I Had The Wrong Rose...But God Knew

Remember this post on Friday Foto Friends day? (Click HERE)  Well, I had the wrong rose. But God knew all along...

God provided another, even more beautiful rose that started to open up yesterday morning...

And as the day progressed, so did my mother-in-law's progression into peaceful sleep...

 So I brought the rose inside, because I didn't want the bright sun to burn it like the other one, and also because it appeared that this was truly going to be "Nanny's Rose"...

"Nanny" (Vivian) with her sons Johnny and Billy
The inset picture was Nanny holding baby Johnny.

Today, the rose fully opened...(as the other original rose from last week wilted away in the background), and as the day progressed, the rose bloomed, and Nanny left this earth for her heavenly home...

And now the "Martin Sisters" are all reunited once again...Here they sat together many years ago in front of some lovely roses that were painted by Aunt Dorothy...

Sisters Dorothy, Daisy Pearl, Nellie Mae, and Vivian

And my mother in law and father in law are rejoicing to see each other after so many years...

And the great "cloud of witnesses" are all celebrating Vivian Ruth Martin Steiner's entrance into heaven.

And just perhaps she is being escorted by our son Matthew to her new "log cabin" mansion in the sky...You see, our son Matthew had always promised Nanny that he would build her a log cabin someday...and he drew this one for her many years ago. She often mentioned that Matthew was going to build her a log cabin someday...but Matthew preceded her to heaven about four years ago.  The past few days when she would be so fidgety and somewhat agitated in her declining state, I reminded her that Matthew was probably working really hard on her log cabin to get it ready for her...and on her last day of being able to communicate with us, that brought a big smile to her face.  When it seemed as though she was delaying her departure from this earth, taking a long, slow journey to her final destination, I kept thinking that Matthew was probably still hammering in the final touches to her log cabin, and when it was finally finished, she would be headed "home".

Log Cabin drawn by Matthew E. Steiner for his Nanny many years ago

Matthew with his Granddaddy Steiner, 25 years ago...Granddaddy was giving Matthew some grandfatherly advice just prior to Matthew's wedding.  Now they are part of the welcoming committee in heaven for "Nanny Steiner".

You may ask where I ever got such a crazy idea as anyone receiving a "log cabin" or "mansion" in heaven?...Well, I may be stretching the idea a bit, but here is what Jesus told His disciples before He left this world for heaven:

John 14:1-6

1."Let not your heart be troubled;

You believe in God, believe also in Me.

2.  In My Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

3.  And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and receive you to Myself;

that where I am, there you may be also.

4.  And where I go you know, and the way you know."

5.  Thomas said to Him,

"Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"

6.  Jesus said to him,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

So, yes, Jesus said that He would prepare a place for us...and perhaps He enlists the aid of some of the saints who are already there to help prepare those "mansions" in glory? Who knows? I believe we will have many pleasant surprises awaiting us in heaven.  Maybe even a "log cabin", built with love from Jesus and those who love us...anything is possible!  Whatever it is, it will be more lovely than anything we can even begin to imagine here on earth...

And so we comfort ourselves with the thoughts that "Nanny" is now being introduced around heaven by Jesus Himself...and she is rejoicing in all the beauty and glory that is now her heavenly home...something even far greater than a log cabin, I am sure...and someday, when our time here on earth is done, we too, will be welcomed into heaven and "Nanny" will be there cheering us on with all the great "cloud of witnesses" as we enter the gate.   

Hebrews 12:1-2

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded 

by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin which so easily ensnares us, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,

Who for the joy that was set before Him 

endured the cross, 

despising the shame,

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Amen.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers for our family during this time. You have all been such a blessing to us.  

The Secret Garden Chronicles-Day 8-A Great Cloud of Witnesses

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded 

by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin that so easily ensnares us,

and let us run with endurance the race

that is set before us...

Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith,

Who for the joy that was set before Him 

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2

"Here I am to worship,

Here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that You're my God.

You're altogether lovely,

Altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me."

(Michael W. Smith - "Here I Am To Worship")

I read in my devotions this morning the passage from Hebrews 12:1-2 shared above with the pictures of the two doves in the tree.  Just as I was looking up into the sky to see if there were any clouds to photograph to go along with this passage, (there wasn't a cloud in the sky!) , these two doves flew in and landed on the tree above me...which was absolutely perfect in so many ways...they signify not only the "cloud of witnesses", but also doves are the symbol of peace as well as the sign of the Holy Spirit!  Could there be any greater sign to me that the Lord is in this place?

"Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;

I can feel His mighty power and His grace.

I can hear the brush of angels' wings,

I see glory on each face;

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place."

(Surely the Presence of the Lord by Lanny Wolfe)

Who is this "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1?  These verses follow the Great Hall of Faith found in chapter eleven...an anthology of so many of the saints of old who had gone on well before this was ever written, and it tells about their great faith, many who died as martyrs for their faith, and who remained faithful to God even though they never saw the fulfillment of the promises they had hoped for...and yet they are now in heaven...watching and cheering us on in our earthly race of faith.

And as I sit here in this beautiful place, surrounded by God's marvelous creation, I stop and realize that I am not alone.  Not only is God Almighty present here with me, but so are these saints of old...and those whom I've known and loved here on earth who have already passed on to glory...and they are rejoicing to see this day, cheering me on in my pursuit of holiness and peace.  

Then I also realize that because God has led me to share what He is teaching me here with you out there in "blogland"...also known as "The Cloud" in cyberspace terms, you are also a part of that "great CLOUD of WITNESSES".  Many of you have been cheering me on in the creation of the Secret Garden and in the writing of these Chronicles each day.  

It is amazing, as I sit here, I can sense your presence as well, and it's as though we are sharing in this communion with the Lord together...and the "Secret Garden" isn't really very "secret" at all, is it?

It's actually a lovely big open sanctuary, where we can all gather in Spirit and rejoice together, encourage one another, share our burdens...

How?  Because God's Holy Spirit transcends time and space.  He unites the hearts of those who are of the same mind and spirit.  And when these words are shared with you, whether you are in Florida, Ohio, Idaho, Iowa, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, New York, or California...to name a few...wherever you are, and no matter what time of day or night it is, when you enter "The Secret Garden" with me, something almost "magical" happens.  No, I don't really mean magical in the worldly, mystical sense, but in the realm of God's Holy Spirit, there is an invisible bond that binds us together in love...that bond is shared only by believers in Jesus Christ, and it is just as real as any material object you may old in your hands, and yet it is not visible to the human eye.

We are a beautiful fellowship of saints, brought together by Christ, and He inhabits our praises. 

"But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

Psalm 22:3, KJV

So, today I want to give thanks to the Lord for His kindness and grace, and for allowing us to share in this ministry of encouraging one another in our own "race" of faith.  That is what this is all about.

It's not about me and this lovely Secret Garden.  It is about all of us, as we are all on this journey of faith together...seeking the Lord's Face in our own secret places...and recognizing that we are not alone in our personal struggles...We have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to guide us...AND we have the fellowship of this "Great Cloud of Witnesses", cheering us onward and upward in our great race toward the prize of heaven.  Thank you, dear friends in the "cloud", for being a part of this journey with me!!!

Now here a few other witnesses from in and around the Secret Garden today...Just thought you'd enjoy seeing who else might be watching!

I pray that you have a marvelous day...and remember,

there is a whole great big cloud of witnesses out there

cheering you on to victory!!!

So, how can we lose?