February 26 – “Happy Birthday, Kel”

Today is the birthday of my oldest son, Kelley, Jr., affectionately known as Kel to all in his world.  I have no idea how old he is.  Much younger than me.  He burst forth into existence some nine months after we graduated from college, as I recall.  Yes, we do know how to celebrate key events.  Have a great day, my son.

I got to see little Haisley at the hospital yesterday.  She is the premie born at about 29 weeks to a young couple who had a connection with Seaside when they were teenagers.  Yesterday the baby had an operation to install a pump to drain fluid from her brain to keep excess pressure from harming further development.  And she came through with flying colors.  Her breathing seems to be doing fine, and she continues to gain weight, so about all the family can do now is be patient and let God do his work.  Oh, and add love on her and keep on praying to that list.

A while back Kel’s wife Christina brought their boys over here for a science class.  They are home schooled, so creativity is not just allowed, it is built in as part of the curriculum.  They came to our house because they were studying plants, and they knew good ol’ Nana would have some bulbs.  That’s putting it mildly, actually.  Good ol’ Nana could open a bulb sanctuary.  She has irises and lilies of several different kinds.  Some she got from her Mom’s house.  Others we salvaged from across the street when my Mom used to live there.  Apparently it doesn’t take long for those things to have babies and spread like wildfire, because we have them popping up everywhere.  I don’t know how Chris can keep up with what she planted where, but she knows them all.  They boys had to dig up the bulb and tell Christina (er, Teacher Momma?) what kind of root system each one had.  Then they took home the ones they dug up.  The plan is to replant them up in Texas and see if the climate up North has any effect on them.  I don’t think it’ll take them long to fill up the pot or planter box or wherever they end up putting them.  That’s what Spring is all about, isn’t it?  Except if you live in North Texas and beyond about now.  I hear they are having a serious blizzard.  Wow.  Yet another reason to be glad that God brought us out here to this tropical island paradise. 

Psalms 68:5-6 says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”

Father, thanks especially for that “sets the lonely in families” image.  That’s what I want Seaside to be – a family for the lonely.  Amen.