The Positives and The Penderwicks

How has God used the COVID for good in your life?

A positive at our house is that I finally read a chapter book to my kids, like I’ve wanted to do since the last one I read to them three years ago. Mainly just the big two listen, but the little wigglers might catch some of it too. We read the first book in The Penderwicks series. If your upper elementary readers haven’t read these, they would enjoy them. You would too, and that’s what I learned about reading books aloud to my kids – I need to read a book that I actually want to read. We’ve now started on the second book in the series. The characters are adorable and you will chuckle out loud in at least one point in every book.

We’ve had other positives too. Fewer kid events, meant less time away from farming for Brad. I have a new appreciation for the song “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”  Elliana’s been able to learn enough to run the planter, so she can keep planting while Brad does other errands. Wyatt has been able to golf weekly. I think we’ve all had more vitamin D than usual for this time of year. I’m sure I could drum up some more things too.

The facts that God can use all things for good and that He wants to give me truly good things have been extremely helpful to my mental state during all of this. Maybe remind of that in September if I have to do tele-therapy with young elementary children again. 

I Don’t Deserve This

Much Given = Much Required

“We Struggle With The Issue of Trust…”

This Sunday was our last at our church before we move. I started to lose it when we dropped Elliana off in her Sunday school for the last time. It caught me off gaurd even though I should’ve known better. She was well loved in her 3 year old Sunday School, and it always makes me really sad for my kids when they’re leaving something that’s been special to them, even though they have no clue what’s going on.

So I’ve got tears rolling down my cheeks and my mom starts tearing up too. Then I start to see friends in the hallway and the tears get worse. I love seeing friends and familiar people at church and I’m not even sure where I’m going to go to church after we move. I’m just going to be the new person who doesn’t really know anyone for who knows how long. Yuck!

As we walk into church, I’m blaming my tears on my sleep deprivation and my mom’s blaming them on hormones, although I still don’t believe I’ve ever been influenced by hormones.  We walk to the front and sit by my sister, her family, my brother and his new wife. It’s our last Sunday that we’re all going to live in the same town. Cry, cry, cry. I don’t sing a word because I’m just crying.

Then the sermon about Psalm 136  starts. Our pastor, Bryan Clark, says, “We struggle with the issue of trust as it relates to God…Every time I hesistate to surrender it is a trust issue. When God calls us to trust Him, He’s not asking us to take a blind leap of faith. Through the revalation of His Word He is saying, “I have thousand and thousands and thousands of years of a track record of faithfulness to my people. I’m asking you to trust me.”…What is it this morning that is heavy on your heart?…What reason would you have for believing that God will not be faithful with whatever it is that troubles you this morning? Do you really think that you’ll be the first person in thousands of years who God will fail to keep his promise?”

Talk about God knowing what I needed to hear. Amazing.