This Little Thing

 I heard a song on the radio less than a week ago and fell in love with what words I could hear through the static on the radio as well as the sound of the song itself.  Irish.  It sounded Irish to me.  I told MG about it on our way home from having lunch today, saying how I wish I could hear it again or knew the words to look it up.  The song that was on the radio ended and then.....the new song began!  God. is. so. cOoL!!!!  (cool sounds flippant....honestly, I am in awe that even in this little thing, He answered).  

wow.  This song.....it makes me want to get up a dance for joy.  To give cheerfully, to serve gratefully, to charge forward into the dark places within us all with laughter and giddiness, reflecting, living, offering and trailing freedom and life.  If this song could have a color (or two), it would be green....and gold.  Green:  for growth and newness, re-birth, rejuvenation....Gold: purity, richness, warmth, royalty,  LIGHT!  


It is a marvelous song!  (Lyrics are written below)





Come set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again
Increase in us we pray
Unveil why we're made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls
Holy Spirit come invade us now
We are Your Church
We need Your power
In us

We seek Your kingdom first
We hunger and we thirst
Refuse to waste our lives
For You're our joy and prize
To see the captive hearts released
The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace
We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause
We are Your church
We pray revive
This Earth

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Unleash Your kingdom's power
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ
We are Your church
We are the hope 
On Earth

Deep and Wide

Almost a year. 

Some moments have flown and we look at this date 

shining bright on the calendar 

and wonder how it could be here already?  

For many  (if not most) days, it has been difficult 
to put one foot in front of the other.

The breathing has been tough,

the desire for another hug,

another tickle~fest,

another baseball game,

another fishing trip

another….

another….

another….

is,

at its best~

suffocating.

This ache!

It. 
is. 
large.

And the wound?

Carved deep. 

But praise be to the Father of good things,

The giver of hope, comfort, peace and healing….

LOVE

goes deeper

and

w  i  d  e  r. 

Because of His mercy

we know that to go on, as difficult as it is,

is the most honoring thing we can do,

deliberately pursuing gratefulness and delight in the remembering

As agonizing as it is to feel this emptiness,

and  longing bends us double with its pain

Remembering the beauty, the laughter, and the joy

Is oxygen to the heart,

and bittersweet. 

So.

The fireworks go off tonight

and while we remember and are thankful of those who gave their lives for our freedom…

we also remember

and are thankful for…

a little boy.

*we ask you to please remember to pray for this family.  Your prayers have helped them through this year, and they will need even more to help them through these next days.  We have not forgotten the prayers you poured out to our Father at this time last year, and we thank you!

Adding and Subtracting

Since springtime, we have had two sweet additions to our family.  

The addition is temporary, and we do not know the duration.    

~~~~~~~

Yet,

for a little while we were sad for ourselves,
having to say quick goodbyes.
Even so,
we held on to a great hope
 that these little additions were adding to another family's joy.   

And, 
add they did.
~~
Now,
Summer is upon us and with the brighter days
more sunshine pours into our home
with the occasional thunderstorms that often accompany
summertime heat.
Adding to that brightness
(and occasional storms)
are the same "littles" who are back with us
for that unknown temporary time period.

We are learning more and more what it means to take everything
"one day at a time",
learning more and more to trust in God for the
best things for His children.
Do we question?
yes.
Do we wonder?
yes.
Does He answer us with peace?
Patiently
and
beyond our understanding!
There has been adding and subtracting and adding again.
Pain, hope, sadness and joy
ebb and flow
in this sphere that is foster care.

We ride this ride holding on to a Father who knows all the hills and levels,
and he holds us with a steady and strong grip,
ever faithful to
His promises,

ever faithful
to His children.