Awards Day

This week I had the privilege of attending 5 award ceremonies for my grandchildren. I clapped the hardest and loudest when their names were announced as they walked across the stage to receive their awards. Each one of them deserved every award they were given, at least in my eyes.

I wondered if they had Awards Day when I was in elementary school. I don’t remember, but then that was a long time ago. My daughters really couldn’t remember if they had Awards Day either when they were that young.

Awards Day – a time set aside by all involved to gather and honor a child for doing something extraordinary. (My definition)

Let me tell you what I saw at Awards Day. Children that were excited to hear their names called and walk across the stage, receive a pin, certificate, and ribbon with a medallion and hug their teacher and principle. Parents scampering about to take numerous pictures of their prince or princes. Cute songs being sung and slide show presentations of the years activities. The shortest ceremony was 1 ½ hours and the longest was 2 ½ hours. The average was 20 children per class and nearly all had 6 classes. We clapped for each and every one of those precious children. 

Along with the angelic children were the teachers and principles that seemed to think they were on a live TV talent show. The jokes, the tears in the last goodbyes, and one principle even sang for the audience.

Not taking into consideration the fact that elementary schools don’t have seats in their auditoriums, you just sit on the floor that was built in amphitheater style.

Precious, just downright precious.

So now I have blisters on my hands from clapping for all these angels but my rear is now 2 inches wider from sitting on a hard floor for all those hours. My back aches and I will never get some of those songs out of my head.

This brings me to think about the awards I have gotten in the past. I have some ribbons for 2nd place in the Alaska State Fair for my jams and jellies and one for canned stuffed cabbage leaves. The woman that took first place stuffed her cabbage leaves with moose, I used plain ground beef. Show off! Some awards for working for 5 years at the same company and a few others along my career. Most of them are in a box somewhere in the attic.

Awards, accolades and trophies – oh my! The things we put our energy into to win that prize at the end. 

Speaking of the end. What is your reward going to be in the end? The end of your life here on earth. Are you going to be buried with those awards, accolades and trophies? Then what?

How about putting some effort into the end of our eternal life. How hard are we working towards that goal? Do I study my Bible so I can know all that God wants me to know about Him and His Son? Am I doing anything extraordinary to reach the goal of living eternity in Heaven?

I have nothing against awards even if they are kind of meaningless. I loved every moment of each of the ceremonies I attended. However, it did make me think about the real reward in life.

How about you?

And…. It's Over

It’s almost over, another year completed. I don’t like New Year’s Eve. I find it depressing and sad. Even as child I can remember going into the bathroom at the Moose Lodge and crying. Auld Lang Syne makes me cry every time I hear it.

The sadness that comes with the end of the year, as with the end of anything, is bitter sweet. Remembering the events of the past year can depressing, things that didn’t go as you may have hoped they would, dear ones that have passed away, time just flying by and not accomplishing those goals that were set in the beginning of the year when it was new and fresh. Then the sweet – remembering the fun times, the beautiful events of the year, weddings, births, a new job or keeping those goals that were set in the beginning of the year. Have you ever really listened to the words of the song Auld (Old) Lang Syne?

This one night holds so much emotion, I find it hard to face, so normally I don’t.

Lying on the couch watching anything that doesn’t remind me of New Years Eve is normally how I spend mine. I wait until the ball drops in Time Square, shed a tear for whatever needs to be cried over, then go to bed.

January 1st comes a long and I am a different person. It is a fresh new beginning to life. I wake up happy, get my new calendar out and start updating all the birthdays and anniversaries of my family and friends. Do whatever I would like to do that day because I can conquer the world with my new frame of mind.

How can one night of sleep change me so much? Attitude – it’s all in the attitude. I know that inside of me but I still have to go through my crazy sad ritual. It is what gets me through that time of year. Just one nights worth of sleep. Eight hours (maybe) of one day of my year can change everything.

You know what else can change quickly?

Eternity. The Bible tells us Jesus will come like a thief in the night (fast and unexpected):

I Thessalonians 5:2
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

Or like the twinkling of an eye:

I Corinthians 15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

Imagine what that will be like. In a second life will be over as we know it. Will you spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. It’s your choice.


Have a great New Years Eve, be careful and I’ll see you next year.

A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N

Just saying the word anticipation has an air of excitement around it.

My husband and I just went away for the weekend. I anticipated that weekend for several weeks. I thought about it and planned for it. We went to Cherokee, NC so I was familiar with what the area offered. If it was someplace I hadn’t been to before I would look up information on the area and search out things we could do or see.

The motel we stayed at didn’t have a microwave or kitchen just a small frig and coffee pot (the most important item). I made sure to pack my Half & Half so I could function first thing in the morning. We had bagels and peanut butter available for snack time or breakfast so we didn’t have to eat out all the time. A few sodas in the mini-frig and we were good to go.

I packed our clothes the day before. Some short sleeved shirts some long sleeved shirts. Jeans and shorts, you never know what the weather will be like. I made sure we both had our church clothes packed. A few magazines to look at, a book to read and some hand sewing. A book on local attractions and waterfalls was in the mix if we felt energetic.

That morning when we were to leave, I got up and fixed us a nice breakfast while my husband packed the car. Then we were off. A lot of planning went into just a 3 day weekend away. Only three days and it took a couple of weeks to make sure everything went well.

It made me stop and think about the anticipation I should have about going to Heaven. How much time am I spending preparing for eternity?

Revelation 7:16
16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
This verse is very comforting. In so many ways preparing for Heaven is easier than preparing for a vacation. I won’t have to worry about what to take with me. No clothes to pack. No concern for what or where we will eat. Everything will be provided for me. All activities will be planned. Sounds like my type of vacation.

Only this is not a vacation – this is ETERNITY and I can’t just show up without doing my part in the planning process. The Bible tells me what I have to do to prepare for Heaven. It doesn’t cost any money, just a commitment from me to obey God and His laws.


 How about you, are you planning a vacation? How about planning  eternity in Heaven?