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A Child's Prayer...God be with us

The Mansell clan all gathered around the dinner table last night. The kids slurped on smoothies while Mom and Dad talked about Abraham and Lot.  After a time of explaining and slurping, we all bowed our heads to pray. I sat and listened as each child lifted up their personal prayers. Like normal, they were peppered with "Please give us...Thank you for...Please help us..."  But a prayer given by Eska made me ponder. This is what she asked,

"God, we cleaning tomorrow, please be with us. Everywhere we go God, please be with us."

Such words amazed me. Of all the things a nine-year-old girl could be asking, she wanted God to be with us.

I am reminded of Moses in Exodus 3:15, where he said,

"If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here."

What a comfort to be on this side of grace and know that He has promised never to leave us. Talk about praying according to God's will...

~jillian

Something Crazy

Maddie got a Steven Curtis Chapman CD for Christmas, and while I was listening to it, one song sprung out, screaming, "THIS IS YOU!!!" Its words just seem to describe all the thoughts and emotions we have felt through the adoption and a million of other things. It is called "Something Crazy" and it goes like this...

He's got a Bible and megaphone standing on the corner 

And everybody's saying he's crazy

Well does he really think anybody wants to hear what he has to say

He's not screaming at anybody in fact he says

It's a love story that he's trying to tell them

And he knows he may look a little strange

But he just smiles and says that's okay

'Cause you know sometimes love makes you 

Act that way

And it's crazy when love gets a hold of you

And it's crazy things that love will make you do

And it's crazy but its true

You really don't know love at all

'Til its making you do

Something Crazy

I know a lady in Uganda, forty kids call her mama

And everybody thought it way crazy

She used to drive a beamer, but I've never seen her

Any happier than she is now

I've met them all around the world, they're the boys and girls

Filled up with the love of the Father

And they know it may seem a little strange

But they just smile and say that's alright

'Cause love puts everything in a different light

And it's crazy when love gets a hold of you

And it's crazy things that love will make you do

And it's crazy but its true

You really don't know love at all

'Til it's making you do

Something crazy

Well, some might say its a crazy thing

To believe in a man who would say he came

From heaven down to earth because of love

But I just smile and say thats okay

'Cause you know sometimes love makes you act that way

And it's crazy when love gets a hold of you

And it's crazy what things love will make you do

And it's crazy but it's true

You really don't know love at all

'Til it's making you do

Something crazy

Jillian ~

The Lord be Praised!

"Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them.  Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever.  He has made His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.  He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever..."  Psalm 111:1-5

This Psalm touched me tonight.  I love 5b; "He will remember His covenant forever."  How quickly we find other things to occupy our lives...God is always faithful.

Can't Sleep

Tonight my mind is spinning with all God has done recently.  I am continually amazed at the children He has blessed us with and how they fit perfectly into our family.  Our recent move to the country has brought a new way of looking at spring approaching...garden planning.  We had our first garden last spring.  Well, our neighbors had the garden and we worked it together.  How amazing it was, to see the first sign of each item we planted!  I had no clue what a green bean looked like when it grew, until Elaina showed me something was growin out of the flower.   This year we are able to garden our own land.  Mark wants to plant corn, I hope to make sauce with our own tomatoes and Maddie is hoping we can each have a little garden for a growing competition!  I am afraid my garden would lose; I have vetoed that idea.  How fun it is to plan what we will plant.  The kids and I began praying today that God will honor our ignorant efforts and we will have veggies to freeze for the winter.  As food costs rise and our family grows, a garden is becoming essential.  So, as I can't sleep, I am dreaming of the tasty treats we hope to eat this summer!

Who Said Wisdom Comes with Age?

The other night, our whole family was praying, when the following conversation occurred:

Tamu: "Dear God, please Yordy give little money"

Yordy: "No Tamu, I want BIG money!"

Tamu: "No Yordy. Big money too heavy for you."

 

Thought we would share some of our laughter with you!