I am thankful

Soooo this has been quite a week here in the house of Basham and at our church. This was our annual missions conference week. We are a very small church and yet our church supports over 80 missionaries. It is a very missions-minded church and I love this time of year even though it is super busy. I love to hear from the young couples and families ( and sometimes not so young) who are preparing to go to the mission field. I am constantly in prayer that the Lord will show us if it is ever His will for us to go. We are willing but so far He has not called us to that ministry. We had some wonderful families this week and I was so touched by their burdens for the countries they are led to go. We had some going to Puerto Rico, some going to Taiwan, some going to Boston, some to California, and some to Italy. What a sweet spirit as they shared their hearts with us.
As I thought about these missionaries I wondered what God has in store for us.

But most on my mind this week has been something completely different. I have been just so thankful this week for my children and their good health. There was a time we were unsure of what Riley's life would be. Test results were inconclusive and we did not know for sure really until Riley started walking if he ever would walk. I have been following several stories of families with desperately ill children and it has made me so burdened for these families and desiring to be a help and minister to them in some way. I have no way to really do this so the best thing I can do is pray for them and that is what I have been doing.
Here are some websites I am following:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/brianacolin
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/coleruotsala
http://www.colesfoundation.com/
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hayleyhunter
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sarahparker

Cole was a precious little boy who suffered with cancer for only a short time before God took him home in September. His family's story is amazing and a huge blessing it has been to me personally. I found him through Briana's website. Briana is a precious little 6 year old fighting cancer who came to our Vacation Bible School this year.. She couldn't be there the whole week because the first few days she was in the hospital getting chemo.. Bless her heart. I have actually found Hayley's site through Briana as well and Sarah I just found out about through Cole's site. It looks like the fight may be almost over for her. I find myself wondering, "why these little children Lord??" but I know it is not mine to reason out but I certainly can pray and I will continue to pray.

Hug your kids a little tighter today and don't forget to be thankful for them... even when they are driving you crazy... :-D

The Kids dressed up....

Well, I know there is a lot of controversy about Halloween but we do let our kids dress up. We take them to another town and let them walk around in the downtown square of this place where the businesses and stores give out candy. They looked so cute this year and I just had to share some pictures.. Here they are:

Just a quick hello

Today nothing special or unusual happened but I felt like I should post something seeing as it has been a little while. Kids are funny. I taught 7th grade two days earlier this week and there was one in there who was just a drama queen (you know you have someone you are picturing in your mind when you read that!). She was becoming annoyed with a boy in the class who really wasn't doing anything to her. She raised her hand and when I asked her what she needed she proceeded to tell me that "Matthew is making fun of me and bothering me and I wish you would do something about it".... While trying to decide whether to laugh or scream at her I am thinking "Did she just say that???" I couldn't believe her nerve to try to tell me what to do... It was too funny. I proceeded to tell her that if she would stop turning around to stare at him (which she was doing constantly.. I am surprised he wasn't teasing her for that!) she would have no idea what he was doing and furthermore it was not her place (little miss princess, I was thinking) to tell me what I should or should not do.. If you could have seen her face... It was all I could do not to laugh.. I found out at lunch that this is her way with everyone... she is a spoiled princess at home and expects it from everyone else as well... But it was just funny. I didn't have anymore trouble from her after that.
Kids are just funny...

pictures through the house on Open house day

Karyss' Room... It actually was clean!!!
Our room
Karyss ' bathroom. You can't really see it but her name is on her towel

This is the painting Sara did based on the verses I told her about that I liked... It is at the entrance of our house
Down the hallway
Living room
Kitchen
Riley's room

There it is... our house on Open House Day. We had about 20 people show up to celebrate with us. it was a nice time. We are so thankful for our home and we desire to use it for God and hope we can keep that promise.

Now I am off to take a bubble bath.. I'm exhausted...

up late and so thankful...

Crazy title right?? I'm up late tonight simply because I can't sleep. I think God is having me stay awake to pray for others (in particular the Brokering family who are going through a terrible impending loss as I type) and to count my blessings. Dan and I stayed up a little later tonight just talking about how life may have been different for us if we had taken one small step differently in our lives.. I am so thankful for a husband who loves God and who can encourage me. I know without the grace of God I could be alone now. God spared my Daniel just 3 short years ago and I know but for His grace I could be grieving.. I am so thankful for my husband. I am thankful that God allowed us to have our two children.. our daughter who is quickly becoming a teenager and our baby boy who is growing a little more each day. I am so unworthy of God's goodness to me. I need to spend so much more time thanking Him for what He has allowed me to have rather than complaining and being depressed that I don't always have what I want or am not always treated the way I would like to be. I am unworthy of all that I have. God has been gracious and merciful. I am so blessed.
My sweet friend Sara just made a painting for me ( Check out her blog to see it sara-mincy.blogspot.com) I had her use a verse on it that says "This is the Lord's doing... It is marvelous in our eyes" I am hanging it just inside my front door.. God is good to us all the time even when it doesn't make sense to us. He is good and He is just and He knows what He is doing. He does best for us.
I am thankful that God has allowed me to stay awake tonight to think on this. I am so rebuked and hope I can walk more worthily....

If you've read my ramblings this far you deserve a medal:-D
Blessings and prayers to you. I think maybe I might be able to rest now :-D