We leave on Saturday

"Are you ready?"

Who knows if we're ready! We spent most of last week ramping up our parenting (read: Anne did) to help us prepare for thrusting our boys into a very different world.

What I can say is that God is teaching me so much from His Word. I was reading from the boys' bible story book the other night and read about King Saul. He was impatient for the prophet Samuel's arrival to prepare offerings for God before a great battle. He decided (and this can seem right to us as well) "well, I'll just do it. Offerings are good no matter who prepares them." Samuel rebuked him. After this, the Lord gave Saul another chance. He told Saul and his army to attack the Amalekites ("Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them."). Saul brought back the king and the best of their cattle and livestock for offerings to the Lord. God at that point rejected Saul as king and sent Samuel to annoint David as the next king. (1 sam 13, 15)

Why is this significant? God wants my obedience, not (necessarily) my offerings. So, how do I prepare for our trip? I surrender what I think I should be doing and be still. Still pack toiletries and toys for the boys but as far as preparation, I'm going as the hands and feet of God. I'm there to do the work He is already doing. He wants us to go to do what He wants us to do, not necessarily what we think we should be doing.

The other verse that has been significant in my "preparation" is Psalm 139. God loves those kids as much as He loves my own. He knows how many hairs are on each of their heads, He knows what hardship they've been through. They have not been forgotten. It's an opportunity to tell these kids how much they're loved.

Psalm 139

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

Thanks for praying for us.