Two little boys

Right now in our lives, we have been given the privilege to take care of two little boys.  They were pulled from their home and they were scared, fearful and wanting control of something in their young lives.  Even, though we knew them well, before they came to us,  it was scary to them to be taken out of what was comfortable to them.  
At first, we had to reassure them that we were not going to leave them.  It was not easy for them to adjust to our life style.  And it was not easy for us as well,  we are almost empty nesters and nearing retirement age.  Where would we get the energy to keep up with these two active ones?  Where would we get the wisdom to raise them and meet their fears and teach them?  
We are learning much through these two little guys!  As we teach them about Jesus and His love for them, we are learning and leaning much on Jesus to guide and lead us.  
For me,  it has shown me how much He loves me and puts up with so much of my selfishness and rebellion.  He is so patient with me!  He is so faithful!  As I see how much He loves me, I in turn can love these little ones with a love that I do not possess on my own, but only through the love that Jesus has for me.  
We have a quiet time with them every morning and they look forward to it.  We pray with them.   We are encouraged to see God working in their young lives.  One has shed the security of his favorite pet pillow (that went everywhere with him)!....that brought great encouragement to me.  
I am not sure of how long they will be with us...but we are using every opportunity to teach them about Jesus.  
This is not what we would have chosen at this time in our lives, but God!  I just love but God, just when we  think we have it all figured out, He changes things and it is definately for our good.  Trust Him!  He is faithful!

Life's trials

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  James 1:2-8

Right now I am in various trials.....a business taken away from us.....elderly aging parents.....taking care of 2 children ages 4 and 7 living with us, taken from a relative's home.....older siblings not getting along.

I truly did not expect to be taking care of small children at this stage of our lives. My children except for our 18 year old are all out of the home and on their own.  We have raised 6 sons and these two are boys.  At first it was not easy as they came to us, unruly, without discipline and used to doing what they want when they want.  The 4 year old throwing tantrums!  I had never dealt with that before.  Yikes!  I thought how can I possibly handle all that is going on.  We did not expect to lose our business and we did know that we would have to help my in-laws, but, they are stubborn and don't really want our help, but, on the other hand they do.

The Lord brought me to this passage and I have come to understand that there is joy in the trials because we do not have to do it on our own.  He gives us the wisdom to handle it.  We just have to ask Him in faith and believe!  I had not seen that before, I had always stopped at the trial part and not considered asking for wisdom through it.    I knew about asking for wisdom and believe me I have asked. Also, it was so clear to me, that the trials bring results that perfect us.   I was really struggling a week ago, thinking I was losing my faith.......I humbled myself and cried out to God.  He answered and showed me how I had a faint heart.  (faint-hearted,  cowardly, easily depressed, yielding to fear)
That was me for sure!

God gave me this verse for my faint heart.
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy  Psalm 61: 2-3

I was resentful about having two small children to raise, and not sure of how long they were going to be with us.  Well, I have fell in love with them.....they are so precious to me and I am thankful that God allowed them to come into our household.    

Are you going through a trial(s) .  Be encouraged girlfriend!  We have a God who hears and wants to help us through it.  He is FAITHFUL!

 

Thanksgiving!

We have started a tradition in our family.....it has been years that we have done the same thing every year....actually since I was a kid.   Thanksgiving and Christmas was always at my parents home.  Unfortunately, when my mom passed that all ended.  We tried to keep it up, but then when dad passed it was definately over.  We sibling just kept to ourselves and our own families.  Well, now that has ended.....yeah!  We had the best Thanksgiving!  My nieces and their families came over and our friends also stopped by.  We all shared in making the meal....yummy!  The guys had their fun with the guns and watching the game.   We made gingerbread houses and cookies with the kids.  This actually was our second year.  So glad to be back together with my extended family.
So what do you do on Thanksgiving?  Any traditions?

Smells of the Season

The house is full with the smell of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming.....looking forward to family and friends for this Thanksgiving.  We have had many quiet ones but this year we will be a full house.  That just warms my heart.  Now, don't get me wrong I like the quiet ones too, but now that my boys are all grown up, I miss the sounds of children at this time of year.  So happy to have nieces and their children, and making this a tradition each year.  Cooking, eating, clean up, making gingerbread houses,  dessert, more clean up and lots of love and laughter.
We have so much to be thankful for this year, as we do every year.   We missed Sandy, but, we will see what the snows of winter bring.
I love to go out this time of year and greet people with love and smiles and a hello.  It get so busy we forget to greet each other....so when you are out greet someone with love and kindness, and a huge smile like you mean it.
My favorite smells are pine candles burning, good home cooking.  My favorite sounds are the timer going off to take something delectable out of the oven, christmas music, family and friends.
So what are your favorite smells, sounds  and family traditions?

Be strong and courageous

Just as God commanded Joshua, we are to be strong and courageous.

Be careful to obey God's Word, meditate on it day and night.
  
Hide His word in your heart that you might not sin against Him.
  
                            Be strong!  
                        Be courageous!  
                        Don't be afraid!  
             God is with you wherever you go!  
                            Trust Him!  
                          Believe Him!

Stormy Weather

Recently Hurricane Sandy laid a devastation trail miles, and states long.  The rebuilding process will take months perhaps years.  Some things can be rebuilt and some cannot.  Memories will be all that is left.  Some people evacuated and some stayed.  Some were prepared and some were not.  Some lost everything.  

I think we can compare this to our own lives.  We go through storms in our lives that cause much devastation and destruction.  Some of us handle it better than others.  I guess you could say they were prepared.  How does one prepare for the storms of life?  They surely will come, whether we like it or not.  

I often think of Paul and Silas in prison, bound in chains, singing and praising God.  How did they do that?  I believe that it is because they totally trusted Jesus with their very lives.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did the same in the fiery furnace.  There are many examples in the Bible about total peace and trust in the midst of the fiery furnaces and storms of life.

Hiding God's Word in our hearts keeps us from sinning against Him and strengthens us.  

So are you preparing for the storms that will come in your life?  

Someone who understands

We all have those days, months, years...is there any end in sight?  How in the world am I supposed to deal with this?  Does anyone understand?
Well, I am happy to tell you,  YES, someone does understand and knows just what you are going through.
JESUS
WE have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  There fore let us deaw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death and He was heard because of His reverance.  
Heb. 4:14-15 & 5:7

I don't know about you but I sure am glad for Jesus.  He is someone I can talk to and I know that He understands, He has been tempted just like me.  I look to Him to know how to go through it, hopefully without sin.  To think He cried with loud crying and tears!  I often do that.
Right now I am dealing with a sin issue in my life that just has it grip on me.  I am crying out to Him for freedom in this area.  I know that I will have freedom in this area because I am asking according to His Will and I will receive it.
This is the confidence we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.  I John 5:14-15

So do you need someone who understands and really cares about you?  Run to Jesus!  He loves you!