A Wonderful Gift

Last week, my sweet Granddaddy Joe gave me one of the best gifts I have ever received...and I found out that he has a hidden talent that may not be so hidden anymore!
Recently, my hometown held a Celebrity Auction and Concert as a fundraiser for our local museum and arts center. A few months ago, over 30 "local celebrities" and Alabama artists teamed up to paint original artwork to be auctioned off at the event. Many of you will not be surprised that my Granddaddy Joe was asked to be one of the "celebrities," thus he has been working with a local artist for months on a watercolor painting. He told me about this venture a few weeks ago when he informed me that the picture he chose to paint was a beautiful scene from Africa-- from a photograph taken of the Serengeti in Kenya by a missionary from his church. I thought it was so neat that Granddaddy was revisiting an old interest of his (turns out, he was quite the artist back in the day!) and that he was painting a scene from Baby E's homeland! However, when I found out the painting was to be auctioned off, I was bummed that I wasn't going to get to see it-- yet so proud of my Granddaddy and the work that he was doing.

Last week Jeff and I went home to Alabama for a few days (more to come on that later!) at which point I thought the painting was long gone to the highest bidder. So much to my surprise, as we were sitting in the living room visiting with the family on Sunday afternoon, in walks my Granddaddy Joe holding the painting! In typical Granddaddy fashion, he says "Well, I hated to buy my own painting but I knew I wanted you to have it." We were so surprised and grateful for this beautiful gift! I am so impressed by his skills and am encouraging him to paint more often. It is an amazing watercolor that is going to look perfect in the nursery! I cannot wait to hold Baby E in his/her room for the first time and show him/her the painting that his/her Great-Granddaddy Joe made for for us. What a special gift that our family will cherish forever. And even more, I cannot wait for Baby E to meet the wonderful man that is his Great-Granddaddy Joe. He is such a blessing to us and all who know him.

A Night of Hoping and Holding

We love living in Chapel Hill. We love the people. We love the weather. We love the spirit of community. We love the diversity. We love the opportunities. We love the charity. Recently, Jeff and I experienced all of these loves in one evening at Carolina Hopefest....the good music was a definite bonus!
Carolina Hopefest brings together singers/songwriters to benefit grassroots sustainable development in Africa. This year, proceeds will benefit Nourish International, a student-led movement to eradicate global poverty. Proceeds will also benefit Beacon of Hope and other organizations of Africa Rising.
Matt Nathanson (who rocked it out and was quite the solo entertainer!) as well as the Indigo Girls were this year's headliners. However, the best surprise for me was getting to hear "Held" performed by its North Carolina songwriter, Christa Wells. Many of you may recognize this song made popular by Amy Grant. If you haven't heard it, I encourage you to listen here. What an incredible reminder of how God holds us in his arms when we need him most. When describing how the lyrics of "Held" came to fruition, Christa writes "...no person of faith lives without suffering...BUT...in the middle of that heartache...we are held, held up, held together, by the One who has walked here and knows the pain, and who also holds all of time, every story, my story, your story, the Greatest Story in his hands."

Two months is too little. They let him go. They had no sudden healing. To think that providence would take a child from his mother while she prays, is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued? What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares? We're asking why this happens to us who have died to live. It's unfair.

This is what it means to be held, how it feels when the sacred is torn from your life and you survive. This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held.

This hand is bitterness. We want to taste it and let the hatred numb our sorrows. The wise hand opens slowly to lillies of the valley...and tomorrow.

This is what it means to be held, how it feels when the sacred is torn from your life and you survive. This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held.

If hope is born of suffering; If this is only the beginning.... Can we not wait for one hour, watching for our Savior?

This is what it means to be held, how it feels when the sacred is torn from your life and you survive. This is what it is to be loved and to know that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held.*

*"Held" lyrics, written by Christa Wells