We Arrived!!!

I sit here on the bed, using my sister-in-law's computer and listening to my husband as he sleeps beside me. Although it is well past my bedtime...almost 1 am in the morning...my body is telling me that it's only 10 pm and I don't need sleep just yet. I have a feeling it won't be feeling that way in the morning when I have to get up for church! :)

I sit here with a full heart...full of thanksgiving, that is. Thank you all for your prayers, the day of travel was long...but it was wonderful. The kids truly did marvelous..both on the airplanes and in the airport...even running alongside of us from one end of the airport to the other when it looked like we were going to miss our connecting flight (which we did not, praise the Lord!). We got lots of looks and comments and thankfully, more smiles than stares. Our testimony was not in words but I pray was visible is some small way to those around us. Be it through our times of prayer as we ate in the airport or in what we read as we sat on the plane...YES, they were that good that I was able to have my quiet time and Bryan was able to read part of a book he got by D.A. Carson while we were on the plane!:)

And I was so thankful for the time that I got to have in the Word as God reminded me of something so precious and beautiful but so easily forgotten. In John 12 Jesus said that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those words rang deep in my soul as I thought about the coming two weeks and a house full of people. Each and every moment I have a choice to make...to die to self and serve others or to seek to "live" unto myself and have my own way. Only one way produces fruit...only one way is the way in which Christ lived, only one way brings true joy.

To truly live we must deny self, take up the cross (die to self) and follow Christ. It's the most "unnatural" thing to do and yet it is the path of blessing and obedience...the path of true joy and peace. To our flesh, it is foolishness to serve and give up our desires for another and yet, Jesus says it is the ONLY way to live a fruit-filled life!

These next couple of weeks I have many opportunities to live in obedience to God's Word and seek to be a servant...there will be at least 19 other people to consider each day. I pray that the Lord quickens my heart to do His will, convicts me of when it is MY will that I am seeking and that our family time together is not only filled with sweet conversation and amazing food...but is filled with lots of fruit...fruit that will last well beyond our trip and into eternity!