Back to the Five of Us...

Paul left again today after fifteen wonderful days at home on leave, and it is now just the five of us again for several more months.  It was so hard to see him go.  The good-byes are very draining. I relished just being a complete family again-- doing typical family things.  We didn't do a lot of extra things while he was here, but we had a great time together.  We especially enjoyed the gift of celebrating Christmas as a family!  The other highlight of the last two weeks was taking the kids on a road trip to Great Wolf Lodge.  We had a fantastic time, and Isaac was just big enough to go on all of the slides in the water park!  We made some precious family memories those days.  The balm to my heart today has been the hope that the next time I see my dear husband, Lord willing, this deployment will be finished.

As I beg God for grace to sustain us through this continued separation, I continually reflect on four verses.  They are verses the Lord has given me over the last few years as I have sought a theme verse for each new calendar year.  They all speak to me about who I am in Christ and the joyous blessings He bestows on me as His child.  I would like to share them here as I begin this new year.  The parts in bold print are the phrases that have come to mean so much-- my "ballast phrases" on long days.  If you have a "ballast verse or phrase" that sustains you, I would love to have you add it in the comments at the end of this post!

John 15:14-16--"You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

Psalm 73: 25-26-- "Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." 

Hebrew 4:15-16--"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Jude 24-25--"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.

May the Lord continue to make His name very great as we plod on day by day.