Steven has graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral studies.  It was good to be there.  The celebration and awarding of degrees was well done and the speakers were good and not over-winded.

I will talk a bit more about this over the next few days.

Deed drove us both ways, I am glad she is the one who had to deal with the traffic and unfamiliar territory – right now I am not driving and Carla is not used to the driving in such horrid conditions.

We left late afternoon on Friday.  Ran into a bit of traffic in the Toppenish to Yakima area, it died off somewhat, but a few miles out of Kirkland we were in the thick of traffic. 

It moved along pretty well, and we didn’t see too many idiots trying to ‘get ahead.’  But in any given mile there were more cars on either side of the road than The Dalles even has, total – or at least so it seems. 

We passed a line of cars, stopped in the far right lane, that was at least a mile long – me thinking it was probably an accident or something – but as we drove by we eventually saw a sign that gave an exit – the line was people waiting to get off the freeway AND it was stopped long before the sign so if you didn’t know the exit was coming up but wanted to exit there, by the time you reached the sign it was too late to get over. 

Now, this was heading into the Seattle area, not coming out well after 1800 hours, the traffic coming out of the metro area, was, of course, much heavier.

Much prefer the traffic jams in The Dalles - four drivers, at a four way stop, waving each other on........

Coming back, once we got out of Kirkland, there was little traffic, actually looked more like I-84 in eastern Oregon.  Had no problems maintaining speed.

Poor Deed, though, about four hours sleep from working until 0600 Friday along with her two hour drive home and then having to deal with heavy traffic four plus hours after we left OUR house.

Then sleeping in a motel which means kinda sleeping (the first night in a motel for me is always difficult) and wasn’t any better for her.

Then a four hour drive after graduation and the celebration dinner, leaving about 1630 and getting to The Dalles just before 2100 – and then after unloading stuff – off to HER home - about 45 minute drive.  But better driving conditions, IF you don’t count the possibility of deer crossing or rocks falling onto the road.

I really appreciate her sacrifice and willingness to drive.  This kind of traffic was not my favorite, but before the meds I could handle it, I don’t do any driving at the moment until we can either find a better med, or go back in for another operation where I won’t need the meds, or at least not as strong.

Luke 1:39-47  And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

⁴⁰ And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

⁴² And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

⁴³ And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴ For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

⁴⁵ And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Mother’s Day, a day of celebration of those women who have given birth, or adopted a child – not all women can be mothers but many are great aunts and we will celebrate the love of these women on July 26.

So today is Mother’s Day a lot of praise is given to mothers for their love and devotion to their children. 

Mothers work so very hard to raise their children, to take care of both their bodies and their minds.

As I read a devotional about Mother’s Day and of course the sermons that exalt mothers – I thought about the meeting of these two mothers, Elizabeth and Mary.

They were not single parents, both had a spouse, or at least Mary would eventually marry Joseph who was a surrogate for God as he was the step-father and the man on earth that helped the young Jesus as He grew.

Now it could be said, by some, that both John and Jesus were created by God, therefore no matter who the parents were they would have fulfilled their ‘destiny’ of John the foreteller and Jesus the Savior.

But both of these mothers had strong faith in God.  They were chosen for their roles as mothers of God’s chosen for a reason.

Their husbands, too, were men of faith with strong ties to God.

God was placing them in homes where they would learn of Him, His Word and the importance of serving Him.

Both men did what they were placed on earth to do, not only because that was God’s design, but their mother’s and father’s trained them up in the way they should go.

Neither of these mothers and fathers was perfect.  I am sure that they made mistakes, just as we do, in the raising of their children, but the family was based on faith in God.

Both John and Jesus were men; these men had choices, just as we all do.  They could follow God and His commands, or not.  We sometimes forget, while they were specially formed for their roles in our Salvation that they did not have to follow that path.

They had their own free will, again, just as we do.  They were raised by Godly parents to follow the Holy Spirit as He taught them and prepared them for their roles. 

But, they still had free choice.  They chose to do the bidding of God.

As a father that is proud of his children, their spouses and THEIR children, and a father who has made multitudes of mistakes; I have to ask myself:

If I had been the father of John and Jesus, would they have walked steadfastly in their service to God?

It is never too late to refocus my life on Him, asking Him to search my heart, helping me purge my sins and become a better example to those that I meet – especially those that I love.

Later, Art :-)