Life goes on! God is with us!

Well it has been almost 13 months since Steve went home to be with our Lord! There have been times that the tears would just flow as we remembered the things we would do together. Today I enjoyed a good breakfast that he would have fixed for me. Corned beef hash and eggs. I even asked him to make it - he couldn't because he was fixing breakfast for "the KING". That's right - life isn't all about me - it IS about HIM!! We all miss him dearly but we KNOW that we will see him again and we WILL be together forever! In fact, this week God reinforced that to me in James 4. Verse 14 says that we don't even know what will happen tomorrow - we are a mist that appears for a while and vanishes. Steve was a GREAT mist - big mist too - that hurricaned into our lives. He certainly left his mark on EVERYONE he met. Even strangers he met on the airplane.

Yesterday I received an anonymous gift postmarked DesMoine, IA. Have any of you been in Iowa lately? Because the person obviously doesn't know that Steve passed away. It was addressed to Steven and Jan Deichert. There was a note inside that read - Thank you for your help when I first graduated from college. No doubt in my mind that Steve had monetarily helped someone out 20 plus years ago. AND no doubt that GOD had this person send this to me yesterday! I recently had to have work done on my 95 Saturn. I was dreaming of a new car but God had said to be content with what I have. GOD provided this money to cover the costs of these repairs!!!

This year has been interesting as our family continues to "go on" without Steve or Dad. I'm grateful that the grandgirls still fondly remember "Poppop". I am glad I can hope on a plane and see them for the weekend like I did Columbus weekend. What a wonderful surprise for the girls and me.

I am excited that the Lord has provided a full time benefit paying job for Kimberly!! It was almost a year to the day that she lost her job God provided this new one. She was working part time in a local hospital and was able to secure another job in the same field. God has intertwined both to give her expertise in her work.

Kevin has applied for a promotion at his job and is working many hours - we are thankful that he does have a job! We have been down that road before as a family - work is good. Brandy is doing a wonderful job as a mom and loves it! And of course I know it is debatable but I do have the best grandchildren in the world! Anna, Ella and Derek! I can't wait to be with them again.

And I am joyful as I work at Joyful Noise Preschool! I love it and the ladies I work with are the VERY BEST!! They are great encourager that love me and most of all love the Lord! They are taking good care of me.

I thank the Lord for HIS word and how it encourages me daily. Now I NEED to lean on HIM - no one else on earth can help me. It's just God and I! He has shown me this year that life is all about HIM - not us - we selfish people! God is sovereign and in control of EVERYTHING! There have been many times that it seems like God is sitting right next to me! I praise the Lord for Christian radio speakers! God uses them to encourage me and keep me going. Greg Laurie is on my radio many times and God is using his messages to confirm that God is REAL!
Feb. 13th (my birthday) Greg said, "Keep on" referring to Philippians 3:13. Kevin called me that day and at the end of the conversation said - "mom - just keep on." Then a few weeks ago when I was feeling a little overwhelmed - Greg said again, "keep on". These words of encouragement keep me "keeping on"! AS Dad Hare always said - "keep on keeping on"!

Keep on my FRIENDS - 1. God is with us! 2. We belong to God! (If we have surrendered our lives to HIM). 3. We should be doing the will of God! 4. We need to believe God! HE knows what is best for us!

Thank you for letting me share my heart. And thank you God for continuing to care for me - even better than Steve!

I love you all -- Mom, Mrs. Steve, Janice