Where to begin this post? To exclaim God's goodness (great-ness is a better word) could be one way! How perfectly wonderful and sovereign He is. For He, alone, deserves all the glory. As I walk with Him, reading His Word and staying in prayer...I am continually reminded that Jesus is the author of my faith....He is the perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). How truly grateful I am for His love and mercy...neither of which I deserve.
The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high,
Who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
~Psalm 113:4-6
Last week, Xavier and I were working on his language arts. We came to a part where He was to name a singular noun from some sentences on the page. He saw "God" in one of the sentences and used that as his choice. I agreed that it was a singular noun and a correct answer. He stopped me though, and exclaimed, "But mom, He's really three, you know...Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit!". For my 8 year old son to grasp, with his child-like faith, the truth of the trinity blessed my heart. To know that God is **one** but also **three** is something that many people have a hard time understanding. The key is that we don't have to understand everything...we need to have faith enough to trust what God's Word tells us.
It's easy for my mind to be swirling with questions and wanting answers. Although we are to be growing in wisdom and discernment....as Christians we also need to accept that there will be (many) things we don't understand in their entirety. We need to have the faith to know that God is in absolute control and trust that...through everything, the good and especially the bad. My knowledge is so limited...and as my mind has been swirling lately...this verse was laid on my heart:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
~Proverbs 3:5-6
Glory to God! I may not know it all...but I do know this...Christ and him crucified. And that, He did for those He loved...whom the Father gave Him. Oh, amazing grace....how truly sweet the sound!
Saturday...we were quite determined to get a bunch of wood split and stacked and get it drying out as best as we could. A friend had loaned us his wood splitter...but the motor on it died after the first try with it, previously. Chris's Grandpa gave us his extra one but it needed some work too. Chris found the parts it needed but we had to order them and wait. So Saturday, Chris was using his ax and muscles to split wood...a slow and tiring process, truly. As he is splitting...I kid you not, his ax broke. Oh my....I saw his heart sink low...the sadness and defeat that covered his face made my heart clench. He threw the ax handle down and walked to the side of the wood shed...anger quietly surging through him. I walked up behind him, placing my hand on his shoulder in love...each of us in silent prayer.
He turned and told me he was off to the hardware store to purchase another ax.
Xavier....waiting and watching for daddy to come home...
Wouldn't you know...what we took as frustrating and defeating, God used for our good and benefit. Oh how He works in marvelous ways. Some may call it coincidence...I call it the love of God:
After Chris left our house...he stopped at his parents meat market to have a cup of coffee and relax his frustration (and admittedly, anger) before going in to the hardware store. He was only there a couple of minutes when his Grandpa walked in with a magazine in hand...one from a store about 10 miles away that had just the parts needed for the wood splitter (the one we thought we would have to *wait* on parts for). So, instead of the ax....Chris and his Grandpa drove off, together (Chris, renewed in spirit) for the parts to fix the wood splitter.
The ax broke. If it hadn't...Chris would have been splitting wood by hand (back-breaking, exhausting, slow-going type of work). Chris stopped at the meat market and his Grandpa came in...just in time...with that magazine in hand. They were able to go get the parts needed for the wood splitter...which ended up getting more wood split, in less time, with less back-aching. Coincidence? Not at all....it was providence. God's divine help and goodness.
We split and stacked with a renewed spirit...working, talking, laughing...all with total thankfulness to God for showing us how much we need Him....and how He *does* provide. :) Half the wood shed is full now...the wood stove has been working much better for us and we have been warm in our house.
Madelyn has a snuffly-cold which I seem to have caught. So I am grateful I won't need to make quite as many trips out to the wood stove as I did the past few weeks (I was a lovely sight, most days, I tell you! Chris's up-to-my-knees muck boots, skirt, super-duper large hoody and gloves were my height of fashion the past couple weeks! ;).
Well, I have been working on this post for quite a while this morning...off and on. X is out shoveling snow, Madelyn is making eggs and Jaxson's washing eggs from the chickens (we have 5 dozen in our fridge at the moment!). I need to get moving...laundry and dishes await me...and the children and I need to get working on our schoolwork for the day as well. So to end this post...I'm just going to share some photos from the weekend! :o)
Chris's jeep (that has been such a blessing!)...
I have been crocheting pot holders...
After coming in from checking the wood stove, the other morning, I found my children reading their bibles (filling this mama's heart with **joy**!)...
And one of my snuggle-bunnies...bundled up, cuddled up and snug with his monkey, George...
Our hens have been laying just wonderfully for us now...like I mentioned earlier, we have 5 dozen eggs in the fridge!
Later....reading...
And playing...
Rolls for lunch....
Cloth napkins...folded up and ready for use...
I-Spying...Jaxson and daddy...
Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied,
Katy