Taken Far Away From Home

This is a picture out of my sister's bedroom window.  When I saw it, I thought about how good God is to us.  My mom was raised in a small town called Zion, Illinois.  The whole city was built around a church in the shape of an upside down ark.  She was one of seven siblings and they were raised consistently going to church.  She knew most of the people in her town and is even friends with many of them today who she went to kindergarten with.

She loved being raised in Zion.  People were close and spent a lot of time with each other.  When I was a baby, my dad moved her out to Southern California to go to medical school at Loma Linda.  She was very lonely for many years.  It was nothing like Zion.  People weren't as friendly or as close.  Families moved often so there weren't many deep generational roots.

She raised us alone.  She didn't have anyone to help her.  She put her whole life into raising us.  My dad worked really long hours and had to travel far to and from work.

Fast forward to today.  She raised three daughter who all walk with Jesus and married solid Christian men who are great husbands and fathers.  All of her ten grandchildren love Jesus.  My dad and her are closer than they have ever been before.  She loves her church family and friends.  She gets to be with her Zion friends every summer when she spends the summer in Door County.

God has been so good to her.  She is always talking about how blessed she is and how thankful.  My mom and dad are continually amazed at His goodness to them.  They raised us in the church and we always knew they loved Jesus.  His ways are so good.

All things work together for good to those who love God

and are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28