Hello, God. It's me, Mara.

You know, Lord, sitting by the window full of sunshine with the address and birthday book open, one can't help but remember, that You are in command with both life and death. So, as time has passed, it is time to change a few lines in these books, so with pencil in hand, we give retirement center addresses to a couple dear friends and an auntie, now all in their declining years. Our mobile society sees church family and our own family moving, one place or another, all due to lay-offs or job changes, so we erase several more addresses, putting new addresses in place. It seems normal has vanished, and that nothing is permanent anymore, so it's best to use a pencil with an eraser when we write down addresses.

The evidence of time passing is unmistakable when it seems that just recently our pastor's daughter was a cute little toddler and now - oh my - she has presented her parents with their first grandson and namesake, a week before her daddy reached 51 years of age. Such joy in the family is a pleasure to observe.

A few lines down we enter a second wedding date for a former neighbor's son. Oh, such a lovely outdoor wedding it was. Lord, please be with them in their new marriage with their blended family. Help them to be even mindful that Your presence is needed, individually and wells as independently in their marriage as a couple; You are there for them to help them make 'life' work.

Farther down in our birthday book we add a death date to a former neighbor's birthday line; she's gone on to her eternal rest, in You, Lord. Life is like Job 1:21: "(Job said), the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Love, Mara.