Alaska/Oregon Day #10

I did fine saying goodbye until I got to the airport and it was just Kenneth and I. My eyes started to tear... Airports are joyous and sad all at the same time. Then, I was doing okay until I read my daughter Laura's facebook post about her mom leaving and I am sitting in the Chili's restaurant at the Anchorage airport by myself and the tears started to stream. I gained my composure again and wheeled my pink carry on with the white pokadots to my gate. The day was so clear and beautiful. A perfect weather day to fly out of Alaska. In the back of my mind I was wishing that Redoubt would blow and no flights for a week :} but, it wasn't to be. When the plane was going down the runway to take off, I started to cry again, realizing that once the wheels touch off the ground, I would be leaving Alaska. I know, I have a very sentimental heart. But I love Alaska so much and my family there and the beauty and the vastness and the non busyness of life. And yet at the same time, I was missing my honey and family here and just wish we could all live in the same town, different streets :} I am incredibly grateful to a faithful God for all He has given me and allowed me to do and have. I am blessed. I will remain faithful to Him who has called us here for now and love the people who He has given to us here. My heart longs to be obedient and faithful to His calling upon our lives. Thank you to each one who made my trip, a trip of my dreams. It was perfect in every way. Oh to see my dad, and hug him and laugh with him, and share memories. Looking forward to more of that in the near future. We laughed as a family and played "words with friends" with each other until the wee hours of the night and made more memories. I am home now and my hubby had the house spotless. He had also written a poem for me (a nice one) and had it on the counter. He even ironed the pillowcases! He does treasure me and I love every moment of it. It was fun to pull out of my suitcase all the little trinkets and treasures I brought back with me for him and my grandkids of course! So, this is the end of this portion of my blog for this trip. I will continue writing in my blog at least weekly with random thoughts and ponderings that the Lord is stirring within me. Thank you for sharing this precious journey with me. I am and will always be an Alaskan by heart.

Alaska Day #9

My heart is full. I spent the morning at Church On The Rock, worshiping with so many ones that I love. Hugged so many. Love so many. Heard a good word on the "Two Sons". Then headed back out to the homestead, packed my suitcases, and hugged my family. Kenneth and Theresa drove me to Anchorage today, as they had some business they need to take care of tomorrow in town. We are all staying at Bob & Deb's tonight.
Many memories to cherish that I hold in my heart from this past week. Many to process. As I hugged my dad, I assured him I would be back in the late summer to see him again, so my heart was not sad saying goodbye. Holding Laura tightly before I left. Again, trusting the Lord with her. She is a precious girl.
My trip was everything I could of desired. I am humbled and blessed that the Lord would allow me to come and go before me. He has always been faithful, is faithful and will remain faithful to the deep cries of my heart.
I heard a song on the radio today by Barbara Streisand, "people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world".... my paraphrase: "people who need people, are the blessed people in the world". We need each other. We need each other to love, to encourage, to hug, to pray with, to weep with, to rejoice with, to exhort, to spur on to godliness. Friendships are a gift. They are to be treasured and taken care of. I haven't always been a good friend, but my heart yearns to be the friend that the Lord asks of me in the lives of the ones I love.
Tomorrow I get to see my hubby. I am incredibly grateful for the man of God he is. In fact, tonight, my heart is grateful for so much. For the time spent with my dad, my family, my daughter, my friends..... I love life. In my heart, I am truly an Alaskan. Maybe someday the Lord will send us back here. That is on my "bucket list".

Alaska Day #8

Today is my last full day in Homer, as I will be headed to Anchorage tomorrow after church. As of every other day that I have been here, I have made the most of my moments. Spending as much time with family and then seeing friends in between those moments.
Spent a few hours with my daddy today. I again am so thankful for the heritage that has been passed to me through him and my mommy. I am confident that it was the Lord who took us from Massachusetts in 1964 and brought us here. It was His plan, and in His heart for us. I am humbled that He would go to such lengths to reveal His heart to us and that He continues to go to such lengths to reveal His heart to us.
Had lunch with Laura, Kenneth and Theresa in town today. It is so fun to be together. Saw a neighbor and friend, Dwight, at Subway while we were there and had him sit with us. It was so fun to reconnect. He was our neighbor on the river bottom and we share so many memories together as families.
Pam, Brenda, Cassy, Laura and I took a tour at the Winery out East End. It definitely was a memory made and captured on camera. Laughter is a wonderful gift.
Spent the evening relaxing with the family and watching the DVD series of Love Comes Softly.
I am so grateful for God's incredible grace in our lives and for the freedom and liberty that He has for us to walk in. I am humbled for His heart for us, for me.

Alaska Day #7

It was wonderful to sleep in this morning. The roads were a little icy today so I had to be careful. I did step out of the truck once today though and my feet slipped right out from under me and I landed on my behind and elbow, but I am fine. It would of made a funny home videos clip. Sanding trucks are one of my favorite friends this time of year in Alaska. Makes the roads and parking lots so much safer.
Saw some precious friends today. From the hospital to Subway and Captain's Coffee and at a friend's home....eating subway sandwiches,drinking diet coke, drinking coffee and sharing hearts. Sharing memories, making new memories and laughing. Friendships are such a gift. I treasure them and do not take them for granted.
Spent the late afternoon and evening with my brother and his wife, Ken and Theresa, relaxing and watching a movie. My Laura came from Kenai and is spending the last few days here with me before I head back to Oregon on Sunday afternoon. I love having my baby girl here. Laura just asked me if I would rub her back, so time to shut my computer down for the evening. My heart is full and grateful for all He has given to me.

Alaska Day #6

My alarm went off this morning and I fell back to sleep. I did make it in time though for my dad's class. :} Having an automatic starter is a wonderful blessing. I could start the truck from the warmth of the house, while I got ready to go. So great again to hear my dad teach. What an incredible wealth of knowledge he has. I loved getting his handouts and will enjoy studying them in the future. What a gift.
Again spent time with dear friends today. My dear Kelly who lost her husband a few weeks ago. What can one say? except, I love you, I pray for you, I weep with you, I stand with you, I hold you and I lift you before the Lord. She is precious and I know the Lord will walk with her each step of the way through this season of her life. Life is hard and sometimes it really sucks. So thankful we have the Lord Jesus to turn to.
This evening I spent with my Bud. We have been friends since 1977. We had our babies together. We share so many memories from so many different seasons of our life. I love laughing and sharing and also shedding a tear or two, with those I love.
Today is my brother's 50th birthday. It was fun as I made him a birthday cake. I am so thankful for him and what the Lord has given to me.
I have had a few moments of tears(by myself) as I have thought of my dad and how I want him to live for another 15 years or more. I still can't wrap my heart around his disease. I love him.

Alaska Day #5

I feel like a real Alaskan woman driving around in my dad's 4 wheel truck. It is a blast. TL's are fun. Got up early this morning and headed up to ABI to attend my dad's class. What a blessing it was to hear my dad's heart and wisdom as he shared from the book of Jonah. He had such great insight that I had never heard before. Isn't it interesting how you can read a portion of scripture over and over again and then the Lord reveals a new truth to my heart from the same word. I love it when the Lord does that.
Spent some time with precious friends today. One from childhood and one from about 14 years. I love relationships, I love my friends, I love the people the Lord has put in my path. I absolutely like "Sweet Berries". What a fun restaurant and all the goodies to look at and purchase of course.
I love good conversations, lots of laughter, a few tears, prayers and hugs.... we are all gifts to each other.
Tonight, my dad and the rest of the family that remains in Homer went out to Land's End for Local Night. It was fun to be together and laugh and talk and share a good meal.
Seems like I am always having my camera in my hand. So much to capture, so much to cherish, so much to hold onto in my heart.....
I feel like a very rich woman in the wealth the Lord has given me in family and friends.
My heart remains in Alaska.

Alaska Day #4

This really is the most beautiful place in the world. Of course, in my small world of travels, but still....I never tire of its beauty. I just have to hold the camera in my hand at all times and snap a way. Spent some time with dear friends today and looking forward to spending time with some more as the week goes on. I love the gifts of friendships the Lord has given me.

Spent some time at the high school this evening watching my niece, Kyra cheer her last home game before Regionals. It is just so special to be here and be able to participate in the special events in their lives.

I am reminded again, that there is nothing more important in life than relationships, ministering grace to one another, exhorting and encouraging each other. We need each other! I am so grateful for the ones who have invested into my life, deposited grace and exhortion and made me hunger for more of Him.

Tomorrow morning I head to Alaska Bible Institute to hear my dad teach. I graduated from this Bible School in 1976. It will be a precious time for me.

I am tired, so will close for now. I lay my head on my pillow tonight, grateful for a faithful God. Terry the Alaskan Girl

Alaska Day #3

Another beautiful day in the hamlet by the sea. Full of laughter and memories. Some went snowmachining for the day. I passed as I didn't want to freeze my toes off, but they had a great time. Laura and Laci got a little bruised up and will be sore tomorrow, but they are fine. Laura fell into a hole, and her head went forward and broke the windshield and she hurt her knee. Laci kept on tipping over and she has some good bruises on her knee too....But they came back smiling :} I spent a few hours with my dad today with my two sisters and brother in law before they left to go back to Anchorage and Kodiak. We took lots of pictures and laughed our hearts out. This evening was spent with dad and Gail coming up to the house and we shared stories from our childhood AGAIN. There is nothing like being in a room, full of family, who know you, who you have shared your life with, and you are laughing your head's off. There is so much we have walked through together.
I am thankful that the Lord chose to take us from Massachusetts and bring us to this great land of Alaska. He knew it would be here that we would find Him. That He would reveal His heart to us and we would bow our hearts to Him and serve Him. I am thankful for the parents He choose for me and for the legacy they have given to me and my family. I am savoring each moment here.... I believe my heart is shaped like the state of Alaska.

Alaska Day #2

Had a wonderful morning at Church on the Rock. Saw so many precious friends that I cherish in my heart. Blessed to sit between my daughter and my dad. Got a little teary eyed listening to my dad sing.... OH, how I love my family. I went to hug my dear Bud Pam and I said, Oh, I love your PINK jacket. She said, " you can have it, if it fits you",,,, well, WALA... I put it on and I love it.... I felt a little guilty taking her beautiful jacket but not guilty enough to give it back...:} What a precious gift she gave me, but most of all her heart towards me. After church, we went out to the end of the Spit and watched Mike captain the Time Bandit into Kachemak Bay. They were close enough to land so we could take some good pictures. Then he came back to dock and gave us a tour of the boat. It is much smaller than what I imagined or how it looks on TV. It was such a treat to see where Mike spends many months out of the year. I walked out of the boat with two Time Bandit mugs :} We are loving being together as a family. One thing we love to do is laugh and also tell stories from our childhood. Stories we have told over and over again, with a little embellishment, and we laugh so hard we cry. I absolutely love my family and my heart is here in Alaska....

Alaska Day #1

It is 2:45am(Saturday night-Sunday morning) Alaska time and I am just finding time to post, so this will be very short.... Drive to Homer was absolutely beautiful and being with my family....there are no words..... We had a birthday party for my brother Kenneth who turns 50 this week and also for his daughter, Kyra, my niece who turns 18 this week. It was so wonderful to see my dad and hug him......tomorrow we are all headed to Church on the Rock and spending another day together. It is absolutely beautiful here, clean crisp white snow. Just looked at the thermometer and it is 7 degrees outside. The Lord is good. I am incredibly grateful to be here. To make the memories and share the laughter. I am going to bed now. :} My heart is in Alaska.....

Hills & Valleys.....

"I use to think that life was hills and valleys-you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it is kinda like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times, you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for" Pastor Rick Warren

Tonight, as my heart is weeping with those that weep, so far away, as they say goodbye to someone dear and precious, it also is rejoicing with a dear friend who is close, who was given a special gift today.

The Lord asks us to weep with those that weep and to rejoice with those who rejoice. For those that weep, I want to hold you close and let you cry and I will cry with you, asking the Lord to comfort your hearts as only He can do. My heart is raw and hurting for you.... And for my friend who is rejoicing, I am rejoicing with you today, I celebrate an answer to a deep cry of your heart!

When I personally weep, when I personally rejoice..... I am thankful for the people the Lord has in my life to share both sides of the tracks with me.

I weep, not as one who has no hope, but I still weep......

I know you are there, but sometimes, my heart still weeps when everything around me is falling apart and doesn't make sense. When the pain is so deep and we are hurting so badly that we can't even breathe. Lord, I know you are there.... I trust that you are there.... even when I can't see you. "When I don't understand, when I can't see Your plan, I will trust Your heart" through my tears, for myself and for the ones I love dearly who are hurting and weeping tonight.

Holding onto your hand tightly, Terry

Picking up the Blogging Pen Again.....

I love to write and I love having my blog. I haven't written on it for quite awhile and my heart is stirred to be more faithful and to write more frequently. There is so much in my heart that I long to share and this is a great outlet. So I am excited to start blogging again. Maybe I will even post a few things from my book I am writing, about my childhood, growing up on the homestead in Homer, Alaska. Looking forward to posting soon and sharing life with you.

From my heart, Terry