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| I think that "coming and going" characterizes much of life. Most people have *something* upcoming to look forward to even if it is a small thing like grocery shopping. And I suppose it is important that those people with small life events keep the right perspective in order not to drift into a land of "woe is me." No offense to any readers with only small life events. Many weeks and months that is ME. :) My weekly events are church and my errand day that I can look forward to as "events," all others take place without my knowing they are coming. For instance, you can never *know* just when that baby will sit up, crawl, or walk, but these *are* events, and the ones worth remembering. So, now, this past year practically has been a year of "comings" and now we are facing the "goings" that are inevitable with the type of "comings" we've been awaiting.
The first major event was the birth of Mr. Man on December 27, 2006. It was quite the momentous occasion and we have been reeling ever since. He is a delight and a joy and such an *easy* baby, praise the Lord! Because of his birth we have had time fly right out from under us and the next "coming" is quickly approaching.
We will be going "home" soon! Soon! Only 3 and 1/2 weeks to go and we'll be going back where we came from before we moved where we are now. (I hope any of this is making sense ;)) This means our little ones will be with Grandpa and Grandma, Great-Grandparents, Great Aunt and Uncles, and other loved ones for a time. We will not, however, have Daddy there with us for the majority of our temporary stay.
Daddy will be going his own way for a time to train to be an officer for the US Air Force. One of our events of late last year prepared me to understand *why* military training environments do not permit family members, it is a *lot* of hard, time consuming work. I will miss him dearly, but I will appreciate the reasons behind the separation more than I ever could imagine the first time we did this 4 years ago this month.
And we will all be looking forward to another grand event - graduation and reuniting as a family only to prepare for more intense training that should last one year in its initial phase. Beyond that we are unaware exactly of what events we should be waiting for. As the Lord reveals these, we will expect great things from Him during those times. For now, we trust that He does know and that we will be cared for by Him in all of our comings and goings.
If I disappear for a while, know I'm busy with my little ones, and please pray for us. I anticipate our time with the grandparents will be wonderful and that I will fail and sin. Please pray that I can grow during this period and honor God in all I do and say and keep Him at the forefront of my ways, loving those He has placed me with for the time being. Please pray that I will keep the right perspective and not fall into the "woe is me" mindset that could easily beset me as my husband is away for twice as long as the first time. :)
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| Our current church will forever go down in the annals of our family
history books as "that little Bible church." It all began when the Lord
moved us to the St. Louis metro area midsummer 2003. We had been
married about 5 months when our first all out efforts began to find our
new church home. We'd had some experience finding a new church together
before, but this time was quite a bit different.
Our adventure began in churches with familiar names. We stuck
close to what we were used to and ventured off one Sunday to a little
Bible church not too far from our home. We'll never forget that weekend
because his parents were visiting us and decided not to attend church
with us that Sunday morning.
We pulled in to the parking lot of what looked from the
outside to be an office building, were it not for the sign applied to
the brick that denoted otherwise. I think the first thought I had was,
"Is this a temporary building for this church? Are they in the process
of a new building project?"
We sat down and looked around. It seemed as if the church was
here to stay. Then the music began, and we were drawn to worship. My
husband's hearing is sensitive, and the music was on the loud side. The
trumpets trill notes gave him a headache. A sour note to start the
sermon on.
I don't particularly remember the sermon, but I do remember not meeting
anyone afterwards, nor introducing ourselves when asked if any visitors
were present. Our typical routine in a church that at first glance
didn't appear to be a good fit was to not introduce ourselves in hopes
that we could slip out quietly afterwards and move on to the next trial
church. And so we did this Sunday.
We did that week after week after
week. For a LOT of weeks. Like..half a year, each Sunday in a different
place. Until the end of the year when my husband said, "Why don't we go
try that little Bible church again?"
Did we go back when he said that? Oh no, we sure didn't. For
four Sundays in a row we went to a different church, again. Silly me
got in the way week after week. The first week we had a
misunderstanding and when my husband asked if I knew where we were
going and when we needed to be there I told him yes, and we proceeded
to a different Bible church that we hadn't tried yet. Oops. The second
week I convinced him to try another church that was meeting in the
YMCA. The next week we actually *did* pull into the driveway of that
little Bible church, however, I hadn't recalled the time of the service
properly and out we drove, *again*. That Sunday we saw another sign for
a new church meeting in a local high school. We didn't realize that it
was *in* the high school that week and had driven up and down the road
looking for the church. The next week I convinced him *again* to try
that church we couldn't find the week before "just in case."
Ah, misery of misery, another non-fit. Since there was no
question the following week of what time the service began at that
little Bible church we had no excuse. I had given up. I wasn't going to
request we visit any more different churches. I think we had just about
visited all of the ones in the area by then anyhow! So, off we went.
This time, we walked through the doors, introduced ourselves
and the music wasn't blaring loudly like before. In fact there were no
trumpets. (Side note - there haven't been to this day!) We vividly
remember the sermon. It was on condemnation. A long time later our
Pastor said if anyone came for the first time on that Sunday morning
that he had preached the message on condemnation and had stayed then
that was something because it was a hard sermon. Condemnation is not a
fun subject, but we were floored by the Biblical theology we heard
being preached. We were also so relieved, our parched spirits quenched
as we learned we had walked in to the church during the teaching
through of their doctrinal statement. This was the fifth Sunday in the
series - go figure.
The Holy Spirit had led my husband that first week to take us
just where we needed to be. Just what we needed to hear was being
preached, and we missed it. He Sovereignly showed me that day that I
should have trusted my husband's judgment, given up my desire to try
"just one more" church and to submit to his leadership. You see, he
doesn't say too much, too often, but when he does, I'm learning that
I'd best listen.
We've been blessed beyond measure to have fellowshipped with
our little Bible church. That Sunday we met a couple who would become a
mentor to us as we watched them interact as a couple and as a family.
We were surprised to find later that the man was an elder in the church
and never once mentioned it. It was here that I experienced a first for
me - multiple messages by multiple teachers on *one* Sunday morning in
those early weeks as they preached through the doctrinal statement. It
has been quite a while since we've seen two men in the pulpit on any
given Sunday, but it was neat to see the openness to something a bit
out of the ordinary.
We also have had the amazing opportunity to be taught the Doctrines of
Grace loud and clear. We had previously come to an understanding of
God's work in man's heart prior to man's response of faith, we just
never knew a church was out there that taught it. It was God's
Sovereign hand in our lives that led us to this church to teach us and
root us in His Word. We will always remember this church for the
passionate teaching of God's grace.
The church is not without its flaws, but within the office
building-like walls are a bunch of people who love the Lord and
genuinely strive to love one another. We have been fed and the Lord has
grown us in ways that we couldn't have imagined.
Years later I would find a picture of that first weekend. We had gone
to visit Grant's Farm with mom and dad and had taken a picture of a
Clydesdale. Low and behold, the stranger in the picture was the wife
and son of one of our elders! It was quite the shock to open the pages
of the album and see them standing there next to the horse. I scanned
those pictures and emailed them to a similarly surprised pastor and
family. :)
The stories could go on, and probably should, but I'd better get back
to the work the Lord has given me, mommyhood. Another direct impact of
this church - the testimony of family visible week after week was a
tool used by the hand of God on my heart to change me from being
totally against children in our marriage to being totally for.
Thank you, Lord, for that little Bible church! Amen
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| Take a look here and tell me what you think the point of the article is.
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| One week from tomorrow my husband and I will be dress to the nines for a formal graduation ceremony. The dinner menu is published in advance and the attendants are able to select their choice of two entrees. A fool must have selected the menu because the two choices for this dinner are Vegetable Lasagna and Beef Brisket. Do tell, which would you rather have spilled on your lovely formal gown, spaghetti or bar-b-que sauce? I am still undecided.
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| Morning is dawning here in my heart. My eyes are fluttering behind my closed lids and the Light is shining around me. My eye lids begin to open, my eyes adjusting to the Light. A new day dawns and my heart is full of love for Him. His warmth surrounds me and I long to find more hours to spend with Him to get to know Him better. My Father is revealing Himself to me through the pages of His love letter and through the knowledge of those words found within my heart.
You see, I have known my Father since my early childhood. We've always had a very special relationship. He's been there with me through all manner of joys and sorrows. I learned about what a little girl's relationship with her Daddy should be like by learning about and knowing Him.
Today is a new day. I am still His little girl, but He has transformed me from girl to wife and mother. As a mother I am basking in the joy of growing in my knowledge of Him as Father, a gentle Shepherd of His flock. What a glorious awakening, an answer to prayer for wisdom from above.
In recent days my Father has shown me His grief over my hurts that are incurred when I fail to obey His Word. He is opening my eyes to His compassion and mercy, gently nudging my heart towards the same compassion and mercy for my children when my word is disobeyed and hurts result. In my sinful, fleshly weakness I have responded in anger instead of compassion when tears fall and cries are heard. In humility I confess my sin before my Father knowing His forgiveness is complete. His restoration is perfect. His powerful Spirit resides in me, enabling me to be changed into His likeness.
More and more days are happening like this and I praise the God who created me and my children. He is guiding me, showing me more of who He is and how to be more like Him. I am humbled by His grace. I am grateful for His answer to my prayer. I am encouraged to continue to pray and request His wisdom in all matters because He hears and answers. The eyes of my heart are seeing Him in a whole new light.
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