Along the journey of grieving, the Lord continues to give me treasures and I can find things to be thankful for. Even in the midst of being a captive or a prisoner of sorrow we, I can find and know God. I read a verse in Ez. 1:1, ...as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. I am seeing God in ways that I have not seen him prior to Joel's illness. Another scripture I read this morning explained how I was able to do this, I John 5:7, For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. I think it is as we search we find, and as desperate as I have been in my heart I am finding more and more of the Lord. I am seeing the heavens open and it is through the Word, the Father, and the Holy Ghost and I am thankful that in the midst there is something I can receive from all this. In the Father, the Creator, I can know that Joel was created and formed exactly in wisdom, I can find in the Word, hope and words that enlighten the dark path, words of life, I can find in the Holy Ghost comfort that is higher and broader than the scope of the pain, comfort that a human can not give. I am thankful for the grace to seek.......thankful for these Three!!
As I look at the calender, how is it all going to fit in??? Terry and the boys are possibly going to have to do some afar work and next week we are planning to visit Terry's folks for Thanksgiving, my dad and Shirley are coming to "do Christmas" with the children on the 4th of Dec. My dad started this about 7 years ago now, they send the children Christmas money, the children give me ideas and I go shop, wrap it up and when their Paps arrives, then the party begins!! I was wanting to get Mercy a doll house and was considering the Melissa and Doug set up, does anyone have any ideas of one that has proved itself with your children?? We have a big meal and all the goodies to go with it, fudge, candy and all that. So in one sense we do Christmas early. I know for some this is a controversial day, to do Christmas or not. We have read arguments on both sides and still have not concluded what is totally wrong or right about it, so I guess we are doing what we have done for now. Personally, I enjoy the "feel" of it, I like the festivities, the warmth of the home dressed up, and I enjoy the squeals and delights of the children. It is a time that brings a great sorrow too as I think of Joel's last Christmas with us, my dad was here as he stayed over and waited for Joel to get home from the hospital. I had already bought most of the gifts, so we were ready on that Dec. 12th 2006. Joel enjoyed all the gifts and later that evening layed on my bed all worn out from the festivities with his little tractor by his side. He will be missed, as always!! It seems I have a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time! After my dad comes, you might think what do we have to look forward to......one of the things we do is a lot of baking. We have all these wonderful recipes of fudge, candies, that we only enjoy at Christmas time and we share them with others and the post man, neighbors and such, and of course the little ones "love" to make sugar cookies, gingerbread men and all that stuff that is not healthy!! Terry's folks usually come on Christmas eve or New Years eve and we have a "Big" snack night, play games and all that!! We have not been to the Thanksgiving thing in many years, we had plans to go in 06, but all of the symptoms with Joel led us to postpone it, as we were only taking him for blood checks at that time, so Lord willing we are planning it this year. There are lots of people and lots of food, people stay up very very late playing games and really acting up and being riots, its a great time!!! Terry's older brother and our brother-in -law are absolutely crazy, (in the good sense) Our brother-in-law was here taxiing me back and forth to the hospital when Joel was in ICU and we had all the snow and ice....I did not know if we were going to make it there safely on some days. Family......what a blessing.......they are there....always.... in sorrow and in our joys!!!
Bethany's soap turned out very well! I think she is going to do another batch tonight!! I will let you know about the laundry soap, we'll start tomorrow I think. Anna is cooking an Italian meal tonight.....homemade spaghetti sauce, I had a snitch and ohhhhh, its delicious!!!
We had 63 folks at our home church fellowship on Sunday and a few were missing. We have met so many new folks even in the last few months. We are still having our doctrine night on Sun eve. and we had three families last night, it is such a blessing to be together and learning about our great God and so many precious children!! God has expanded the borders of our coast and it is exciting to meet so many new people.
Mercy is "fixing" my hair on the back of the chair, better go and play beauty shop with her.......
Cindy
6 comments:
Please tell Bethany I said her soap looks beautiful! What a talent she has.
Have fun playing beauty shop with Mercy, hope she doesn't tie your hair in knots with the brush like Ella does mine.
Hope you enjoyed todays mild weather, I didnt get out much Derek was sick with the stomach flu
We don't have the doll house, but we have other Melissa and Doug stuff, and it is really well made. It stands up to sometimes rough, childs-play.
Would you do a post sometime (or email me) about your home church? When do you think a home church gets so large that it should be split into two or more groups?
We are about to start home churching in our new state with one other family and we know of one to two other families who may like to join us eventually, as well.
Is your home church a very structured time? I look forward to reading more about your Sunday gatherings.
Thank you.
I have not seen the Melissa and Doug dollhouse but I know they make quality things.
We have the Loving Family Dollhouse by Fisher Price. It has proved itself worthy. All 5 girls spend lots of time setting up and playing. The dolls are not Barbie-like but they bend and move. They have grandparents, babies, and children. Also have dogs, cats and horses to add to the Loving Family fun and chores.
We have also tried the smaller versions of Playmobil houses. They are not as popular. My children seem to build their own homes, barns, farms with the wooden blocks for the Playmobil.
The soap looks beautiful. What scent are they?
blessings,
ashley
Oh, how true it is that the deepest treasures are oft found through great trials. How they bring us to truly seek the depths of his wisdom! When Daniel was so sick, while my heart hurt so bad and it felt harder than I thought I could bear, oh how I sought the Lord. Oh how near He came! I think it is in Deuteronomy where it says you will seek the Lord God and you will find him, if you seek him with your whole heart and soul. I would say the times of the most groweth in my life, the times I have come to know and understand the Lord the deepest, have been in those times when I have sought Him with my whole heart. The trials come and oh how I never want them to, but how those storms always cast me fully upon my Rock that never moves!
Bethany, your soap is beautiful! Good job!
Praying for you Cindy each day. I have a prayer list that I go through each morning during my quiet time. Time never allows me to pray through it all, so I normally start the next day where I left off the previous. But as the Lord lays things on my heart, I always pray for those things. And you have been on my heart so much this year, especially since Joel's birthday. And now again as the holidays are upon us. And I've so loved Spurgeons Morning/Evening devotions! I am amazed how they often seem to touch on something I've been struggling with, thinking about, or am going to come upon that day.
Have a blessed week! Thank you for sharing your heart. You are a blessing to me.
love,
Jaynee
Just proof to me of God's faithfulness when even in such sadness there is room for so much joy! Praying you on today.
Trinity
www.journeyofgriefandhealing.blogspot.com
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