Do you have sisters? daughters? Mother, Mother-in-law? Isn't God good to know that we women need each other?! I never had a little sister although I was blessed with an older one. But through the years it seems like the Lord has brought into my life several young ladies that are like "little sisters" to me (I'm not yet ready to admit that I am old enough to be mother to them!). One of those came to visit today and did I ever enjoy it! I got to hold her dear littlest one (3 months old), visit with her son and daughter and just "hang out" for a while on our front porch rockers, in the kitchen, lunch on the screened porch and lounging in the living room. She has such a heart for the Lord and wanting to do what He wants of her that it always encourages and challenges me to try to obey Him more, too. Her heart for her husband and his ministry is so evident it makes me want to be more of a help-meet for my dear husband who each day is sweating and trudging through construction sites and trying to keep up with irate workers and demanding customers just to provide a place where I can have friends over for lunch and let all our children play on the see-saw he built and in the rooms he built with his own hands. I get so much encouragement and challenge from her, maybe I'm the "little sister" after all! Thank you, Lord for wonderful women in my life that teach me to love You and my family more.
OK, today I want to tell you about 2 people in the country of Hungary. I've never met them. So why would I want to tell you about them? Because it is amazing how God can put people together half-way around the world. It's a small world after all....... For those who know us, you know we have "dinner" with missionaries most evenings. We post their pictures (or names on index card if no picture) on our dinner table and when we have prayer, we pray for that family. Then we might talk about what that family might be eating, what they might need, where their country is, what time it is there, etc. And then usually when I tuck the 2 youngest ones in bed later in the evening they pray again for "our missionaries". Well, about a year and a half ago when we moved to a different church we got some new pictures and one of them was for a couple that is in Hungary. It seemed like every few days the picture of Paul and Tina Brock would be chosen from our somewhat large stack of pictures. So we've prayed for them quite a few times. In the meantime, my 8yo was making a good friend in church who also homeschooled. This spring/summer we have gotten to know them better and guess what - the people in Hungary are the grandparents of my 8yo's best friend! Here we were praying for her grandparents not even knowing who they were! Isn't that neat??!! Now when we pull out a card we wonder, do we know their children/grandparents/sisters/uncles? And maybe we will meet the missionaries or their families sometime in the future because.... [And yeah, you can be mad at me for making you get that "small world" song stuck in your head !]
Here I just blogged about how faithful God is and you have GOT to go see the sweet faces of a wonderful storyof how VERY faithful HE is!! (I can't wait to kiss those cheeks and hold those sweet ones - watch out, Eileen and Ellie, we are coming to help!!)
No, not me. I'm not faithful at all and often think my name is so ironic since I have so little faith. But GOD IS FAITHFUL and once again He has shown it in such unexpected ways. We have been praying about our dd's upcoming roommate for quite a while, and I've had others doing the same, although I'll admit I haven't even been faithful to pray for that like I should have. Let's just say my first roommate experience was an "eye-opener" in ways I'd rather not had my eyes opened to, so I should have been praying much harder. So we were pleased with our dd's roommate when we got her name a few weeks ago because she seemed like a very nice young lady, and I'm sure she probably is, but my daughter doesn't know her. And she was also a little concerned about her ability to concentrate on school amidst a "chaotic" dorm setting (although I think living in a house with younger siblings while trying to do school is even more chaotic than a dorm!). Then early this week my daughter gets an email from a friend from the church we just "happened" to feel led to move to last year and whom she just "happened" to get to know and who just "happened" to be a junior at the same Christian college my daughter is attending (and whose wonderful Christian parents we have known for many years). Her roommate "happened" to decide not to return this semester and she would like our daughter to room with her. It's a one-bedroom apartment on campus, same price as the dorm but much more private with their own bathroom and kitchen. Housing has OK'd everything with no penalties or problems and at the same price as the dorm and we are just in awe of how it just "happened" - when really we know that it didn't just happen - God works out all the details. How can the same God who holds the millions of stars in His hands, twirls the earth on its axis, causes the sun to shine exactly at the right temperature, counts the sparrows that fall, How can He have the time and love to orchestrate the timing of something as small as this? And yet HE does. Unimaginable. Love greater than our hearts and minds can wrap around for sure. Love without any end or any hesitations or any boundaries. And we (me) of little faith see once again how faithful HE is to answer all our prayers in ways above and beyond what we can ask. Amazingly Faithful.
I got this from Angela (thanks!!!!) - if this doesn't make you laugh till you hurt nothing will!! He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. -- Proverbs 15:15
Tonight at our Homeschool support group meeting one of the dear Moms gave a "smashing good" devotion comparing Noah and homeschoolers. I wouldn't do it justice but have asked her to write it up for our newsletter and if she does I will post it here as well. In the meantime, just chew on the words "and Noah walked with GOD" and these - "Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." For over 100 years. Before he saw the flood he was preparing for. With lots of ridicule. Working while he witnessed to those around him. "Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." ALL - ALL - not just part of it like I want to do... ALL.
One son about 1.5 hours away at college and work (this is a painting from one of the professors),
