Longings...

For several weeks now my mind and heart have been filled with memories and thoughts of my childhood. I am sure my thinking has been steered this way due to the struggle we are having with Maw-Maw and so for days now I have found myself in a "different place."

I have always been very blessed to be close to both sets of my Grandparents, they are very different and I guess that is what makes the memories so wonderful and fun. I had two very unique experiences growing up, on the one hand I had the Italian experience complete with big family and great food and on the other I had the country experience complete with "down home" living and tender hearted people.

My mind has recently drifted back to those days when I would visit the little white frame house of my Grandma and Grandpa Kilgore and the wonderful smell of Downy would be the first thing to meet you at the door - my Grandma Kilgore is the only one I know who could do 15 loads of laundry in a day and still have time to go fishing. I can remember the days lazy of summer on their farm in Apple Springs Texas and we would all pile up in the back of my Grandpa's red Ford truck to go pick tomatoes and beans from the garden that was his pride and joy. The little bottle Cokes that we took with us would drip ice cold all the way there and what a thrill it was to dab that freezing bottle all over our hot, hot faces. We would end those sweltering days by eating ice cream on the front porch and waiting for the stars to blanket us at night - my grandma would always wish upon a star. Oh, how I long for those days again... and I sure miss my Grandma and Grandpa.

My memories are different but just as wonderful and special at my Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw Sedita's house. This time, standing at her front door, the first thing to greet you is the smell of pasta gravy. How many times I stood at that door just knowing it wouldn't be too much longer before we could eat some of that wonderful food - nobody cooks like Maw-Maw. And eat, we did, every Sunday when I was growing up, we all went over for our Sunday meal, a houseful of us, talking loud and eating, like Italians do. My cousin Gina and I loved to watch the Miss America Pageant with Maw-Maw - it was an annual event at her house and we would stay up late, laugh and eat chips and onion dip. Oh, how I long for those days... and I sure will miss my Maw-Maw when its time for her to go.

These have been the longings of my heart lately - just lost in the memories I guess. All of these longings led me to another great longing that - believe it or not - outweighs all of these. My desire to set my feet on the streets of Heaven and look into the eyes of my Savior.

My heart skips a beat each time I think of the day when I will be able to walk - no wheelchair in sight - alongside of the One who gave it all for me to live. The thought is overwhelming, to fall at the feet of Jesus and worship - is there anything that compares? To raise my voice, along with every angel in Heaven, in praise and adoration of King Jesus - I can hardly type the words!

Then just as icing on the cake, Jesus will say, "You are healed, you have no need for that wheelchair here. And seizures, they do not exist." Praise God - I can't wait for the day! How about you?

The thought of Heaven is the deepest longing of my heart and I praise God that one day I will not only stand before my God but I will be able to sit down with all my precious Grandparents again and talk about all those special memories that I have hidden in my heart for so long. Just makes me smile thinking of the day...

Rejoicing in Hope,
Roxanne