Home

I was again prodded this week to post some pictures of our new, decorated home by my Mom and Dad. I had been waiting until I had everything in its place. It is interesting hanging things on a solid concrete wall. Thankfully, Mark thought to bring his drill and he purchased a special concrete drill bit, I never would have gotten anything on the walls here otherwise. So I'm finally posting some pictures of our home. The computer room is still a little undone, so you'll have to see that later. I just bought a desk today for the computers, printer...I really like our Thailand house that the Lord so graciously provided and it's starting to feel like 'home' but I'm continually looking forward to our eternal home.

Speaking of eternal matters, thank you to each of you that are so faithful to pray for us on November 17th every year and to continue to remember Abbie with us. Your thoughtfulness means so much. On Monday I was reading from Charles H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening , and it so ministered to me concerning Abbie's death seven years ago, here's some of it.
To Him Be Glory Forever. Amen.-Romans 11:36
"To him be glory forever. This should be the single desire of the Christian. All other wishes must be subservient and serve as tributaries to this. The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only inasmuch as it may help him to promote this-'To him be glory forever.' He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that he may declare,'To him be glory forever.' You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single focus on the Lord's glory. As a Christian, you are 'from him and through him' and you must live 'to him.' Do not let anything set your heart beating so fast as love for Him. Let this ambition fire your soul; may this be the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow cold. Make God your only object. Depend upon it-where self begins, sorrow begins; but if God is my supreme delight and only object,
to me tis equal whether love ordain
My life or death-appoint me ease or pain.
Let your desire for God's glory be a growing desire. You blessed Him in your youth; do not be content with such praises as you gave Him then. Has God prospered you in business? Give Him more as He has given you more. Has God given you experience? Praise Him by stronger faith than you exercised at the beginning. Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly. Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give Him more music; put more coals and more sweet spices into the censer of your praise. Practically in your life give Him honor, offering the 'Amen' of this doxology to your great and gracious Lord by your own individual service and increasing holiness."

I can truly say that our sorrow has been turned into peace and I am so thankful for that but also realize that we will never be truly at peace until heaven breaks on the horizon. We've learned to survive in a world that we would never choose, a life without Abbie Lou. If we had an easy life how quickly we would forget that we are eternal creatures looking forward to our eternal homes. From Joni Tada, "It's not merely that heaven will be wonderful in spite of our anguish, it will be wonderful because of it. Suffering serves us. A faithful response to affliction accrues a weight of glory. A bounteous reward. God has every intention of rewarding your endurance. Why else would he meticulously chronicle every one of your tears? Ps 56:8'Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll-are they not on your record.' Whatever suffering you are going through this minute, your reaction to it affects the eternity you will enjoy." I'm holding on to 2 Cor 4:17 'For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.' Looking forward to my eternal home and until then to Him be all the glory!