This year, my oldest daughter, Amy, would be celebrating her 48^th birthday today with us, but instead, she is reveling with the angels in heaven. It is hard for me to believe that this year marks the 20^th anniversary of both her and my mom’s deaths in 1997. The saddest part for me is that Amy’s oldest son, Jeremiah, and wife Alish would have presented her with her first grandchild last year, when Jonah Robert Clay entered this world. What a beautiful great-grandchild he is for me, and he also would have been my mom’s first great-great grandchild. The scripture above may seem familiar to most of you, as it’s part of a farewell song we sing to someone leaving our church – mostly departing for a new duty assignment, most likely to an overseas assignment and it goes like this – “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace, the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. Amen, Amen.” Besides hearing this when we farewell someone, I also heard it sung at the end of a memorial/funeral many years ago and thought how fitting it was to be celebrating someone’s life that way. I hope this Lenten season will give you time to reflect on the good thing that God has brought into your life for your time here on earth.