Prayer Warriors

I am asking everyone to pray for the Green family.  This is a family in our community who lost their 15 year old son.  Right now it is thought that he committed suicide.  He has left behind 5 siblings and his parents.  They will need all the prayers they can get and I know you all are wonderful prayer warriors!

The Best Kids Ever!!!

With Father's Day Sunday, I wanted to post this in honor of Hugh and my father.  Both men have struggled with George's death and yet are overlooked so often.  Please take the time to respect a father you may know who has lost their child or a grandfather because they too hurt.  If you feel so inclined, please consider sending Hugh and my father something to let them know that you are thinking of them and their loss on Father's Day.

I also wanted to share a quick story about what happened yesterday.  The kids are all finishing up school and have been on half day since yesterday and are out completely today.  Yesterday afternoon, Joshua came running inside screaming and crying.  I tried to figure out what was going on but all I could think about was how long of a summer it is going to be if the two of them are already starting their antics.  I finally made out what Josh was crying and it was "Michael stay away from my teeth!"  In my mind I thought it was just something silly between the two of them and I was wrong.  Michael came running in behind him telling him to stay still.  When I asked him what he was doing, he said "I need teeth...Joshua you are older and your teeth come out sooner!"  Never was I more confused.  When I asked him again what was it for he told me "I need all the teeth I can get so I can give them to the tooth fairy.  The tooth fairy will give me money and I can give it to you and daddy to buy a new house since we can't go back to our old one.  I know we are poor."

Have you ever been stopped dead in your tracks?  This whole thing did just that to me.  My heart just swelled with huge emotions.  On one hand I was so proud of him for thinking of us and being selfless but on the other hand I just wanted to cry.  My children have been through so much and it pains me that at 5 years old that he has to know this sort of thing.  I explained to him that we are not poor but that daddy doesn't make as much money as he did before so we can't buy our house anymore. He asked why we just can buy a different house that daddy has money for.  It is so complicated for a little kid, he thinks he can knock his brothers teeth out and get the money from the tooth fairy to pay for a house.  Every part of me wants to just hug and squeeze that kid and then just cry.

We are so blessed to have children like ours, they all want to help...if only it was simple.  If all the problems of the world were solved by love the world would be a better place and our family would be rich!  Monetarily we don't have a lot but by love, we are wealthy. I even think of this where George is concerned...the garden bench we bought when he died said "If love could have saved you, you would live forever" We are blessed in abundance by love and for that I will praise God no matter what goes on in our lives to knock us down.  So often children are so innocent and loving...we need to all take their actions and choose to be like them.  This is truly why God says you must come to him as a child!  Please keep us in your prayers as we start the summer with the kids home!

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

~ Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT