It really is amazing!

I mentioned in a previous post about something that I felt God was telling me to do, and that it might be a LONG time before I had an answer. The answer came yesterday, though not the answer I had hoped to get. The door has been effectively shut. For now....

I know that God used this experience to stretch me and prepare me for something. I love the way He strengthened my relationship with Him and created a desire in me to lean on Him for everything - even the mundane that I tend to think I can handle myself!

I have a mission.... I'm just waiting for God to tell me (and my Dear Sweet Husband)!

Make it an awesome Day!

Carhartts...... Again

In my last post, I referred to Carhartts, but forgot what I was doing and didn't tell the whole story. The boys got up one morning and put on their swimsuits with high hopes of being in the water at some point. Once they stepped outside though, they quickly realized that the day might not go as planned. They didn't exactly give up on the swimsuits though - they just add a few layers!

It was about 62 with a 25 mph wind, so it was quite chilly out. From the kids perspective, we (as parents) did NOT win any parenting awards that day.

Sunshine, Sand, Waves....... and Carhartts???

We recently went to the 'sunny-south' for Spring Break. Note that I said sunny, not warm! The boys were so eager to get in the water, that we went to the beach on the afternoon that we got there just so they could get their toes in the water.

As you can see, they chose to do more than just 'toes in the water'. Let me just add that the picture on top is deceving because it appears that it was nice and warm. The water temp though, was probably around 65-70 degrees, and the air temperature wasn't much better! But you know how kids are - they just don't seem to notice that they've turned blue from the cold air, and we soon had to take them back to the house to get ward off the hypothermia!!

The next day was a bit better, and you can see they preprared to go to the beach once again!

Sometimes I think my feet are ugly, and then......

In my reading today, I read about Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and the next in line to be King of Israel. He was killed while he napped in his own house in the heat of the day by two men who were known to be leaders of raiding parties. When the deed was done, they took his head to David to show him that they had eliminated the one person who could stand in the way of David becoming King.

Because they had acted outside the will of God, David condemned their act, and he commanded his men to kill them. Their hands and feet were cut off – to symbolize the punishment for the hands who did the act, and for the feet who carried the news.

I was immediately struck by another verse that starts, ‘How beautiful are the feet…..’ but I couldn’t remember all of the verse so I looked it up. It is a beautiful contrast to the passage in Samuel. Isaiah 52:7 says, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!”

How much better off we are when we not only follow God’s will, but we carry good news rather than bad.

I've decided my feet aren't so bad after all!!!

Isn't it Amazing....

…..when we PRAY for, or about something and God SPEAKS?

…..when we ask for CONFIRMATION about what we’ve heard Him say, and he GIVES it to us?

…..how we sometimes DOUBT or question what we’ve heard, but he CONFIRMS it again and again?

I have been praying earnestly about something that I believe God is telling me to do. And while I’m fairly certain that I’ve heard God correctly, I don’t believe that God will call me and not my Dear Sweet Husband (DSH) – or at least give him some sense of purpose for the same thing. And since I am committed to David's leadership of our family, and had confirmation of that from a communion meditation recently, I am waiting patiently to see how God works. DSH hasn’t felt the same strong calling, but he hasn’t completely disregarded the idea either. He is praying, and listening.

After a few days of some more doubt, and asking God for more confirmation (specifically a sign……. which suggests my doubt and a serious lack of faith - Forgive me - I'm only human!!) I came to work this morning and there’s an email update from someone directly involved but who only sends occasional emails to friends. That might not seem so strange to most, but this person hasn’t emailed in months…. I mean like FOREVER. So I forwarded it to DSH, and then realized that he’d received the original message as well. He replied to me that he hadn’t heard from his friend in months, and I answered ‘hmmmmmm???’ . He took that just as I intended….. Strange – Weird……… and he said, ‘Yea – I thought the same thing….’

What I'm trying to say is that God works even when we don’t think anything is happening……

God is working, and it may be a VERY long time, or even years before I see the result or get the final answer. In the meantime, I will be patient, continue to seek God's will, spend more time studying His word, praying, and hopefully living as a good example to others.

Please God, help me to be patient. It’s not one of my greater virtues, and you know my tendency to run ahead and plan…. I’m a planner, God and I like to know the details and the ‘big picture’, but I am trusting in You to do what You do best. Help me to rest in your arms, and leave the planning to you. For once God, help me to just enjoy the ride! More of YOU - less of me! Amen.

More complete randomness....

1. I plan to begin updating this blog more than just once a quarter….. because my neice has threatened to take it off of her ‘favorites’ list. I couldn’t stand that, because then she might ban me from her site, which would then prevent me from seeing the precious updates on my little Great-neice who happens to be the sweetest thing since toast and jam.
2. My stomach is growling even though I had breakfast a mere 3 ½ hours ago……. oatmeal with raisins and pecans – YUMMY!
3. New furniture being delivered tomorrow! YEA. We’ve only been sleeping on the floor (sort of on the floor – on a new king-sized mattress set without the bedroom suite) for about 3 months now.
4. My back hurts today, and if ‘My Buddy Bill’ was in the office today, I’d make an appointment to go and see him. As it is, I have to wait until 10:30 tomorrow morning.
5. Spring Break starts tomorrow right after school (for us!) YIPPEE !!! Sun, sand, seafood, friends… what more could a person want?
6. I LOVE my chronological bible…. Right now I’m reading in Judges about Gideon and his extraordinary accomplishments through the power of, and his obedience to God. Amazing story!
7. Our ‘kids’ were home this past weekend - they are so happy and in love!! Pretty cool to see them together!
8. It's been so long since I started this post, that it's now time for lunch! YIPPEE.
   
   God is so good….. and I didn’t want to put that in a list of randomness, because His goodness is NEVER random – but instead, it is COMPLETELY AMAZING!