At the beginning of last week, I sat for a quiet moment on the couch just enjoying reading my Bible and and having a time of prayer. Coming off of a couple of crazy-busy weeks and a whirlwind weekend to Rock Eagle for Erin and Elisabeth's Sr. DPA and knowing we had a full week of church meetings ahead, I thought to myself...next week, we'll finally slow back down and things will be normal again! HA! Double HA! (Don't check my grammatics on the above sentence..I'm making a point here! LOL)
We carefully and joyfully make our plans, but they get changed. That very afternoon, Chad called me and said he was experiencing a lot of pain on his lower left side, just as he did when he had to have hernia repair surgery a year ago. He also had a hernia repair surgery when he was six months old, so this is a recurring theme! Anyway, he got in to see a doctor the next day, and presto-chango! We are facing another hernia repair surgery tomorrow. Needless to say, Chad DOES NOT do well with anesthesia! So please keep him in your prayers.
Also, I usually tell everyone that we might as well wipe February off the calendar at our house. We've all been sick every single February (except for 2004 when John was a newborn) since around 2002. I honestly thought we were going to make it through the month this year. I mean, after all, we got through DPA AND our annual church meeting. Things were looking promising. Presto-Chango! Yesterday morning, Wesley woke up with a sore throat and 102 degree temperature. During the night, Alexander started the symptoms (read 'very little sleep'), and I think a couple more are heading down the path to 'sickie land' as well! Not good with a surgery scheduled tomorrow. And my throat and sinus passages are on fire, or at least they were earlier this morning...I do feel better. I don't have TIME to be sick right now! So I'm hoping I can muddle on through and just keep going. At least that's the plan! LOL
My friend, Marybeth, wrote a touching post today about weakness and admitting that sometimes we need prayer. Often, it seems that we are vulnerable and feel ashamed when we make others aware of our needs. But it's true...sometimes (most of the time), we need the prayers of friends and loved ones. Aren't we commanded to encourage and lift each other up in time of need? And in our weakness, He makes us strong....but it's all of Him! And through our trials, we are painfully made aware of our dependability on the Lord for EVERYTHING! He is in control!
I've felt burdened for some time to share the lyrics of two of the songs we
sing at church. The message in these songs has spoken to my heart on many occasions, and maybe it will touch yours as well. I don't know the struggles and trials that many of you are facing, but God does...and He cares!
Our Father Cares
by J.F. Parker
Old School Hymnal
Page 157
Verse 1: Here our heav'nly Father knows all we need before we ask, Here our heav'nly Father knows and He cares; Here our heav'nly Father sees every sparrow when it falls, Here our heav'nly Father sees, and He cares.
Verse 2: See the lilies how they grow, and the beauty they display, He is watching over them, for He cares; When He waters with the dew, lilies raise their heads a new, He will do the same for you, for He cares.
Verse 3: When we find ourselves in need, then we to the Father plead, For He is our friend indeed, and He cares; He'll be watching over us when we're sleeping in the dust, And He'll come again for us, for He cares.
And the song below also has a wonderful message. How many times do we think of all the miracles that God preformed in the 'old days', and we say to ourselves...naw, things like that don't happen these days. But yes, the Lord still works miracles. I think that we are all just too busy and preoccupied to see many of those miracles all around us...every single day! He's just the same today!
He's Just the Same Today
by Elder J. Harvey Daily
Old School Hymnal
page 434
Verse 1: When Moses and the Israelites from Egypt's land did flee; Behind them were proud Pharaoh's host, in front of them the sea; God raised the water like a wall and opened up the way. And the God that lived in the olden times is just the same today.
Chorus: He's just the same today, He's just the same today. And the God that lived in the olden times, is just the same today.
Verse 2: When David and Goliath met, the wrong against the right; The giant armed with human strength and David with God's might. God sent a stone by David's sling, the giant low did lay. And the God that lived in the olden times is just the same today.
Repeat chorus.
Verse 3: When Daniel faithful to his God would not bow down to men; And by his enemies was hurled into the lion's den. God shut the lion's mouths we read, and robbed them of their prey. And the God that lived in the olden times is just the same today.
Repeat chorus.
Verse 4: When Pentecost had fully come, and fire from heav'n did fall. The Saviour with the Holy Ghost baptized them one and all. Three thousand were converted and were added right away. And the God that lived in the olden times is just the same today.
Repeat chorus.
Amen! Please do keep us in your prayers, and may the Lord bless you all with a wonderful week!
We'll certainly be praying for you all as he has his surgery tomorrow.
I felt the way you're feeling last week when Deron was to have his shoulder surgery. Ethan woke up the night before surgery with a croupish sounding cough and Hannah was feeling pretty rotten as well. Grandma was here, so I knew that the children would be fine, but it's hard to leave your babies when they're sick even when you KNOW they'll be fine.
Then, yesterday Hannah threw up and I thought we were surely going to all end up with a stomach bug. But no one else has acted sick, so I guess she ate something funny...not like she ever puts odd objects in her mouth or anything. :-)
With all that's been going on here, I've been bloggy-AWOL! You're right about weakness. We truly need one another's thoughts and prayers, and I hope you know we'll be praying for and thinking of your family tomorrow. And we'll be checking in on you as well.
Hey!
I work at the nursing home where you & your children come & visit and sing. I was wondering if you have the sheet music to that song, "He's Just The Same Today." (that may not be the correct name.) But if you do could you please email me & let me know, and I'll give you my address for you to mail me a copy of it if you don't mind!
Thanks you so much.... my email address is:
jts__angel@hotmail.com
Thanks,
Jessica Griffin
I'm a very happily married pastor's wife, former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six wonderful blessings, and freelance writer--and we live in the great state of Georgia! I'm a southern girl through and through...but most importantly, I'm a child of the King! We have just finished up our twelfth year of homeschooling, and our two oldest have now graduated! This is my place to record thoughts about homemaking, Classical-Charlotte Mason based homeschooling, writing around the fringes of family life, and more...so welcome to my little corner of the world!
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