Now I have to reflect on my Mothers' Day experience. We visited friends we love and called our beautiful mothers and grandmothers in faraway lands of Arizona, Utah and Redlands. Jay went outside after church and found a tiny bird under the tangelo tree. It fluttered very clumsily away from him, and as he observed it, he realized it was injured. He picked it up and brought it into the house as a way to protect it from our dog, Lizzie. Well, I loved holding it, stroking it's soft feathers and seeing it's intelligent little expressions. We fed it, made it a tiny nest in a basket and lined it with soft rose petals. The tiny bird fluttered around the nest, tried eating a little, but by about midnight that night it became exhausted and lay down in the nest. It covered it's body with a rose petal, closed it's eyes and passed into heavenly peace. I cried and wished I had done more sitting and holding it, wishing I had treasured the short time I had. I wondered what God wanted me to learn from this experience. I decided to treasure my times with my children more so that they truly feel that they are my little jewels.

One of our favorite things to do together is just sing. We have a few favorites including the national anthem, Come Thou Fount, God Bless America, God Bless the USA, Redeemer of Israel, Ye Elders of Israel, Come Ye Children of the Lord, The Old Rugged Cross, Oh How I Love Jesus, Yellow Submarine. . .and so many more.