Come and See....

I read this verse, John 1:39, He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. It spoke to my heart in two ways. The first being, He gives us as believers an invitation of faith, to "come," to follow him in the joys, the sorrows and the trials. It is the mercy of the Lord that we do not know what a day may bring forth. In my humanity I do not know how well I would have done if I "knew" what the end was going to be with Joel. God asks us to follow Him as He unfolds plans and providences in our life. It is by faith that we follow to the unknown and unseen, (at the time) He bids us an invitation of coming and "seeing." He will do great things even in the darkest, most difficult times. He spoke of the glory to follow after his death. The folks there in the scripture came and saw where he dwelt and abode. We must never forget that we are not above our master, He dwelt and abode in joys and discipleship, fellowship with his Father as He walked the earth yet He also dwelt and abode in the place of sorrow, mockings, ridicule, sin was laid upon him, death and much more, so as He invites us to come and see, we too might have paths the same as He. Are we still going to come?? The other thought was towards those that have faced a trial, maybe grieving, as our family. There is an invitation to Come and see. A few verses down it reads, (46) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. That is a question that I know I asked and most, will likely ask it if we have faced a difficulty. I think the question comes and it is almost like a fork in the road for us. We can either become disappointed with the Lord and look inward and say within He did not grant what I prayed for and we then take the road of loneliness, bitterness, even anger and other fruit is born from that path or we can look upward and receive the invitation to Come and see the good that can come out of Nazareth. It is only by His mercy that I am coming and seeing what can come forth from Joel's illness. I do want to "see" the glory that is to follow.
So the invitation is to us, those that have faced a "giant," won't you come and see?

I enjoy sharing scriptures that "leap" out to my heart with you, but I hope you know that my insights and applications are so limited and one thing that is so neat about the scriptures is that they meet us where we are. You see, someone else can read the same scripture and it can minister to them in a totally different way. The word is "Alive and Powerful." I hope each will seek to make the Word a priority in their life, if we do not feast upon it our spirits will suffer hunger. It is through the Word that our faith grows!!

Hosanna asks on many days "how long is it until my birthday?" I want to cheerfully answer her with an excitement of her birth yet in the shadows of my answer it is the days that Joel has left to live as this time in 2006. She is having a Princess Party and I always like to share it too as Joel's Happy Heaven Day and we will incorporate her theme and the idea of royalty that Joel is experiencing with the King of Kings. I would not have thought it then but I like it that Joel's day was on her birthday. If it were a separate day it seems it would be so dark and dreary and we would be trying to find a way to celebrate in the midst. I would not have picked it that way on the front end but it just shows the Lord has all wisdom and He knew how this would bless me now.

I love the tenderness of the Lord, that "He knows things and us." Sometimes we might think does He even know about my petty situation, does He know I hurt, we might ask the question as Nathanael (48) Whence knowest thou me? I like the verse 42, And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said Thou art Simon, the son of Jona: That says to my heart, Thou art Joel, son of Terry and Cindy. He knows.......

Guess I am going to cook hamburgers outside for dinner and FREEZE!! My choice, I know. Not a whole lot on the home front today. Oh....Lori, this one is for you, because I know you will.....we are taking Duffy and Dooley (dogs) to a boarding kennel while we are gone, and Duffy has already been sooooo depressed since Bethany is not here so I am hoping he will make it at the kennel, so if you remember pray for him, that he will not be to sad and that they will not escape...remember his adventure awhile back?? Dooley, I think will be ok, its the little Duffy fellow!!

Happy Tuesday!!!!

Cindy

P.S. that picture of Mercy....her nose and mouth and even her teeth look so much like Joel's.

Monday Report...

Caleb, Daniel, Bethany and Danielle and John-Clay left yesterday (Sun.) heading to San Antonio for the Filmmakers Academy. We have heard from them, they arrived safely and are having a good time. They are staying with one of John-Clay's friend in a house until we get there later this week and then our family and Danielle will be staying in a hotel within walking distance of the convention center where the Festival is taking place. It looks like the weather is going to be really nice....warm and that sounds good to me, I am a cold natured person and I need warmth!!!!.....although Terry says he can give me all the warmth I need:)

Tomorrow is a big day at the job site for Terry and Elijah. The owner of the house (and Build Block itself) is conducting a Build Block meeting and he is bringing about 40 folks from around the country to the job site to give a tour of the house. Today he took Josh, Micah and Andrew along to help work. Micah and Andrew managed to frame up a 12 foot wall and stand it up all by themselves......thats big for them!!! They are hoping to get the walls finished framed up tomorrow and the first phase is behind them, but a lot of work to go.

Oh....on the previous post, Anna was just taking random shots outside, but after I looked at them they held a little story....I thought it was sweet. I am liking Anna's camera. There was a picture of a lot of people in on that she took outside and the whole picture was so sharp and clear. This camera has 10 focal points and I can tell a difference in that! She is still learning about it and getting use to all the options.

So today Jeremiah was the man of the house, putting wood in the fire and doing some outside chores. With just Anna, Jeremiah, Hosie, Josiah and Mercy and myself, we found ourselves quite bored. Anna did make some Gingerbread cookies with them but they turned out to be big and fat people, but they did get "et up." She also had her piano student come and she did give a lesson. Terry has now ran with Anna to the store to get a couple of things because we are operating on one vehicle as the boys have the truck. She is going to see if they have a game called Tri-bon (sp) It was a really fun game we played at Dave's the other night. News on the van....Dave came by this morning to help out and had to take Terry to town twice, but the transmission fluid is still leaking out, something to do with the hose. Tomorrow Terry is taking it to the mechanic . Little by little we are getting a new van....part by part.....:) It is surprisingly still rolling!!!

Just a quick "Monday Report." Stay warm!!!!

Cindy

Josiah's Farm Story

Hmmm, I gotta think of somthin’ to do

I think I’ll go visit some friends

Anybody Home?

Wanna Play?

Are you serious?!!

Thanks for playin’ with me!

See ya next time!

Saturday Happenings, ALOT!!

Here we are only three days into the New Year and I have already made a mess of my quest that I posted on the 31st. Sometimes you just feel like throwing in the towel but that is a very selfish attitude and one that I battle often. Seeking to live godly in Christ Jesus is not necessarily easy and I "trip up" so much and its even in mine own house. Visions are wonderful because when you strive and are victorious, its encouraging but a vision not attained can be discouraging. Keep working on it is all one can do, by God's grace.

Busy farm day....Elijah started off with having to go get hay and he also purchased a 1 ton hoist. He's making money so he is spending money! Later, after lunch he traveled a few hours away to purchase a John Deere seeder drill that he found on Craigslist. He said new they could be around $ 5-6 thousand and he got this one for $450. See, he had to have that hoist to get it off the trailer:)

We had big plans tonight, the whole family and Danielle were suppose to have dinner in OKC with a large group of folks and hear Bill Gothard speak, he's the founder of our home school organization that we are in, Advanced Training Institute. The older children were going to play their instruments and Danielle was going to play her guitar on a song I think, but all of us did not get to go.....only 6, because thats all that will fit in the truck. The problem was with the van.....it needs help, fixen!! Sooooo now I am having to throw together something for those that remain here at the house. Not only did the van break down, and Terry has a hairline scratch where he almost cut the tip of his thumb off as he was trying to look at it , we had one of our inside refrig. "croak" today. It was my mom's and at least 34 years old, they do not make them like that anymore. And then to top that off the back shower is leaking and water on the carpet and then the other refrig in the house has some water dripping on the inside of it......so ALOT of maintence and challenges today. It does not really bother me too much because it is nothing compared to what we were doing on this day in 2006. About this time, close to 5 pm, Joel was having his supper in his room and he was sharing the peperroni's off his pizza with his dad. He had already gone through the chemo treatment for that day, we had played play-do, read books and I drew him a farm picture and he helped color it, and we were just going to hang out in the room. He left his farm this morning on the 3rd never to come back.......It's hard right now and I miss him so much especially on significant days like today. His grace is sufficient but it does not "take" away the heartache. What a beautiful day today with the weather, unlike this day in 2006, it was bitter cold.

The beginning of this day did not start out to well, but I think its going to end alright, thankfully! May the Lord bless your day of rest tomorrow!

Cindy

I have some pictures, but Anna is gone so come back later and see Elijah's purchase....the seed drill!!

I Could Not Think Of a Title......

The guys went ahead a worked today, they are framing away. Since school has been out, the little boys have been taking turns going with them to work. They are excited about the extra cash they will be getting.

I took all the Christmas decorations down this morning. It looks so bare and yet clean at the same time. I was thinking thats how it is in a lot areas. I suppose it is one's perspective. I can be sad and at peace at the same time. I feel like we are abounding and yet in want. It is a dark remembering time about Joel and also there is a hope and anticipation of not only heaven but of what great things the Lord can and will do in the New Year ahead. Perspective is a key to all of our circumstances. We should look "up" when we are down, we should give thanks when we are grumbly. We should ask if we have needs and know that He is all things for us! I read a scripture this morning in Heb. 2:10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. "For it became him" was a phrase I have been thinking about, whatever it is we will face or we are facing, He has become it... before us. He has become One that has suffered, He has become One that has gone through anything this life will hold. It became Him first. When I can focus on Him the pain is less intense, the memories are not so distressing as to what we were doing this night or day. May you as well be able to know that it became Him as you look at your own "hill of difficulty." And speaking of a trial, please pray for the Lockwood family, they are in the US but are in need of a place to stay and they are having vehicle problems and Jaynee is 22 1/2 weeks along but still experiencing great difficulties in the pregnancy. I know they would appreciate prayers but may I suggest too as a way to share their burden, consider how you might bless them with extra resources. By leaving them a comment and if you are able to bless them with resources, I am sure she will post an address where they can be contacted.

We are heading over to David's and Katelyn's house to fellowship with them and another family and have dinner with them, play some games and who knows what else!!

A dilemma.....on my last shopping trip I stocked up on passy's forMercy. I bought 6......she has 1 left......guess what happens to them??? Dooley the dog likes them too....he has destroyed 5 of them. Mercy leaves them on the floor and he snatches them and its all over!! One left....I do not think I am going to buy anymore, but she said awhile ago "mommy go buy some more." I do not know if I can have her so sad....she is so tiny and sweet!! We'll see.

I read this verse this morning, Phil.1:15, For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever. I found a comfort in this verse, Joel has departed for a season but I will receive him and be with him forever.

Blessings to you this evening.....

Cindy

I think this picture of Joel and Josiah is so sweet and was such a happy time for them.