Found this gem, among others, while going thru my Dad's photos. It is my Grandfather. We think it was taken in Virginia Beach. Not sure of the date. My Grandfather's legs look exactly like my Dad's. His arms look exactly like my brother Marc's "guns". It's fascinating to see our family history. Amazing to think God created our gene pool. Yep, He's that big. He created every cell in our bodies. Orchestrated our blood lines.
One of the beautiful joys in dying is verbally sharing your life with your family. Thankfully my Dad's hobby is genealogy. He has more pictures than you can imagine. Many of the photograph's date back to the 1840's. He's researched and written our entire family tree in 6 volumes on his computer. He most certainly has prepared.
Today is the start of the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah. Often it is referred to as The Feast of Trumpets.
Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year is called the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible. It begins the Jewish High Holy Days and Ten Days of Repentance with the blowing of the ram's horn, the shofar, calling God's people together to repent from their sins. It is a solemn day of soul-searching, forgiveness, repentance and remembering God's judgment, as well as a joyful day of celebration, looking forward to God's goodness and mercy in the New Year.
I find it uncanny that my Dad's first day in Hospice falls on the Feast of Trumpets. My Dad, like the Jewish people, is soul-searching, seeking forgiveness, repentance. He's acutely aware of God's judgment as well as looking forward to God's goodness and mercy. He has that joyful day of celebration of being with the Lord to look forward to.
Are you listening for that trumpet? Are you prepared to meet our Savior? Do you look forward to the celebration of being in His Majestic and Holy presence? Do you look for Him every day? Do you live your life for Him? Or do you live your life for you?
It's hard not to live in this world. To get caught up in the pleasures. The materialistic pursuits. I'll be dead honest- my world stops for a good Tory Burch sale. I heart a great pair of shoes. {But} my heart is also fully invested in the One who made my upside down world right side up.
What causes you regret? Who do you hold resentment towards? Time is short. Time is precious. Tell The Lord what's on your heart. Tell Him that you're sorry. Accept His forgiveness. Extend His love for you to others.
I will forever be looking up, listening for that Trumpet Call, rather than looking around me at a world that can never save me, fully know me, love me or fulfill me.
I'm so thankful for my bloodlines. I'm so thankful for these last days with my Dad. I'm so thankful for Jesus whose blood was shed so that we all may have new life in Him.
"So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"-Luke 21:28
