Late night thoughts...

 Once again I am thinking that I am so blessed. My kids and I had a fun and interesting Bible time tonight. We read about Gideon, then tried to see how many Scripture verses we could recite from memory. Loved that the kids were arguing over who got to say the next verse. Alahna began to recite Psalm 23 and David tried to tell her it had to be single verses! LOL
I was amazed at some of the verses David knew from Bible Sword Drill. Some of the verses he recited were verses that he just had to memorize the scripture reference, but because they had looked them up and read them SO many times, he had the whole verses memorized. :)

 We somehow got in a discussion about Heaven, and David told me that when he pictures Heaven, he pictures himself sitting on God's lap! How incredible!!
In our discussion of Heaven, he asked if I thought Adalai would have a grown up body. :) He said he wants to see her grown up. Then...Alahna began to ask how Adalai got out of my belly and if we buried her! LOL UGH!! I dodged around those questions pretty good. Told her we will talk about that later! She thought it was because it would make me cry! haha Not quite!! (Adalai is our 2nd baby that died at 8 weeks gestation, just a few days after I saw her heartbeat for the first time. It was one year before Alahna was born. David was 3 yr old at the time and insisted the baby was a girl, so that's how we refer to her. Both kids occasionally like to tell people they have a sister in Heaven!)

 I am in awe again tonight at Alahna's tender heart. (Although there are moments when that tender heart is quite hidden!) Almost every day for the past week she keeps talking about Aunt Toni Lay and ends up in tears. A few days ago she was crying and I asked her what she was thinking that made her cry and if there was something that was making her afraid. Her response surprised me, but then her explanation was even more surprising. She said she was crying because she was worried about Grandma. I immediately thought it was because she (Alahna) was in the room with us a month ago when the ER doctor scared us by incorrectly informing us that Mom had cancer.(She does NOT.) Alahna has lost 2 very special people to death this year and is acquainted with others who are currently battling cancer. BUT...her explanation was this: "Mommy, I am worried about Grandma because Aunt Toni was her sister and I just don't want her to be sad and miss her." I pray that as she grows up she will always feel that pain for others and is able to pray for them and minister in whatever way God leads her.
 If I tell her about people from church who are sick, she remembers to pray for them.
 On Sunday, an older man at our church had a stroke after the morning service and she remembered the next day to pray for him and his family. Tonight, when it was time to pray, I  told the kids that Bro. Johnny is now in Heaven, and she made sure she prayed for his family. Shortly after talking about him going to Heaven, she began again to feel sad about Aunt Toni. She said, "Mommy, why did Aunt Toni have to leave us?"  I am so thankful for the hope we have in Jesus at moments like that. It is then that I can assure her that as long as we stay faithful in following Jesus, we will see her in Heaven someday.
 Aunt Toni probably never knew the impact she had in Alahna's life. We, too, may never know the impact we are having in the lives of those around us. We must be diligent to live a life that leaves a positive impact and an eternal impact. Only the work that we do for God will last for eternity - Showing His love, being His hands and feet, sharing the Gospel (good news) of Jesus. Although we are required to "do good", on the day  we stand before God, he will not check to see if our "good" outweighs our "bad". He will look to see if our name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Only those who have asked Jesus to be their Savior and  followed him to the end of their life will be found in that Book. He is the ONLY way to the Father.

Other thoughts for tonight....
 I love teaching! I am enjoying getting to teach our Wednesday night kids' class at church. I love the kids. I love to teach them truths from the Bible and help them learn how to apply those truths to their lives.
 I love learning! I am studying about Ancient Greece in order to teach a class at our homeschool group beginning this Friday. David wanted to learn about it, so I am going to teach it as I learn it! So far it is fascinating! I love history and I love to see how the people and Bible stories I have heard and loved all my life fit into the timeline of ancient history.
 I love life. So many roles I play - wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, teacher....but the one that brings the greatest joy is being a child of God. I could not fulfill any of the other roles in my life to the fullest without the grace that is given to me every day. I would not have the strength or even the love needed, without Jesus. I truly am nothing without Him. I have tried to live without the Holy Spirit leading, and I have ended up hurting people I loved. Sometimes life gets hard, but God is always good. Even when I am not good, He is. God is the source of any good in my life. He is my source of joy and peace.
Whether it's a still small voice, a familiar Scripture, a hug from a friend, a timely text or phone call, the arms of my husband, or the sweet concern of a child, God continually shows Himself to me and works in my life.

So...."How can I keep from singing your praise? How can I ever say enough, How amazing is your love! How can I keep from shouting your name? I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing." (an amazing song by Chris Tomlin)

I think I can sleep now. Well, after I sing that song a little more. :)