Today's Devotional

Faith Becomes Sight

Every morning I get up and read through my email specifically looking for my daily devotion that I get from CrossWalk ministries. Today's devotion spoke deep to my soul and I just wanted to stop and share it with you. I have included just a portion of the devotional today (the part that really spoke to me). I hope you enjoy!

"Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be" (Mark 11:24).

When my little son was about ten years of age, his grandmother promised him a stamp album for Christmas. Christmas came, but no stamp album, and no word from grandmother. The matter, however, was not mentioned; but when his playmates came to see his Christmas presents, I was astonished, after he had named over this and that as gifts received, to hear him add,

"And a stamp album from grandmother."

I had heard it several times, when I called him to me, and said, "But, Georgie, you did not get an album from your grandmother. Why do you say so?"

There was a wondering look on his face, as if he thought it strange that I should ask such a question, and he replied, "Well, mamma, grandma said, so it is the same as." I could not say a word to check his faith.

A month went by, and nothing was heard from the album. Finally, one day, I said, to test his faith, and really wondering in my heart why the album had not been sent,

"Well, Georgie, I think grandma has forgotten her promise."

"Oh, no, mamma," he quickly and firmly said, "she hasn't."

I watched the dear, trusting face, which, for a while, looked very sober, as if debating the possibilities I had suggested. Finally a bright light passed over it, and he said,

"Mamma, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album?"

"I do not know," I said, "but you might try it."

A rich spiritual truth began to dawn upon me. In a few minutes a letter was prepared and committed to the mail, and he went off whistling his confidence in his grandma. In just a short time a letter came, saying:

"My dear Georgie: I have not forgotten my promise to you, of an album. I tried to get such a book as you desired, but could not get the sort you wanted; so I sent on to New York. It did not get here till after Christmas, and it was still not right, so I sent for another, and as it has not come as yet, I send you three dollars to get one in Chicago. Your loving grandma."

"As he read the letter, his face was the face of a victor. "Now, mamma, didn't I tell you?" came from the depths of a heart that never doubted, that, "against hope, believed in hope" that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, grandma was working, and in due season faith became sight.

It is so human to want sight when we step out on the promises of God, but our Savior said to Thomas, and to the long roll of doubters who have ever since followed him: "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."--Mrs. Rounds.

Kingdom Carnival

So tonight was the Kingdom Carnival for the kids. We had a blast :) One of my best friends, Marty, (we have been friends since college and she and her husband live here in town and we attend their church right now) did a great teaching tonight about how we are like pumpkins but even more about how God puts a smile on our face and we are to shine it for all to see. Another point was that through our smiling and shining our light for Christ is a form of praising Him and we do NOT want to let the rocks cry out for us!
After the teaching we then went to eat. We had a great chili and dogs night and the BEST cheese cake ever! Cookies for the kids. There were a good 30+ kids in attendance and they gobbled down their dogs and chips faster than I have ever seen. As soon as they were finished they were off and running :) They had a great time. There were velcro walls, big slides, a climbing thing and a bounce house just to name a few oh and face painting. At the end the kids were all gathered around and they played a question game and if the kids got them right they got a prize. They all left with prizes (bubbles and slap bracelets) and bags of candy.
There are many Christians who are adamantly against Halloween in that they do NOT even like the idea of a church having an alternative party for the kids in their church and community. Personally we do not allow our kids to go trick/treating and we do not celebrate the night at all. Although I am against celebrating all the evil that Halloween has become I am not against a church taking the opportunity to reach their community. I do believe that if a church is going to do an alternative to Halloween that they need to share the gospel and stress the importance of worshiping the Lord. Of which was definitely the theme of tonight's events.
I unfortunately did not bring my camera but Whitley did and took lots of fun pictures. Here are a few that contain our kids or us.
Naturally she got us while we were eating~UGH! But that chili sure was good :)
Here the kids were answering questions. They really had a great time and are getting to know the kids at the church. It's hard going from the PK kids where everyone wants to be your best friend to being the new kids in a church and your parents are not the pastors. This whole transition has been hard on all of us. NOT because we think being the PASTORS or being the top leaders is the most important thing but just the change of a new home, new school, new jobs, new church, new friends...new everything. Just been hard. But between last nights dinner get together with the young families of the church and the fun we had there (oh guess I didn't share about that till now). Last night, we as well as 4-5 other families with young children were invited out to one of the couples homes for a BBQ and get together. The town's trick or treating event was held and this gave all the kids an outing. A great way for our family to get to know more people in the church!
Anyway, the transition has been difficult but we are thankful for this time of rest. We do not know for how long this season of rest will last but for now we are enjoying it. It doesn't take the longing for ministry away at all. We are trusting God to open the doors He has prepared for us. Until He does we will rest and wait.

Oct. Happenings

So as of late we have been enjoying the fall color and going to the pumpkin patch here in town. The kids are adjusting to life here in Kentucky and love it. Which really makes us happy. Despite all the hardships we are enduring right now and I will not go into that here, we are blessed. Blessed with family and friends, blessed with happy kids, blessed with wonderful support for Kristofer in his school, blessed with great neighbors and that is what we focus on. God knows our hearts and He knows what our family needs. We place all of our trust in Him and His plan and pray that it will all come about and will be known to us as well.
So here are a few pictures of what we have been doing...After a fun time at the pumpkin patch we headed home and enjoyed time with Sean (he didn't go on the outing w/us he had work the 3rd shift so he was sleeping). The kids LOVE carving pumpkins and so we took that time to talk about what it means to be a Christian and used the following little saying as we scooped out the seeds.
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch & washes all the dirt off of you. He cuts off the top & scoops out all of the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed. He carves you a new smiling face & puts His light inside of you for all the world to see.
After carving and scooping of which the kids loved! This was the first year that Kristofer enjoyed getting his hands in the pumpkin and pulling out all the seeds and such. There was no melt down, no crying and no screaming about being messy. That was such a blessing for our family. All in all Kris is really gaining ground when it comes to sensory stuff like this. :) Kristofer wanted to help pick all the pumpkin flesh off the seeds and helped me rinse and dry them. He was most interested in helping me prepare and bake the seeds. When they were done he even tried a few. Which is you know Kristofer personally you would know how HUGE THIS WAS! For kids like Kristofer who have serious issues with smells, texture and tastes of different foods for him to even put it in his mouth was a major milestone. I am so proud of him for trying. Although he did not like them he did try. Of the rest of the kids Eli and Sara LOVED them. In fact Eli asked if I would buy another pumpkin just to make more roasted seeds :) I told him just as soon as they drop in price we might just do that. Maybe this time I can get Kristofer to try pumpkin pie or pumpkin muffins :) Ya never know! He might just like them!

Imagination

Before anyone turns me in for cruel punishment you have to know that the two munchkins were pretending to be dogs. This is from this weekend. These two ended up filling our dogs cage with pillows and blankets and "played dogs" for a good hour or so. At one point they even put Bently and Oddie in with them. Yes those are tails ! They both were not feeling well this weekend. Headaches, sore throats and fevers but that didn't stop them from playing dogs. Kristofer decided to make more robots. This time he found some chicken wire we had in the shed. He made two, one for Eli and one for himself. He is so creative! You really have to look closely in this picture of him with his creation.Eli has been asking since Thursday if his glasses were ready. Well today the office called and we high tailed it to pick them up. He was so excited he made me take a picture of him as soon as we got home. I think he looks just darling. The glasses are a dark blue and they make his bright blue eyes just pop.