Carlos, 7th Thompson, obedient parents, and God's goodness...

I woke this morning depressed by discouragement. The psalmist asks "who can show us any good?" Surely God has been showing me good all day and it is not half over!

Disorientation was part of my discouragement. So many things we do, so many things to do, how do I know what ought to be done next? But Cal's good report on some new connections he'd made on behalf of his work with Cornwall Alliance reminded me that my priority is him--making his work work by being his wife, managing his household, waiting on him. Okay, that's easy. I can start there. And don't I have weeks of accounting to catch up?

Read an email from Karen, albeit sharing loneliness at walking faithfully with the Lord, still she and her husband are believing and obeying God's word vis a vis raising their children. I have not yet written back to her words of perseverance and companionship, along with prayer for those saints who don't get it, who don't know, or believe, or obey the perfect word of God vis a vis any area--not yet, we're all on a road. Yet how encouraging it is to see this younger sister in the faith plodding along in faith.

Then learned of JM's impending move to our former church. YAY! It was something we had dreamed of and prayed for. Never thought it would come to pass after we had left. But to realize how our former church is reforming and growing and excelling is another encouragement. To see God's hand moving anywhere!

Opened another email from Jennifer (she never has time to write anymore) recounting God's leading of and provision for and blessing upon their lives to date. It was encouraging enough, having watched much of their lives, to recount God's goodness. But all that was a lead up to promise that they would keep trusting God's leading, provision, and blessing as she is now expecting their seventh child. Oh, the dancing around the Beisner household at the news.

Doorbell rang and it was the yard man I had summoned to look at my sprinkler system. Not only was he helpful, but within minutes we had discovered our mutual faith in Jesus Christ, then spent the next forty minutes in my garage rejoicing in the Lord together as we shared our beliefs and stories with one another. God used Carlos to remind me of His immanence and how His Kingdom is everywhere and growing. Now we shall pray for the salvation of his extended Guatamalan family. And I hope to serve him and his entire believing crew lunch next time they are in Laguna Pointe.

Took a phone call from my Brother, Dean Guyton, who was wanting to share his joy with someone that he is now released from weekend work, allowing him to come to both morning and evening worship, and soon to join our growing congregation.

I've just finished the current batch of accounting and Grace is making our dinner of macaroni and cheese. Cal has done two of six radio interviews because of "Earth Day" and I trust the other kids are doing their appointed studies/chores. I still pray that God will deliver us this day and always from evil; I'm sure with all the joy of the Lord around here today we're aggravating the evil one's hatred for us. But we are in the Lord. All of us. Each one of us.

And blessings to you in our infinitely wise God.

"and deliver us from evil"

From John Calvin's commentary on Mark 9:14-27:

. . . we learn how many ways Satan has to harm us unless he is held off by God's hand. All the weaknesses of the flesh and soul, which we feel to be innumerable, supply him with darts to wound us. Therefore we are more than stupid if our wretched state does not move us to pray. But the incomparable goodness of God shows itself in the way that, although we are exposed to so many different evils, yet He guards us by His help--especially if we consider how fiercely our enemy burns to destroy us. But there ought to come to our minds this comfort, that Christ came to bridle his raging, and that we remain safe among so many perils because the heavenly medicine is greater than our ills.

Looking for lampstands

I don't want to be a pillar of salt. Let me hear only in the distance behind me the destruction of the twin cities. In answer to my plea to be released from fresh bitterness, I feel the need to not look back, to set my face toward the full sunlight in the east. We have been delivered.

excerpt from today's email

It is so interesting!
You have raised such amazing children... in spite of the pressures of
the world.

God gave us grace to shut the world out by focusing more and more on His instructions alone. We've never looked back. Would that more folks would trust His Word more. This is why we are blessed. And what I never get over is that it is all of Grace. All of Himself. HE gave us the Word. HE made us to hear it. HE made us to receive it. HE made us to obey it. And then He blesses US for it all! Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise!