Waiting on the Lord

Ethan's class performed 3 of the parables that Jesus told a few weeks ago. It was absolutely precious to watch. They were all so excited about their lines and costume changes. And even though there were a few hilarious pauses during the show, they pulled it off pretty well. :)

Ethan was the narrator in the first scene, the parable of the Sower. He decided, after much deliberation, to wear his tuxedo from his Uncle Matt's wedding.


The seed that grew on good soil!




The parable of the good Samaritan. After watching Joe get beat up by ninjas, Simon is enthralled by this story. :)






And the final scene, the parable of the Prodigal Son.




Rejoicing when the son came home!


Oh, I just love 1st graders. :)

The last few weeks have been a bit more normal around here. I'm almost 21 weeks along, and every week that passes I feel a little bit better. Now the puking is only occasional {today for instance...sorry to be graphic}, but most days I can stay off meds and am starting to feel semi normal again. Except for this annoying tummy I'm developing of course. ;)

I saw my sweet son on the sono screen last week, and even though it still hardly feels real, I am excited to have a boy again. To raise another little man who will someday hopefully serve the Lord with his life...wow, it just seems like such a daunting task. So many hearts to assess, so many issues that need to be talked over...and I only have 2 that are currently talking! {well, Clare does talk, but you know what I mean :) }. I know this job description is only going to get broader. Lord, how can I be all I need to be for these kids? Give me wisdom to know how to address these issues of life with each child individually. Give me grace for this task. I feel very inadequate tonight!


Elizabeth Elliott wrote this little devotional thought in A Lamp For My Feet:

No Evidence of Progress

At times nothing seems to be happening. So it must be for the bird that sits on her nest. Things are apparently at a standstill. But the bird sits quietly, knowing that in the stillness something vital is going on, and in the proper time it will be shown. It takes faith and patience for the bird, and such faith and patience never seem to waver, day after day, night after night, as she bides the appointed time.

Restless and doubtful we wonder why we have nothing to show for our efforts, no visible evidence of progress. Let us remember the perfect egg--unchanged in its appearance from the day it is laid. But while the bird waits faithfully, doing the only thing she is required to do throughout those silent weeks, important things are taking place.

I wait for the Lord. My soul waits,
and in His word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord more
than watchmen for the morning.
--(Ps 130:5, 6 RSV)

Made me think of parenting, and just how often there are phases of child training where there are very little visible results for all the effort we put in. Who knows what is going on in their little heads sometimes...and yet, my part, like the bird's, is to do what I'm supposed to do and wait faithfully for the Lord to do His work.

Because ultimately it is His work, isn't it?