It Was A Normal Day...

It was a normal day.  A sunny, quiet day.  Living in the country.  Small town.  Beautiful land.

I don't remember any of the details of that day, save one.  Kathryn went out to get the mail.  A normal day.  A sunny day.  She crossed the street.  Opened the mail box.  Grabbed the mail.  Shut the mail box.  Turned around.  And there he was.  Who?  I do not know.  He sat in his truck.  Window rolled down.  Smoke rising from his cigarette.  Just watching.

A quick assessment.  We live in the country.  No one is around.  Hunting property across the street.  Empty houses next door.  Empty high way.  House is 400 feet from the road.  He came out of no where.

This was a normal day.  She is a cautious young lady.  She is dressed in a long skirt, nice blouse, sweet disposition.  She ran across the street and up our driveway like her life depended on it.  He drove away.

It was a normal day.  But a darkness hovered.  A fear and thankfulness mixed together.  The "What If's" flooding in to my mama heart.

We have no way of knowing what he wanted or what his plan was.  Whether he was just a creepy old man, who wanted to scare a young lady or someone far more sinister than that.

With pornography available on virtually every mobile device, the evils that come along with porn, will continue to increase, putting our children at even greater risk.

We made an assessment of where we live.  Half hour from a main highway.  Isolated.
But we are not unaware.

We have been teaching our children since they were young about the dangers of pornography, about being aware of your surroundings, about telling us if someone makes you uncomfortable, about not going off to hear secrets with other friends...

There is no doubt in my heart and mind, that it was the God of Angel Armies who protected our sweet daughter that day. 

Now, we are more aware of the audacity of evil and the need for boldness and strength in our children.  We are determined to raise children that believe in the power of prayer and the ONE who answers our prayers, who are strong in spirit, and aware of the evil in this world.  How can they be prudent and avoid evil, if they are not taught of its existence???

I am so thankful for this to have happened because I realize that sex trafficking happens in the U.S.  It is a real danger to our children, even here in the U.S.

And in some countries, it is a way of life.  It is the only way to provide food for our children, for ourselves. 

Please consider becoming involved in the solution. It doesn't affect you personally.  But, in one moment, that could change.

In His Grip,
Laura

My Bosom Friend...

Kathryn & Anya ~ 2010

Rosalie, Lukasz & Anya

I have had my copy of Anne of Greene Gables sitting on our book shelf for years.  Our older girls are 16 and 13 and I've been asking them to read it for a few years.  I don't demand that they read much, but make suggestions, when they ask.  Well, finally, they picked up the book.  And devoured it!  Then we had to borrow volumes 2 and 3 from the library because ours are lost.  Then we rented the movie from the library.  (Love inter library loan!!!)  It was so fun to watch this movie and share with them my love of an old movie.  Even the boys liked it.  But what I liked most is how a couple of my girls, Anya and Kathryn, could relate to Anne.  Slightly dramatic...  okay, ALOT dramatic.  Sensitive...  Fancy dresses...  Lovers of good books (finally)...  They come by their nature honestly from their mama, I must confess.  So embarrassing to admit!  :) 

What I love most about our "Anne of Green Gables" adventure has been the love shown between

Lukasz & Anya ~ 2008

our two daughters.  As Kathryn was putting Anya down for her nap one day, Anya looked at her and said, "You are my bosom friend and we are kindred spirits."  They have been buddies for awhile now.  Each older child has a younger buddy to help them get dressed, do chores, potty, etc.  Thank you, Michelle Dugger, for the idea.  This, I think, is a key to having siblings be friends.  They interact with one another all day long.  They share rooms.  They help one another.  They cook together.  Play together.  Learn together.  Work together.  Every day has conflict.  Every day has laughter. 

Mama & Anya

But, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

As a dear friend of ours told me once, "We are like rocks on the bottom of a river.  As the water washes over the rocks, the rocks rub together, making them smooth."  I won't resent those rocks in my life, those children, husband, family or friends who God is using to make me more like Him.

My desire is that my husband and children will be my bosom friends.  That we will continue to draw closer to Christ and closer to one another.  

Ryan, Rosalie & Izabella ~ 2011

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I need more of Jesus.  More of His love.  More of His Power.
Amen!

In His Grip,
Laura

Jenny's Pearl Necklace

Jenny's Pearl Necklace

Author Unknown

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores. She went to the neighbor, Mrs. McJames, and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother had told her that if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then may I have your pearls?"

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then will you give me your pearls?"

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay, Honey. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. When she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace. With the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.

So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that He can give us beautiful treasure. Isn't God good?

Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go of? Are you holding onto harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?

Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing... God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

A note from Laura

I read this 5 years ago & have kept it. I ran across it the other day and just couldn't throw it away without sharing it. What a reminder of how Jesus is Lord & I need to be willing to let go of people & things that are not God's best for me. Maybe I should just let go instead of wrestling all night & ending up with a limp. :)

In His Grip,

Laura