put into perspective...

A trip for Ezra...

We have a stander...

increasing power....

I LOVE the song, Everlasting God! I love to crank up the volume and sing at the top of my lungs about the truth that God gives STRENGTH, gives POWER to those who are weary....How I LOVE to sing praises about how MAJESTIC and MERCIFUL our GOD is!!! Edwin will play it on the guitar and sing...we all dance around as a family, proclaiming the goodness of God in giving us HIS strength, how blessed we are.

After sharing in the previous blog about how weary I can become when I focus on the "what ifs" and not live and enjoy the "nows" of today, taking time in God's Word is the ONLY place of refreshment and strength for me.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power." Isaiah 40:28-29

Thank you Lord, that in my weakness and weariness, YOU are strong...You do NOT grow weary or tired!!! I praise YOU for the truth of your Word, such refreshment to my soul!

a day to teach, a day to talk...

I am thankful for the ability to do so many things, things that actually are a gift from God...such as the ability to speak, walk, comprehend, jump, laugh, sing, smile....these gifts are hidden within my son...they have not come "out" in an obvious way for all to observe and see. They are hidden, inside, lingering, not yet shared with us. I don't know if I will ever witness the day when Ezra will have these abilities and I can get so exhausted at times with wrapping my mind around the reasons why God would chose this for him. Have you ever desired and longed for something so much that it actually hurt to wish for it? A feeling of desire and longing...I can enter into those feelings when I take a step back and dwell on the lack of ability Ezzy has, foolishly disregarding all he CAN do.

I have a choice, to either continue to long and desire for things to change....or I can EMBRACE and love the plan God has for my son. I choose this day to walk with JOY in the plan God has for me. I feel so overwhelmed with the task of being his mom. Almost every day I am planning, preparing and organizing for my son. I love the task, I am privileged. His precious life, with his extra special needs, blend with the flow of our family. My mind thinks in a different line of thinking...most times I observe whether or not there are steps to enter in a building since we use a stroller or his Kid Cart to travel around with Ezzy...I observe the looks of those walking by, commenting of the sweet baby, when they are talking of Ezzy, not Owen. I observe the "scene" we provide for the onlookers who notice that the two "babies" are not twins. Every time I am in public is an opportunity to show the joy of Christ, the love of family, and a thankful heart. Only because of God's grace and strength these can be shown, I am blessed by my merciful Savior, who lavishes HIS ulitimate grace and love on me, who equips me to keep going and keep serving my son.

As the girls get older, the questions still keep coming about Ezzy and what he can and can not do...Ellie has been asking quite a bit lately. She asked out of love for her brother and concern, trying to understand how she can be there for him. She is full of compassion and care for her brother in ways I can't express in words...she is a blessing to me and has a heart of kindness. Raising Ezra in our family has given both my husband and I many times of teaching in regards to the character of God, that God is in control and is a GOOD God that loves us, and chooses the best plan for us. When Ezra was born, we continually taught these beautiful truths to the girls, all the while, our own hearts needed reminding to the goodness of God, in the midst of grasping our new given life.

Ellie, today asked about a song that they listen to, one of my favorites, they are songs all about God and his amazing power...the song was about God healing a crippled man..a dumb man...Ellie asked about what that meant... Teaching time enters in...I explain that crippled means not being able to walk...she remarks "like Ezra", I explain that dumb means not being able to talk or understand things...the look in her eyes was of understanding as I continued to say that God healed a man like that, and He can heal Ezra too...she smiled. I pray she tucked that truth of God's power away in her memory bank. I pray she believes this truth and continues to believe this for her brother.

Lord, I need your help in using every opportunity to train and teach my children...give me the words as I desire to teach truth. I desire to be used by You, to be refined by You...thank you that your Spirit lives within me, giving me wisdom and direction as I mother my children. You have blessed me with the children You created for me, entrusted to me. I need You, I rest in You.
Help my heart stop hurting, to stop longing for the possibilites and make me content to enjoy the moments of today...to breathe in the beautiful blessings of today...help me to not worry about the future, but to rest in YOU alone, for You hold the future. You know the deep longings of my heart, though selfish for wanting a little bit to change, You know what plans You have for my son, so I lay his life into your hands, yet again...thank you for those you have brought into my life to encourage and uplift me. You are a good God and have given me a precious gift in my life partner, my husband, who loves his son with all his heart, who cares for him without a hint of complain, who carries him with such love and strength, who can calm him down simply by whispering to him. Thank you for the glimpses of grace I do see, how You perfectly planned our family and placed precious Ezra into ours.

Blessing us with the children we have, may we daily walk in your ways and seek your wisdom in teaching them.
Some days the "road" is not easy...so strengthen me, give peace to my soul, a peace that is beyond understanding.

My sister, my friend....

This is my sister, Melissa and I last summer, a whole year ago. This was the last time we saw each other in person...fond and beautiful memories of me and my best friend.
I love her so very much and am so proud beyond words. I entrust her to YOU Lord and thank you for the blessing she is in my life...even though miles seperate us, our hearts are forever together and bonded by our special sisterhood. I pray for her, I uplift her to You, I know You are using her and molding her.
May she rely on YOU as she raises her precious children, as she is the wife and helpmeet to her husband, and as you give her daily courage to embrace new things. Give her a teachable heart, a heart that seeks YOU for wisdom and direction.
I thank you that she is so firm in her faith of You and that she is a wonderful example of grace and peace. She is strong and yet, knows of her need for You, her rock. She humbles me, she teaches me, she makes me smile....
Embrace her, may she feel Your love and presence in an extra special way today.
Thank you for loving her, even more than I do. I rest in this truth.

Being real....

Back in Bible School, my good friend and I would end our days with "updates" and prayer, remembering those sweet times of friendship make me smile and warm my heart. We would share with each other our hearts and she would always point me to the Lord and His Word. We were daily learning from God's Word in our classes, but it was still up to us if we were going to live by it and apply it in our every day life. Now, years later, this remains to be true. I am BLESSED with God's very words in my hands and yet, unless I commit my ways and entrust my heart to God as I enter a time of reading His Word, the words only go so far. God's WORD is profitable and ALIVE, His very words inspired and so lovingly given to me!
Since I was blessed to grow up hearing God's Word throughout the daily talk of my family, going to church since I can remember, attending a Christian school for most of my education, attended two years of Bible school, I can become "lazy" in my approach to my time in God's Word....since I "know" the basic truth of the Bible....SHAME on me, that is the bottom line...I have everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) at my fingertips and whether or not I submit my life according to it is my choice!
I so don't want a "dry" approach to the goodness of God's Word. I don't want to become used to the truths of His Word....Thank you Lord for your Word and the beautiful LIFE giving message that flows throughout the pages. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, my daily bread, and my source of pure refreshment....may I continue to draw from the depths of love as you mold me, refine me into all YOU have planned for me.

"All Scripture if inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped, for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
THANK YOU God for equipping me through Your Word. I am blessed and I praise YOU!

My sister and her family are embarking on a mission given by God to "go and make disciples of all nations..." She is a missionary in PNG and is in the beginning stages of building relationships with the national people there in her new home land. She is living in extremely hard living situations, all the while trusting in God for safety and wisdom as they learn the language and culture with the goal of translating God's living Word into their native tongue. When I stop and think of how those people across the world were created by God and are in need of knowing and believing in a Savior, the only way they will ever know is if someone goes....and that is my sister and her family. Translating God's Word so that they will read it and be "trained in righteousness" for the work God has for their future is a long process and an opportunity for God to be glorified in my sister's obedience in "going", even when the day in and day out are hard.

All this to say that, I am BLESSED by having God's Word, ready to give me instruction and guidance. I can pick it up and READ it, there are countless study guides and helps in my language. Everything I need to understand and learn. So, as I wrote in the beginning....the choice is up to ME and whether or not I enter in and learn from HIM.

Lord, I choose to, I need YOU and I thank You for the wonderful GIFT of your Word to me. Every day and in every situation, You are there, equipping me with all that I need to follow and glorify You. What a blessing, thank you.

I am humbled and reminded of God's eternal plan, that ALL may know Him and believe! Strengthen and continue to equip my sister and her family, give them the energy and wisdom as they follow You.
I PRAISE You for Your goodness and grace...

Congratulations are in order.....

My Dearest friend Hanne and her husband Walter Deleu in Belgium have welcomed thier first child, a daughter was born to them yesterday, August 1. Her name is Elise Zoe and she is beautiful! I am so very happy for them...she is precious and a blessing.

LOVE you Hanie, my sweet Hanie....
And to you, Elise, you are so very blessed to have the mommy that you do, she is a beautiful woman inside and out...and as for your daddy, well, I have yet to meet him, but by the looks of it, he is a wonderful guy with load of love for his GIRLS :)

A contest...wow, how cool to win :)

HI....I have to update, but for now, check this link out....a contest, how great to win! :)