinking and meditating on what it really means to live to please God and do his will. As I've studied scripture, I have come to believe that if we live lives according to the wisdom spoken to us through the Bible, and as we walk in sweet communion with the Holy Spirit, we will inevitably please him. No divination of his "perfect will" is required. One of the scriptures I love to guide me in my Christian life is James 1:7. Caring for orphans and widows... It's so simple, and so necessary. I love that many Christian families are adopting orphans from not only the States but around the world ~ what a powerful testimony to the redemptive grace of our God! I doubt I'll be an adoptive mom, but I am blessed by those families around me who do adopt. I find my heart being pulled toward the opposite end of the spectrum: the widows - and, in general, the elderly who may not be able to care for themselves like they once were.

After Jeff and I were married and I didn't need to work full time anymore, I began to think about how I could invest my time for eternal purposes. I got involved in the worship team at church, naturally; but I felt there could be more. And it occurred to both Jeff and me, separately, that I might consider volunteering at a retirement home. I looked into that back in February and immediately began volunteering at Morningside House in Leesburg. It's an assisted living facility, and volunteering there is one of my regular weekly commitments. I LOVE IT. Can I tell you about it? :)

One thing I do there is have sing-alongs in the recreational room... And let me tell you, these precious older people love music!!! Especially the music from their generation. I bring my guitar and play all sorts of songs for them... When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again... Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree... God Bless America... My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean... You Are My Sunshine... Daisy, Daisy... And you should see the looks on their faces! This one sweet little old lady loves to sing Dixie ("Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten, look away, look away, look away Dixie Land...") and everytime we do, she gazes up at me with joy in her eyes and a childlike smile, singing away. Love it! We sing some hymns too - How Great Thou Art, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Amazing Grace... One of the ladies (who has a sparkle in her eye as she gives me a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek) tells me over and over how much she enjoys singing these songs from her younger years. She hasn't heard them in a long time!

I like to put myself in their shoes as I spend time with them... I think it's good to remember that we will all grow old someday, unless the Lord takes us early. All the sweet men and women at Morningside (and the grouchy ones too) were, at one time, young and vibrant, full of dreams and plans, raising children, making a living, traveling the world... They've lived full lives. Now they find themselves in a world quite unlike the world in which they grew up. And they are nearing the end, on the brink of eternity. Until that day comes for them, their lives are defined by quiet and rest - and, often more than that, pain and loneliness. Why does it have to be that way? It breaks my heart.

Mrs. A is my favorite resident. When I began at Morningside, the volunteer supervisor suggested I might want to visit Mrs. A, who couldn't see very well and seemed to be depressed and lonely. So I went on up to her room, knocked on the door, and she sweetly welcomed me into her nicely decorated little apartment. We had a lovely visit together... I asked her about her life, I told her a little about mine, and we talked for maybe 45 minutes or an hour or so... I found out she is a believer, so we talked about that too. It was such a sweet time! And when the time came for me to leave, a disappointed look came over her face and she said, "Oh... oh, I wish you could stay!" I smiled and told her I'd be coming back... And as I was saying my goodbyes and getting myself together to leave, she suddenly exclaimed, "I love you!" And so what could I reply but, "Oh, well I love you too!" :) And she immediately said, with determination, "I love you more!" *giggle* Such a sweetie!

The next week, I went back to visit with her. She met me at the door with a firm, "Thank you, but it's okay. No need to come in." I acquiesced, she shut the door, and I walked down the hallway with my heart in my stomach. Why in the world did she shut me out? Did she really not want my visit? Did she simply not want to take up my time? I wasn't sure, but I was sure that I wouldn't give up. I went back the next week, and from that point on we have enjoyed visit after visit. I even took Kiff with me one day, and of course she loved her. :) Sometimes I bring my guitar and give her a private concert. Sometimes we pray together. And whenever I leave my visit with Mrs. A, she tells me, "Thank you so very much," and "I love you," and on and on. Oh my goodness, I can't tell you how fulfilling it is to befriend this dear lady! I just love her.

Yesterday, I had helped her downstairs so she could be a part of the sing-along, and then I walked her back to her room afterward. As we were saying our goodbyes in her little entryway, she just clung to me and thanked me over and over again, told me she loved me over and over again, and said "I pray for you every night. You bring me so much joy!"

Do you see why I absolutely love volunteering there?

I'll tell you about my other favorite resident, Mrs. L, next time. :)

In the meantime, let us all look after the orphans and widows in our areas of influence. We are needed!

Doukenie Winery and Harper's Ferry

Jeff and I took advantage of the nice weather on Sunday and went to Doukenie Winery, which is right near us, for a wine tasting..... and then headed to Harper's Ferry (at the border of VA, WV, and MD - about a 20 minute drive west of us) where we didn't end up staying very long because it started to get really hot... But it was a fun day. :)

The lake at Doukenie Winery


Inside where the tasting bar is



Still the winery
Love that Virginia countryside
A main street in Harper's Ferry (it's a very historic town)

More thoughts coming soon.....
Have a great day!

Kiff's Prom

Kiff's prom happened to fall on her 18th birthday! So we didn't get to celebrate her birthday that day - which was yesterday. We're about to have her birthday dinner tonight, actually. But here are a few pics from last night. Isn't she a gorgeous girl?!
with her date, Andrew
all the girls
and with their dates... this was the group riding in the limo together.
Charlie's Angels :)

happy girl
what a beauty!

Phil Turns 21

Kiff carried the made-from-scratch chocolate cake in...
...while I sang the traditional Decker birthday song :)
Phil eating up all the attention
and showing off his "It's About Time" 21st birthday watch...
I couldn't have the chocolate cake of course, so I enjoyed a pineapple popsicle instead :)
Time to cut the cake
Phil and Jeff before the traditional "take your son out on his 21st birthday for a glass of beer" outing
Happy 21st birthday Phil!!

Next is Kiff's 18th birthday on Saturday :)

Weekend Fun

First, some fun pics Jeff wanted to take of me in my new fun hat :)
I love having a husband who loves buying me pretty things to wear...
Yesterday, Jeff and Kiff and I drove up to New Jersey to see Jeff's parents as sort of a late Mother's Day thing. We brought them an Olive Garden lunch when we arrived and then visited with them for the afternoon. Jeff's sister Linda stayed to visit for a few hours too. Definitely good to reconnect with them.

Their beautiful dog, Penny

We brought with us a new phone and a headset for them. Jeff's mom, Doris, has trouble holding the phone because of her arthritis, so with this new phone she can let the phone sit on her lap and either use the speaker phone or, for a private conversation, the headset. She deals with a lot of discomfort and frustration every day, but she's as loving and sassy and talkative as ever. Love her so much!!

Here's Jeff showing his dad, Bob, how to put the headset on Doris' ear. They had us all laughing... The headset wasn't being very cooperative... Bob is such a sweet husband and father. Jeff takes after him. :)



In other news, today is Phil's 21st birthday!! Big milestone for him. Pictures coming soon... that is, if Phil lets me take pictures of him. He can be stubborn that way. ;)

Roses for Mama

Mother's Day is a happy one for most people, but for the Case family it's filled with sadness. Maureen's been gone for almost four years now, and there's still grieving going on here. I never knew her (I'm looking forward to getting to know her in heaven), but of course I feel some measure of pain along with my new family. This morning at church they gave roses to all the moms, had a slide show of pictures of moms with their kids, honored and thanked and celebrated them and the invaluable roles they play in their families..... How does a family who recently lost their mom suddenly to an untimely death respond to all of that? It's just a tough day.

What helped to brighten it a bit was the continuation of a Mother's Day tradition. Every Mother's Day for the past couple years the Cases have planted rose bushes in honor of Maureen. This year we added two yellow rose bushes to the four pink ones that are already out there. It's a sweet way for the family to work together in creating something beautiful in her honor.

Here are the first two bushes that were planted in 2008.
Phil dug the holes, and Kiff helped with everything else.


That's Kiff under that hoodie. :) It's been a chilly day.


A tiny bud on one of the new bushes.
The neighbor ladies bought this bench, along with planting a few trees in the backyard, right after Maureen died. We thought the bench would look nice in front of the roses, so Phil and Jeff moved it here after the roses bushes were planted and mulched.
If you would like to, our family would sure appreciate prayer for peace and grace, when we come to mind! The intensity of Mother's Day has passed, but there continues to be need for grace for all of us, especially as our new family is being formed and strengthened. For the most part, it is going extremely well, and Jeff and I joyfully thank God for that! We all basically get along, there's lots of love going around, and the stress level is relatively low - especially compared to what it could be. God is definitely at work in our hearts and in this home. And we are looking to Him to allow that to continue and deepen. :)

What a great privilege we have! We get to see Romans 8:28 up close and personal in our unique situation. Despite the deep, deep pain this family has known, God is working all things together for our good. He is so amazing!