A WhatsApp message was written to me this morning, one that brought me immense pleasure.

Sydney’s Message about the upcoming Sunday—

“I thought you might be happy to know that ‘your girls’ are getting together for the afternoon this Sunday.”

Most people know this coming Sunday to be the day of the greatest football game of the year:  the Super Bowl.  Clearly, I do not care whether the Bengals (the underdog) or the Rams win.  I only care about the “fun” that evening of fellowship, food, and fun the night will bring as I gather with others this upcoming Sunday.

Early this morning, I received Sydney’s message, and when I did, truthfully, the Super Bowl & the festivities of the upcoming Sunday became a whole new thought in my mind.

“Your girls.”   My girls—One In Tennessee & Two, 5,000+ miles away from me—together.  A Beautiful Reminder of God’s Goodness.

Thank You, God!

Thank YOU!

Thank You for Your Love.

Thank You for Your Salvation.

Thank You for Your Care for others, for Your Inclusion of others.

Thank You, God, for increasing the number of my family.

Thank You, God, for my husband’s prayer, “God, take care of “our girls.”

Three items caught my attention this morning when I arose.

• Queen Elizabeth II.
• Taylor’s request.
• Sydney’s Message about the upcoming Sunday.

Queen Elizabeth II—

In 1947, when King George VI died, Elizabeth (his daughter) became Queen of England.

Never did she imagine that she would be queen so young.

Never did she imagine that she would face the ominous and required “red box” each morning, or that her reign would become the “rule” of the land.

Never did she imagine that her dad, George VI, would die.

NEVER.

Now, the queen, age 95, has given her entire life to the service of the monarchy.

George VI died on 6 February 1952.

Today is 7 February 2022.

The Queen has led the country of England ever since—for 70 years.

Taylor’s Request—

On Sunday, I sat next to my niece Taylor, my “1^st” daughter I am allowed to share with my sister, Jill.

After the service, she asked me a question, one that required an answer.

You see, my Last Testimony & Will is written to provide my Bible:  to my daughter Sydney and then another Bible to my next daughter, Marieke.

Yesterday, My “first” adopted daughter, Taylor, requested a Bible.

The Word of God.

The Scripture.

My margin notes written inside my current Bible—what seems to be a conduit which drew Taylor’s request.

Yesterday, during the Sunday message, we walked through Luke 9.

Yesterday, I made margin notes about Salvation—It is free!

Yesterday, I made margin notes about Discipleship—It costs me my life!

I wrote across the top of the page of my Bible, across the top of Luke 9: 23-24—God’s Salvation, It is FREE, yet It is COSTLY!

Taylor made her notes on a piece of paper, the pastor’s outline, as she views the Bible passage from the front screen.

The Word of God.

It is Everywhere.

Living.

Breathing.

Real.

Past. Present. & Future.

Thank You, God, for Your Word Endures, even into this century.

Who knows how many centuries God’s Word will continue until Jesus stands up.

Who knows the day the LORD JESUS will arise in heaven and then return to earth—His Second Coming.

“If you ever wanted to give me your Bible instead of letting it lie on a shelf, I would love to have it,” spoke Taylor.

What a beautiful request Taylor made yesterday.

I shared Taylor’s request with Sydney today.

Again—Sydney’s Message about the upcoming Sunday—

“I thought you might be happy to know that ‘your girls’ are getting together for the afternoon this Sunday.”

I spoke my excitement & I then shared Taylor’s request with Sydney.

“If I give Taylor my current one [my Bible] hopefully it will not be my death one [my last Bible]. Hopefully I will have more,” I wrote to Sydney.

 “I’m sure you will,” Sydney replied.  “Lol about your funeral plans . . .”

If you know me, then you also know that I have written my funeral plans on the inner cover of my newest Bible.   Weird, I know, but I don’t want Sydney to need to wonder, need to fret what to do when I die.

My request:

“Make sure that the preacher you ask preaches a Salvation message.

Play a Christian melody, maybe two.

Make sure that the opening song is Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl.”

Darrell just “loves” that last request.“ Honey, do you realize the words of that song?” he asked me one day.

“Yes, I do, but still, everyone knows it’s my favorite song, so why not play my favorite song at my funeral and allow everyone a smile.  I want my funeral to be is a smile-filled event, not a sad, leaving one, for I am going home.  What a beautiful day that will be.”

Inside my Bible (my current one, not my previous one, or even not the one before that & before that), I have written this story:  “A little boy wished to meet the king, so the boy walks up to the gate of the kingdom and asks for permission to enter.  The guards deny the little boy access, so the boy sits down, places his face in his hands, and cries.

A son walks up, see the little boy sitting on the ground, crying.

He [the son] inquires:  ‘Why are you so sad?  What do you seek?’

The little boy tells the Son why he is so sad and what he wishes—to enter the gates, to see the king.”

So, the Son reaches down and takes the boy by the hand, walks him up to the palace gates and into the courtyard, past the guards and into the kingdom.  They do not stop there.

The Son walks the little boy into the inner-chamber of the King.”

See the King.

See the King of Kings.

See Jesus, face-to-face.

See Jesus.

The Inner-Chamber of the King.

I am fascinated with the study of the monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II and even that of her predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I—BUT—

I am sold-out to the kingship of Almighty God, of Jesus Christ.

I am taken-back by Taylor’s request.

I am humbled and awed by Sydney’s message to share time with Marieke.

I am so grateful for “my girls” God has given to me to love.

Thank You, God, for SO MUCH!

Thank You, God, for LOVE!

Thank You, God, for YOU!

“Come to Me” is the margin note in my Bible for this passage.  SEE WITH ME.

“At that time Jesus said,

‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

All things have been handed over to Me by My Father;  and no one knows the Son except the Father;  nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.’

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

For My yoke is easy and My burden light.’ ”

(Matthew 11:  25-30)

“Father God,

Thank You, God, for daughters.

Thank You, God, for three daughters.

Thank You, God, for Your Holy Word.

Thank You, God, for providing many Bibles for me to own, to read & to make notations in the margins.

Thank You, God, for daughters, who desire (who want) to read my notes about You.

Thank You, God, for life, for death, and for the promise of Your presence in heaven.

Thank You, God, for Salvation Jesus provides.

Thank You, God, for all these things.

Amen.”