He Is Bigger...

It's a little after seven...
♥ eggs have been boiled...
♥ Amazon shipment has been packaged...
♥ two have been kissed, prayed over & sent out the door...
♥ a chicken is in the oven baking for chicken salad tonight...
♥ the bed is made...
♥ laundry has been started...
♥ I'm on my second cup of coffee (that Kyle made)... ♥
♥ a Yankee Sweet Honeysuckle candle warmly burns...
♥ the scent of his sunscreen from yesterday afternoon is still fresh in my nose... ♥

For Kyle's birthday, I made homemade redeemable coupons that have no expiration date & have no limit in the number of redemptions. He has them neatly stacked on his side of the headboard on our bed. Last night I noticed him shuffling through them... This morning I awoke to this: ♥

He poured our coffee & we walked out the door at exactly 5:32 a.m. We sat & chatted. Shared our hearts. Listened to the symphony of God's creation (do you realize how much music grasshoppers make...and roosters...ugh, on the roosters...yes, they were my idea...yes, Tom, I thought of you...). We made mention of the numerous stars. We sipped our cups a joe'. We prayed together. We sought God. We thanked God. We breathed in first morning fresh air. ♥ It. Was. Wonderful. ♥

#1353 ~ wonderful family evenings

In bittersweet fashion, we said good-bye to our puppy loves yesterday afternoon as Jon & Jane have returned from their vacation. It will be nice to not have all the extra running to do (Mal & I have been taking MaKayla to work & then stopping by to care for the precious little wonders & repeating the same process mid-afternoon) yet you can't help but get attached...especially to the ones who need extra TLC.

Mal affectionately named this little guy, "Sperry"... ♥

One look at their faces & you are instantly in love.

Mark my word, one day we WILL have a bully in this house...
The puppy kind, that is... ♥

This week has been one of those weeks that it has seemed like if it could go wrong, it did go wrong. Wearing is an understatement...
An unfixable tire.
Late nights.
Clogged drains.
The reality of two vehicles when we needed three.
Another flat tire that thankfully was fixable.

The unfixable tire AND the clogged drain(s) both happened in a 12-hour span.
Kyle was less than impressed.

By the time the drain issue presented itself (after 10:00 p.m.) we were exhausted. Exhaustion ALWAYS makes a problem seem bigger than it probably really is, but still. After working & plunging & snaking &... (we were ALL in the bathroom), I looked at MaKayla & said, "Will you please pray....". These are times I am so grateful that God has impressed upon our hearts as parents to teach our children what it means to seek God & intercede no matter how big or how small, no matter how important or trivial, no matter what. She prayed. "God, we acknowledge You..." She asked. "God, as silly as it seems & sounds, we ask that you heal our drains..." She thanked God for His faithfulness even when we can't see or understand. Even when life seems daunting... "God, we can't see & we don't understand but we trust You..." As she prayed, I felt God speak to my heart, "11:00". It was as simple as that... "11:00."

At 10:58, things started emerging from the drain that I will spare you the explanation of... You can only imagine... I mean, my grandpa Mack built this house in 1957 & I am certain that nothing has been done with the drains since the time they were initially installed... That's, let's see, 56 years... Anyway, at 10:58 things started "happening" & as the seconds ticked by & Kyle continued to exert all of his strength & energy into plunging the bathtub drain, I simply said, "God told me 11:00." Both girls looked at me & MaKayla said, "11:00, huh?" As the clock struck 11:00 p.m. both the bathtub & the sink emptied within moments.

Faith-builder 101. ♥

Teach your kids to pray...to seek...to intercede...to trust...
Give your kids faith-building opportunities...no matter how big or how small...
The prayer of a righteous man or woman or child availeth much. ♥

As Kyle & I fell into bed & my thoughts focused on God's faithfulness, all the while asking Him for direction in regard to the unfixable tire, He allowed me to see things from His perspective...

He allowed me to envision the tire.
He allowed me to envision the universe.
When compared to the universe, the tire became very small.

#1355 ~ the faith of a nineteen-year-old that 

we've been blessed to raise

He allowed me to envision the 2" of water that had previously been held captive in our bathtub.
He allowed me to envision the oceans & seas.
When compared to the oceans & seas, the 2" of water became minimal.

#1349 ~ drains that unclog by the hand of God

 at exactly 11:00

From His perspective, our problems became like a pebble of sand compared to the greatness of the God that we serve.

He is the Creator of the universe.
He is the Creator of the oceans & seas.
If He is able to create such vast elements, why do I allow the small things to become so big?
Why do I choose to fret rather than to pray?
Why do I worry rather than trust?
Why do I try to figure it out rather than WAIT & listen for an answer?
Why do I get rattled rather than to dwell in peace?
Why?

In perspective, God is big & what He has created is beyond envisioning.
And although our trials in life many times seem ginormous, He is bigger.
He has the power, strength & ability to overcome.
He has what it takes to heal...
Even a trivial 56 year-old drain.

Faith-building 101.
It's not the first time.
It won't be the last.

#1354 ~ "I love you," screams from another bedroom ♥

Seizing the opportunity.  ♥
Savoring the moment. ♥

Confess your faults one to another, 

and pray one for another, 

that ye may be healed. 

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

~James 5:16~