What's Been Amazing

As I said before, its been in my mind some time to write both about what's been really difficult and what's been amazing. Each day, depending on my mood at the time, I've vaguely dabbled at both, but so far today things look a little more cheerful, so that's the direction I'll head.

What's Been Amazing about God
He is Sovereign and his timing is perfect.
A year ago, about the time Gladys was born, God saw fit to put in order our distracted and messy finances. He did this so effectively and miraculously that we were able (by his sovereign grace) to go to Jerusalem in June. We were also able to afford to home school this year with CC which was provided some small structure in the midst of chaos.

This is a bitter and gracious pill to swallow. We've not been under any illusions about the nature of this battle. In 2003, sitting rosily and comfortably on the River Walk in San Antonio, reading with horror the events of GC2003, hitting refresh on T19 every few minutes, we knew clearly and unmistakably that it was the breakup of the church, even our own small corner church, and possibly the loss of our job. And each step that we've taken, sometimes in the dark, sometimes in waveringly dim light, the possibility of loss was as clear as the Gospel itself, bright and clear as the love of Jesus guarding us, moving us forward, protecting us.

I'll be honest, I've always been horribly afraid of this move. I've put all kinds of conditions around it-Please God, let me have this baby. Please God, let me get through the Easter Vigil. Please, God, let my kids be --this old. And finally, PLEASE GOD, let me just do this next 12 weeks of CC In This House, in this school room, in this light, in this order. My prayers became more fervent, every day, because I knew, in the depths of my soul, that God had the power to make me move any time, and that probably it was going to be in these 12 weeks. I don't know how I knew. I didn't have any proof. I just had a sneaking suspicion, one that proved to be Right On.

So my 'worst fears' were realized. But, God is gracious and sovereign and his timing is perfect. And in this case, it meant that we spent a beautiful fall seriously schooling and enjoying life. We went apple picking.



We went to the Opera to see the Three Little Pigs. We went often to the library.
We celebrated Gladys' birthday.



We went trick or treating.



We did hours of work around the kitchen table eating muffins and drinking tea all the time. And then we wrapped it all up with a lavish Thanksgiving Dinner and a week with Matt's parents who (and it still makes me cry to think about it) in amazing gracious generosity and love, gave us their car. The second night they were with us, Matt's dad handed Matt the keys and told us to put all our car seats in it. Matt, not understanding at all, went off to do it and then came back in amazement. The gift of this amazing car (which has heated seats, and which fits us all and is, yes, the car I crashed last week) allowed us to go all together to Chicago to see the birth of the new Province.

After Thanksgiving we took December off from formal school and played and practiced the Christmas Pageant and read books. And finally we celebrated a beautifully heartbreaking Christmas together.

And then, praying as you remember, all the time, I put my school room in order, started school, went to lunch with my friend, and came home to find that the ax was at the root of the tree and we had to get out, Now. So we did. And here we are, three weeks later, really only mourning our kitty, comfortable, warm, starting to pick back up to school, playing knights and princess, cooking, writing and getting back to life.
God is sovereign and his timing is perfect.

Later Part Two:
What's Been Amazing about our Friends and Family