The Welcome Home – Page 67 – The Next Chapter

Gift Ideas

A Christian Home

Gift Ideas For Any Occasion

· Give the gift of love and hope… a Bible and a letter of love to the recipient.

· A letter or a poem to one you love… along with a picture in a frame or card.

· Gifts of your time—these can be given to anyone… jobs you can do, things you can make, transportation you can provide, calls you can make.

· Magazine subscriptions… these are a favourite in many homes and you can bring a lot of joy to a family by remembering them with a gift subscription. One of our favourites to give are subscriptions to Taste of Home or Quick Cooking or any number of their other publications…. My step dad enjoyed the Reminisce magazine and I know that many women love the Country Woman magazine… all by Reiman publications. You can call them at (800) 344-6913 or visit their website

· Maybe you know someone who would enjoy a Reader’s Digest subscription… or a subscription to another magazine or monthly publication. For women… wonderful magazines: In addition to Above Rubies, Seasons at Home, The Old Schoolhouse, An Encouraging Word, Homeschooling Today.

· Maybe this is the year you would like to present a child with a new Bible, or a special journal and pen.

· Books! Perhaps a new program for the computer…

· A set of pens and stationery and a “lap-desk.”

· A large drawing tablet and pastels or a special calligraphy tablet and pens.

· Scrapbooking supplies, papers, pens, tape, scissors or cutting tools.

· Art books! Canvases and oil paints.

· Acrylic paints and wooden objects to finish.

· A tree or plants for the home.

· Yarn and knitting needles… embroidery kits… material, pattern and thread… Books!

· A bucket of tools, gloves, bulbs, seeds, kneeling pad for weeding and gardening.

· A cribbage board and cards, Uno, Pit or Rook.

· A basket of mugs, hot chocolate mix and marshmallows, cookies and a book of poetry.

· A harmonica… and a songbook.

· An apron, cookbook stand, kitchen timer or clock.

· Wall calendar for 2008! Maybe find one in a wooden wall frame ( or make one!)

· Walking shoes! Rubberboots… Dearfoam slippers.

· A basket of rubber stamps, ink, pens, blank stationery.

· Sew a pair of satin pillow cases…

· Do a chore(s) for someone!!!! Clean the shop… clean & vacuum the car… paint the bathroom… rake the yard… cut and stack the wood… clean the fridge… sew some curtains… make a plan to prune the trees… do a basket of mending… or a basket of ironing…

· gift card to Starbucks inside a starbucks mug

· Kitchen towels, washcloths, pot-holders

· Plastic numbers and letters for the refrigerator… magnets, picture holder magnets

· Hair care supplies, brush, comb, clips or bands

· Vase of flowers… candles… doily and box of pretty matches

· Bath bubbles, salts, sponge, soaps, candles, powder

· Shirt and tie… socks and slippers… belt and wallet… pen & pencil set…

· Teapot, teacups, teas, vanilla sugar, paper doilies, butter cookies

· CD’s of hymns or special music

· Video… favourite movie or an instructional video

· New journal, pens, book mark, candle

· Finger paint, finger paint paper, sponges cut into shapes…

· Music lessons

· Perhaps you could put together a basket of mixes or ingredients for a special meal.

· How about a basket of tools and a “how to” project book…

· A basket of kitchen gadgets… and favourite recipes you write out on cards…

· If you are a canner and baker, how about a basket of items you canned this
summer along with a couple of baked goods.

· And for your neighbors, how about a plate of assorted breads and cookies and a special card with the message of the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Give your family the great gift of long lasting value and encouragement: be a sweet, loving, diligent, lovable, faithful, loyal, dependable, industrious, honest, virtuous, modest, careful, honourable, sincere and joyful mother.

II Timothy 3.1-17

Today in my reading in chapter 3, I found great encouragement when seen in light of the previous day’s reading in 2Timothy and then, what I consider to be, atrocities in the ‘church’ today as i wrote in the previous blog entry. So, Chapter 2, in summary: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus… the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also… Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things… If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself… Of these things put them in remembrance…” (2T2.1-2, 7, 13, 14)

It was then here in 2Timothy 3 (and I’ll post the chapter in its entirety for edification and inspiration) that I gleaned great encouragement personally and for our home and for other believers in these ‘perilous’ times. And these are perilous times. When leaders of nations are corrupt, when teachers of the Word become corrupt and misleading – by worldly methods and means of self promotion and propagation of foolishness and false teachings in the name of ‘Christianity’ literally blasphemeing the Word of God; when many fathers disregard high morals /will not protect and lead their homes, provide for the care and nurture of their children and when many women turn aside to silly fables, disregard the teachings of the Word, many mothers turn away from guiding the home and loving and training up their children and many children rebel against the teachings and admonitions of their parents; when marriage, home and family are not esteemed highly and when forwardness is lauded and modesty is mocked, when impropriety, foolishness and vulgarity are lauded and righteousness, honour and purity are disparaged; when these and so much more are so prevalent…. these. are. perilous. times.

But God.

2 Timothy 3.1-17

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I know this is simply a ladies blog… and I’m not attempting to direct courses here… but I do implore brothers and sisters in Christ to study the Scriptures. I pray that we would seek wisdom and the work of the Holy Spirit… that we would be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10.16).

And, again, may we be not silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Watch.

How will these things be, Lord? How will the end times be? I have often wondered. How will the church be deceived and what will come of the church in the last days?

So then, I read with… interest(?) no, sadness: this article on A Common Word Between Us and You and I was grieved with the truthiness of the letter, the error and the misrepresentation and twisting of Truth. The Lord God – is not a universal or common god of each religion as is claimed. It is at once untrue and impossible. And, further, the first two Commandments are not the same in the two different religions as the article states – neither can they be. The letter says that “God’s goodness is infinite and not bound by anything…” — I would say that God’s goodness is bound by Truth – God is not a man that He could lie.

But, while the article itself was grievous and all the subtle nuances surrounding it, the deeper regret is at least one of the signatories whose name is toward the end of the alphabet near the bottom of the page. Actually, I’m not really at all surprised by Hybels and Schuller… but that last one?

As I was saying yesterday… the lack of moral character, knowledge and reverence for the Word of God and faith in the only True and Living God through Jesus Christ our Lord, is evidenced more and more – this article is more proof of that.

“Everything must change.” that’s the new ~~lie~~ mantra… and you’ve got to wonder: Is it not grievous that the Truth is being exchanged for a lie? Where does the Bible fit in all of this and where is the Lord (of the shifters) in all of this?

“Shifts: Rediscovering Spiritual Formation: From Monastic Communities to the emergent church, spiritual formation continues to shift and change a whole new generation of Christians.”

And then there’s: Center for Action and Contemplation

And then there’s Summerhill…

And if that wasn’t enough, my friend sent me this article… for the mix of today’s tossed salad of news in the contemporary ‘church’ today.

wow.

\o/
/^\

Let us be not silly women

These verses continue to weigh heavily on my mind in the last couple of years and particularly in recent months as leaders of great multitudes wander from the Truth of the Scripture and the deity and supremacy of the Lord Jesus and of the Word of God. I meditate on verses of promise and trust that the Lord is not slack concerning His promises. As we live and move about in these days, I pray that none will be deceived by the foolishness that is called truth.

As we read in Ephesians 4.14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

So much that is being taught sounds lofty and true… sounds like the Scriptures might sound. This is a very clever tool of the enemy… ever seeming like the truth. This is why we must know the Word of God… we must study the Word and be so familiar with it that we will be swift to spot counterfeits. We must watch the signs of the times, we must be as Bereans – with readiness of mind, search the scriptures daily to see whether things be as they are being taught or to compare what we see and hear with the Scriptures — if they are being (mis)represented. We mustn’t be as silly women and I do fear that the internet is a potentially great snare for women to be silly — to be tossed to and fro — to be led astray by all the many enticing tales. We mustn’t give attention to things that are counter to the Word and counter to the Truth.

When we see ministry out of sync with the Word or distorting the Truth of the Word, and the entertaining, lofty endeavors contrary to the Gospel, then we must be watchful that we not be led to discount the Word of God in favour of a personality — or be pragmatic concerning things that are contrary to faith. When emerging personalities smoothly entice us with mystical ways, interesting purposes and high sounding ideas, we must be very careful what’s set before us and measure our steps wisely… when heads of organizations or denominations make unholy alliances or indirectly infer that all roads lead to heaven: be not silly and be not tossed to and fro. There is but One. There is but one Way.

Stand. “…And having done all to stand. Stand therefore…” Take hold of it, know it, guard it, trust in it. Stand on the Truth. And be not silly.

2 Timothy 3.1-7
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

1 Peter 1.2-9

“…Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

scattered blog times…

But I do wonder what in the world I did when I didn’t have an internet cafe in my sunroom. When my tea time or coffee’s didn’t include ‘visits’ from such an array of ‘friends’ or when I didn’t have notes and pictures from friends and family each day. I wonder what in the world I did when I didn’t read story after story about what’s going on in the church today and all the teachings that are muddying the waters of the faith.

It’s frosty. The hydrangeas are all droopy. And blackened. Summer is a distant memory… and the boy who used a snowboard to slide down the slope of the field outside my window and called it ‘sunboarding’ is now all bundled up and told me today that he was so happy to be able to go out ‘frostboarding’ as much as he wanted! I love that scruffy little gravelly voiced boy. I love that he is so clever and so happy each day. I love that he has a sweet imagination and that he loves life. I love that he daydreams and asks me if every one likes to daydream. I love that he exuberantly waits for the morning and loves to see the sunrise and delights in the phases of the moon with me.

Well… I guess I could have blogged more about these days… but I’ve spent far too much of my ‘computer time’ reading all the different things going on in the sphere and so…

Tomorrow we will have our church family here and I think Timothy will be sharing a bit more of his plans as a missionary to Ghana. He has many things to take care of before he leaves… and the blessing of the fellowship is essential. We believe the Lord has called him to serve and he is trusting in faith that the Lord is ordering his steps and provide for the work. Since Timothy was a very young boy he has known the Lord was calling him to serve as a missionary and so in obedience to that call, Timothy has been preparing to go…

A funny side note… For the meal tomorrow, Hannah requested cold cereal (well… it is her birthday wish after all). So… in addition to celebrating fellowship and the Lord’s supper, I think she’ll love it that we’re having cold cereal in her honour! I know, I know – I can’t believe I just typed the Lord’s supper and cold cereal in the same sentence. O, well… just keepin’ it real here. So, anyway… I’m guessing there will be some who won’t think cold cereal is as awesome as Hannah thinks it is, but I’m thinking there will be more than a few who’ll be pretty thrilled with the cereal extravaganza dining pleasure (her brothers are thrilled!). I’ll post pics later.

Thanksgiving ~ 2007

I did not cook a turkey today. And only tonight does that feel -so- strange. There is no turkey carcass in a stockpot simmering on the stove tonight. No scent of poultry seasoning – onion – garlic – sage – rosemary and thyme. There’s not even a hint, tonight, that those foods have ever been prepared in this old farmhouse. There is no mess tonight. There are no left-over’s in the fridge tonight . Our table didn’t look like this today and there were no tryptophan induced naps this afternoon. And tonight: No turkey – dressing – mashed potatoes – sweet potato casserole – jell-O salad – green beans – stuffing – gravy – cornbread . On what would’ve/should’ve been my thirtieth Thanksgiving turkey dinner preparation/presentation, another menu played out instead.

Sometime last week, Hannah thought maybe we could (gasp) do something totally radical this year and have a brunch instead of traditional Thanksgiving dinner… well, that resonated well around our home and we all agreed it was a fun plan. Well, it was a good plan. I wouldn’t say it was as delicious as some might think a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is, but it was fine. Different and fine. My husband, for one, was thankful. Bacon. Yeeeeessssssss. So, maybe no more bacon for a loooooooooong time.

But tonight, no left-over’s. For whatever reason, it was hard for me to get everything prepared and set out on time for our brunch this morning… I was close, but somewhat slow and the combination of different dishes was difficult to prepare simultaneously. Though I actually had made small quantities / samplers of each dish. We had french toast puff, cinnamon rolls, aebleskivers, waffles, cheese & ham, veggie-sausage, bacon, dried fruits and nuts, fruit platters, juice and coffeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Notice I didn’t say we don’t have any pumpkin pie. We actually do have lots of pumpkin pie(s!).

It is Thanksgiving after all. 😉

Never fails: The paper was filled with ads! – ads! – and more ads! today.

Everything I never wanted before today! Everything I was content to live without throughout the past year – throughout my whole lifetime – was displayed in living colour pictures here in our home this evening and as suddenly as some of the pages were opened and turned, I found myself ~~wanting~~ needing things I didn’t even know I wanted or needed! I found myself suddenly contemplating getting up a 4am for the doorbuster sale of a lifetime. I found myself rationalizing that some of these so-worth-it items were n-e-c-e-s-s-i-t-i-e-s I just had to have!!!

O. But wait a minute. I don’t really want to get up at 4. And, besides, I don’t exactly have the money for those necessities. And… wait. I didn’t even know I needed – I didn’t even know I wanted those things. Wait… some things I didn’t even know existed before tonight. So… tonight I am figuring: if I didn’t need it this morning – if I didn’t want it this morning and if I didn’t even know of the existence of some of this stuff this morning… why in the world would I lose a minute of delicious sleep fretting over whether I could manage to get up at 4 in the morning and scurry out in the freezing cold to be there for the chance to be one the first hundred customers for this year’s fabulous doorbuster items (I didn’t previously know I wanted).

I don’t usually get a chance to have a picture with our oldest son…
So here’s one… a bear hug.

mamadanieltsgving07

More! Cookies ~ Cookies ~ Cookies for You!

As if the variety of the previous Cookies-Cookies-Cookies entry was not enough… here’s a great page (and so pretty, too!) of cookies for you! Here’s a neat page: a Cookie Jar by Susan Branch! Now, today’s to busy to actually use these links, but you’ll know where to look when you start your cookie baking.

And… may I suggest that midnight is not a good time to start a baking project. Especially cookies.

Usually.

a blog award

I’m both humbled and honoured to receive this blog award – and, yes, I’m very surprised. I’m smiling as I have visited the site of the sister in the Lord who has given me this award. I smile bcz her stories and pictures are affirmations to me that the path the Lord has chosen for us is truly a blessed path — motherhood is a path paved by the grace of God, in His mercy and it is a life of blessing beyond description.

This “Mathete’s” award originates with Dan King and his blog: Management By God, he shares, “Mathetes is the Greek word for disciple, and the role of the disciple (per the Great Commission) is to make more disciples.” And so, in keeping with the intention of this award I am to give this award to five other bloggers whom I believe are making disciples through their blogs!

So, thank you, Tammy, at A Fruitful Vine, for this award, and with this recognition, I also thank you for your kind encouragement and I just want to say… keep goin’ you’re doing fine!

It would seem impossible to only mention just five of the blogs or websites that demonstrate dedication to proclaiming the Truth of God’s Word and so I will share a few sites, blogs and women that have been particularly encouraging to me through the years. These are but a few of the many who so frequently inspire me, encourage me to press on and to delight in the ways of the Lord. The sites I am including here have been a particular blessing to me in that they minister to such an array of interests I have and well relate to the things particular to different seasons of life all, though, in obedience to the Lord. I must say… I am also taught and encouraged by all the different blogs I visit from time to time… so many sweet sisters around the world. And for this list, I’m only mentioning sisters… I have decided not to mention in this brief list the many great blog sites for teaching the Word, apologetics, and discipleship (my dear-to-me-blogs link to the left shows more variety and great sites/teaching/encouragement).

Carla Lynne Joys in the Journey

Cindy Dominion Family

Georgene Walking with God

Lydia Home Living

Stacy Your Sacred Calling

Thank you for allowing me this moment to share a few things that bless me… I know they’ll bless you, too.

And Be Ye Thankful

As I recall a very important turning point, nearly twenty years ago, I was lamenting to my husband how worried I was about the coming winter and my husband lovingly said to me, “Sweetheart, it’s a sin to worry.” O, that’s not the answer I was looking for. I think I wanted his conciliatory comfort and agreement. I even think I wanted him to lament the situation with me. But not really. For I really know I wanted to be right with the Lord – I wanted to have the right response of faith and not of unbelief. And I really know I wanted him to have the right response. It’s what I really always want from him. It was truly a loving thing to tell me — that it was a sin to worry — for it was the truth then, it is now and has been in all the years in between that day and this. In worrying, we take God out of the equation of our lives — we put Him in the passenger seat, the back seat or even out of our ‘car’ — and we live apart from Him, apart from faith and *in* fear. The close kin of worry is fear. And the author of fear is the enemy of God and of my soul.

A sneaky little word, though, has crept into my life many times over the years… it’s a word that occasionally means worry, occasionally it means afraid, occasionally it means nervous, and occasionally it means doubtful. I’ve had to keep this little word in check through the years, just like I have had to keep that little word, worry, in check through the years. The little word is: concern. Concern usually creeps in under a coat of unthankfulness. Walking hand in hand with doubt. Carrying lack-of-faith. Concern is a master of disguise – it’s the kinder, gentler word for worry.

You know, it’s the:
“I’m so concerned about __________.”
“I’m concerned that________ is (never) going to happen.”
“I’m concerned about you.”
“I’m only concerned about your health.”
“I’m just concerned that you won’t be able to do_________.”
“I’m only concerned about how we’re going to pay the bills. That’s all. Really.”

Matthew 6.25, 31
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”

“I’m just concerned about how things will go and I’m concerned I won’t know what to say.”

Matthew 10.19
“But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.”
Mark 13.11
“But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.”

So where does worry and concern fit in with, say… being thankful? If I am living, being, thinking, hoping THANKFULLY – then I can’t or won’t be thinking in the dangerous realm of worry – or even in that kinder, gentler realm of concern. I sure see through the years that when I am worried, anxious, concerned… over many things, I am never, or very rarely ever, in a prayerful, thankful or even joyful way. I have often said that faith and fear cannot be carried in the same bucket. And whatever’s in the faith bucket, the moment I decide to carry fear, I have nothing to do but dump the faith bucket and let it contain the fear. It’s a choice I make — a conscious choice to carry what’s not mine to carry; it’s a conscious choice to leave God out of my equation and attempt to work everything out myself. And I’m never thankful doing so – I may be a lot of things at the moment, but thankful isn’t one of them.

It being Thanksgiving week and all, as I was beginning today’s blog entry, my intention was to write about things for which I am thankful this year. But I thought maybe a ‘preface’ was in order. I needed a wee bit of reminding, anyway… for… why am I thankful and why mustn’t I be anything but thankful. So, another day of thinking: Thankful things — and I’ll put them here tomorrow. Don’t worry.

and.

be.

ye.

thankful.

A prayer for Mothers of Prodigals

I remember the night our son left home… I was nursing a newborn baby, the fragrance of the milky breath and tender cheeks and snuggly baby clothes was intoxicating. And as I sat holding that baby close to my heart, another ‘baby’ was walking out the door and I thought at that moment I would die. Maybe I even wished it would be so.

I had never known a deeper grief and a more paralyzing moment of despair. It was a strange mix of failure, disappointment, loss, hopelessness, regret, shame, remorse, shock, doubt, frustration, and sadness all wrapped up in a blanket — memories I still seemed to hold in my arms, yet the baby was no longer a baby – he was a young man – eager to seek his own way.

Time passed and as time has a way of doing, so did a lot of those feelings or, rather, their intensity lessened over time. And I more completely accepted responsibility that the initial shock had masked. Initially, I wondered, what in the world had I done or not done to deserve that or to have that happen. But time had a way of revealing things that I had blindly missed. And, thankfully, time sort of softens the rough edges and the jagged memories. A bit. Not quite a bit, but a bit, nonetheless.

Night after night as I would lie down in my bed and watch the memories play on the ceiling in the dark — my eyes hot with tears… and tears rolling down my face and into my ears, I would wonder how to make things right, how to correct the host of wrongs and the poor decisions. Night after night, season after season… the same thing. At first, I would practically jump when the phone would ring. I didn’t jump with delight, but with fear. Instantly that ring would trigger a wave of fear and dread. But my fears were not realized and my tears did not result in joy. But fears and tears turned to prayers through the years. Time softened my heart – revealed my failings and developed compassion for that prodigal son.

I would love to have had the next sentence read:

“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.”

And then, I wish I could tell you that Wes, seeing the son: “…when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

And then I wish I could tell you here that at that moment: “…the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”

And that Wes’s response was: “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

And if any of our other children possibly felt jealous of all the loving attention, that Wes had said to all of them: ” Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. ” And if any were resentful – which I fully believe they would NOT be, that it would be said of Wes: “… therefore came his father out, and intreated him [them]…” And that he would continue reasoning: “Son [and family…], thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

(This, from Luke 15. 13-32)

All of that did not happen here, yet. But what I can say is this: There has never been a day where that son escaped the gaze or notice of the LORD and there has never been a day from that day to this that God was not sovereign, that He did not work or did not provide or did not watch over that son or this family. There has never been a time where the will and way of the LORD was not done.

And for that reason, while I no longer grieve in the outward manner I did, I no longer cry or worry in the same manner I did, there has never been a day where I did not have hope in the LORD for that son. For the LORD is faithful; and in Him I will yet hope more and more. I used to pray the LORD would do whatever it took to draw that son back to Himself.

I now pray: Lord, will You carry my boy in Your arms and will You be tender to him as you have been to me? Will you draw Him back to Yourself and bless Him – and if You bless him even half as much as You have blessed me, well then, even the ocean could not contain the blessings… for I know the love of God is stretched from sky to sky. And I pray, Lord, will You please go easy on the boy? I love him and I pray You will give him many days to give You great glory.

My prayer for mothers of prodigals… “Lord, will You carry these tender hearts and comfort and help them to see You, to seek You and to trust You. Lord will You comfort them in their distress and give them hope that can only be realized in knowing You. And, Lord, will You keep Your eye on that child that his life will not end in shambles but in giving You glory. Thank You, Lord, that You are only wise, only faithful, only good – and we praise You.”