November has arrived

I can't believe it's November already.  Wow, time sure flies.  I also can't believe it's still so VERY hot here.  I can't remember how many people at the airport on Tuesday were complaining about the temperatures.  It's still in the 90's during the day.  Okay, it does cool off to mid 80's at night, but doesn't seem like its much cooler.  

Looking at things in perspective, the whole world is going through "unusual" times right now.  Look at Matthew 24: 4-8.  "Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.  Such things must happen but the end will come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of birth pains."

Does this sound like what is happening?  Does this mean the Lord will be coming soon?  I know "soon" is a relative term, and no one knows the time, but it is exciting.  All we have to be concerned with is if we are ready.  Are you ready?  I know I need to be better equipped, and need to start delving deeper into the Bible and what God has for me.  I don't have "fear" of what is to come.  I read the end of the Book, and we win!!!  Getting there may not be easy, but we have the Lord walking through it all with us.

With this in mind, we have to take each day and make the best of it for the Lord.  

I do have some prayer requests for you all to add to your list.  We have several good friends who are facing cancer.  Many find it hard to understand why the Lord allows this to happen to good, strong Christians.  I can't even begin to answer that, except to say that God knows more than I do.  I do know we are living in a world controlled by evil.  And yes, I do pray for healing for these wonderful people.  But we leave that part in the Lord's hands, once we lift them up to Him.  And then I wonder, if it were me in that situation would I be the kind of person they are?  I know two of these men are being a strong, positive witnesses for the Lord and all He stands for.  Would I be that kind of person?  I pray I would, but I don't know.  So, I'm praying that the Lord will work in my life to let others see what He has done for me in so many areas.  God IS my light and my salvation.  I want others to see that and be drawn to His light, too.

Another prayer request is for the IDADEE orphanage.  They are meeting some difficult times and have some hard decisions.  Please keep them lifted up and close to the Lord.  

Vero has been having a really hard time lately.  She is doing what the Lord called her to, plus she has been overburdened with work at the orphanage.  But she has almost no support and is really feeling the hard times now.  She is praying about finding a job to help out.  So please keep her lifted up in prayer.  If the Lord wants her to continue on this path He has set her on, she will need Him to show her how to do it.

One of our "kids" is planning a December wedding.  I thought I was out of this area, but I guess not.  I have a very short time to get things together for this day.  A dress, flowers, and all the added items need to be gotten.  Please pray for me to be able to accomplish this for her and her future husband.  

And then there is Abbie.  What a joy in a sometimes hard world.  Aside from her regular school work, she is taking Spanish and French daily.  And how she loves it.  She is doing really well in all areas of school, and she really enjoys school and learning.  She is such an extrovert and it shows when we pick her up from school.  Even the older kids make sure they come and tell her goodbye for the day.  She is also taking piano lessons now.  (Does anyone remember having their kids take music lessons?  Whew...ear plugs would be nice!)

And our final prayer request is for us.  Please keep us lifted up before the Lord.  We seem to be on this roller coaster ride.  Some really great days and then the real downers.  But that is life, isn't it?  It just seems doubly hard here.  

We are thankful for so many things, though.  I still rejoice in the time we spent with our kids this summer.  And am SO VERY thankful for Bud and Sharon who shared their lives and home with us.  And each and every day we are completely in awe of the Lord and all He has done for us.  We praise Him and thank Him for being there for us and for keeping watch over us. 

We pray you are totally connected to Him, too.  Oh, yea, HE IS AWESOME, TOTALLY!