Feb. 5,2008

UP FOR AIR:

I'm sitting here with a fancy new computer (my old one COMPLETELY crashed)  trying to figure out how to work it, and feeling like I'm coming up for air. It's great to have a working computer again and be able to start "moving forward" after a season of standing still.

MY DAD:

In July of 2006, my husband and I began making arrangements to move my father, John W. Williams, Jr.,  from his house in Keystone Heights, Florida to live with us here in Art, Texas which is on the outskirts of Mason,Texas!!

First of all, what a gift to me knowing that my dad trusted me to care for him as he knew his health was beginning to fail and wouldn't be able to care for himself much longer.  Leaving his home was a very difficult decision, but he was willing to take that "leap of faith" and start life anew as a "cowboy!"

He lived in our dining room for 2 months while we built him a small "bunkhouse" right out our back door.  Once we moved him into his new Casa, which he lovingly named the Lazy W Bunkhouse, I bought baby monitors so I could monitor him 24/7 and proceeded to find out what it is to live the life of a fulltime caregiver. 

Let me just say it's not near as easy as it looks.  Those who have experienced this season in their life will know what I'm talking about. 

Shortly after he arrived, Dad's health began to deteriorate very rapidly and it became necessary for me to stop taking all singing engagements. This was a very difficult & painful decision but clearly what God was calling me to do.  Kind of felt like stopping in the middle of a race.  But that's how it is with the Lord.  Our life is not our own.

HOME IN HEAVEN:

My precious father passed away Oct. 25, 2007 and is now home in Heaven, safe in the arms of Jesus.  He's also reunited with my mother, Frances Louise.  He missed her so.  What a joyous reunion it must have been. 

It was an answer to prayer for God to take him home.  Can't begin to tell you how much he was suffering.  It was such a difficult and sad time, but together he and I trusted the Lord to help us make it through.  Our Savior is faithful....He gave us strength, wrapped up in His grace & mercy.

Several months before he passed on, my dad asked me to go get the 2 packages out of the mailbox.  Said one was for him and the other was for Steve.  Told me Steve had just walked through the room. 

Steve, my sweet, dear, loving brother, was killed in a car wreck in 1973.  Yes, I got chills.

 

Not long after that, my dad also saw his mom and dad in the bunkhouse with him.  Folks, don't think there's not an afterlife.  As I've heard it said " We're all going to live forever.  The question is "Where?".  

It was a great honor to be called into caring for my dad and I was truly blessed to be able to answer that call.  

 Thanks for coming to Texas Dad.  You're the best.  I love you.  I miss you.  

 

PIANO ANYONE?

So here I am starting to "ease" my way back into singing.  mi mi mi ( ..that's the sound of me clearing my throat!)

When we moved my dad from Florida, we also brought my mom's piano.  He bought it for her in 1965 when we lived in Okinawa.  I play guitar but as I've gotten older I found myself "longing" to play piano.   

As a fulltime caretaker, 99% of the time there was NO time for anything, other than caretaking, cleaning and what my husband referred to as "drudge" work.  Music and reading the Bible became a luxury.  So!!!!   When I could find a minute, feeling like I was dying of thirst, starving spiritually, I'd throw my Bible open.  Hungry for the Word.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God.  Psalm 46: 1 & 2

Our Father, in His great mercy, always gave me just what I needed to make it through.  In March of '07, He began giving me songs to encourage me.  Isn't that great?

It happened like this:  Sometimes I would just sit down at the piano, lay my hands on the keys, and here would come a song.  Keep in mind, I don't play piano at this time!!!  Or I would hear a song played out in my head, again,  ON THE PIANO.  So I would sit at the piano for a few minutes, and begin picking the song out.  Usually my dad would call, either on the phone or I'd hear him in the monitor, and that would be the end of that "session."

I had a cheap cassette player on the piano and would tape these "sessions."  Sometime they would last 2 - 3 minutes, or maybe 20 minutes, depending on my dad's needs. 

NEW CD:

I recently recorded a short demo of those songs and plan to record a new CD sometime in the next 3-4 months.  These are Scriptures put to music, as well as praise and worship songs.  They were given to me in a time of need and I look forward to sharing them with you.

 If you have time, I would appreciate your prayers concerning this project..... that it would all go according to His will and for His purposes and glory.

Oh.  I'm playing piano on this project. My husband says I play like a woodchopper....REALLY hard and like I'm beating the piano. Chopping wood, so to speak.  In fact, he tells people the walls of this old house tremble and shake when I play.  Some folks have a heavy foot and speed when they drive... I have heavy hands I guess. 

ROMANS 8:28:

Right after my dad moved here, my friends Bill & Marlane Klotz came to visit, bringing a gift that has meant so much to me.  It's  Romans 8:28 in a small wooden frame.  Sitting on my piano where I would look at it each time I sat down to try and play for a few minutes, these words are so true and mean so much......

And we know that all things work together for those that love God, to those that are the called according to His purpose.

Amen Amen and Amen

May the Lord smile on you.... Numbers 6:25 (NLT)