by C.S. Lewis “The Last Battle”
*Jessica loved the “Chronicles of Narnia”


"Author! Author!"
by Craig Affeldt (*father of a friend of Krista’s)

They’ve laid down their pens now, these three wonderful daughters
Writing the stories of their storybook lives.
No more time for helpful suggestions from family and friends.
No more time to correct the grammar, and fix the punctuation.
Their assignments are finished.

And, Oh! What books they were!
The first, nineteen chapters long,
Of a young woman, loving and caring, blossoming into adulthood.
The second, seventeen chapters, about a girl,
Navigating her way through the years of discovery;
And the third, only twelve chapters long,
Full of fun and excitement, just getting to the good parts.
And now, coming together, with featured roles in yet another chapter.
The way it is meant to be in storybook lives, in storybook families.

Then, we turn the page. The chapters end. What sadness! What disappointment!
How we loved reading these books! How we devoured each page, each sentence.
How we miss reading these chapters. These wonderful books. These storybook lives.
Yet, we remember. We know. These books are still being written.
The Great Author has picked up their pens. They are writing with His help now.
No need for helpful suggestions from family and friends.
No need to correct the grammar or fix the punctuation.
New, perfect chapters being written each day, for all eternity.
Full of fun and excitement. Far more wonderful than we could ever imagine.
Full of discoveries far beyond our understanding.
Loving and caring beyond our human powers.
Each day and for eternity, new chapters written in these storybook lives.

How we wish we could read these new stories! Yet we remember. We know.
We will read these books one day. Before you know it, we will be together again.
Reading these chapters. Together. For all eternity.
But not until we have finished our own assignments,
Writing the chapters of our own stories. Our own lives.
Until then, we remember, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off EVERYTHING that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the AUTHOR and perfecter of our faith." ~Hebrews 4: 1,2


This poem was sent to us on one of those days when I felt as if my life was
seeping out of the huge hole in my heart. God knows just what we need... When we need it!




the picture below was painted by Krista...



"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
He was pierced for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
~Isaiah 53: 3,5


Krista sang with me (Debbie) at a Woman's Aglow meeting and then listened as I spoke. She sketched the roses below while I talked about How God has deposited some of himself in each of us. But only as we surrender to Him, do we reflect our true identity and His fragrance is evident to the world. These roses in bloom were her interpretation of that truth.