Welcome to Friday - 10.03.14

 Welcome to Friday!

      

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Psalm 55:16

Welcome to Friday!  I just wanted to check in again to say Welcome to another Friday, and another weekend.  My sincere hope is that you have had a really amazing week and that you have been very successful in the things that you have set out to accomplish.  How are you doing?  How do you feel today and what has been going on in your areas of concern and influence.  How did you spend your week, and what was the best part of the week?  Was your week a blur of activity or did you have a nice week of reflection and contemplation?  I hope that you are doing well, and again I hope that you had a great week.

This morning was the start to a great Friday.  The four older girls and I went to breakfast at the Chick-fil-A that is just around the corner from our house.  It was our first Friday breakfast date.  Ava and Emma didn't make this trip because they were still sleeping, and because I overslept and didn't have enough time to get them ready.  We had a great start to the day with breakfast, a short devotional, and a bunch of laughs.  We joked about the things gone by this week, funny stories from school and home, and mis-communication that turned into  immense laughter.   We also did a bit of catching up and reflecting on the week.  It makes the day brighter when you get off to such a good start. 

While much of this week has been a blur, I am so thankful for a number of blessings:

• Enjoying the church homecoming cookout, until the yellow jackets took over

• Enjoying a paddle boat ride with Ava on the lake
• Spending time with friends and family
• Good barbecue chicken and 
• Spending time cooking out for friends and neighbors on Sunday
• Laughed about old college times with a friend from college.  It was very interesting to hear how others saw you in college.
• Plus, great hotdogs hot off the grill
• Learning that Emma is serious about ice cream
• Emma ate my ice cream pop while I was looking away and talking to Trish
• Enjoying breakfast Friday morning with the girls
• Ava's last dental check up for the tooth she hurt and slightly cracked months ago
• The dentist adjusting some of the charges that the insurance company will no longer cover
• Health Insurance!
• Trish's taco soup was simply fantastic
• Seeing Sydney's pictures as a literacy coach at DFES
• Hearing that Gabbi once tutored a young boy who is now a part of the Advanced Gifted and Talented Program
• Hearing great updates from friends battling and surviving breast cancer
• Having an amazing Homecoming speaker at church and great worship service
• A great start to our next project at work
• A successful initial planning meeting for my team at work

Overall, this has been a really good week.  We have had our set of unique challenges, and we have watched with joy and amazement as God has opened doors and opened our eyes to His presence and blessing.  

The girls are all doing well.  Ava had no ill affects from getting stung by a yellow jacket on Sunday, except for becoming even more terrified of flying bugs for a couple of days.  Even a common fly sent her into a fit of terror on Sunday. Emma has a little cold and a low grade fever, but you can barely tell with all the tussling and activity that she has.  Even last night as I tried to work off some of the extra, extra servings of Trish's amazing taco soup, Emma's extra energy was on display.  She took books off the book shelf, rolled a chair over to the high book shelf and took down a photo album, and talked up a storm.  I really want to tape her conversations so I can ask her later, "What were you talking about?"  Ava was Emma's co-conspirator in these adventures as usual.  Ava's apparent role was to open the office door, which Emma can't, and then provide a distraction.  

Cassarra and Gabbi have been doing well, and on their best behavior so they can go to the rivalry game between Irmo High School and Dutch Fork High School.  Dutch Fork should win easily, but a strange thing happened last year when they were also heavy favorites.  Cassarra is also going to her school's homecoming dance this weekend.  Gabbi is going to tag along at the game and probably try to get out to the movies or a friends.  Last weekend Gabbi was at the movies to celebrate her best friend's birthday.

Sydney and Paige are doing well in school and enjoying their year as scientist and explorers.  Sydney's class is growing and studying a garden.  Paige's class took a field trip and they are studying the facts from that adventure, as well as other facts in the state.  Today the two of them will be walking laps to raise money for the Elementary School.  They have a goal of $25,000 as a school.  Each student set a goal of $10, with the exception of Paige who set her goal at $15.  I'm not sure who they plan to ask, or who they have asked for contributions.

Trish is doing well.  She had physical therapy for her shoulder today, so hopefully her shoulder will continue to mend.  This week was a little less pressure packed, so she got a bit more rest.  Yesterday, her mom came up to visit and help out and this has been a blessing to all of us.  She is working on a number of picture projects and had sometime to display a few of her works in progress.  Many of her photos are so amazing they could be sold in a studio or gallery.  I admire her skill, patience, talent and discerning eye.

Well, I hope that you have a great rest of the day and an fantastic weekend.  I pray that you have a great time enjoying yourself and your loved ones this weekend.  

Welcome to Friday

Dear God, we live in a dangerous world, 
filled with unpredictable challenges, 
unseen perils and tremendous hurt.  

Yet, we magnify Your name,
and we dwell confidently in Your power.

Remind us today that You are our strength, 
comfort, King, and everlasting refuge.  

Grant us unending joy, and unrelenting grace on this journey.

Deepen our knowledge, obedience and love for You.

Merciful and everlasting God, speak peace to our anxious hearts, 

speak favor and hope over our days, 
and speak life into our every situation and circumstance.
  

May we stand strong with the psalmist who wrote, 

"Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; 
let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; 
let those also who love Your name be joyful in You (Psalm 5:11),"

 and with the one who said,
"O magnify the LORD with me, 
let us exalt His name together (Psalm 34:3)."