In Memorial

Memorial Day: A time to honor those who have gone before us and touched our lives in such ways that have made lasting impressions upon our hearts...

This past memorial day, we honored my boys father and my former husband. Instead of electing to honor him by visiting the place he died, we choose to honor a place he lived. Our fondest memories as a family were shared at Teen Challenge. We received permission to plant a tree in his honor at their facility.

The 3 hour drive there was filled with many of the same emotions as it was 5 years ago, when Jay became a student. Both drives, and the many drives in between, I remember the underlying peace surrounding the vast array of other emotions. It is the peace in the still small voice that continues to assure me it would be all right, and that my future is secure in His hands.

After we joined hands in a circle of prayer around the site for the planting, the sun peeked out from behind the shade trees, and the boys broke ground.

A peaceful wind blew memories from the past through my mind and the boys continued to dig. Shovel after shovel of dirt mounded on the grass beside the location we were gifted. Precious memories that were buried deep within me began to resurface.

God is so very good. He gives us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. Grace. Strength. Mercy. Forgiveness. Hope. Healing. Ann Voskamp writes: 'He gifts with seeds as small as moments, grace upon grace, the unlikely here and now ... Do not disdain the small. Our enough is always in the now...'

The planting continued. On our knees we took soil in the palm of our hands, dirt crumbled through our fingers as memories flooded through our minds. Emotional. Loving. Grateful. Releasing. Peace. Moving the tree to its' place. Taking such delicate care step by step. Packing the soil beneath. Then mulch. Then sod. Just so. Stakes, driven through earth to hold future growth secure. It had to be right. Honorable. Respectable. Proper.

Earlier while still at home, we had asked the boys to choose a stone from our rock garden. We had referred to the rock as 'Ebenezer' but had not elaborated on it. As we were almost ready to leave the site, I read a passage from 1 Samuel 7:12: "Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it "Ebenezer" (Rock of Help), saying, "This marks the place where God helped us.


How fitting. How true. Teen Challenge days provided incredible training for our family. Faith grew. Miracles happened. Healing occurred. I have uploaded a letter (see post titled 'Letter') and an article (see post titled 'New Creations') that elaborate more about things Jesus did through Teen Challenge is us and through us. Although things might not have worked out the way we all thought it would, God is still in control and has orchestrated a beautiful woven tapestry. We are indeed blessed; each of us.


As we loaded up to return home, I was reminded that yes, we were leaving the planting site ... however, memories can stay tucked in your heart forever. Ebenezer marks the spot where God helped us. He helped us then, He helps us now, and He will help us tomorrow. Our family shares a wonderful, rich legacy.


Well done. In Memory. Jay Rhoden.


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