momentous occasion...

Goodness! I keep marveling at God's Goodness. 

Today, Josiah graduates from High School. This is a momentous occasion in many ways. For one, Josiah HATES school... with a passion! Since his first day of kindergarten he has had a hard time with the idea of having to be INSIDE a classroom for such a long period of time EVERY DAY! He would much rather be playing then sitting still listening to someone go on and on about something he's not really interested in. =) When I look back on his school days I think about the goodness of God in how each year He would supply a teacher who understood him... and saw the potential in him. Each year there was a teacher or someone who seemed to "get" Josiah... with the exception of his 3rd grade year. That's the goodness of God! 

Another reason why this is a momentous day is because Josiah walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death when he went through Leukemia and chemo. There were so many negatives predicted about his life after chemo like his growth being stunted or his ability to learn being slower. The goodness of God though... outweighed all of those things and he is 6' 3" and graduating from High School! There aren't words enough to describe how good and amazing God  is. 

Yet another reason why this is such a momentous occasion is that in exactly one week from today Josiah will be boarding a plan headed for Turkey. Who knew that he would be the first of my children to go over-seas?!?! How amazing that is to me because Josiah is heading out on a Missions trip to go and tell others of the goodness of God! He shared his testimony to a group of friends last weekend and shared how God had brought him through the loss of a brother, a big move and then Leukemia. He shared about the goodness of God on his life and the things he's learned along the way. I wasn't able to hear all that he shared but I know... God is good! 

 There are verses in the Bible where God had brought someone through this HUGE battle or amazing feat and He tells them that He has rescued them so they can proclaim the goodness of the Lord and so that the world would know that GOD has done this great thing... Today I declare the goodness of the Lord because He has brought us through so much... next week Josiah will be declaring the goodness of God in a foreign country... What an amazing thing!! 

GOD is SO good!!

May you have a blessed day and may you see things surrounding you that help you declare... the goodness of God.

today...

Today is the 11th anniversary of the day our lives changed dramatically... It was 11 years ago today that our youngest child went home to be with Jesus. It's amazing how my mind goes back to that day each year. Today the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, brought back sweet memories of that day.... the moment where I glanced over and saw Gerad making the motions of giving his heart to Jesus... the moment I saw him walk away, hand in hand with Jesus, in a field filled with Daisy's...

How am I doing today? I am feeling... thankful. I am thankful that my other son who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death, has survived Leukemia is now working on going to Turkey on a missions trip in a few weeks. I am thankful that my daughter, even though she's 7 hours away, calls me to tell me the latest stories of her life. They both have gone through so much in their lives and I am thankful that even in the midst of these trials of life... they are good kids and love the Lord. I am thankful that Gerad is safe and sound in Heaven and he's waiting for the day of our arrival. I am thankful that in spite of the loss of a child, the illness of another and the injury of my husband... our marriage is stronger then it was 11 years ago and the Lord has been our Provider every step of the way. I am thankful.... for the Comforter who wipes away all my tears and comforts me with all Hope. And I am thankful once again that even though I don't understand everything I have a Father who knows and understands ALL things. 

To all the Mother's who have lost a child.... may you have a blessed Mother's Day this weekend. May the Comforter fill you with all Hope of what is yet to come... and may you find peace and strength in the arms of the Father who loves you more than anyone else possibly could.

casting...

"...casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV)

I was over come with emotion this morning and the Lord spoke these words to me. Then He gave me the picture of casting your line in fishing. He showed me that casting my cares and worries upon Him is much the same way as casting your line out in the water when you are fishing. So over lunch today with my husband (who is a fisherman) I asked him to tell me about casting like I had never seen it done before. He proceeded to tell me about opening the bail in order to release the line and holding onto it until just the right moment. If you release the line too early it will "plunk" down in front of you but if you throw it out and release it, it will fly a long way out. I told him how the Lord had shown me this and that casting takes patience... even in fishing. Sometimes you have to practice and throw the line out several times before it hits the right spot and you are able to catch a fish. I saw how releasing our cares and worries to the Lord is like this in that it takes practice because sometimes we want to pull the rod and line back too quickly... sometimes we don't get them thrown all the way out to the Lord... somethings are easier to release and let go of but other things... are harder. When we cast our cares on Him and release them to His capable hands.... we are rewarded with something far greater then we can imagine. Sometimes, our reward is little but sometimes the reward is great.

Here I am Lord, casting and releasing my cares and those I care about on You. I release them into Your most capable hands because I know You are able to take care of them far better then I can. I know You have a plan and a purpose for all of our lives and I know that not a single detail slips by you. By releasing... I look forward to the greatness of the return that will come back to me in due time... Help me to have patience to wait on Your timing in everything that concerns me and may I trust YOU in all things... at all times....