Bow the Knee (Chorus)

Bow the knee;
trust the heart of your Father
when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee;
lift you eyes towards heaven
and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don't understand
the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King,
bow the knee.

(Chris Machen & Mike Harland)

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, How I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.


Jesus, Jesus, How I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

(Words: Louisa M.R. Stead)
 

Overwhelmed

Wes begins the ninety-one hour Master of Divinity degree program on Monday, August 29, 2011, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  He's taking thirteen hours this first semester and one of those classes is elementary Greek.

If taking thirteen hours wasn't enough pressure we've added moving and an uncertain employment future into the mix.  Wes and I know God is leading this move and our future, but there are days we struggle with the uncertainty and all the "what if's".     The last couple days have been filled with the struggles of uncertainty.  

I've been asking God for special encouragement for our family during this transitional and uncertain time.  Since Wes announced his resignation we've received cards of love and encouragement from family and friends.  Today two very godly and encouraging friends surprised us with a knock on our door.  We hadn't seen each other in several years, and I think I would have burst into tears when I opened the door if I hadn't been shocked to see them.  Oh what a special blessing and an encouragement they were to me and our family.  God overwhelmed me once again with his love for his children.

This morning I awoke with a heavy spirit of uncertainty, but this evening I lay uncertainty at the feet of Jesus and cling to the Almighty Father.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6 & 7  (ESV)

D6 Home Educators of Southeast Oklahoma

Today the kids and I attended our last D6 Home Educators of Southeast Oklahoma meeting.  I was so excited for our group this year as they've grown and were making some changes.  D6 is becoming more organized and starting to offer specific classes such as Creative Writing; Music; Arts & Crafts; Book Club; and possibly Spanish.  D6 is apart of the 4-H program and already working on projects for the McCurtain County Fair in September.

Last week Sebastian and I attended our D6 Mother & Son dinner held at Roma's Italian Restaurant in Idabel.  I enjoyed my date with Sebastian and the other mothers and sons. Next week is the Daddy & Daughter banquet, which is where the moms and sons prepare & serve dinner for the dads and daughters.  This occasion is a little more formal as our girl group is a little older than our boy group. We moms plan to get a more formal dinner with the sons in a few years.

I'm thankful we could still participate in the first couple events and were able to help plan out an incredible year.

We'll miss our D6 friends and wish them the best year ever!

Thoughts, Emotions, & Reflections

I'm up uncharacteristically early today, because I can't sleep.  My mind is busy making lists of the many things I have to do over the next couple weeks, and I'm dealing with a variety of emotions as our family prepares to move.

I'm excited for the opportunity for Wes to attend seminary and the opportunity this affords our family.  I'm looking on with great anticipation of what God has in store for us during this next chapter of our lives.

As I look forward I also reflect on the chapter of life we're closing. 

It was in Valliant

  ~where Wes began his first pastorate. 

  ~where our TBC family loved and supported us.

  ~where Katherine & Sebastian will most likely consider their first home as they were 3yrs & 9 months when we moved here.

  ~where Katherine at three years old sat in church on a Sunday night listening to her daddy preach about Jonah and whispered to me "How does my daddy know about Jonah?" 

  ~where Sebastian began walking and talking.

  ~where Katherine & Sebastian raced down the driveway in their  little tikes cars and later on tricycles & scooters.

  ~where Katherine and I made her first emergency room visit.

  ~where K & S began loosing their baby teeth.

  ~where K & S learned to swim.

  ~where God carried me (and my family) through a physically & spiritually difficult situation.

  ~where Katherine attended kindergarten & first grade at Swink Public Schools.

  ~where K & S were apart of TBC Christmas programs & Vacation Bible School.

  ~where I discovered my passion for VBS and for training VBS leaders.

  ~where God placed in us the desire and opportunity to homeschool our kids.

  ~where God provided the opportunity for Wes to finish his bachelor's degree.

  ~where my beautiful daughter, Katherine, stood before the church and confessed her need for a savior and her faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord and was baptized.

  ~where our family made many wonderful memories with  the wonderful people of Trinity Baptist Church.

I'm excited and saddened all at the same time.  I treasure the memories of our time in Valliant, and I will leave with some awesome friendships.

Proverbs 2:1-15

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,

making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,

if you seek it like sliver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright, he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;

for widsom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

discretion will watch over you,understanding will guard you,

delivering you form the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,

who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,

who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil,

men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

Proverbs 2 1-15 (ESV)

1 Peter 3:8-12

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.  
For "Whover desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue form evil and his lips from speaking deceit,
let him turn away from evvil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."


(ESV)