Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Children are a Blessing from the Lord...











Happy New Year

Happy New Year (and belated Merry Christmas)!!

As I sit here, one hour away from 2013--a new year--I'm torn with so many mixed emotions.  I'm deeply thankful for the Lord's provision in 2012.  He has taken us on quite a journey of faith!

This year brought a close to twelve years of work that we loved and saw ourselves doing for years to come.  But God clearly had other plans...  As we resigned, due to the medical needs of Jonathan, we knew that God desired something new for us though we didn't know what that was.  It took over six months of waiting and searching before He revealed the next step for our family.

Since then, we find ourselves working in a totally new line of ministry, living in the western hemisphere in a new home, transitioning to life in the States and trying to adjust to the pace of life.  God has graciously taken care of and provided for our family every step of the way.  Though it hasn't been easy, we are learning what it looks like to depend on Him in a culture of abundance and yet in desperate need of the Savior.

Given everything we've been through, our family is doing well.  We long to be doing so much better, moving out of survival mode and into thriving mode!  Noah is 8 years old, in second grade and taking baby steps forward in school.  He is a self-professed hater of all things "school."  That's mostly because he struggles through several of the basic subjects.  He still loves anything with wheels and prefers to be outdoor playing and running above all else.  He is tall and thin and eats just about anything and everything.  He definitely fights our guidance in his life, but we keep reminding him that we love him and God crafted him to be a part of our family.

Grace is 6 years old, in first grade.  She is doing well and enjoys sitting down trying to read books, keeping all kinds of papers to look through, playing with little dolls, and dressing up.  She loves helping mom around the house and really works hard to keep the peace in our home.

Ruth is 4 years old.  She is so funny at home and yet shy around strangers.  She loves music and I often find her singing with a broom or brush or whatever looks like a microphone (flashbacks to my childhood!).  She loves to laugh and makes herself laugh louder and harder on cue.  She certainly can conjure up some good tears, though, when it comes to cleaning up her things around the house.  She's learned a lot about life, by being home with me and Jonathan, while Noah and Grace go to a coop on Mondays.  We do our grocery shopping and little odds and ends around the house.  (Not to mention, watching the paramedics arrive after I called 911 and helping dad rescue someone on the side of the road, all on the same day!)

When I think of Jonathan and where he was this time last year, I'm simply amazed and overjoyed.  He is a delight to our entire family and everyone who meets him.  His smile lights up his whole face and is extremely contagious.  His laugh is precious, though somehow unvoiced!  He is doing so many great things.  He rolls, he babbles, he claps, he plays, he eats well, he started pulling forward every so slightly while on his belly.  He is healthy.  He is loved.

2012 brought much change.  No idea what 2013 will bring!  But one thing I know... God is good and all He does is good.  He is teaching me how to press on through fear and fatigue and to cling to him when I don't know what else to do.