a story about naaman......

It will never come, October that is, that I will not ever feel a heavy heart. This is where it all began, unknown fevers and fatigue for our little Joel. Today I was looking back on our 2006 calendar for October. A month of much activity in the midst of all that Joel was beginning to experience. We were in the final stages of building our barn getting ready for about 60 people to come to our house on the 14th for a huge family day. I remember the guys working with lights way into the nights trying to get the red tin on the barn.....and they did it!!! It was a great day of fellowship with all the families that came. We played games, had a photo scavenger hunt, had a hot dog roast and played vb! Joel participated but not with his whole heart, he did not feel great but was a very curious on-looker!! :) Of course we had no idea the road before us. Each day I feel God's grace to get me through. I am not gonna say I never question even after 3 1/2 years. I do. I question but God always seems to guide me to a truth in His word that satisfies me for that particular time til the next question. I was reading in II Kings chapter 5, Naaman questioned too. I think where we humans fail is we get ideas and plans of our own and we think "oh, if it would all happen like this, then it will all be good." Naaman said, "behold I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper. He had this idea of how God could heal him and it didn't exactly go according to his plan. God told him to wash in river Jordan and Naaman thought any of the choices of rivers would have been just as good and it says he went away in a rage. (v.12) Naaman's servants were asking him if God had told to do something great, he would have done it without hesitation but it was simply a command to go wash and he would be clean. He did end up dipping 7 times and it says in v. 14 that his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. I had thought many times if the Lord would just raise Joel up, it would be such a testimony for the Lord. But I think God had much more in mind. I think He had much in mind for hearts, my heart especially. I think I needed washing and cleaning! I think I needed just like it says in verse 14, for my flesh to become that of a little child again, meaning I needed to have the faith of a little child to trust, believe, hope and for these attributes to grow and grow in years to come as I cling to God for helping me through this journey. Isn't it funny how we as adults need to become like children again in many areas especially in faith?? Naaman made a statement that defines his question asked at the beginning when he was trying to figure it all out, he says V 15, Behold now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. I feel like I kinda know what Naaman was talking about, I know now ( learning it will never end) that God will be sufficient for whatever we may face, that the Lord has a perfect plan even if it is hard, difficult, not easy to follow, and it could even seem strange to us. But the questions lead to providential results if we have faith/"flesh" of a little child.

Once again, seems like weeks turn into busier weeks! I guess there is no reverse for our crew from here on out in getting back to what I would say a "normal routine." It does not exsist for us now! Like today, I had to finish up grocery shopping, get tags for Anna's car and attempted to go to the court house but on arrival I realized it was Columbus Day.....duh!! Next I had the privilege of taking Elijah's cell phone to the lovely cell phone place only to wait, and wait and wait and I won't write that 50 more times but thats what I did!! Tomorrow will hold its own business as well, Anna has dentistry stuff, girls will iron the afternoon and then the girls are having their friend Jordan/ a girl, (lol!!) come over and hang out for the night and Anna has promised to make her a yummy breakfast! Likely no sleep!! :0

The guys are split into 2 crews this week. Some are in Ada and some are in Okmulgee building a house! So thankful for the work but the only hindrance is that when they are split up, the Ada job goes much slower therefore the job will be longer until finished.

Hope you have a great week!

Mercy wants to know when it is going to be "merry christmas??" I guess she is ready for the season!!

Micah is deer hunting and hoping to get one so we can hang it up in the new area!

The guys had kinda figured out what I was doing to the LR, but they were so amazed when the saw it on Friday evening!!

Terry bought me a "childproof couch!!" The more dents it gets, the more rustic it looks!! I have it placed on the other side of the living room.