Abundant Blessings

We have received abundant blessings over the past two weeks. The first blessing is Andy's new bike. Kara's friend Noah outgrew his tricycle and decided he wanted to give his bike away. Andy absolutely loves his new bike, and everytime the garage is open he goes straight for the bike.

The second blessings is that JA was able to have his first baptismal service. A gentleman who attends our church approached him a couple of months ago and expressed his desire to be baptized. The schedules finally worked out and we held a baptismal service at a church about thirty minutes away. I think this was an exciting time for everyone in church.


The electricity in our fellowship building is on the blitz right now, so we had the privilege of having everyone at church join us in our house for dinner on Sunday. We had a total of 24 people for the noon meal. I am so thankful that the Lord has provided us with a large home where we can entertain people comfortably.





This last blessing is a bit of a frivolous blessing, but it is still a blessing. I am now entering my 32 week of pregnancy, and I have enjoyed a healthy and easy pregnancy thus far. This last blessing I received today when I went to go get my hair done. I discovered (thanks to Stacy!) that I have curly hair. At some point over the last four years my hair developed a natural curl in it. Today Stacy taught me how to bring out the curl, and this is the result.

Showers of Berries

We love fruit! For years JA and I have talked and dreamed about planting raspberries, and blueberries in our yard. This year we finally have a yard to call our own, so we planted two blueberry bushes and a peach tree. Of course we have to wait a couple of years before we can enjoy the fruit from these plants.

However, we had another berry special blessing this weekend. We discovered that a small tree just outside our fence is covered in these little berries that look like blackberries. This morning we took a branch to the extension office and discovered that we have our very own Mulberry Tree.

I am thrilled at how the Lord has provided us with some wonderful fresh fruit while we wait for what we planted to thrive. The discovery of the mulberries reminds me a lot of our spiritual walk. We often focus on the fruit we are planting (those friends and loved ones that we are earnestly striving to witness to), and sometimes we fail to look around us to see what fruit the Lord is producing around us.

I pray that I won't be so sidetracked with sowing the seed that I fail to notice the ones who are growing in need of loving pruning and tender care. We truly need to be balanced in our Christian Walk. God has called us to share the gospel and make disciples. That doesn't mean getting people saved and leaving them to fend for themselves. We need to take care of them so they don't get choked out and enveloped by the world around them.

Works of God Monday

The past week has been strewn with blessings from God. Last Monday the greenhouse in town closed. So I went to greenhouse to buy some plants at half price. Later that afternoon they called me and said if I wanted to have some free plants I could come back and take my pick. What a tremendous blessing! I was able to get over $200 worth of plants (most of them perrennials) for free.

For the past year, JA and I have been praying about getting a piano. We've looked at a couple of music stores to get an idea of how much we would need to save, and I have been watching the classifieds for anyone selling a piano. Two weeks ago I saw an ad for a free upright piano simply in need of tuning. Last week JA was able to get some men together and they went and picked up the piano. Today we had the piano tuned. I was a bit nervous that maybe the piano would need some serious repairs (although the outside of it looks to be in almost perfect condition). The only repair other then tuning the piano will need is to have some felt replaced. So, the total cost for our piano was $75!

I am constantly amazed at how the Lord provides not only our needs but sometimes our desires. This summer I will be taking piano lessons and I am thrilled at how the Lord is using music in our family.

My third blessing from this past week was the opportunity JA and I had to attend the homeschool convention in Wichita. Before going to the convention I had decided that I wanted to focus on materials and workshops that would help me to instill godly character into my children. The blessing came when workshop after workshop focused on how as parents our first purpose in homeschool should be to see our children get saved, our second purpose is to train them with godly character, and then our last purpose is the academics. The Biblical reminders were such an encouragement to me as this summer and next school year I seek to begin training my children both for life and academia.

Psalm 30:12

To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.