All is calm. You can hear the hum of Claire's borrowed swing and the tick of the oven preheating. Nathan's friend Dennis brought me a lump of sourdough that he had made. I can't wait to taste it. Baby is sweet, sleeping in the swing with her favorite auntie made toy. It is the truest joy to spend most of my hours with her.
This morning my Facebook feed was flooded with goodbye pictures and statuses from my family. Mandy is going to Romania with our Daddy. He for 2 weeks and she for 3 months. My lovely Bell wrote a post about sobbing and being Wendy and other things which made me sob as well. Not a sad sob, but a happy one. When I moved away from home, I was most worried that my siblings would forget about me and even worst forget about God. When I left, I didn't know how much they loved Jesus. They didn't raise their hands during worship and they were quiet and bashful when you would ask them a question about their Father in heaven. We didn't pray together, and when I played guitar I was always the loudest one to be heard. But now, my siblings have blossomed into the most beautiful and godly beings. Lovely Bell has become a warrior queen for the kingdom. I see it when she walks. I hear it when she sings. You feel it when she writes. She is covered in Holy Spirit. My little Mandy left today for Romania. The shy quiet little girl I used to know is now doing what I wanted to do just a few years ago. She is embarking on the dream I once had. She leaves love in every room she sits. I am so glad that the orphaned children of Romania are going to experience the love of Jesus through my sister! And my Fran! Her heart has been miraculously changed over the past 10 months. She brings intense exuberance to your heart. She is like a refreshing spring. When we visited a few weekends ago I was so happy to sit and talk with her about how she led girls at camp to Christ and how The Lord taught her things about loving others...and how much she adored Claire. She wanted to spend every waking moment holding my dear baby. My brother. I think I wept the most over him when I was leaving. Just to hear his deepening voice is comforting. His heart for God is growing. I can see it. Like a tree planted by the water. That is my brother.
Thank you Mom and Dad for raising your children to love The Lord.
All this to say. God's hand is amazing. I could not have imagined my family growing in the ways they have over these past few years. All of them have become special gems. I love them so.
Please be praying for my father and my sister as they are in Romania. My sister is still keeping up with the little black dress project. If you feel a need in your heart to donate, then it would be most appreciated. All the proceeds go to the redeemer house orphanage in Uganda,Africa. You can learn ore about donating here.
We each posses such special gifts in this life. Do not waste yours. Do the things The Lord places in your heart and your mind. Have children. Go visit needy children. Care for that elderly relative. Whisper I love yous. Kiss your husband. Give gifts to a friend. Celebrate life through cooking, dancing, singing, and art. The call is in you.
-a.
