On Sunday our pastor asked me to teach the Ladies Bible Study in November. My daughter-in-law, who regularly teaches the study, needs to prepare for their trip to China. I said "yes," and then afterwards wondered why I so quickly responded.
Since I was told that I could teach on any subject I wanted, I chose the title, "Why do I keep going around that mountain?" We are going to look at the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness. God gave them so much and yet they continued to grumble and complain. There is something to learn from everything in the Bible, and although there are many lessons we could learn from the stories of God's chosen people, I am going to focus in on what relevance their wandering has on each one of us. A journey that should have taken them days ending up taking them 40 years. What things in our lives are we battling over and over requiring us to take another trip around that mountain? That will be an interesting question to answer.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Childlike Faith
Childlike faith! That's something we could all use.
Last Friday Trent and I went to visit a family that was part of our Wonderfully Made ministry from the former church we attended.
The husband and father of the family just passed away about two months ago. He was 95 years old. The wife and mother, Fran, a wonderful Christian lady, is 89. She took care of him for a long, long time. Not only did she take care of him, but she has a daughter who is 65 and has a mild mental disability and a daughter, Janet, who is 49 and has Down Syndrome. They are an incredible family.
During the visit Fran told me how Thursdays were pancake and bacon days. As Janet was cooking breakfast the morning before, she made the statement, "God must be serving Dad pancakes and bacon today." Isn't that incredible? Sometimes those who have disabilities can see and understand things in ways that we can't. So actually, that disability is an ability! What a wonderful blessing!
Last Friday Trent and I went to visit a family that was part of our Wonderfully Made ministry from the former church we attended.
The husband and father of the family just passed away about two months ago. He was 95 years old. The wife and mother, Fran, a wonderful Christian lady, is 89. She took care of him for a long, long time. Not only did she take care of him, but she has a daughter who is 65 and has a mild mental disability and a daughter, Janet, who is 49 and has Down Syndrome. They are an incredible family.
During the visit Fran told me how Thursdays were pancake and bacon days. As Janet was cooking breakfast the morning before, she made the statement, "God must be serving Dad pancakes and bacon today." Isn't that incredible? Sometimes those who have disabilities can see and understand things in ways that we can't. So actually, that disability is an ability! What a wonderful blessing!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
It's A Boy!
Yesterday I received a call from my son Chet. Earlier that day, he received the call that he and his wife, Phyllis, have anxiously anticipated for some time. China approved his and his wife's application for a child, and if all goes well they will go to China on December 1 to pick him up.
And we are all so excited! Chet and Phyllis have been married 12 1/2 years. They love children. She teaches junior high school at a local Christian School. Chet is associate pastor of the church where we are members and they head up the King's Kids Program on Wednesday nights. They also do children's church on Sunday mornings.
For years we have all prayed that God would bless them with a baby. But sometimes God opens doors in ways that we do not expect.
Back in July they received a message about a little boy who had a cleft lip and a cleft palate. The lip had been repaired, but he would probably need two more surgeries to correct the palate. Chet and Phyllis were on it right away and they were locked in to get this little boy, once China approved them.
When they filed the papers in July, they were told that it would take four to six months to get approval from China, and then it would be two to three more months before they could go and get him. So they figured it would be around March before they got their new son.
Enter God--an amazing, awesome God and His answer to our prayers.
Our family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. My husband and I were both reared in families who observed Christmas at this time, and we carried on the tradition with our own family. Chet and Phyllis always come armed with presents for their nephews and nieces. They smile and they are happy to celebrate Jesus' birth, but I could always tell by the emptiness in their eyes that there was a longing in their hearts to have a child of their own. After last Christmas, I began to pray that God would give them a child by this Christmas. Don began to join me in that particular prayer. We knew it would take little short of a miracle for them to get a child that quickly. But we prayed...and prayed...and prayed. During this time, Phyllis told me that her mother was praying that they would get their child by Christmas. I was so surprised to hear that she, too, was praying the same way we were. And God listened to three longing grandparents!
I asked God that China would approve them by the end of October. Prayer answered! I still continued to pray that they would have him by Christmas. If nothing else, they could spend Christmas with him in China and then when they got back, we could all celebrate a late Christmas.
But God is so good! He completely and amazingly answered our prayer. Little Matthew (or Phillip) or whatever name they have settled on, will be in his new home by the middle of December.
This Christmas Eve I look forward to seeing Chet and Phyllis walk though the door of our home with their child. I can see them now, their faces all aglow and their hearts overflowing with love. Thank you Jesus for this wonderful gift!
And we are all so excited! Chet and Phyllis have been married 12 1/2 years. They love children. She teaches junior high school at a local Christian School. Chet is associate pastor of the church where we are members and they head up the King's Kids Program on Wednesday nights. They also do children's church on Sunday mornings.
For years we have all prayed that God would bless them with a baby. But sometimes God opens doors in ways that we do not expect.
Back in July they received a message about a little boy who had a cleft lip and a cleft palate. The lip had been repaired, but he would probably need two more surgeries to correct the palate. Chet and Phyllis were on it right away and they were locked in to get this little boy, once China approved them.
When they filed the papers in July, they were told that it would take four to six months to get approval from China, and then it would be two to three more months before they could go and get him. So they figured it would be around March before they got their new son.
Enter God--an amazing, awesome God and His answer to our prayers.
Our family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. My husband and I were both reared in families who observed Christmas at this time, and we carried on the tradition with our own family. Chet and Phyllis always come armed with presents for their nephews and nieces. They smile and they are happy to celebrate Jesus' birth, but I could always tell by the emptiness in their eyes that there was a longing in their hearts to have a child of their own. After last Christmas, I began to pray that God would give them a child by this Christmas. Don began to join me in that particular prayer. We knew it would take little short of a miracle for them to get a child that quickly. But we prayed...and prayed...and prayed. During this time, Phyllis told me that her mother was praying that they would get their child by Christmas. I was so surprised to hear that she, too, was praying the same way we were. And God listened to three longing grandparents!
I asked God that China would approve them by the end of October. Prayer answered! I still continued to pray that they would have him by Christmas. If nothing else, they could spend Christmas with him in China and then when they got back, we could all celebrate a late Christmas.
But God is so good! He completely and amazingly answered our prayer. Little Matthew (or Phillip) or whatever name they have settled on, will be in his new home by the middle of December.
This Christmas Eve I look forward to seeing Chet and Phyllis walk though the door of our home with their child. I can see them now, their faces all aglow and their hearts overflowing with love. Thank you Jesus for this wonderful gift!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Phew! I'm 60 now!
On Saturday, September 27, I was very pleasantly surprised. My husband had a surprise 60th Birthday Party for me. Now if you knew my husband, you would now how very special this was. He managed to get our family and friends to pull off the most wonderful birthday I've ever had.
He got me out of the house around 10 a.m. on that day and kept me out untill a little after 12:00 p.m. (when the guests were to arrive). Imagine my surprise when we came around the corner and I saw all the parked cars and the people in the yard.
My daughter had brought over about 20 MUMS and they were sitting all over the yard. The entire decor was done in a beautiful lavender. The house was lovely inside and out and even the cake had lavender frosting. Amazing! My daughter, daughters-in-law, and my very dear friend, Marge, all worked together to make this day so special to me. My sons all helped to set up and to clean up. They all put in hours and hours of hard work and I am greatful to them all.
And to my dear, sweet husband, I give the biggest THANK YOU! He put away money for some time for this special event.
Trent gave up Special Olympics that day to stay home and be a part of this. In fact, one of our other sons left that morning to take him to Special Olympics (or so I thought). Imagine my surprise when I arrived home and there he was!! My oldest brother drove almost 200 miles each way just to spend a few hours with me.
There were about 35 people in all! What an enjoyable day I had (and how happy I was that I had cleaned house the day before!!!) I truly felt like Queen for a Day! Thank you to all of you who came and helped to make this day so special!!
And to all of you who are wondering--NO! I do not feel like 60! It's just a number. I am asking God for many, many more because I have much left to do for Him!!
I thank God for friends and family. God is so good!
He got me out of the house around 10 a.m. on that day and kept me out untill a little after 12:00 p.m. (when the guests were to arrive). Imagine my surprise when we came around the corner and I saw all the parked cars and the people in the yard.
My daughter had brought over about 20 MUMS and they were sitting all over the yard. The entire decor was done in a beautiful lavender. The house was lovely inside and out and even the cake had lavender frosting. Amazing! My daughter, daughters-in-law, and my very dear friend, Marge, all worked together to make this day so special to me. My sons all helped to set up and to clean up. They all put in hours and hours of hard work and I am greatful to them all.
And to my dear, sweet husband, I give the biggest THANK YOU! He put away money for some time for this special event.
Trent gave up Special Olympics that day to stay home and be a part of this. In fact, one of our other sons left that morning to take him to Special Olympics (or so I thought). Imagine my surprise when I arrived home and there he was!! My oldest brother drove almost 200 miles each way just to spend a few hours with me.
There were about 35 people in all! What an enjoyable day I had (and how happy I was that I had cleaned house the day before!!!) I truly felt like Queen for a Day! Thank you to all of you who came and helped to make this day so special!!
And to all of you who are wondering--NO! I do not feel like 60! It's just a number. I am asking God for many, many more because I have much left to do for Him!!
I thank God for friends and family. God is so good!
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