Normal life challenges

Life is full of challenges, some large, some small.  Sometimes things are just annoying, other times they can be paralyzing and frustrating.  I think a great deal of how we face challenges comes from where we are in our faith walk.  If we can really and truly say "Nothing happens that hasn't been sifted through God's fingers and I trust Him.  It'll all work out somehow even if it is really hard."
Those are tough words to say and believe...deep down... believe and cling to... even in a dark shadow place of life.  I have seen and read about people clinging tight in the face of truly horrifying things.  I think God is having us practice with the baby steps of normal life challenges.  I'm thankful to practice so that in the event we have to face a really dark road, we can walk it confident of the goodness of the Shepherd who walks alongside us.

We've dealt with our first bout of illness here at GBA.  B was diagnosed yesterday with strep throat and has successfully completed his first day of antibiotics.  I can say honestly that I am most grateful that God allowed someone to discover amoxicillin.  B came downstairs this morning with a smile.  A first since Tuesday.  Now he will just finish the meds and should be back to normal quickly.
We've also been dealing with some car issues for A this week.  He had gone to get an inspection sticker last week and $700 later he was trying to leave the garage to go to class when his transmission went. *sigh*  I suppose it was all good that it happened where it did - he was safe - no accident occurred because of the problem, etc.  But we had to have it towed (thank goodness for AAA membership), and it's been up in Manchester for almost a week now.  If all goes well and the Lord blesses he'll have the car back tomorrow after a hefty price tag.  Thankfully, again, we are in a position to loan him the amount he needs to cover the repairs and he'll be repaying us over the next few months.
Early this week I had to face a series of uncomfortable medical appointments for some questionable issues.  I was fine and clinging tight... right up until the night before the appointments.  Then... I cried.  I was scared.  The 'what-ifs' invaded my mind in the darkness of the night.  But God is good.  Steve held me and comforted me and reminded me that my faith doesn't change when I am scared.  I had my appointments and so far, it all seems fine.  I won't have final answers for a few weeks, but am confident that God is absolutely in control and that it's all going to work out okay.

Practice is hard.
But I am thankful that He loves me enough to let me practice.
Learning to trust God in the realities of life instead of just the fluffy words of Sunday morning is essential.  Following Jesus isn't supposed to be all rainbows and butterflies.  In John 16:33, Jesus said,  "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
These words bring me great comfort.  I will have trouble, but the One I follow has already overcome it all.  That doesn't mean this life will be easy by any means, but it does mean that I don't walk alone.  I can have His peace.
And once again, I am thankful.

Blessings on the journey~

Our newest addition

We knew it would happen... we've been talking about it and praying about it for a while now.
J has been especially anxious.  She really wanted to find someone special, someone just about her age...a girl who had been waiting a while.... waiting to be chosen.
Today the Compassion bloggers all are traveling home from Guatemala.  We've read the posts, seen the photos & videos.
We've followed the journey. 
Along the way we've learned a lot. 
About Guatemala, about the bloggers, about Compassion International and why they do it all in Jesus' name.

On this journey God has stretched our hearts, softened them a bit more, cracked them wide open and seen the tears spill down all over the keyboard.
So today we did again what we did earlier this year... when another fabulous group had said 'yes' to Jesus and went to Africa while we watched from here in NH.
We grouped around the monitor and searched the pages of children from Guatemala in need of a sponsor. Searching for that special girl... the one J has been praying for... just about her age... waiting too long... and we chose her.

Isn't she beautiful?  Her name is Blanca Maria... she lives in the mountains of Coban, Guatemala and her birthday is just 7 days before J's.  She has been chosen ...or maybe it's us that was chosen...because Jesus chose us.
Is there someone that will chose you?  Let your heart be chosen...click here and change a life... it will change yours.
Blessings on the journey~

Will you help?

Back in the spring I stumbled upon a blog post that was about a trip to Kenya. It was a trip organized by Compassion International to take a group of bloggers to a country to see first hand what they do in those places, to help all those children. The idea is a marvelous one! Bloggers reach TONS of people. OK... those bloggers that people actually read and follow can do that... me... well... maybe someday. :-)
Anyway - this trip was amazing to follow.
I started reading a bunch of different blogger's accounts of the same day on the trip... and God started pulling on my heart.
I was nudged, I was poked, I was pulled.
My heart cracked and I cried.
I had the kids read some posts and they were tugged on as well.  I sent links to Steve and he said, "Do what you think is right." and then when he came home after work he asked "Are we sponsoring all of Africa yet?" with a smile that melted my heart more.
So we looked at photos, and more photos, and still more photos. We read bios, we talked about each one ... and my heart was broken at so much need.  Then... we saw his photo... read his name & bio, kids and I talked... and we chose him.  Fred.  Our little Compassion child... a child that we are growing to love and care about very much.  We have been thrilled to get letters from Fred, he's very young still so the Compassion team members help him write to us.  We pray for him daily.  God is letting us make a difference in the life of one small boy in Kenya... and prayerfully... we'll be able to sponsor more children in the future.
This week there is another trip... this time to Guatemala with a different group of bloggers.  I can't wait to see what God will do!


I know not many people read my blog... but in case you happen to have stumbled across this post somewhere along your journey... please consider helping a child far away find hope. YOU can be the hands/feet of Jesus to a child somewhere in the world! How COOL is THAT?!?! God will LET YOU HELP! He will LET you... yes YOU... be part of His plans!
It totally knocks my socks off that God ... Creator of the universe and Savior of the world... lets ME help with something in His plans. ME... me who falls short, screws up and burns cookies and has a messy house most days....
God lets me be part of Fred's life from a zillion miles away.
He'll let you find a child to help too. Take a look.... let your heart be soft... change a life and let your life be changed too.

Help a Child

Blessings on the journey~

Common sense

I don't agree lock-step with everything that Douglas Wilson writes, but I do find the vast majority to be helpful, insightful and bibilical - which is very good, given he is a Pastor and all. :-)
This was a remarkably good common sense bit of writing:
Jesus, Reason, Soap

Come along side

Today I had the opportunity to live something that I've read about on other blogs relating to teens & almost teens.
J spent this morning with a wonderful lady from our church, working as a mother's helper.  She's done this several times over the summer, but today she also had a full schedule of school work to accomplish.  She worked all morning, came home, had lunch and finally got to start on her schoolwork at about 1pm.
She and B worked on their Latin review - there is a major test on Friday.  She worked on a History lesson, also knowing there is a quiz on Friday this week.  Then there was some science reading and answering some questions before working on an experiment and writing up a lab report.  Then pulling out her schedule and taking some other books off the shelf she became over-whelmed and started to cry.
I hugged her as she sobbed on my shoulder,
"There is too much work!  I can't do it!"  She sniffed, as her tears soaked my shoulder.
I took a deep breath and hugged her again.
Gently I said, "You can.  I know you can.  Wash your face and bring your book out with me to the swing."

So she washed up, took the math book & her notebook and we went out to the deck and sat on the swing.
We sat together, she worked problems and we talked.  She did the entire section - all correctly - as we sat together.  Then she worked on her literature assignment, reading me passages and talking with me about the humor of G.K. Chesterton.
Then... she was done - all assignments finished.  No more tears.
We did it together,her working along, talking, sharing some laughs... that is one of the beautiful things we enjoy being here together for school. 
I am so thankful that God has called us to this journey of home schooling.  The blessings can't be measured on a test (though they test well and get good grades).  The relationship.  The learning that hard things can be accomplished.  That it is a lot of work, but they CAN.  It's amazing to watch them as they grow and learn.
I am so very blessed.  Our life isn't perfect, not every day is stellar, some can even be pretty dreadful at times...but in the end.... it's all good.  We are building LIFE and focusing on the things that last for eternity.  Loving each other.  Learning together.  Living these golden moments that God has gifted to us.
Blessings on the journey~

A very good start

We have finished our first full week of school here and it was a very good beginning.  Both J & B have worked very diligently and accomplished everything I had planned for them - all with good attitudes and without working till late in the day. 
J actually told me on Thursday that she loves all her curriculum this year and thanked me for choosing so well for her.  Now I know those feelings may change as the year progresses - but for now... I'll take it ... with much thanks to God for His mercies and blessings.
I've even managed to get in some sewing this week (3 pairs of pjs and a small flannel baby quilt) and kept up with laundry, most of the housework, baked some bread and mostly followed my meal plans.  All in all it was a wonderful week. 
Steve surprised me and took the day off today. He came to J's last horse riding lesson of the summer and got to see some of what she's learned this year.  We topped it off by an afternoon outing to our favorite ice cream spot in town - all 5 of us!
Now I have 2 loaves of bread rising on the stove and will start on some home-made pizza dough in a bit for dinner.  This weekend has nothing planned but being home together.  I love my life. :-)
Blessings on the journey ~

Gearing up and slowing down

Now isn't that just a clever post title? I love when people have clever titles that make me want to read what they've written, so I thought I'd attempt a turn of phrase.
Anyway... the reason for the title is that is pretty much exactly where I am right now.  After talking with Steve, I decided that we won't begin schooling again until the 23rd.  It's been on again, off again with some schooling this summer - which in itself is different for us.  The weather has been incredibly warm and humid this summer and it seems that we've been hiding from the weather a lot this year.  Last summer we were staying out of the rain most of the summer.  I suppose that just goes to prove that God likes to mix it up.
I'm going to spend the next few weeks trying to get my house in order - quite literally - and spending time just being 'still'.  (Psalm 46:10)   I've felt for quite a while that God is trying to to tell me or show me something important for the 'next thing' here.  I haven't the faintest idea what it may be, but I also have felt lately that there is just too much NOISE in my life for me to be able to hear Him effectively.  I know He is a patient God, He knows I really DO want to hear and listen and be obedient.  So I'm going to try to be intentional in my listening.  Focus on my immediate priorities of family, home, school prep.... and listening.
Now before anyone thinks that I'm a nutcase and hear voices in my head that are going to tell me something crazy.... don't worry!  That is NOT what I mean when I say that I'm waiting to hear from God.  While I know that there are people who claim to hear an audible voice from heaven - I am not in that camp.  I think ... and God knows me best... He would know that I'd be doubtful of audible voices.  I can be a skeptic of many things.  I think it is pretty amazing how God knows exactly how to communicate with each of us in a way we can hear if we are paying attention.
For me, generally, God speaks to me through repetition.  Maybe I'm slow to catch on and He knows I need to see/hear things a few times (or a LOT of times) over to really get it.   I have been doing more reading this summer and have finished one Bible study and am part way through another.  Have had the opportunity to talk with more people than normal for me - and Steve is very patient as I mull/process things out loud to him and elicit his input and opinions.  God will bring up a theme, a phrase, even specific verses...over and over and over again, in many different places and through people too.  It's pretty amazing when the light-bulb finally comes on for me to see what He is putting before me.  I don't always understand where it is going, but I can really feel in my heart that there is something that I'm supposed to pay attention to or focus on or just be ready for the next thing now that I've gotten the first part. 
So... that is the slowing down part that really needs to happen. I desperately don't want to miss whatever the next thing is and I'm convinced that my own 'busy-ness' can be a hindrance to hearing God in my life. 
And the gearing up?  Well, that relates to my home and the kids and school prep.  We are still working toward the simplifying and being to busy is not conducive to that.  Like Steve says - stuff has to LEAVE the house to make it less cluttered. So that is a goal.  And the kids need some close time - not hovering/smothering... just time to 'be' and enjoy and learn together.  We need to work together on some individual goals for each of them for the coming year.  I need to get a bit more planning set up for the beginning of the fall, hunting down books, etc.  It's all good. 
It seems funny that in this culture of more/hurry/rush, I find the most joy in the stop/stay/less of my life.  God loves me.  Steve loves me.  My kids love me.  I really have all I need and more.  I am so very blessed and need to be mindful of it all.
Blessings on the journey~