Jump for Joy!

I remember the moment it was confirmed I was going to have the joy of being a mother.  There were no at home pregnancy tests in those days.

You had to go to the doctor and tell them about your new GI symptoms, increasing bust size, and menstrual periods being late.

You then had to have tests and wait for the results to see if you had a disease or something much more joyful to look forward to.

Jay and I were both home the afternoon the nurse in the doctor’s office called with the results.  She said, “Congratulations, Mrs, Jones, you’re going to be a mother!”

And, of course, more accurately I was already a mother at that time.  Jay and I sat on the floor under that wall phone and held each other, as it sank in that our lives were about to change monumentally.

And it did.  From the first feeling that a butterfly was loose in my body to the poking, prodding and frank kicks from inside, Jr. made her presence known.

We had to call her junior because we did not know whether the baby was a boy or a girl.  In those days, people often did not know until the baby was delivered.

Jr. and I had quite a bond after I passed the point of thinking I was going to throw her up.  In fact, we had such a bond that she attempted to make it a permanent arrangement.  The due date came and went, and she refused to budge.

At over ten months, I told the doctor if he did not do something, I would lie across the door to his office and make his patients step over me.

The threat worked.  She was evicted the next day by C section.  This was good with me since she was breech and the size of a one month old.

It’s been quite a few years now, but I still remember the wonder of holding that beautiful baby and realizing I was really a mother.  Jr. became Jennifer.

And oh the stories I could tell about being a mother to a child, who was both sweet and sassy, charming, witty and at times too smart for me to have a good comeback.  When you are ready to lecture your kid for what appears to be a problem and then they give you an explanation that you know should not make sense, but it does … you’re stuck.

Jennifer taught me so much about life.  Her endless questions and comments caused me to reevaluate what I thought I knew.

We always talked.  When she was younger, she rode with me.  When she was old enough to drive, I rode with her.  The car became our chat room.  Problems were solved.  Dreams were hatched.

I never understood the feelings of sadness I had after Jennifer was born.  After all, my body was celebrating relief after the long pregnancy.  Jennifer was still right there with me.

And yet a part of me wanted us to be attached forever.  Maybe it was a premonition of what would come years later.

Motherhood is about giving your child both roots and wings.  Roots were easier than wings.  After navigating childhood and teen years, there came the big change.

College began to put physical distance between us.  Careers after college increased the distance.  We talked.  We FaceTimed.  

But I had to face the fact my baby was not an extension of me.  She was not even a copy of me.  She had grown up ideas that were different from me.  We both had to learn that was ok.

And then came the next delight of life.  Jennifer gave us a son in law.  And I got to see my daughter as a wife.  This started a whole new way to bond as we could talk woman to woman about our men.

And then came the next peak of motherhood.  Jennifer became a mother and I became a grandmother!

And the joys just kept coming.  She and the family moved back to our area.  They live right down the road.  So, not only do I get the joy of seeing the grandchild grow up, I get to see the mother Jennifer has become.

It’s quite an experience to hear her say things I once said to her.  And also to hear what I did not say.  I am a lot more relaxed with the grandchild, who pretty much has me wrapped around his little finger.

Grandma advocates for him regularly and tries to get his Mom to lighten up.  When I tell her I am the mother and what I say should go, she tells me I am like the Queen Mother, loved and respected, but essentially having no power.

And so we continue on this Mother’s Day 2026.  I am filled with gratitude that God gave me the honor of being a mother to a remarkable young woman who is also a wonderful mother.

Happy Mother’s Day, Jennifer!

As we now celebrate Mother’s Day, let us not forget there are many who cannot celebrate in the same joyful way.

I invite you to join me in prayer for these mothers.

Those who did not have loving mothers. Their memories are painful.

Those who were left by their mothers. A part of them remembers growing near their mother’s heart, but they never had the joy of a continued sharing of life.

Those who had abortions and regret it. Many carry the silent grief of all they could have had, but chose not to. No matter what the reason for their choice, their hearts still remember what they tried to get their bodies to forget.

Those who are raising children, who are challenged by disabilities. They carry burdens every day as they help their children face the world. They are tired. They are stressed. But they never give up.

Those whose children have left and never returned. They carry the pain of waiting for the phone call or waiting for the closed door to open again.

Those whose children have chosen badly, in spite of all their efforts to teach them and guide them. They are horrified, as they visit their children behind plate glass or in cemeteries. They still ask themselves what they could have done to prevent such tragedies.

Those whose children have died, whether it was from miscarriage, illness, accidents or senseless violence. They still seek answers. They still long for their children.

Those who long to be mothers, but it has not happened yet. They are already mothers in their hearts, but their bodies are not there yet.

Those whose mothers have died, whether young or old. They were not ready to let them go. They long to spend this Mother’s Day with them. They need their touch just one more time.

We see all of you in spirit and ask our Father God, Creator of the universe, to lift you up and strengthen you and give you renewed hope and faith.

You are treasured mothers and daughters. We remember you and lift you up.

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.
Isaiah 66:13

Today I am remembering an important mother I never met … well not in the usual way anyway.

Her name is Amanda.

We are not related in the traditional way of kinship, but our DNA resides in a common place. 

This is how it happened.  Amanda was born and grew up in Honduras.  She married and had four children.

It was not an easy life.  There were financial challenges.  In time she and her husband divorced.

Amanda came to the United States.  She went through all the steps to become an American citizen.

She left her children in the care of her mother and sister in Honduras while she prepared a home for them in the United States.  

When the time was right, she moved them to America.  She instilled in them Christian values, a strong work ethic, and a desire to get a good education.

Her youngest son is our son in law.  He is the father of our grandson.  One of his greatest desires is to see his son grow up in a stable environment and have the opportunities to be all his son was created to be.

I had hoped to meet Amanda one day, but that will have to wait for heaven.  Amanda was promoted a couple of years ago.

But one day, we will meet and perhaps we shall gush over our children and grandchildren and how God worked it all out to bring a young boy all the way from Honduras to eventually meet a young girl from Kentucky in a city far away from where either of them started.

And perhaps she and I shall recognize each other as distant relatives on earth, but daughters of the same Father in Heaven.

Thank you, Amanda, for never giving up on your dreams.  

Thank you for assuring your children were cared for while you prepared a place for them.  

Thank you for instilling in them the values that count.

I am sure you are proud of the man your son has become.  And we are thankful he is a part of our family now too.

We are thankful for the legacy you left on earth and we will remember you in love. Until we meet in person one day, I know you will be enjoying Heaven.

Jay and I dated for two years before getting married.  During that time, if I called his mother anything at all, it was Mrs. Jones.

After we decided to get married, she told me I did not need to be so formal anymore.  I asked what I should call her.  Jay suggested, “Just call her Mom.”

Mary Jo was horrified.  It was as if someone had suggested taking away something of infinite value she would never relinquish.

She told both of us, “Absolutely not.  I am Mother to only one person in the world and that is Jay.  You can call me Mary Jo or Jo, but not Mom.”

And so began my life with Mary Jo that extended for 33 years.  

She was totally loyal to anyone who gained her trust and totally confrontative with anyone who crossed her.

She was opinionated and always ready to take on any debate because she was convinced she was right and the other person just needed to be shown the error of their ways.

She was a financial genius.  She and her financial advisor moved stocks around like they were day traders.

If we were going to buy anything, she was sure she could get a better deal.  And she usually could.  She was still “wheeling and dealing” a couple of weeks before her death.

She lived a fascinating and varied life.  Even though she traveled the world, she always came home to Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

She, like her mother before her, was a genealogist.  She was deeply rooted in the history of her native Hardin County, Kentucky.  She researched and wrote extensively about the people and events.

While she was very skilled in tracing ancestry, she said a person’s life should not be reduced to just a line on a chart.  She made every effort to find all she could about the people themselves.

She lived the truth that every life has a story.  She was keenly aware she had a story and she was quick to tell it to anyone who would listen.  

Near the end of her life, she realized she would not always be around to tell her own story.  So more and more, she began to trust me with intimate glimpses into her life.

For all her accomplishments, what I shall remember most about her is how she loved those close to her.

She was a devoted daughter to her aging mother.  

She gave her heart to a young soldier named Jim Jones.  Their  love lasted a lifetime.  She said she would not want to live one day without Jim Jones.  She did not have to.  She died four years before he did.

She was a devoted Mom, who was involved in every chapter of her son’s life.  She loved him totally and completely.

She was a doting grandmother.  We never had to guess what our daughter should call her.  As soon as she learned I was pregnant, she informed us she would be Granny and Jim would be Grampy.  And they were.

And yes, even though initially there were some growing pains in allowing another woman to love her son, she adjusted to me.

Even though she never let me call her Mom, she showed her love for me.  She called both Jay and me her children.  

In her latter, reflective years, Mary Jo and I had many deep conversations about life, love, loss, the past and the unknown future.

No one would have guessed it, but she was a deeply spiritual person.  She attended church, but her deepest worship came outside, walking in the woods, bird watching or simply reflecting on the wonder of God’s Creations.

She would not have wanted to wither away in a failing body.  God took her quickly and unexpectedly.

In some ways, the massive stroke was like her life, a grand finale of a fireworks show.  When it was over, we could only sit and try to process what we had seen.

I delivered the eulogy at Mary Jo’s funeral, carefully picking the parts of the story she was proudest of.  I was very aware it was her story and she would liked to have been the one to tell it.

Mary Jo left us many things, both tangible and intangible.  But one of my greatest treasures is on a scrap of paper.

Mary Jo had carefully written the last lines to Nancy Newhall’s poem.  She kept it near her and read it frequently.  She knew wherever her earth journey was going, she would eventually reach the top.  And it would be worth the climb.

She wrote it to read it.  But I think she also wrote it so we would know where she had gone and where to join her one day.

You shall top a rise and behold creation. 

And you shall need the tongues of angels to tell what you have seen!

Nancy Newhall

My Mother was a pray-er.  She believed life was an ongoing communication with her Creator.

She talked to God, but more importantly 

she listened.

And she never told God what to do.  

Many of my prayers tend to be “Oh God, please do this like this.”  I present the problem, tell God what He needs to do to fix it, and I tell Him when I need it.

Not my Mother.  Her prayers were like hymns of thanksgiving.  She spoke God’s Name with reverence and awe.  She was aware she was in The Presence of God Himself.

She thanked Him that He was with her always and that He was with the person she was praying for.

She asked that the person become aware of His Presence and be filled with Love, Joy, and Peace in His Presence.

She thanked God that He had created that person with His Perfect Plans in mind.  She did not try to tell God what she thought those Plans were.  She simply rested in the certain knowledge that God knew The Plan and she thanked Him He was working out that Plan.

She asked if she was supposed to play a part in His Plan for that person, to please show her what He wanted her to do.

She thanked God for how He had brought that person to her attention and for the privilege of praying for them.

She prayed for everyone, including those who had brought her joy and those who had brought her pain.

She prayed for people she read about in the paper, people she heard about on the tv news, those she saw on the side of the road, those sitting in doctor’s offices, etc.

She considered every fire or police siren a call to prayer.  She prayed for those responding and those being responded to.

She never complained or asked for release from any place she was.  If she was a patient in the hospital, she considered it her mission field assignment.  She prayed for the patients, visitors and staff.

She never tried to interfere with God’s Timing.  Even though she would express a little bit of human frustration at times, she always knew God’s Timing was perfect.

She believed there was much to learn during those times of waiting on The Lord.

She frequently quoted Isaiah 40:31.

 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. 

She would say, “Be patient.  God is filling you up, even now, with strength.”

If I whined about the lack of progress in a day, she would say, “He gives you just what you need now.  He gave you enough strength for now, but He knows you need to rest a little longer, so He does not give it to you all at once.”

Even in the midst of what I thought were horrible circumstances, my mother pointed out the perfection of God’s Timing.  

She would think of something else that had happened that was also awful and say, “Isn’t God Merciful that He did not allow those things to happen all at the same time!  God is so Good to us.”

My Mother’s favorite book, next to The Bible, was a small book called The Practice Of The Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.  

She practiced so much and was so completely aware of God’s Presence, that I think slipping out of her human body seemed no more consequential than losing a few hairs.

She had been in The Presence of God and she continued to be, as she is now.

Jesus, praying to God said,

“Now this is eternal life: that they know You, The Only True God, and Jesus Christ, Whom you have sent.”

John 17:3

Jesus said,

“Be sure of this.  I am with you always!”

Matthew 28:20

We have truly been blessed throughout both of our lives to have had wonderful neighbors.  

The neighborhood in which we have lived since 1994 was laid out in such a way that there are multiple courts off of a main road.  What that did was encourage little mini-communities.

People on each court really became extended families.  We share life together.  We synch to each other’s patterns of living.  We know when to be there for each other and when to give space.

Jay and I love children.  We have always opened our yard to the many neighborhood kids who have grown up here.  Frequently I look out and feel as though I am being transported to times gone by when kids played with balls until dark or just sat on the grass and talked.

Pets love it here too.  We have been on first name basis with various dogs, cats, rabbits and other animal kingdom representatives.

We back up to one of the most unique places in Lexington.  The neighbors to our back are allowed to have horses.  They ever have a training ring.  So we enjoy beautiful green pasture and horses across the fence.  

And we get to enjoy them without having to cut the grass, feed the animals or clean up after them.  Surrounded by white fences, it is a true slice of Kentucky.

What amazes our visitors is you can settle into our back yard and believe you are in the country.  But just a few streets away from the front leads to a bustling shopping area with upscale dining options, fast food restaurants, grocery stores and more.

We know we are blessed and we are thankful every day.  Sadly, our next door neighbor is moving.  We are still grieving that news.  But life goes on and we have faith God has the perfect people in mind to become our next neighbors.

Here is the link to the listing.  If you would like to be our neighbor, check it out!

https://www.homes.com/property/1974-mountjoy-place-lexington-ky/dj034eexv95l3

Jesus was very clear about how to respond to our enemies.  It is not easy.

He said, 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:43-45

It is interesting that Jesus put ‘love them” before “pray for them.”  I have heard some pray for their enemies, but what they were praying for was quite removed from anything loving.

Loving someone implies we really think about them.  We can’t try to block them from our thoughts by trying to say, “You’re dead to me.”

Loving someone implies thinking the best of them, imagining who God created them to be, and in faith, believing they can still become that person.

Love truly forgives, even while the sins are still in progress.  Love forgives even when we find no human reason to forgive.

Forgiveness frees up the fountain of love, which is manifested in mercy.  We extend mercy even to those who have been most unmerciful.

Who are the enemies?  

Sometimes someone instantly comes to mind.  Someone who has treated us or those we love badly.

Sometimes countries define who is the enemy.  We are told who to hate.

Sometimes those who have committed heinous crimes become our enemies, even when we do not know them.  We attach their actions to their person.  Our natural sorting system labels them as bad.

So now we come back to Jesus’ teaching.   Is it really possible to love our enemies?  What really separates us from them?

It is easier to judge and label who is the enemy when we think we are better than they are.  We think we would never do what they do.  We think even if we have some faults, they are not nearly as bad as that of the enemies.

But wile we view the world through what we believe are our righteous eyes looking upon unrighteousness, we must also come face to face with another of Jesus’ teachings.

Those who saw a woman taken in adultery were ready to accuse, judge, condemn and carry out what they believed was justice.  

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Then He stooped down again and wrote on the ground.

John 8:6-8

We don’t know what Jesus wrote, but it is possible each person there saw their own sin revealed in Jesus’ writing.  They  got the message.

God does rate sins.   He does not say which sin  is worse.  All sins are on the same level.

In fact, if we were to comb the Bible trying to determine what sins Jesus considered the worst, we would find this.

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 7:1-2

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

Whoever speaks against The Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Matthew 12:32

What would that last one mean?  The Holy Spirit is God.  If we presume that what we decide tops what God decides, we are speaking and acting against Him.

Jesus was clear.

“Whoever is not with Me is against Me.”

Matthew 12:30

While Jesus did not rate sins, He did rate commandments.

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:37-39

If you really don’t know how to love, even yourself, Jesus says to watch Him and love like that.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:34

How did those respond to Jesus writing on the ground?  They stopped judging and went away.

How do we respond to our enemies?  Jesus already gave the answers.

Love.

Pray.

Do not judge.

Forgive.

Love as Jesus loved.  

Throughout His Life, even in His final hours, Jesus showed the ultimate Love in forgiveness and mercy, even to those He could have considered enemies.

“You go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:37

When we were only middle aged, Jay and I started  considering “aging in place” accommodations each time we did a remodel.

We added comfort height commodes, taller more accessible counter tops, grab bars or rails at strategic places inside and out.  

We replaced the deep whirlpool tub with a large walk in shower — a shower so large it can accommodate two people and extra devices if needed. We also had a bench built into it.

We added a whole house generator so we would not freeze, melt or starve if the power went out.

We replaced almost all the windows with easy open Pella casement windows.  We gained more viewing and no longer had to be weight lifters to put up traditional windows.

When temporary mobility issues came along, we purchased a stair lift so we would be able to continue to easily access our second floor.  

Even after I was able to go up and down steps without assistance, the chair lift was so much fun I have continued to use it.  Our grandson thinks of it as an amusement park ride!

What began as luxuries some years ago have now stood us well in aging.  We have a housekeeper, who comes every two weeks.  

We still enjoy having a yard.  We have a lawn care team, who takes care of most of the yard.  But Jay still does the yard work he enjoys.

When I had neck surgery last summer, we definitely saw the benefits of home care versus hospital care for two months. 

Trust me.  Living in my own carefully prepared home with caregivers attuned to my own schedule, environment and creature comforts was a definite plus.

Neck surgery brought new challenges.  Reach sticks became my friend for grabbing things off the floor or reaching things on high shelves.

Still there was one challenge left.  I love light.  We have added more and more windows and glass doors to this dream house since we built in 1994.  We now have 33 windows/glass doors.

 We have had blinds and I put most of them completely up every day … and put them down every night.  No problem until I had eight weeks of a heavy neck brace followed by a long recovery and a stiff neck.

However, we believe every problem has a solution.  And so today we went further into the modern world and had Hunter Douglas motorized shades installed on the first floor.  If they work as we hope they will, we will move on to the rest of the house.

We can raise each one or all at once with a remote or our phone.  We can open and or close them part way or all the way.  We can set them to raise and lower at specific times.  We can even raise or lower them remotely when we are not home.

Our parents lived independently  into their 90s.  They were able to do that through the Mercy of God and their staying creative and adaptable.  We hope to follow their example into a ripe old age filled with joy and new adventures!

But when we are ready to move on, someone will have an opportunity for a well thought out age in place home!

And we would add one more thing about our day today.  It may sound like a commercial, but actually it is a token of great appreciation.

Rely Technology was wonderful to work with, start to finish.  Chris dreamed with us, problem solved with us, and led a cohesive team.  

 They also assured we mature adults could operate confidently our new techno toys!  I am hoping we don’t wear them out playing with them in the first week!😘

Can putting out a directive that we shall become one nation under God make it so?

No.

Can saying the pledge of allegiance make us one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all?

No.

Can posting the Ten Commandments in prominent places assure everyone follows them?  

No.

Can a national event where The Bible is read continuously bring any nation to be one nation under God?

No.

What then do we need to know?

God’s Words are true.  They are alive and active.  So assuring God’s Words continue to flow through His Creation is always good and right.

But the sender and receiver of those Words needs to understand The Power of God’s Words.

For The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Jesus acknowledged very flawed people can pass on a Truth, but not live it.  We must remember God’s Words are God’s Words and no one else is God but God.

In referring to those who speak truth, but do not live it, Jesus said,

“So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

Matthew 23:3

A further sobering thought is that satan can quote scripture, but he does not live it.  He uses it for his own purpose.

What does bring a nation together?

True Jesus followers praying in humility.

True Jesus followers seeking His Face, His Mind, His Heart … His Will.

Recognizing anything within themselves that is not like Jesus.

Repenting.

Then, says The Lord Almighty, He will heal our land.  

if My People, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Many churches excel in missions to those outside their church.  This is important.

However, some of those same churches have no outreach ministries to those who are members of the church, but cannot attend for various reasons.

They are simply forgotten.

After some health problems years ago, Jay and I found ourselves among the forgotten at a church where we had been active members.

Even our weak cries went unanswered.  Besides feeling abandoned, we then realized how many opportunities we had passed up to go to other people when we were able but they were not.   We had to repent.

In time, God brought us into another church.    We were attracted to look closer at this church, as its theme was “Love is all.”  We liked that immediately because our spiritual quest of many years had led us to that one conclusion.  God is Love.  And so should we be.

However, we wondered how this church would put that Love into action.  We also wondered if we would have the opportunity to love them back.

They knew up front we would not be able to be active, present members in the traditional way.  But they invited us in anyway.  And beyond that, they were willing to be the church and come to us in our home.

We were received into Good Shepherd Episcopal Church by Bishop Mark in our home.

We watched with delight Father Hendree on video.  And he visited in our home!

The flower ministry sent flowers from the altar to our home.

We became involved in a video ministry with Father John where church members came to our home and told their faith stories for Jay to video.  We had a front row seat!

When I was recovering from surgery last summer, Mother Anisa came to visit.

I also received get well cards from a precious church member.

When the ice storm hit, Grace, the parish secretary called to make sure we were ok.  We also received a text from a church member, who wanted to see if we needed anything.

We receive regular visits from two church members who serve us communion.  We not only commune with God, we also commune with each other.

Mother Emily has sent Bible Study Guides that go with zoomed Bible studies from the church.  

In a most creative move, the church had an Easter Eve into Easter morning prayer watch with activities planned at designated times.  They sent us the service prompts so we could follow along at the same time.

It was an amazing recognition of how The Spirit can join people no matter where they are.

Today Mother Emily came to visit.  Not only did she bless us with her presence, she brought flowers that had been on the altar for Easter.

Our church has as one of its goals, “every member connected.” That is a tall order, given that it is a large and growing church.  But they are doing just what Jesus had in mind.  They are being the church, inside the walls and outside the walls.

They are carrying out Jesus’ Mission in the same way He did.  They are inviting people into a beautiful worship space, but they are also going out to people where they are.  We are all disciples who are making disciples.

We affectionately call our home The Good Shepherd Outpost.  We learned from the beginning this too is God’s House.   We welcome all He invites here.

The card that came with the flowers today says it all.  Hope.  Joy.  Beauty.  Assurance.  Prayers.   Not Forgotten!

I will not forget you.

Isaiah 49:15

Do this to remember Me.

1 Corinthians 11:24

Love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:12