Giving

OK so amazing 2 post in one day but i have been meaning to post this story for a month and now finally have a window (hubby out of the country so the computer is free) and am taking advantage of it.

So in February we had our very first visitor since we have lived in Africa. She is such a super awesome women and truly our life line to the states. We desired so much to really make her stay enjoyable and for her to get to experience some of the jewels of this area. We especially wanted to be able to take her to one of the game parks as it might be a once in a lifetime trip. Since she booked her tickets we had been each month saving up a small amount of our monthly support to have "vacation money". Unfortunately when the time came to make reservations we did not have enough to financially be able to go as a family. We just prayed about it and even thought that maybe Isaac would just stay with the kids while the three ladies went. The morning before we were to leave Isaac and I decided to "bite the bullet" and just do it. We were never going to find a time that we would spend the money for ourselves so if we did not do it now we might just never.

Anyway that very morning only hours after we had made the decision another missionary here in Fort Portal called and asked if she could stop by. Of course my reply was sure and a half an hour later i was letting her in the gate. As i closed the gate behind me, she handed me a wad of cash and says that it is a gift from a couple from the states that just finished visiting them. The couple said that the Lord had provided the finances for their trip to Uganda and they did not feel right about returning with any money so to bless us with it.

It was such an answer to prayer and totally a God things since we had really only briefly met this couple. With Gods unexpected gift were able to all go to the game park as a family and have a wonderful time. But wait there is more....

Not only did we get blessed but the cycle of giving did not end there... right before our visitor left she blessed us with some additional funds which we turned right around and blessed another missionary couple in Entebbee that was going through a rough time. I just kept remembering how much Gods unexpected gift blessed us and so although it was difficult to release it (I could think of a million things i could use that money for) I knew it was the right thing to do.

The totally God part of this story is that just a few weeks later God again used another totally unexpected avenue to financially bless us again! It is so cool how just a simple act of obedience (both by the original givers and us as well) allows the amazingness of the God that we serve to be seen. It was such a testimony to me of how it is truly impossible to out give the giver of all.

Walking Away

How it happens and why it happens i am not sure but the reality is that it does. Last week was our vacation week from school (we do 8 week terms, then a review week and an off week). As some of you homeschoolers can relate i was more then way ready for a break from the daily schedule and I decided to really just do nothing (as much as a mom with 4 kidos 5 years and under can) and enjoy myself. Now this sounds all great but the only problem with throwing the program aside was that one of the most important parts of my daily schedule is getting up at 6am for my hour with the Lord before the kids wake. Of course me in my not so infinite wisdom decided that since we were not doing school i would be able to make it up some other time during the day. This of course never happened.

I am starting to see a pattern... things are going well. I am committed and really growing as the Lord chastens, convicts and reveals things to me in our morning tea time and then all of a sudden my flesh somehow convinces me that i just need a little break and that it is OK i will be able to just pick up right were i left off. This is such a lie from the pit of hell. At the end of the week i found myself spiritually empty less refreshed then when the break began and now facing the once again battle to get back into the routine. OK i will start tomorrow and then that tomorrow turns around and continues to be tomorrow. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The bible is always true (imagine that) ... the manna must be collected daily; the vessel must be continuously be filled with the living water. Don't ever be fooled into thinking that anything BUT time with the Lord is what will give you real rest. I think for me i have learned my lesson -- a get away from my schedule is fine but never from my Lord.