Five Little Monkeys

I've been meaning to blog this for some time so here goes.

Kate recevied $50 from her great uncle for her Birthday (now that's a GREAT great uncle isn't it??) It was meant to be spent. Kate was thrilled because she said I always tell her "no" when we go to the toy store and now I could say "YES"! Rick explained to her about the tithe and she decided she wanted to give her $5 tithe. Within minutes of her decision, I found a $5 off coupon at the store we had already planned on going to. We were excited to share with her that the Lord had provided the $5 that she had just set aside for Him.

We got to the store and it was basically the "toy run" I used to see on TV as a child. We went down aisle after aisle and she picked out a TON on toys she wanted. At the end of our time, I explained that she would have to pick out her favorite things and put the rest back. She never hesitated to buy a dress-up dress for Claire and one for herself. We put a bunch of stuff back and were down to 2 games....a dress-up game (hmmm...I'm seeing a theme here) and the game "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." She went back and forth on which one to buy about 5 times. In the end, she went with, you guessed it, the dress-up game. She said, "God can give me this other one later if He wants like He gave me back that $5 earlier." In my unbelief I just thought, "isn't that cute."

We never mentioned what game she put back or our conversation to anyone and I never thought about it again until Christmas morning. Guess what we received from Kate's other great Aunt????? The "5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" game!

I think about this often and the Lord showed me once again that nothing is too small and that He is the provider of all things. May I always trust like my 4 year old daughter did that day.

Be Still My Soul

I have hope that our baby is in Heaven. Our sweet little one will never know sorrow, pain, loneliness, doubt, fear, hurt...will never even be tired or hungry. Our baby will only know joy, peace, perfect communion with God and will only be loved perfectly and completely.
Although my pain is strong, so is my hope and my joy. I am thankful that God used us as instruments to give this baby life and that now that life is full.

In God's Providence, our church sang this song Sunday night:

1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Are you a renter?

Interesting article on how America became a nation of renters

http://www.dcrblogs.com/2008/09/18/how-the-renter-investment-mentality-undermined-the-ownership-society/

Psalm 127:3-5

Our Sorrow

Mixed in with our week of joy and celebration (the birth of our Savior and the birth of our oldest child Kate-4) we have experienced great sorrow. We've suffered the miscarriage of our 4th child.

We recently found out that we were expecting and were filled with such joy. We had begun discussing baby names and room arrangements to make way for our new child. We already loved our new child. I went to the doctor twice this week, once on Kate's Birthday and once on Christmas Eve and that's when it was confirmed that we had miscarried.

I'm just so sad. I wanted my baby....I wanted to hold my baby.

The Lord has been ever so gracious to me. Rick was home all week which has been a tremendous blessing. We've had dear friends watch the children so Rick and I could be alone for a little while. We've had family and friends bring meals. All of these acts of love have shown God's care and comfort. I know God's word is true as I feel His comfort and peace. And I know that while I am weak, He is strong.