Take what I give you; be willing not to have what I do not give you.

I had been praying for something I wanted very badly. It seemed a good thing to have, a thing that would make life even more pleasant than it is, and would not in any way hinder my work. God did not give it to me. Why? I do not know all of his reasons, of course. The God who orchestrates the universe has a good many things to consider that have not occurred to me, and it is well that I leave them to Him. But one thing I do understand: He offers me holiness at the price of relinquishing my own will.
"Do you honestly want to know Me?" He asks. I answer yes. "Then do what I say," He replies. "Do it when you understand it; do it when you don't understand it. Take what I give you; be willing not to have what I do not give you. The very relinquishment of this thing that you so urgently desire is a true demonstration of the sincerity of your lifelong prayer:
Thy will be done.
So instead of hammering on heaven's door for something which it is now quite clear God does not want me to have, I make my desire an offering.
The longed-for thing is material for sacrifice. Here, Lord, it's yours.
He will, I believe, accept the offering. He will transform it into something redemptive. He may perhaps give it back as He did Isaac to Abraham, but He will know that I fully intend to obey Him.
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"The Desires of My Heart" by Elisabeth Elliot A Lamp For My Feet

My Hopes for Today are Under the Lord Jesus

When Paul was in prison, he wrote a very beautiful letter to the Christians in Philippi, a letter full of joy, love, and tenderness. It contains many little human touches which give us glimpses of a Paul who is quite different from the popular image. Here we see not a stern and redoubtable theologian-authority figure, but a kind man with a simple and thoroughly childlike trust. His heart is warm and open to these dear friends who are so important to him as he lies in chains in his cell, his every human feeling utterly submitted to the Lord for whom he is glad to suffer. Naturally he hungers for news of them and hopes Timothy will be able to bring it. Even such a common human desire is placed matter-of-factly under the authority of his Master.

"I hope under the Lord Jesus to send Timothy."

If it is possible, if it works out, if it is God's will--even this small detail he offered to the Lord Jesus for his permission, like the psalmist who prayed, "Lord, all my desire is before Thee" (Ps 38:9 AV).

Let our hopes for today be under the Lord Jesus--screened by Him who loves us and can work them all out if they are good for us and for all concerned.
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"Hoping Under the Lord Jesus", A Lamp For My Feet by Elisabeth Elliot

Vino Bambino

Hannah & Tony,
Yes, this little outfit fits now!
And, yes, that's her cell phone.
Ask her daddy.

Asa, Rencer & Speid

We Love Thomasville

Mama & Daddy

Uncle Alex & Aunt Darla

Omee & Grandaddy & Mama

I love Ellen's laugh!

Omee & Mama

Lillian & Ellen LOVED the pool!





*I just wish I had a picture of

Hannah & Lillian in their matching

shoes! :(

Precious Silence

Susan Hill's essay, "Silence, Please"--on the need for children to have the gift of silence. Available here: http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/node/1201/full

And a nugget:

"Without an experience, preferably a regular one, of what it means to spend time in silence, we are impoverished and we communicate that impoverishment, and our slowly withering appreciation of the joys of quietness, to our children. Their nature, their very instinct, is to make a noise. The sound of a playground of primary school children or their chatter, like a flock of birds as a bevvy of them pass us by in the street, are among the most joyful in the world. Children want and need to move, to leap and jump, hop, skip and run. It is not in the nature of the child to yearn to sit still or keep silent. We must teach them how to do it and to be comfortable within and unafraid of silence, because those are human needs, as much as fruit, good meat, fish, milk, bread, love and tenderness, stories and songs. Silence nourishes an inner awareness and a deep though not uncritical contentment with self. In silence, we learn to feel happy in our own skins, we discover what our personal resources are for dealing with the problems, stresses and complexities of the world and how we can deepen and strengthen them."

Feminist pioneer’s rethink: ‘a woman’s place is in the home’

http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2508616.0.feminist_pioneers_rethink_a_womans_place_is_in_the_home.php