What God took away . . .

but only physically.

Here is the link to Daddy's eternal tribute.

http://hosting-tributes-23291.tributes.com/show/Maurice-Conn-89698043

I love you Daddy.

XO,

E

What God gave me. . .

Flesh and all that goes with it are temporary things. It is illustrated in Ecclesiastes this way:

• To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
• A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
• A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
• A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
• A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
• A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
• A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
• A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

We as humans are here for an appointed time and then our physical being is no longer useful. Flesh is that way for each and every person, even Jesus Christ.

The spirit is not that way. It lives on in a laugh, a sideways glance or the Holy Ghost. This spirit can be passed on. It is the legacy that is remembered and felt in our hearts.

We all have our own personal remembrances of my Father. We will each carry those in our hearts until our bodies are no more.

One thing we can all agree on was Daddy’s love for others. It was out of this love that he chose to keep his illness quiet until he knew that it would overcome his flesh. That love was not unrequited. It was returned more that he could have ever imagined here on earth. And for that our family thanks you.

Out of his love for humankind, Jesus chose to die on the cross. When Jesus said “It is finished and gave up the ghost” in John 19:30, he really said “The work of my flesh is complete. Here is my spirit to comfort you.” Earlier in the book of John, Jesus identified the Holy Ghost, His Spirit, as the Comforter that would live in us.

During Daddy’s last days, he said to my Mom, “Don’t forget”. I believe what he meant was “God’s work in my flesh is complete. Here is my spirit to comfort you.”

Please pray with me –

Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing our family and friends here safely today. Thank you for the Spirit you said would be our comfort in time of loss.

We celebrate the life of Maurice Conn and honor his memory and legacy. We return to you his ashes and thank you for his touch in each of our lives.

We ask that you continue to watch over our lives and return us safely to our homes.

In the precious name of Jesus we pray. AMEN

Ellen Conn Taylor April, 2011

Strangely quiet . . .

It has been a really hard year or so.

At the beginning of 2009, our oldest daughter had a very large terratoma removed from her abdomen. Thank God it was a benign cyst. Following that she had a seizure. It had been several years since she had had one.

I had a kidney stone attack a week after my daughter's surgery.

God found me a temporary job. It turned into a very enjoyable permanent one.

The doctors ordered blood tests that turned out to be twice the high limit for indicators of Crohn's Disease.

We took what turned out to be our last Conn family vacation to Cape Cod. I really didn't enjoy the trip because I felt horrible. My father had a hernia at the time and really didn't feel well either.

At the end of 2009, the diagnosis of Crohn's Disease was made official by visual confirmation. Between Christmas 2009 and Easter 2010, I was in the hospital 5 times culminating in a bowel resection. Following surgery I weighed 96 pounds and was 7 handknit sweaters warmer.

I still had a job but due to the economy, hours were reduced. I was just lucky to still have one at all.

By the fall of 2010, I had gained back 70 pounds and have since taken off about 10 of those. The doctor said to wait till my weight plateaued and then start to lose. Something that is not quite as easy as it used to be. Being over 40 has some challenges of its own.

You would think that would be enough to keep me quiet on its own but God thought I could handle more.

In August, my husband's grandmother died.

In September, my mother-in law's second husband died. She had just lost her Mom.

After my surgery in 2010, my brother bought a new house in California. In September, my parents decided that we should all help with the beautification. They sent us girls to see what we could do to help. During the beautification process, we discovered mold. Not just a little but large, tree like mold growing in the walls. we ripped out walls in the kitchen and living room. We also took out the ceiling in the living room, dining room and kitchen. Lifted up and discarded about 4 layers of linoleum and some ceramic tile. We really didn't beautify anything. But we did leave him with new drywall on the ceilings and enough piles of drywall to finish the walls we had destroyed.

While we were all together, my parents told us that our father had terminal bone cancer and had 6-12 months left. It was their intent to come to California also but Daddy was too sick already. We talked about a rotating visiting schedule to help Mom care for him. We were all able to see him and spend time with him before he passed on November 1, 2010. This was all in a fast forwarded 8 weeks.

My immediate family survived our first grandpa-less Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Just this past Saturday, we attended the last interment of ashes.

I am ready for something uplifting.

My siblings . . .

are quite talented. My sister, Susannah, has recorded a CD that debuts on June 5. My sister, Sara, designed the cover for the CD. My brother, Nate, played and sang with Susannah on the CD.

I am very proud of all of them. Take a look and listen at the top of my blog.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Priorities

Have you ever sat back and looked at what you were supposed to do and realized that none of it is done?

"But some of that was important!", you say.

We as Christians need to decide what is eternally important. We need to make sure that we do those things immediately, NOW.

We are not promised tomorrow. We do NOT know when the Lord is returning.

One of our girls said to me the other day, "Mom, wouldn't it be cool if Jesus would come to visit us?" "Sure", I said.

Looking back at that conversation, I should have said, "If Jesus came back today, would you be ready to go with him to Heaven?"

I am going to ask that question today for homeschool.

Have I really . . .

posted 100 entries? Yes, it seems I have! I was doing some clean up maintenance and noticed that there were 100 entries since I started blogging.

Boy! A lot has changed since December 11, 2006. Some good, some bad but God is still in control.

Can't wait to see what the next 100 entries bring!

Make that 19.

Randy and I have been married for 19 years today. The only reason I know that it is today for sure is that I talked with my brother-in-law yesterday and he had talked to his boys for their birthday.

Most people find the fact that I don't track the date we got married appalling. I don't hound my husband about it either. One year we got to mid-August and looked at each other and said, "We forgot our anniversary!" Life goes on.

Let me tell you why I don't get hung up on dates and "Hallmark" holidays. I know that my husband loves me. I don't need a Sweetest Day Card or him remembering particular dates just to make me happy. I don't count on him or his remembering to make me happy. The fact that he tells me and shows me he loves me almost every day is enough.

Would it be nice to get a card or flowers once in a while? Sure. Sometimes I do but it is because he loves me and thinks of me not because of an outside source.

To me that is love and it can continue til Jesus comes.

Younkmans 2008

Our family reunion was on the tails of camp. We drove to my late grandparents home to stay with my mom and my aunt. We attended the reunion and memorial services for the 4 members of our family who passed since last year.

During the business meeting, we decided to go hi tech. One branch of our family has a website for chatting and keeping up with each other. They opened that site up for all the family to enjoy. Can't wait to see how it works. Another collective decision was not to have the reunion in 2009. We will probably have another reunion in several years but not in Bluffton, OH.

It felt funny to be meeting as a family without my grandparents but that's just how life is sometimes. It will be different with time.

Church Camp 2008

The kids had a blast during safari week at camp. They rode an elephant. (YES, a live 2.5 ton beast!) They were busy from morning to night and absolutely exhausted. They went to the zoo and had an educational zoomobile come to the camp with a box turtle, an owl, a snake, a toad and a kinkachu.

We also had some pretty rockin' services with the Hoppers and their puppet ministry. One service the kids came to the alter at the beginning and spent most of the service in prayer for the Holy Ghost.

The office was busy too. They have rearranged some of the job duties for the secretary but we were still pushing paper most of the week. Several kids had medical issues and had to be taken offsite for treatment. But all were ok and able to go home safely.

No I haven't fallen in!

We have been at church camp for a week and had a family reunion.

I will begin addressing the things we have seen and done soon.

Just wanted to let you know that I didn't drown!

We screamed, we jumped, we ate . . .

and ate and ate some more!

The ice cream social was a huge success! Check it out here and here.

These friends have digital cameras that are not on the fritz!

Got to reconnect with people I hadn't seen for a while and meet some new faces.

THANKS SHELLY and the planning crew from Macomb County Christian Homeschoolers!

Camp season is upon us again.

Crusaders camp is next week. I will be secretary again this year.

It should prove to be very exciting. WE WILL BE HAVING AN ELEPHANT TO RIDE!!!

I think our assistant director is more excited than the kids! We will be going to the zoo and having a zoo come to us. Should be wild in more ways than one.

I'm sure that I will fall into bed as soon as this is over.

I scream, You scream . . .

We all scream for Ice Cream!

I can't wait! Our homeschooling group is having our annual Ice Cream Social this Saturday!

Our families will be building a 40 foot sundae in an aluminum gutter! I wonder if anyone has looked up what the largest ice cream dessert record is? Reminds me of the huge sundae the L&J Dairy in Jackson, MI served when I was a kid. Don't remember the name of the sundae or the prize you won for eating all of it. Anybody out there remember?

I love ice cream and have passed that trait on to my kids. They are pretty excited about this too!

Will let you know how it goes!

Well, it's official . . .

our oldest is 15 years old today!

She is having cheesecake and waiting for the pool to open tomorrow. She got lots of generous presents.

I can't believe how fast time goes. This whole thing just makes me tired!

The reunion will be very different this year.

We have had another loss in our family.

My mom's cousin Norman Younkman passed this afternoon.

We will be gathering again at the end of June but it will be significantly different. We are now without any of Erdie and Guy's children. Of those nine children, some of their children are also gone.

I'm not sure if I posted it here or wrote about it personally but I feel that God is raising another generation to take the reins. That generation is mine.

Arrangements are still being made. Please pray for Adele, Kirsten and family.

He daily loadeth us with benefits. . .

God adores His people. He talks to us all the time. When was the last time you heard from Him?

If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that my family has had some pretty significant losses in the last 6 months. I learned over the weekend that another family member is in the hosptial in ICU.

He told me something yesterday. As He is taking away a generation, He is raising up another one. We may feel ill-equipped but if we follow our Godly example, Jesus, we will find favor with God and man.

I will try to do right by my earthly family.

The Village Blacksmith

Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,---rejoicing,---sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

PS: I love you Grandpa!

It is finished.

My grandfather went to be with the Lord. He passed away at 10:22 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Strangely, it is peaceful this time in comparison to my grandmother's funeral last November. There is nothing to rush to do. No one to rush to care for.

My eight year old said it best. "Grandpa is happier now. He is with Grandma. I'm saving the crying for the funeral and I want his John Deere tractor pillow."

They would have been married 68 years this Memorial Day. I want to leave this life with that kind of legacy.

It might finally be Spring . . .

but remember we live in Michigan.

However, yesterday was beautiful. It was warm (74F) and windy. We had our first outdoor park day with the Homeschool Group.

There were so many people there! New faces, familiar ones and two new babies! The kids had a ball on the playground equipment. The moms had a chance to catch up on the latest posts on the Yahoo group and talk about things we want to do as a group this summer.

I am so thankful to have found this group so close to home. Can't wait for the rest of the summer!

Mama's Apron

An apron played a big part in mama's life
As common to wear as being a housewife.

She used it to gather eggs at the end of the day
To gather vegetables to can and put away
To feed the family on a rainy day. . .

She used it to pick up chips
To start a fire in the old wood stove.
To cook the daily bread,
For her main concern was to keep her family fed.

She folded it around her hands
When at the table the blessing was said.
And wore it in the rain to cover her graying head,
She wrapped it around the baby's legs when he was cold
And sometimes used it to wipe his lil' nose.

It was a faithful servant through sad and lonely years
She even used it to dry away her tears.

When the children were tucked in and their prayers were said. . .
She laid out a clean on at the foot of her bed.

Their job is over now, they did their best.
Mama and her apron have been laid to rest.
If all is true about Heaven I've been told,
Mama is now wearing an apron of spun gold. . .

Unknown Author

I first saw this poem on one of Conni's blogs, a year or so ago. It reminded me of my great aunt. I have some of her vintage aprons. Thought you mamas might like this one.