The first time I heard the phrase "ever growing, ever green" it was in reference to my then seventy-something father. My mother had died the year before. Though physically fragile, she had planned to attend a national women's conference with my sisters and her granddaughters in keeping with her lifelong practice of supporting and applauding every achievement of her children and grandchildren. She wanted to be part of this historic event where I had the privilege of teaching a seminar on grief and speaking on Sunday morning. In addition to co-leading worship, our son Chuck was giving a mini-piano concert Saturday night. Though it required travel to Atlanta, Georgia, my mother was determined to be part of this family moment. Because of her uncertain health needs, my father planned to accompany her. My mother died in December, 2008, but she left a well-taught husband (See Every Growing, Ever Green Part 1). In honor of my mother's memory, Daddy decided to attend the all women's conference, along with my husband. Close to thirty family members, including our daughter, daughter-in-law, soon to be daughter-in-law, our other son, all of my sisters, sister-in-laws, and many of my nieces gathered at the women's conference, ready to enjoy family and inspiration. Over thirty women from our church joined in. When the organizers realized the beauty of the covenant promises of God that our family reflected, they asked my father to introduce me. Only those who know my father understand what a huge task lay before him. Until my mother's death, Daddy was a man of few words - he let Mommy do the talking - which she gladly did. To think of him in front of 3000 women, speaking about his daughter and family (especially so soon after my mother's death), was more than I could imagine. But I gave him the invitation and after a split second of silence, he accepted the task. Let the praying begin!

As I review my parents' lives I realize that in keeping with his character and lifelong response to opportunities, my father had no choice but to say "yes" to the privilege of choosing to step outside of his comfort zone and proclaim the faithfulness of God with his lips, just as he had often done with his actions. Psalm 92:12 - 15 paints a picture of one who is "ever-growing, ever green."

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock and there is no wickedness in him."

Throughout my own life I have walked through open doors that lead to tasks way outside of my comfort zone. The older I get the more I realize my parents taught me by their own lives, that we should always be open to the possibilities of new opportunities. I can't actually remember my parents sitting me down to teach me some of these core values, I learned them by watching.

In His Grip,
Sharon