Keeper Journal #5

This week we concentrated on loving our children, setting an example for them as a follower of Christ, and passing faith to the next generation. I would love to hear from others your thought or what has worked in your house. The author gave us the examples of Hannah and Eli of parenting - such rich text to glean from. Hannah, a woman who was one of her husband's wives, not significant as the world would view significance, but a significant hero to God. She poured out her heart to God and He heard. The Lord gave her the son she prayed for and she gave him back to the Lord at 3 years old to live with Eli the Priest. What faith must she have passed on to her son in so little time! Three years! I wish she had written a parenting book. Then Eli, a priest, working every day in the tabernacle, had sons who were "worthless" is God's eyes. Harsh words! They despised the Lord's commands and treated the tabernacle and the people and the offerings with contempt. They were around the Lord's Word all their lives and yet didn't care. What's the difference? Is just exposure to the Bible enough to produce worthy children? Do we neglect teaching our kids the Word because we're worried they will become Pharisees? Do we only hand our kids Bible knowledge and let them figure out Bible know-how? Where's the balance between Pharisee and Follower? Hannah, how did you do it? Maybe the same way it all started: prayer, but maybe this time she had a future prophet with her.     

Keeper Journal - #2

I had wanted to post this earlier, but I haven't been spending much time in front of the keyboard. This week the "Keeper" bible study has been about prayer. And we've had our need of prayer this week! :) So here's the clencher... Did you know I prayed for all this craziness? Well, I didn't know I was asking for THIS, but that's the way the Lord answered. One of the questions on the first day's homework was about how you've seen God working through prayer in your life. I wrote down my list, but then was talking to God and saying how I really hadn't seen any in a while and anted something fresh and new from Him that by prayer we would just know that it was Him seeing us through. That was Friday morning! He answered about 2:45 that afternoon. Now I'm not saying that I or even God wanted L to get his arm broken and all that went after, but I am saying that He used the terrible to show us Himself. And not just our family. He wanted to show up for our friends and all the kids in our homeschool. It rocked all the kids' worlds to see L on the pavement with his arm broken. Moms started praying right then and kids were praying for him all that day and the next and more. And God answered all our prayers! That builds faith - not just L's but all involved. So...be encouraged, God answers prayer. Big and small. Praise You,God! Our memory verses for this week (See if you can see how they apply): "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 (and arms) straight." Ps. 3:5-6
"Be anxious for nothing, but in all things,by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7

Home Journal - Emergency Room

You just never know what will happen in a day. Thankfully God does, and I know Him.

Ter and the three older kids were at the homeschool co-op field trip to Advanced Metal Recycling while I had the younger two at home napping and watching a show. I was trying to get a little something done for school when Ter called and told me #2 had fallen and broken his arm really bad and that the ambulance was on its way to pick them up and take them to the hospital. He'd call when he knew more. After praying myself, I called our parents and our prayer team and started getting stuff packed into the car - not knowing what to plan for. Ter called me back and said they were headed to Hillcrest, so I hussled everyone in the car, called my mom to meet me there so she could watch the babies, and made it to the hospital just after the X-rays had been taken. Ter and L were both crying when I got there. L just wanted me to put my face against his and rub his hair. I whispered into his ear and he seemed to calm down after that. The nurse gave him more pain meds and the doctor came in to tell us about setting the bone and so on. It was a clean break of both his bones on his left forearm. They could set it right there in the ER. The nurse gave him a drug that they said would knock him out for a few minutes and he wouldn't feel or remember a thing. Then they got to setting the bone. Well, L wasn't asleep and he remembered everything and he felt it! So much for that medicine! But he was his usual talkative self the whole time - even through the tears. Once the bone was set he was ready to get the IV and cords off and get outta there. He was even talking to the old lady who was a patient in the room with him. Finally, the discharge papers came and we could leave. Needless to say, he was a much less bouncy Tigger than when he started the day, but we knew he was going to be fine. Now he's resting and hopefully will stay asleep for the night.



Thanks for everybody's help with the kids and car and praying and whatever else needed to be done on the crazy afternoon! God showed up and we are thankful.