the One who sees

We just came from visiting Lady Jane, finally back at home, and Matt's having a great time in Nashville, catching up on some work, writing, reading and resting! His shoulder improves a little each day, and we're almost to a place of him having more use of it than he did before surgery, so I'm very thankful! He'll be home Sunday, and Lord willing with all the weather in Atlanta, Aunt Elisa is hoping to come this weekend! THAT would be priceless...it's been too long! 

This next week the kids and I are heading to Philly for 72 hours to see the other people it's been way too long between seeing....Adam, Lisa and the cousins. I don't need to tell you how excited the kiddos are!  We're double-timing school to take the three days off, and I am SO looking forward to time with my sister!

The Lord, when we look for Him--is always reminding me that He sees me. There have been a lot of moments this week I wasn't sure if I could finish that pile of dishes, get in that car one more time, respond to that sassy teen in a gracious and wise way, get up when that alarm was blaring, or be patient and loving through one more melt down.  So much of mothering (and life!) is being invisible, and yet we are not to Him. 

But one morning Gaga showed up with coffee, and one afternoon right after I texted Lily that I would be an hour late to pick her up from school because I was still at gymnastics with Ben and Nora, Peggy texted out of the blue and asked if Lily needed picked up! My incredibly busy friend is driving six hours to spend the weekend in a noisy guest-room and a noisy house to be with me! Matt works incredibly hard so I can take the kids to see my precious far-off family, and with His Word the Lord soothes and sustains me constantly! I'm grateful.

A few things for you praying warriors! 

-continued strength and peace for Lady Jane, for Matt's shoulder and for our dear friend Betsy, as she continues in difficult chemo and battling and trusting the Lord

-safety and sweet days with Lisa and that traveling adventure with five kiddos

-our foster re-licensing (yes, it's already been 2 years!) is still underway and includes such an investment of time, energy and perseverance (and patience with the system!)...and for the many children throughout Mississippi and the world who desperately need a safe and loving home in which to experience the patient, kind, hopeful, perseverant, never-failing Love of Christ. Continued prayers for our girls

-being a teenager is tough, and Lily-girl just seems to be extra struggling lately...I'd love your prayers for our girl!

-Haiti. Pray for the country, for her beautiful people, and we have been asked to come alongside Emmaus in early spring and we are looking and praying for open doors. We need your prayers and need His wisdom and His open and closed doors and this precious opportunity to come alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters in such a long and ongoing difficult time. 

-our church, Wellspring, is finally wrapping the build-out project and will soon be transitioning to having a building for the first time, meeting in the mornings, a new city, adding a lot of programs, etc., etc....we would love your prayers.  We've got nothing to do but His gracious work of saving souls, and the same truth then is now : the harvest in plentiful. Pray with us, dripping His grace into hard hearts ahead of the laborers!