Monthly Archives: September 2010

Bye Bye Big Bed

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Nate and I had the luxury of sleeping in a king size bed for four years. As all sixty-somethings age, we appreciate a good night’s sleep more and more, because it’s harder and harder to get.

Our king, purchased to celebrate our 60th birthdays, used to be in a downstairs bedroom and was available to more than just Nate and I. Volumes of girl-talk happened on that bed, as well as lounging amongst the giant pillows while watching TV. Sick kids spent their day in it, and Louisa slept there for a week after her painful tonsillectomy. Friends of our kids claimed it was “the world’s most comfy bed.”

Yesterday it got dismantled and moved from our cottage bedroom to the room next door, an Army-style barrack-bedroom decorated, coincidently, in olive drab. Beds fill the floor space for group sleeping when crowds come to town, and the addition of a California king will mean sleeping three more when everyone’s here.

Since Nate died, the big bed has been sleeping only one, and the mattress is beginning to have a Margaret-shaped divot in it.

So Klaus hauled our old double bed up from the basement, and I dug out the well-worn sheets. Once it was set up where the king had been, it seemed small in the room and shouted “Set-back!”

So last night at bedtime, always the low moment of every day, I had a conversation with myself. “If only I didn’t need sleep and could stay up though every night. Better yet, if only night wouldn’t come at all and the sun would never set…”

Today God comforted me with some fresh thoughts: I can look forward to that wish coming true one day, because Scripture describes heaven as having no night and says the Lord will be our light. That means Nate isn’t using a bed in his new home and doesn’t miss either our king size or the double. He gets to stay awake “around the clock” and never has to face a lonely night. All of that was good news to me today.

I’m still bound by day and night, work and sleep. But after I die, as Nate did, after all of us die, we’ll be free of this cycle, one of unnumbered heavenly blessings. Nate didn’t sleep well most nights, although it might have been those 30 cups of coffee he consumed each day. The fact that he’ll never face another night of tossing and turning is a great blessing for him.

But for the rest of us, night time can be riddled with problems: difficulty getting to sleep or staying that way, nightmares, fear of noises or break-ins, feelings of vulnerability and the chronic dilemma of every daytime predicament seeming greater during the night. When nighttime disappears, so will these problems.

I still dread nighttime, but the old double bed gave me a pretty good night’s sleep. And because Nate and I slept in it for 36 years, it felt familiar, like spending the night with an old friend again.

“Night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light.” (Revelation 22:5)

Welcome home!

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Our family has looked forward to today for many months. Nelson was scheduled to arrive home after literally traveling to the other side of the globe and back, leading a Youth With a Mission team most of that time.

We practically had to draw straws to determine who would get to make the run to O’Hare Airport to collect him, each of us wanting that quiet car-time to talk with Nelson before rapid-paced group activities and conversations began. Klaus “won”, so he and his girlfriend, BrookeLyn, did the honors.

When Nelson finally walked in the door at 9:00 PM, we were so wound up, we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so we did both. What joy there is in reuniting with a loved one who’s been gone a long time! When Nelson left, it was still 2009. Now the end of 2010 is coming into view. Much time has passed, all of our lives have continued to move along, and we’ve missed having Nelson sharing in it!

But that’s the fun part of reuniting, catching up on all that’s occurred during the separation. On our end, since Louisa has spent a week organizing a shopping bag full of photographs, we can “show” Nelson what’s happened in his absence. But tonight, over a late casserole dinner, we heard Chapter One of his story, part of which was a description of life in unsafe countries. When the leader of a mission trip thinks it’s important to Google “the five most dangerous countries in the world,” that journey is bound to have some harrowing moments. We were grateful to be sitting across the table from our Nelson.

In thinking about reunions, I’ve often put Nate’s face and voice into those thoughts. But tonight as I considered this phenomenon from God’s point of view, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus. The Father and the Son, mysteriously united from eternity past in a way we cannot fathom, were separated only once: when Jesus left glory to be confined to time and space in a human body on earth.

How difficult was that for both of them? What did they say to each other as Jesus left his Father’s presence to become the babe of Bethlehem? How frustrating was it for them to be limited to conversing only through traditional prayer for 33 years? And there was the all-inclusive, supernatural separation that occurred when Jesus became sin for us on the cross, indescribable anguish for them both!

But… then came their reunion. As joyful as it was for us to put our arms around Nelson today, it couldn’t possibly compare to what must have happened between the Father and the Son when Jesus returned to heaven, his work completed. Surely this reunion was accompanied by the music and worship of every angel and saint in paradise! He was home, and the rejoicing probably filled the universe!

I have a hunch, because we’ve become children of God through Jesus, that we’ll receive an unusual welcome in heaven, too. It will be unmerited and overwhelming, but when we finally get there, we too will be… home.

“I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them’.” (Revelation 21:3)

Grandchild Enthusiasm

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When I pulled up to Chicago’s Midway Airport arrival curb today, I felt like an excited child arriving at Great America. Orange-vested security police shook their batons in my direction shouting, “Keep moving!” but I ignored them to scan the sidewalk for four familiar faces.

Finally seeing them gave me permission to stop the car and jump out to greet Linnea and family from Florida. I raced up to Skylar and Micah, strapped into a double stroller, anxious to get my hands on my grandbabies. Because I’ve overdone past greetings, I approached with caution. I didn’t want to see a bottom lip come out with that look of “Mommy! Help!”

But all of a sudden, for the first time, Skylar reached for me and squirmed to escape from the stroller. “Grandma Midgee!” she shouted, with her arms up. What a treat it was to lift up my oldest grandchild and get those grandma-hugs and kisses!

Oftentimes little ones need a warm-up period after lengthy separations. After every farewell, Linnea has said, “I think she’ll remember everything next time.” But when you’re not even two yet, several months of separation can amount to half a lifetime. My grandma-thrills have been many in the last 25 months, but today’s recognition was the best.

Although Micah looked at me favorably, I could tell there was no “click”. After all, he’s only seven months. But Skylar and I picked up right where we left off. “Grandma Midgee! We can go to the beach! And wear our babing suits! And where’s Jack? He’s waiting for me at Grandma Midgee’s house! And look at all the busses!”

One of the greatest things about Skylar is that she’s an exclamation-point-child. Everything is spoken at high decibel and with great gusto. When Linnea pleads, “Skylar, not so loud, please…” Skylar responds obediently. “OK, MOMMY!” with an exclamation point!

An old proverb says, “Grandparents and grandchildren are God’s gift to each other.” I know my five grandbabies are indeed gifts beyond measuring, and I do hope they’ll grow up knowing how much I love them. I want to be a grandma who looks into their eyes when they talk and always has time to listen. Tonight Skylar said, “Grandma Midgee! I have a good idea!”

We couldn’t wait to hear it. “ ‘Scuse me!” she said. “I’m moving this chair!” And right after she rammed it into the footboard of my bed, she took a flying leap and landed on the puffy blanket, laughing in exclamation points. Louisa and I laughed too and followed her lead onto the blanket. She was right. It was a good idea!

God could have populated the world by growing children on trees or dropping them through clouds. Instead he sends them to families through generations. Fortunate are the parents who live to be grandparents and even great-grandparents. As Skylar would say, “God had a good idea!”

Today at the airport I was so engrossed in grabbing Skylar I nearly forgot to greet my own daughter. When she finally put her arm around me and sweetly said, “Hi, Mom,” I sheepishly grinned. “Oh honey, yes, I’m glad to see you, too!”

…with an exclamation point!

“Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)