Thankful ~ ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship)

Yesterday we were in Psalm 22. The teacher, an engineer from India, is gifted, and made the Scripture come alive. (The Holy Spirit had something to do with that, also!) 

Before the teaching, there was time to share each other's burdens in prayer. 

And there was coffee for my asthma attack.

And God ordained where I sat, so that one sister in Christ, just ahead of me, could easily turn around afterward and ask a few follow up questions on my prayer request and take notes to help her remember. 

My takeaway from Psalm 22: God is with us and He is trustworthy whether you're in the beginning, middle, or end of a trial.

Thankful ~ Moms in Prayer

On Thursday nights, Little Miss goes to bed early. My goal is to walk out of her room at 6.30, having sung & prayed.  And ... she's out! :) 

Around 6.50, I gather a cup of tea, my phone, and an iPad, and go to the {frigid} basement and wrap myself in a blanket. 

At 7.00, I log in to zoom on the iPad and pull up a link from Moms in Prayer on my phone. 

One by one, others join the zoom meeting.  (Or, text me to say they're having trouble, because I logged in to the wrong meeting. Ahem!) 

We say hi and then start praying. The prayer sheets are ready-made and easy to follow ... praise, confession, thanks, and intercession (for our children, teachers, school, and Moms in Prayer). 

We're so thankful for technology. Three of us live within a mile of each other, but with 2-5 young children each, sports activities, and 2 out of 3 husbands working on farms, it would be hard to physically meet. 

Our testimony is that we never feel like we have time for it, and there are always other things pulling for our attention.  But, when we say, "Amen," we know it was worth it. Our hearts are bound together, as we hear other moms praying for our child's salvation & future spouse, as we pray for another mom's child in his or her current struggles, and as we pray fervently for the salvation of teachers & revival in our school.  

I'm thankful for my sister-in-law encouraging me to start a Moms in Prayer group when LG started school at 3 1/2. I'm thankful for my two sisters in Christ at his private special ed school who joined me in praying.  I'm thankful for these two moms at our current school who are committed to MIP (and one out-of-state grandma, too!). I'm thankful for the many answers to prayer we have seen.

Thankful ~ perspective

I would like to spend 7.25 AM - 10.45 AM each weekday morning accomplishing items on my long to-do list.

But I'm thankful I have 3+ hours to rest.

I would like to make scrumptious homemade meals for my family. 

But I'm thankful for drive-through and frozen foods to get us through. 

I would like to wear my wedding ring and beautiful engagement ring. 

But I'm thankful for Jim's steadfast love which they represent even if they're not on my hand. 

I would like to not have a months-long cough. 

But I'm thankful for (yet another) negative covid test. 

I would like for LG not to have to stay home from school if he has a "symptom."

But I'm thankful for the doctor's note that says "allergies," his negative covid test, and all the house cleaning he did the day he was home from school. ;)

I would like to not struggle with selfishness, control issues, and worry.

But I'm thankful for the blood of Jesus to cleanse me and the Spirit's indwelling to transform me bit by bit. 

 

 

Christmas gifts (& birthday, too)

Have you done your Christmas shopping? 

I heard a lady on a podcast say she has finished hers. 

I listened to a parody video by the Holderness Family, recommending we start now because of shipping delays. 

I read the comments of people suggesting we shop local instead. 

I depend on ordering online ... in November!

Maybe this should be the year of homemade Christmas presents. :) 

On a related note, LG & LM usually celebrate their winter birthdays at Christmas, with both sides of our family.  So that means Christmas presents + birthday presents from my side and then Christmas presents + birthday presents from Jim's side. And, yes, that can be too much! 

I'd really like to limit the presents this year, but I'm not sure how.  I could list many reasons, but the #1 reason (that impacts our daily life) is that they are not capable yet of maintaining so much stuff.  The best solution I've heard is to have them go through their toys and donate, but they are VERY attached to them.  Yet it's hard for 4 & 7 year olds to comprehend, "If we can't donate some of your toys, you will not receive any new toys." The thought of receiving money for swim lessons or summer camp is not enticing to a child. ;)

So, I'm open to suggestions. What would you do?

Our tribe

One day when LG was 11 months old, a mom I had never met came and spent the morning with me (& LG).  Her teenaged daughter had also started wearing hearing aids as a baby.  She gave me so much encouragement!

And she said, "Whenever I see a child with hearing aids in a store or a restaurant, I always tell them I like their hearing aids."

This weekend we were in Wisconsin, at a restaurant, and I looked at the next table and saw a 6 or 7 year old boy with cochlear implants.  It seemed so normal to me, that it took awhile to realize he wasn't a boy I know from LG's school. 

And now I am that mom.  As we left, I stopped by their table, and said, "I like your implants!" And his dad eagerly told me how old he was when he was implanted, what state they are from, and what major city they travel to (85 miles from their home) to see a pediatric ENT and pediatric hearing clinic.  

They are my tribe, and I am so excited for that little boy and his family and that he has access to sound!

Thankful ~ the bus

Because we live in town (pop: 1300), our children are not eligible to ride the school bus.  

Except if they are a Pre-K student (due to the federal funding for that program). Pre-K is a half-day program. So morning Pre-K students go to school at the same time as their older siblings, and afternoon Pre-K students come home at the same time as their siblings. 

In the past, every family I have known with a Pre-K student has opted out of the bus when they have to drop-off (or pick up) their older children.  Because how can you be at home putting one child on the bus and also be at school dropping off the others?  So their Pre-K student only rides it in the middle of the day. 

And that was our plan, too, until the bus driver said she's supposed to pick up siblings. At which point, I immediately replied, "Yes, please!"

And now every morning at 7:25 AM, the bus pulls away from in front of our house with two happy children (+ others of course), and every morning at 10:45 AM, it returns with LM.

This is the only year a bus will ever stop in front of our house. 

But of all years, this is the year I NEED the bus to stop in front of our house. 

Thank you, Lord!

Thankful ~ family prayer

A recent Sunday afternoon ... 

Two brothers ... 88 & 91. 

One spouse. 

Seven first cousins ... from four families ... middle-aged.

Several spouses.

One grandchild ... a high-schooler. 

Prayer sheet listing requests for the brothers & their four siblings ... and any of their descendants for whom we had an update. 

Going together to the Throne of Grace, as we sat in a circle in a living room, taking needs to the Lord, dependent on His work in lives. 

(While those from out-of-state met on a conference call doing the same.)

Thankful for heritage. 

May the Lord be pleased to answer our requests ... and continue showing His goodness and love ... and may we all love Him and keep His commandments.  

And may we not wait 6 months before meeting together again. :)

Another post about family prayer