Monday, August 23, 2010

Phoebe and Phoenix

I had my wonderful, terrific, loving grand children over yesterday and for a short time, I had a moment to observe my little princess. I find it amazing at 7 months. how her personality is starting to burst forth. I saw things in her that I have never seen before. She is strong willed, (don't know where she got that from), short fused, gets frustrated easily when she can't do things or keep up with her brother. Oh yea, I meant to mention she is very vocal and that her smile, brightens the room  She makes sure her presence is known.   Phoebe would jump out of your lap in an instant if she could, to go after her brother.  She is the delight of my soul.  She may be strong willed but that doesn't necessarily make that a bad thing.  To be a leader you need that.  She's a young lady with a future.

Then I have Phoenix, who is almost 17 months.  He believes the world revolves around him.  When he wants to play, he will make sure you know it.  You must drop everything and come play.  He is very focus.  His favorite toy is "The Ball."  When "The Ball" comes out, you can bet you will be there playing for a good solid 30 min.  I bought him a wiffle bat, what a mistake that was.  He is a slugger alright.  He can be dangerous with this thing so we have to hide it from him.  He's smart, he always knows where to look for it.  At 17 months, he shows great potential.  He may be a drummer, a baseball player, a golfer, or a stacker.  Only the good Lord knows what his future holds.

As you can tell, I'm a doting Nana, that loves these children and know that God created them for me.  To give me hope for the future and joy for today.  They are precious, priceless gifts that brings me hours of fun.  Looking forward to many more.  Oh yea, did I tell you they 're gorgeous.  I have wonderful visions of them coming here, after school sitting at the table drinking chocolate milk and eating homemade cookies, telling me about their day. Phoenix really likes fruit but there is something about Nana's and cookies that make me feel warm inside. God bless these two little ones of ours.  I really wanted to say mine, but I know I have to share.


Tuesday, May 4, 2010

A Tribute to My Parents

A Tribute to My Parents

My husband and I decided to put our mirror back on our dresser the other day.  So he goes and pulls it out.  To my amazement, there was a picture, still clinging to it.  It was a picture of my parents, who are no longer with me.  The picture was taken probably about 15 years ago.

It did my heart good to see them together.  They were dancing, cheek to cheek, all dressed up.  They must have been at a wedding.  They looked so happy and healthy.  The picture meant so much to me because when I was growing up, I didn't see much affection between them and when they had past away they were both very ill.

When I look at mom, I am so proud of her.  I feel honor to have had her for a mother.  She was a very brave woman.  She had a difficult life over here. First of all she spoke no English and then she raised four little ones all under the age of 5 with little support.  She did have one thing going for her.  My grandfather loved her. She left her country and family, to come to  this one to start a new life with dad.  They had met in the service in Germany.  Mom was wonderful, she loved unconditionally, anybody and anyone was welcome in our home, or at the dinner table.  Half the time we didn't know who was there.  When I look at my father, I see a tall, strong, handsome family man who loved to have fun and worked hard.

I love this snapshot because this is how I see my parents now.  In heaven, with new healthy bodies, loving on each other, enjoying each other’s company; celebrating their new life in Christ






















































































by Kathy Grayczyk  
































































































































































































































































































































































My husband and I decided to put our mirror back on our dresser the other day.  So he goes and pulls it out.  To my amazement, there was a picture, still clinging to it.  It was a picture of my parents, who are no longer with me.  The picture was taken probably about 15 years ago.

It did my heart good to see them together.  They were dancing, cheek to cheek, all dressed up.  They must have been at a wedding.  They looked so happy and healthy.  The picture meant so much to me because when I was growing up, I didn't see much affection between them and when they had past away they were both very ill.

When I look at mom, I am so proud of her.  I feel honor to have had her for a mother.  She was a very brave woman.  She had a difficult life over here. First of all she spoke no English and then she raised four little ones all under the age of 5 with little support.  She did have one thing going for her.  My grandfather loved her. She left her country and family, to come to  this one to start a new life with dad.  They had met in the service in Germany.  Mom was wonderful, she loved unconditionally, anybody and anyone was welcome in our home, or at the dinner table.  Half the time we didn't know who was there.  When I look at my father, I see a tall, strong, handsome family man who loved to have fun and worked hard.

I love this snapshot because this is how I see my parents now.  In heaven, with new healthy bodies, loving on each other, enjoying each other’s company; celebrating their new life in Christ






















































































by Kathy Grayczyk  

My Mom

My Mom

Dear Jesus,

Take good care of her.  Reward her for what she deserves.  She is your precious daughter who worked very diligently, while here on earth.  She knew how to love unconditionally.  She accepted anyone and everyone, even the outcast of society.  She had made everyone feel right at home when they would come over.  Mom was very busy, but would stop doing what ever she was working on and give undivided attention to her visitor, showing she valued that person.  She would welcome total strangers at our dinner table.  I remember one guy felt so welcomed that he would walk right in.  If there was anything on the stove cooking he felt so comfortable,  he would help himself to a little sample.

At times the house would become chaotic because mom had a heart for children. There was a time in their life when mom and dad would take home on the weekends children who were disabled, physically as well as mentally.  Then they ended up fostering 7 children on top of the 4 she already had.  There was this one precious baby that ended up in our home and mom decided to adopt him, he was so much a part of us they he even looks like one of us. Mom enjoyed every minute with her grandchildren, all 10 of them.  She taught me how to love, she knew how to die to oneself for the sake of the others.  She was courageous, hard working, loving, gentle, and a wonderful role model for her children.  Lord, I know it was you that developed these characters within her see mom had no role models.  She came from a broken home.

She's a gem Lord.  She deserves the best of crowns you have up there.  Please let her know that I love her and that I am PROUD of the work she did here on earth.  Thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful mom.  Let her know I will be there soon to be reunited with her and dad.

In His Presence

            In His Presence


I sit silently, waiting, listening for him to whisper something in my ear.

Be it a word, a sentence, a phrase.  I never know.

There is peace, comfort and joy.  A sense of  anticipation.

I listen to soft music to welcome his presence.

He’s a dear friend of mine and at the right moment, he speaks.

Softly, lovingly and gently.

He says he loves me and his desire is, that I become all I was designed to be.
He is thrilled I have chosen to spend this time with him, to be his vessel.

The word for today is Love.  His love is beyond anything one can imagine.

So many people don’t understand this love.  They reject it.  His love, is too hard for one to fathom.  People think  they will have to change to be accepted, or that they’re unworthy to be loved by him.  It’s not so.  Christ  loves you just the way you are.

“Come to me and I will give you rest.”  Jesus is wooing you, he just wants to have a relationship with you.

The time I spend in his Presence is priceless.  It’s a gift, a treasure that I look forward to every morning.  If for some reason I miss that time, I hear him whispering throughout the day “Come, sit with me.  I love you”

When I hear this.  I will try to stop and take time to sit, even if it’s 5 minutes.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Greatest Birthday Gift 2010

God did the irreversible on my birthday.  I am so excited that I just have to share it with you all.  I woke up really disturbed.  I was very heartbroken, my father had past away about a year and a half ago.  I would not be receiving a phone call from him today. My father's birthday is today, the 4 th.  I was his gift many years ago.  I never grieved over the lost of my father, for I was happy that he did not have to suffer no more, he was diabetic and going for dialysis everyday.  He also suffered with heart disease.  Well, it just so happened that I watched Joyce Meyers that morning and she had mentioned how we cannot let our emotions rule our lives.  So I made a decision, I was not going to let my emotions ruined my day.

My husband and I went to the show and saw Shutter Island.  It's a true story about criminals who were mentally ill.  By the time I walked out I was so grateful that I was born during this era, and not back in the 50's when they were doing lobotomies.  I was very grateful that I had a husband that loved me enough to get the help that I needed, so I did not harm myself or others.  for those of you who don't know, I have bipolar.

That night we had the children over and I had taken some pictures and all my children were standing next to me.  I had finally accepted the fact that they had  truly forgiven me, for the darkest days of my life.  In the midst of my illness I had said and done some pretty mean things to them. and they have chosen to forgive and love me dearly. What a gift!  Not only that, but Matthew(who is my oldest son) who claims to be an agnostic was looking through the Bible!  We were able to discuss Jesus first miracle and he even knew what the Master at the wedding had said about the wine!  I was so excited  that I told him "the word is in you and it will come forth some day when you really need it, like it or not! My daughter Rachel remarked "Mom that's the creepiest thing you have ever said!"  I was so encouraged.  When they had left that night Rachel had given me the hardiest hug she had ever given to me in my life.  She is a very reserved person.   .

To top the day off.  I got a phone call at 7:30.  It was from my younger brother, who has never called me on my Birthday!  I was so blessed!  I felt so loved by the end of the day that no gift can place the love I received that day.  God is so good to me!

On the following day, I went to Sara's house ( my other daughter) and she had the T.V. on a children 's Christian station!  I am seeing God working in the life of my children and I am excited.  Oh yea, Rachel is going out with a Christian boyfriend, I just found that out too.  Can you beat that for a Birthday?  My kids were all brought up in the church but had abandon God when I became ill and now I'm reaping what I had sown.  Glory to God!

God has cured me and the joy of the Lord is my strength.

For Such A Time As This

                                                                                                                                   Feb. 23,2010



                       For Such A Time As This


 I am here to encourage, inspire and give hope to each and everyone of you.  The reason I chose this topic is because of my life.  I felt I had no purpose once the kids started leaving home.  Getting a career sounded so empty to me.  We are not here today by accident.  We were created for such a time as this.  I don’t know about all of you, but my small group really bonded.  I got to know some ladies that have been here as long as me, that I have never known before.  Hopefully, I touched their lives as much as they have touched mine.  We were born for such a time as this.

I don’t want anyone to think their life is less important, valued, or treasured because they haven’t done anything as wonderful or as mighty as Beth Moore, John Lynch, Billy Graham or even Queen Esther. None of them are greater or better than you or I, in God’s eyes.

Where you are at today is just another stepping stone to God’s Divine Purpose and plan for your life.  Singing a lullaby, wiping a snotty nose, cleaning a boo boo, visiting a grandchild and letting them know that Jesus loves them, bringing a meal to a family, or visiting the sick. Whatever it is, the list goes on and on.  All these are just as important to God as what Esther did.

God created you for such a time as this.  The greatest purpose is so he can fellowship with you and have a relationship with you.  Esther is not the only royalty.  We all are!  We’re children of the King!  We are here for such a time as this, to carry on his message of LOVE!


                                By:  Kathy Grayczyk

Valentine 2010

                   




             Valentine Day



When I first wake up and see your face, I am thinking of you

When I look at the colors in the sunrise, I am thinking of you

When I smell the sweet aroma of java in the morning, I  am thinking of you

When I first see you walk out of the bedroom in the morning, I am happy to see you

When I hear the laughter of our grandbaby, I am thinking of you

When you make me dinner, I am thinking of you

When the sun sets and the colors glow, I am thinking of you

When the day is done and you kiss me goodnight, I thank God for you



                        By:  Kathy Grayczyk