Loressa and Ryan #wattssweeterthanlove

I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around what I want to say about the wedding of Loressa and Ryan. My heart is so full! The last two weeks before the wedding were actually quite difficult for me. I cried every time I looked at or even talked to Loressa. Time was racing by and I could do nothing to slow it down. I thought constantly about all of the things that were happening for the last time. I made a mental note of the last time I took her to therapy, the last time I brushed and curled her hair, the last time I drove her to church and the last time I sang her to sleep and prayed over her as she fell asleep. Then, in a rush, like a wind that I couldn’t control, the day of the wedding was here and all I could do was let it come and treasure the memories of the past, but embrace God’s wonderful plan as it was unfolding before me.

There were so many memorable moments leading up to the wedding and then, the most memorable time of all, the wedding itself…Loressa looked like a princess and Ryan made the perfect prince and the decorations in the church reminded me of a beautiful fairytale…but their wedding was so much more wonderful than any fairytale wedding could ever be! God was at the center of their wedding ceremony and He will also be the center of their marriage. What could be better than that? I’m so thankful for everyone that attended and for those who encouraged them by praying over them on this special day. All of those prayers culminated in a beautiful picture of love and commitment as Loressa and Ryan stood at the altar and spoke their vows before the Lord. God reminded me over and over again that this special day was a beautiful, tangible picture of God’s faithfulness.

I remember hearing and saying over and over again of how we wanted God to be glorified through the accident and the recovery. Romans 8:28 says “And we know for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

We trusted in those words, but even in trusting that God had a good and perfect plan, I would never have guessed that God would bring to Loressa her future husband as a direct result of the accident. She met Ryan because she received an award. She received the award because she had a good attitude in her recovery. Ryan was there when she received the award because he had worked his way through college as a tech for Baylor rehab. That means that Ryan was in place working at Baylor long before Loressa’s accident, long before we would ever choose Baylor for the place she would receive her care. If you are reading this blog, I hope you get a small glimpse of how overwhelmed and grateful I am for the magnitude of God’s plan. The daily details of our lives matter to God and something as horrible as the accident was all a part of a beautiful plan to bring them together and to spotlight a magnificent God! 

I was able to fill a special role in Loressa’s life for all of those years before the wedding. Although the “lasts” that led up to the wedding were difficult for me, watching God’s plan play out before me was incredible.

Loressa, you will always be my little girl and I will miss having a front row seat watching your life, but I’m so excited for your future and all of the “firsts” that you will get to experience in your new role as wife to Ryan.

God's Faithfulness-Part 3

There is another huge milestone that is happening on Sunday for my family. It is not only the day of Loressa’s wedding shower and the anniversary of the accident, but it is also the 15-year anniversary of John beginning his position as Youth Minister at First Baptist Church of The Colony. August 14, 2001 was the day that our family of 9 (which included 2 adults and 7 children ranging from a 14 year old teenager down to a 3 month old newborn baby) traveled from Sweeny, Texas to The Colony, Texas in our 15-passenger van. This was the day that would begin a journey that would still be continuing 15 years later. John became the youth minister to a small band of youth and has served the youth of the church year after year since then. He has prayed for them and taught them and loved them through the good times and the bad. John has faithfully served and loved the people of The Colony.

Through the years, each of our children has used their gifts and talents to serve in ministries that John and I were involved in.  From leading worship with the youth or in the main services to helping to plan and decorate for events and even by just being an encouragement to others, they have each given their time and talents to helping their dad with anything that he needed or wanted them to help with. They have mentored those younger than themselves. They have created choreography for our many musicals and helped plan dances for others to enjoy. They have planned games and run the lights and changed the sign out front. They have set up and torn down hundreds of chairs for different events. They have learned what it means to serve and they have learned what it means to be loved and encouraged by those that serve alongside them. They have served faithfully and with joy. They have enjoyed the life that they have had as pastor’s kids. Most of all, they have had the blessing of being the sons and daughters of their father, John Pecoraro, and I’ve had the joy of being his wife and their mother through it all. God’s faithfulness to us is overwhelming and I am so grateful to the Lord that He has given us 7 children who love Him and who love to serve others. Thank you, Lord!.

You, who have been here, have watched as my family has grown 15 years older. The kids now span the ages of 29 down to 15. We have added a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law and will add another son-in-law in October. We have been to 15 camps and been on 37 mission trips. We have added 4 grandchildren and another grandson who will arrive in December. We've had hospital stays for Halton, Loressa and John.We have had sickness and the heartache of John's father's death.  We have had casual times of hanging out and awesome parties. We've had dances and weddings. We have had times of intimate worship with family and friends. We have certainly been through a lot, both good and not so good, in the last 15 years. We have overwhelmingly felt the love and support of those who are constantly meeting our needs before we even know what they are. The church has ministered to us through every addition to our family and has blessed us time and time again through loving us and showing us God's love over and over again. You have walked through valleys with us and you have climbed mountain peaks in our spiritual walks. You have seen us at our best and you have seen us at our worst and, yet, you still choose to love us and support us.

When I think of the last 15 years, I think of how fast they have gone by. My hair has turned white. My children are almost all grown. My life has been good and it is all because a loving God knows me and meets my every need in ways that are beyond my understanding. I serve a God who cares about all the big details and all of the small ones. He cares where I live and where I worship. He cares that my family serves Him and He cares that we feel His love.

He shows us His love over and over again.

God has been so faithful to all of us and we are so very thankful!!!

God's Faithfulness-Part 2

Another reminder of our God’s faithfulness is the soon return of my precious Bethany Grace from her summer of serving the Lord overseas. God has given her a wonderful summer and He has increased the love in her heart for the people she has been getting to know and serve. God gave her a second family to love over there, too! I am so very thankful to be getting her back home. I have missed her so very much! Bethany is so bubbly and fun to be around! I can’t wait to laugh with her and be encouraged by her joy! As some of you know, Bethany was actually planning on going on this short term opportunity in the fall 2 years ago, but she didn’t go so that she could stay here and help with Loressa’s recovery. She ministered to us every single day without thought of what she could have been doing somewhere else, but our faithful God gave her another opportunity and the timing was perfect for her to go this summer and serve others just as she had so faithfully and joyfully served our family. I’ve always said that everyone should have a Bethany in his or her life and I can’t wait to share more time with her once she gets home. Please remember her in your prayers that she will transition easily back into life at home and that she gets here safely. 

God's Faithfulness-Part 1

Today (well, it will actually be yesterday by the time I finally post this) was a day full of reminders of the faithfulness of God.

Two years ago, August 14^th was on a Thursday, and it was the day of Loressa’s accident. It was the day that she kissed me good-bye in the morning, but didn’t make it all the way home at the end of the day. It was the day that a DPS officer came to my door and told me the news of her accident and then drove me to Parkland Hospital to, hopefully, make it there to be able to see her. It was a time that could have been filled with fear, but instead was filled with peace that the Lord was in complete control. He was faithful to care for us!

The actual 2-year anniversary of the accident will be on Sunday, but that day will be a day with a different focus. Sunday, August 14^th, will be the day of Loressa and Ryan’s wedding shower. How wonderfully faithful is our God. Instead of memories of the past two years and all of the struggles, we will spend the day looking forward to a wonderful future for her and her sweet fiancé. The accident changed the course of Loressa’s life in many ways and one of those ways was in finding the love of her life. I’ve had the opportunity to see Ryan care for her when she is weak and serve her patiently when she needs help. God has taken heartache and turned it into joy. He has taken her difficulties and turned them into opportunities for Ryan to show love and compassion.

We have watched the Lord work and it is a beautiful thing. He has been faithful to work all these things for the good for Loressa and Ryan and for all of us who have been called according to His purpose. This is a very grateful Momma to get to come to the 2-year mark of such a devastating event and be able to say, “Thank you, Lord, for everything You have brought us through.”

Today is not only Father’s Day, but it is also my father’s birthday.  Clyde Henry Jeffus, my daddy and my children’s Poopie (pronounced pooh-pie), turns 87 today and, although he won't be reading this because of the circumstances that life has brought to him. I still want to write to him and honor him on this day in this simple way with these very special memories that I have.  

Daddy, you have been a wonderful father in so many ways. I remember going to the mountains together and fishing together. I remember playing games together, working puzzles together and talking. I remember that you always knew something about everything. If I ever wanted advice about finances or cars or anything else, you would give it to me if I asked. I love the way your eyes would twinkle when you would flirt with Momma and the way you showed each of your daughters the importance of working hard and serving your community, your church and your family. You took good care of us, daddy. I love you so much!

I have so many special memories of you, daddy. One of my favorite memories is about the way that, every Christmas Eve, right before we tore into the mountain of presents that you and momma had given your children and grandchildren, you would read from the book of Luke. You would read the account of Jesus being born and we all sat quietly and listened. You read it to us every year, even when we were all grown and all of our children were there to be read to, also. What a wonderful memory and what a wonderful Legacy to give to all of us.

Another very special memory I have is of me as a grown up and one that I cherish because I remember it so well, but I don’t think anyone else ever knew about it. It was when John and I lived in Sweeny and there was this one day when I was so upset and I called you. I still remember where I was standing in my bedroom when you answered the phone. All of the kids were young and we had so little extra money to do anything special with. We could pay our bills, but just barely and I wanted soooo badly for one of my kids to get to take some special class. I’m pretty sure it was a gymnastics class for Loressa and, for some reason, I just really didn’t want to take that away from her just because we couldn’t afford it, so I called you. I wanted to ask for the money (like a loan that I would pay back), but I knew that you were already so generous with all of us girls (me and my two sisters) and that I had no right to be asking for anything more from you. I started crying the second that you answered the phone and I couldn’t get any words out. I didn’t ask about the money, but I was unable to say anything else either. So, we just sat there on the phone with me trying to quit crying and say something and you trying to make sure that no one was hurt. Finally, I calmed down. I never did ask for the money. I just couldn’t, but after we talked about your next trip that you and momma were going on and whatever small talk we brought up, you ended the conversation by saying, “Oh, I meant to tell you that I dropped a check in the mail this morning for each of you girls. I hope that it will help.” I never knew why or how you decided to send us the financial help, but your generosity was just one of the ways that you constantly showed me how much you loved me. 

I have lots of memories like that of you, daddy! 

I’m so thankful for all of the special memories I have with you and Momma. They are all so important to me.  Now, I try to instill in my own children and grandchildren 

the importance of making memories. There comes a time when those memories take on even more importance, like the importance of my memories with you.
I love you, Daddy! Happy Father’s Day!