This week...

This week has been good and busy. I am thankful it has helped to make the week go by faster without Dustin home. I am realizing I am a much better Mom when he is home. I am not sure how single Moms do it, seriously. I am so thankful to be able to share conversation and life with my husband. Feeding, bathing, reading to, homework, awana, scripture memorization, getting all four in bed every night has been a chore. I have also been trying to battle my first project: the girls bathroom. I am sure that may have some to do with it. At night after they are in bed I have been working on it. Wallpaper. I do not like wallpaper. I do not like taking wallpaper down. Such a small room and project has turned into such a tedious event this week. The wallpaper came down easily. The wallpaper border on the other hand was like it was glued on with four inch thick cement glue. It was awful and damaged the wall a bit and so then I got to repair the wall and paint and now I am not completely happy with it so I will probably end up texturing the whole bathroom....it was a small project...I sure was trying to just get rid of the floral hunter green ambiance but perhaps I should have just left it! (And as a side note I did snicker at the Lord a little...this is only the 5th bathroom I have redone and I have owned only 4 homes!) Carson's teacher called me on Monday to talk with me a little about Carson and thank me for my card. I had actually already heard from the school counselor, whom I met at church this Sunday (yes, it really is that small of a town...I didn't know her, never met her until Sunday and she told me she had spoken already to Ms.Mason about me...oh, small towns!), that Ms. Mason had told her about it and really appreciated it. It was nothing special just a card that I have sent with the boys every year and new teacher that they have had to just let them know that I appreciate them, that I am praying for them and that I am thankful to be partnering with them and supporting them as they educate my children. I know without a doubt that the Lord has placed each teacher in our lives specifically and intentionally. You would think that this would not be an abnormal thing. I would hope that all Moms that love the Lord would express to their children's teachers how they are appreciated and prayed for. When I spoke with Ms. Mason she was teary and shocked. She told me that in 22 years teaching she has never received a card like mine, she has never received a note from a Mom telling her that she is prayed for and appreciated. I told her that I was so sad to hear that. I know that at this time the Lord wants my family in the public schools system. I believe that we can be ambassadors for Christ there. I believe my children can grow in wisdom and stature with men and with God while we are training them at home also. Ms. Mason went on to tell me that this has been the hardest year for her. She has 34 students this year and half of them are just super hard to stay on task. It makes it very difficult. Every day for her is very difficult. She told me that when she got my letter it was the second day back from Christmas break and she was already feeling discouraged but she was so thankful to receive it just at the right time to encourage her. I do not write this in any way to toot my own horn. I share this because I think it is important that we understand and appreciate the people the Lord has put in our lives and that we intentionally pray for them and encourage them in their walk with the Lord. We all need encouragement. The Lord is always looking for ways to use us to encourage His children. Many sad things are happening in the schools in America today. Scary things that make me fear at times, but I cannot help but think surely there are more followers of Christ out there. Surely there are moms that love the Lord and are praying for their schools, teachers, bus drivers, ect. They need prayer. They need the Lord. My desire is to support them, encourage them and pray for them for sure. We have heard a couple of times via email from Dustin this week. He told me that Haiti still pretty much looks the same as after the earthquake with the exception of maybe not as many tent cities. He did say the facilities at the Hands and Feet orphanages were a lot more primitive than he expected. He was at Jacmel yesterday and today. The Jacmel orphanage is where our four children are that we support there. I asked him if they recognized him. For Christmas we sent them some things and a picture of our family. He told me funny enough...a few girls recognized him as the man in the picture with all the children. He told me our kids there, Luca, Naidine, Wadley and Darbens, were very shy at first but finally warmed up to him. I can't wait to hear more and he better have taken pictures. My heart just longs to see them and hug them. I am teary as I type now thinking about them. The Lord has done a mighty work in our hearts binding us to them in the past few months as we have prayed so faithfully for them. Our children long to see their brothers and sisters in Haiti...oh how I am praying for the Lord's will for that day to be soon. The other things I have been working on this week which I will have to post pics of later is a bible quilt wall décor frame collage. Dustin's grandmother gave us a bible quilt that she had made as we took off to come to Kentucky. It is beautiful and so special. Each block represents a part of the bible. Today I have been writing all of the meanings of the blocks (some different parables Jesus taught, communion, kingdom of God, ect.) and getting them where I can display them in our new guest room. I am going to use the quilt in there. We have never had an official guest room before so that is fun. I am so thrilled to get it all together. Today has been such a good day as I have gone through all of the many teachings of Jesus. This quilt block is probably my favorite. The Pharisee & Publican. Luke 18:9-14. Grandmommie wrote that those that would seek to serve God for their own glory are not pleasing to our Lord. We need a loving forgiving God. Our attempt at a beautiful act to impress others will be as nothing, but God's handiwork completed through our humble hands will glorify the Lord. Oh, may I seek to have humble hands. Abigail has been singing today "Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another...Oh God let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks your face, Oh God of Jacob." It has been so fitting to these words that Grandmommie has written. Now, Abigail didn't quite understand why it says God of Jacob....Why doesn't it just say God?... to which we had a well drawn out conversation about. I told her she could sing Oh God of Abigail if she wanted. Humble hands. Humble hearts desiring to hear and obey the Lord. Submitted hearts to letting Him use them in His handiwork. I really like that. I can't wait to hug my husband tomorrow and hear all the handiwork the Lord let him be a part of this week. I hope you have had a good, full week dwelling in the presence of Jesus. I am loving that word these days...dwell...to constantly abide. May we all draw nearer to Him as we constantly abide in Him. Much, much love to you.