oh, how i miss them...

"My flesh and my heart faileth;

but God is the strength of my heart,

and my portion forever"

(Psalm 73:26)

Both of my sons-in-law are pipeliners. We have been so blessed that they have both had jobs close to home for the past year and half or so. Their jobs in Louisiana ended last week and yesterday morning my oldest daughter and her husband left for Pennsylvania for a pipeline job that should last about 6 months. This past week has been a week of trying to spend as much time with my daughter and sweet grandbabies that I could. I miss those sweet faces already, but am so blessed by the many memories that we all share of our time together.

Eli, Mikaela and Mercie spent lots of time with me and papa the last few weeks. (Silas can't spend too much time away from his mama..) I am so blessed with precious children and grandchildren. I stand amazed daily at the goodness and mercy and grace of my sweet Savior.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They spent time swimming with their sweet cousins Bryton and Sawyer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They explored in the 'woods' behind our house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They drew with chalk in the parking lot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was so sad the morning they left. I spent some time hugging all the sweet faces and getting some really good baby sugar. Little Mercie just didn't understand why she couldn't go home with me and her mama and daddy had to pry her little hands from around my neck. She was crying so hard that my heart broke. And is still breaking....

Mercie's smile quickly went from this sweet grin to this:

My heart just hurts each time I see this. Today as they traveled, she has been asking to go to Nana's house. And then she gets mad when they tell her that she can't. That makes me so sad, but the good news is that in a few weeks, we are going to Boston to take our daughter Melissa her furniture and we will go by Pennsylvania on the way home to spend a few days and to see those sweet faces again! Praise the Lord He is so good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning after the kids had left my house, I found this picture that Mikaela had put in my bible. She always leaves me little notes either under my pillow or in my bible. She said she knows that I will find it there. My sweet girl. I miss her already. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am so thankful for God's Hand in my life. So thankful that He continues to convict and correct. Renew and restore. Reveal and revive. He causes me to seek Him with new passion. Desire Him with new longing. Search for Him with a heart that wants to be like Him. 

I rounded out my first 500 of my 1000 gifts and have had my eyes opened to His continual and infinite Goodness.

501. That my husband has lost 18  pounds in 3 weeks and is feeling so much better!

502. That God has enabled us to walk 2 miles a day together for the past 2 weeks. 

503. That our church is growing in spirit! We have baptized each Sunday for the past 6 weeks! Praise You Lord for the outpouring of your Spirit in our midst and for hearts that are truly seeking hard after You!!

504. God's abundant provision of Him in my life. I need Him more each day and am so thankful that He is always there to draw me, guide me and strengthen me. He is my portion. He is all I need.

"...I am the LORD that maketh all things;

that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;

that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself"

(Isaiah 44:24)

~~~~~~~~

Father God, may I never take you for granted. May my heart continue to seek after You in a mighty way. I thank you and praise you that you are my strength and my shield. You are my portion forevermore. I pray that you will never cease refining me and restoring me. Continue to reveal sin in my life that I may confess and repent and turn away. Strengthen me daily as I do my best to walk in your ways. May I be compelled by your Holiness to be like you. I love you from the depths of my heart with all that I am.