I’ve been very good about getting ready with the girls in the morning and being productive in the dining room after they leave for school. Devra couldn’t sleep so she was on facebook. It’s amazing how the Lord works! When I feel the need to talk to someone from home, he either wakes someone up or someone is already on.
I also got to talk to a friend. He challenged me to memorize Ephesians chapter 1 in its entirety. So I wrote out the verses on notecards and put them in my purse so I can practice them when we’re out and about and I get bored.
Mark and Nancy were out working so I had the house to myself. I spent some solid time studying my Bible. Wendy had mentioned John Piper had some sermons online regarding suicide so I read through two of them and listened to the third. One of them talked about sin and how suicide is simply another sin. It is not unforgivable. There is only one unforgivable sin and that’s blaspheming the Holy Spirit by continually and willfully pushing Him away. One of the sermons used various Biblical characters to show that Christians throughout history have had moments of weakness when they looked on suicide with favor. Paul was the chiefest of sinners and yet God redeemed him and used him. Why did He let Paul travel the road of destruction for so long before changing him? To show His great patience He has toward sinners. Praise the Lord for His patience! The third sermon used the text of Lazarus’ death. The passage says Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary and Martha and yet, when He heard Lazarus was ill, he stayed where He was two more days. Jesus COULD have arrived and saved him from experiencing death. Instead, He allowed Lazarus to experience the joys of Heaven before stealing him back to earth to experience temptations, sin, and death again. God’s ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts. So I choose to trust that He has an ultimate plan in allowing Titus to take his own life. He COULD have done several things to stop him, but He didn’t. And so now we mourn the loss of a son, brother, cousin, nephew, and friend. Yet we mourn not as those without hope…Titus showed fruit of his salvation, so I can have confidence that he is kneeling before the Lord of Hosts shouting at the top of his lungs. . . “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.” How awesome would that be, to participate in such a continually joyous, lifelong celebration of God, but also to hear the multitudes praising the Lord with one voice!!!
Mom and I tried skyping before she left for work, but their computer was acting up, so I ended up calling her and talking over the whole week. I could have talked with her for another hour, but she had to get going. She did say though that she talked to a friend last night who said she was praying for me. Mom said many people have told her they are praying for ME! I know now why I have been able to deal with this like I have…I’ve had so many people praying for me.
I some time ironing and skyping Devra and Meredith. It was so much fun! Meredith was chattering away and talking about pizza and staying with friends this weekend. I asked if she would make me some pizza at her little kitchen. She brought over a plate with pizza and a spoon and wanted to feed me bites of the pizza. I opened my mouth and got close to the camera. Devra said she was actually putting it “in” my mouth and not up to the camera. After almost every bite she would ask “is it yummy?” in her little “baby” talk. Gloria came in and together we asked her what animals made what sounds. Gloria thought she was so cute! Meredith even said Gloria’s name….such a cutie!
I took the girls to music lessons and sat in with Gloria during her trumpet lesson. While there I started memorizing Ephesians 1. After lessons, we stopped by the library and I got a new book. I felt pretty confident as I went around, paying for parking, etc. If only I could speak better German. It’s so difficult for me to remember vocabulary words, but once I hear them I know what they mean.
The girls wanted pancakes for dinner, so we mixed up a batch. I think this batch turned out the best. It was super good!
Mark couldn't go to the gym tonight, however, he called the neighbor and asked if I could ride with him. I asked Mark if it was okay for me to be alone with him. He said not to worry, Guito wouldn’t hurt me. I told him I wasn’t worried about that. Mark thought for a couple of minutes and then asked “oh you mean because of his wife?” I said “well, yeah his wife, but anyone really. I don’t want to give wrong/bad impressions.” Mark said not to worry, so I trusted him. I had rehearsed some German phrases to say to him, but they fell to pieces when we were in the car. We were the first ones at the gym. There were people there tonight that I’d never seen before, so it was fun to have such a large group. I was also thankful that the lady who speaks English was there. I was praying she would be since Mark wasn’t there to help me understand some of the games.
We ran laps, stretched, did some sprinting and jumping exercises, then played Frisbee. I’m so thankful my leg was feeling good so I was able to play all the games and have fun. We played dodge ball, a weird form of volleyball where you actually let the ball bounce before hitting it, and then broke into two groups. One group played street basketball while the other side did jumping, and a little “obstacle course” (for lack of a better description….I had the fastest time). When my team played basketball, it was three against four. I was with two other guys. We totally creamed the four-player team. It was so fun to play again and make baskets!
When we arrived back at the house, the Egyptian President was about to make his address to the nation. One million people were in the plaza to hear him say he was sorry, but he’s not stepping down. We'll see what happens now.
I finally got to talk to Dad tonight for about 40 minutes. Dad said the Goodews had mentioned they knew it must be hard for me to be so far away and they knew I wanted to be with them but couldn’t. I just couldn’t believe that even at a time like this, they would think of me. I was very humbled by that knowledge!
I checked my email before I took a shower and headed to bed. Aunt Becki had facebooked me to let me know she was praying for me as I was so far away. . . another reminder that no one has forgotten me. I am definitely loved!
No comments:
Post a Comment