This Week

We started this week with the excitement of it being the last week of school. Every morning when I went to get the kids up, I said "Time to get up. Today is the last (insert day of the week here) of the school year!" I must admit that I'm not one of those Mom's who dreads the end of the school year. I really do enjoy having my kids home with me. I love going to the pool every day. I love going to Happy Hour at Sonic if we have a mind to. I love vacations. I love Vacation Bible School. I love going to the zoo...if it isn't a gazillion degrees outside. I love going to the Adventure Science Center when it is! :) I love that I can still get up early and get my day started with an appropriate quiet time and then still have a couple of hours before they come down ready to go. I'm a better Mom during the summer, I do believe.

The week had its share of heartbreak, too.  Someone whom I've never met is going through unthinkable grief. My husband broke the news of The Chapmans to me after he saw a news story online. I couldn't believe how it affected me! I was shocked at how I felt as though I had lost a family member. But in the Body of Christ, that is just the way it is:

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others' joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others' grief]. (Romans 12:15 Amplified)

But I think it was more than that. I realized that if it could happen to them, it could happen to me and I could not imagine how I would bear up under the weight of it all. Then His Words came to me once again:

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! (2 Corinthians 12:9 Amplified)

It was also the thought that though we trust God and we know that He is in control, we really want to believe that those who so faithfully and publically serve Him and make His Name famous empowering others to do the same should be exempt from this kind of unspeakable trial.

The truth is no one is exempt. I have no answers for the Chapman family. I have no explanation. But I know my God and I know that He is good and what He does is good. Our good and His glory is always the goal. And though right now we can't fathom the good that can come of this, I'm confident that in the days to come His glory will be revealed.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty - he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:7-10)

Blessings,
Dori

The Most Good Book Ever!

 

Lindsey brought home a lot of things that they are clearing out at school. One of the things she brought home was a notebook of writing prompts. On March 5, 2008, she wrote:

"Some of my favorite books are The Honey Hunt and Junie B. Jones and the Bible! And you know why? It's the most good Book ever!!"

Oh, Baby Girl, is It ever!!

Blessings,
Dori

Gone AWOL

Wow -- I'm amazed at my schedule lately! Just this week:

Monday - cooked porkloin at 5:30 am to take to school with Taylor for his project on the Chinese culture because I'm SURE that those in the Ancient Chinese civilization ate Teriyaki Porkloin on sale at Kroger this week!

Tuesday - after almost 20 years of being cavity free...I had 4! Yes, 4! Chalk it up to granola bars...or so my hygenist says. After 2 1/2 gruelling hours in the dentist chair, I'm cavity free and not a granola bar in sight!

Wednesday - Field Day at Lindsey's school

Thursday - Work out and go to lunch with a friend

Friday - More stuff at school

End of year activities are keeping me pretty busy this week. But I have about 15 blog posts banging around in my head!

In the meantime, read this quote I found in my Bible. It is from Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest on February 8:

"The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him."

Most Holy God, my Maker and my Friend, will you help me with this today? In all of the busyness that I have in my life today, will you help everyone around me and even me, myself, see the face of Your Son and make me more like Him. I want to know that I know that I know that I know the Truth and experience the freedom that comes from having a relationship wtih Him!"

Blessings,
Dori