Let's Do Family Together--A Few Hours with my Sister and Parents

On our way to Missouri and back, I read this book out loud to Jonathan, 

Let's Do Family Together, by Gary Smalley.

 He had some very good thoughts, especially about learning to honor one another in the family.

At my sister's place, I loved this blown up photo that she had made

for their anniversary,

of the covered bridge near the old homeplace where Joella lived before they got married.

It's the same covered bridge where Jonathan and I took walks just before we got married. 

I loved my sister's chore chart that she had on the wall for her children.

I noticed how at the very top left corner it said, "To Love,"

and underneath it the children's names.

Love was made a priority

even before the "To Do" part.

I noticed what a good example of loving Craig was to his little children.

That Monday morning it was such a joy to spend some time with my dear mother,

and here we were hanging laundry.

I've inherited her love of hanging laundry outside, although on days like today,

it was so cold I had to wear a winter coat,

and down south there was haze from the terrible fire burning in the Wet Mountains.

Here Mom is showing me the nightie she just finished for another of her granddaughters

(whom I will not name lest any of them read this).

Here is the quilt patch Mom is almost done with for the new great-grandbaby's quilt.

My Dad had brought home loads of cedar scrap wood for kindling wood for their woodstove,

and he let me go through the pile and pick out this pile of cedar scraps for my Timmy to turn into wall plaques.

 Joella's little children were willing helpers, helping unload that cedar to put into our truck as soon as Jonathan got back from picking up the shingle lift that morning.

I was talking to Joella this Sunday, having called to ask how the children were doing with their sickness, and she said since she had to stay home from church, she had listened to a Scottish preacher they like who talked about the verse about casting your cares upon Him.

He had said the Greek meaning is literally "Hurl" your cares upon Him.

"Hurl your cares."

That is one definite act.

A defining moment when it comes to that care.

 Yesterday I did that with a care that was too big for me to handle.

I hurled it with both hands--this unseen but real burden

onto the unseen but real shoulders of God.  

And at night in bed, the burden and pressure came again.

I was twisting and turning and I almost leaped out of bed and to run to the livingroom to battle it out. 

But God has been teaching me how to fight this battle of the mind--

and to recognize Satan's strategies.

Half the battle is recognizing the enemy.

The other half is resisting him.

And praise God, when we resist him effectively,  there is then rest as he flees.

He simply flees when he is recognized and resisted.

Last night, he wanted to take my sleep away from me, and I have been working at training my mind and body to obey the decisions of my will.

It takes discipline.

But last night it paid off.

Instead of flying out of bed in a torment and pacing the floors for hours--

I simply disciplined my thoughts to resist the torment,

put my trust in the Lord--

and before I knew it, I fell asleep.

I believe this is the first time this has ever happened so amazingly like that.

Thank You, Lord, for teaching my hands to war and my fingers to fight

in the battles we face.

"He giveth His beloved sleep."