Galatians

So we've been studying Galatians on Tuesdays. This coming week is our final week for the study - Galatians 6. It's bittersweet. I am so excited to cover it! Last week we talked about what it is to walk in the Spirit. I had previously written in the margin "Realize how actively our sinful nature resists peace. When we are filled with ourselves we are explosive." I can't remember if it was from a previous study or from a Sunday morning, but I was moved with how true the statement is. Compare it to the fruit of the Spirit. I had written from a Beth Moore study that patience is the quality of a person able to avenge oneself and yet refrains from doing so. Wow!
This week I've been reminded what Galatians 6 says. If you read verse 2 "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Now compare it to verse 5 "For each one shall bear his own load." Wait a sec! These are opposite. But if God is perfectly consistent, what does this mean? It's so exciting - the Greek word for "burdens" in verse 2 is like a wheelbarrow type burden. So we can share the load. However the verb in verse 5 for "load" is like a backpack type burden. So we would have to bear it on our own. Wow!

Where we find Jesus

We have been saving for 2 years for a trip to Disney World. It has been a fun time - every birthday, Christmas or any other time we received a gift of money, it went into the talking bank. The voice was always so encouraging "you almost have enough for that beach vacation," she would say. Well, we are going this summer. Yippee!!!! Unfortunately, I have an issue with my son. He has decided to get back on the "potty training" roller coaster. Now what?! We are talking about being clean - "we can't see Mickey Mouse with a dirty derriere" So while cleaning him the other day we started talking about who we would see at Disney World - he named about 20 characters he wanted to see, from Lightening McQueen to Peter Pan. I said "how about Winne the Pooh?" to which my son replied "oh yeah! and Jesus!"

Now we have to have a discussion about Heaven - way better than Disney World!

Going to the birds!

We noticed on Tuesday that there were some birds making a nest on the ladder in the garage. We shooed them out, cleaned out the ladder and closed the garage door. The entire day every time we opened the door those birds dove in to get back to their nest making. It was heart breaking for me - I even said at one point: birds! this place is a death trap for you. You can't stay here! Wednesday I came home from picking up one of my kids and there they were again. One of the birds was franticly trying to get out of the garage through the window. It is so frustrating! We keep mouse poison in the garage along with other hazardous "garage" items. How on earth could those birds think they'd be safe in our garage.
I thought about how stubbornly we can persist at something - If at first you don't succeed, try, try again! - right?! While our Heavenly Father watches from above gently guiding us away and yet we are too focused on what we are trying to complete. What other things are in store for us? What better plan does God have? We might just miss something if we don't listen.

God is for us

We managed, quite creatively I might add, to get by without water until Tuesday evening. It was an interesting 24 hours - we had to get creative with everything from brushing our teeth to keeping the dishes out of the sink. I now have a new appreciation for the little things we take for granted.
I must also give props to my neighbors who came over with 2 gallons of water for us to drink. Also our very good friend Heather brought us dinner - the best we've had in a long time!!

Wednesday morning as Scott was preparing to leave for Vancouver and I was leaving to take our son to the doctor's office, we realized Zoey was missing! By the time we made the discovery, it had been almost 2 hours since we knew we'd seen her. She could have gotten quite far in that time. So - we looked in all the usual places to no avail. Scott could not be late to the airport -
I am starting to panic! My friend Lisa stopped by as she was heading to a meeting and stayed to allow me to look down by the ravine. We are now going on 4 hours missing. Just as I had run out of options, I sat down in front of the window feeling utterly useless. I was crying - hard. I thanked God that he could see our dog and asked Him to bring her home safely. As I finished speaking, a car pulled up and a neighbor of ours says "Here's your pooch!" I thanked him profusely! Wow! How God cares for us! Once again, the good Lord took care of even the littlest of requests.