Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Saturday!  All is well at 811. Our day began with breakfast with Geni and Travis. Pecan pancakes and two kinds of sausage.  It was a great way to begin the day. After Saturday errands, the paper writing began!  I am better than halfway finished and the plan is to finish tomorrow.  Please continue to pray for our family including our extended family. Thank you. God is good and love wins!  And Frogs Win! Frogs Win!!

 Lord, You set the heavens in place and know every star that shines. Yet you also know the slightest details of my life, the places where there are cracks in my soul that need mending and I praise you for your care. God, help me keep my eyes on you. I praise you that nothing is ever difficult for you and that you use everything for my good and your glory.  Thank you for the gift of family. When difficult times are upon us our families of birth and our families of choice are there caring, supporting, praying and loving us with unconditional love just as you have taught. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

 The events of the past week have taken their toll on my concentration. It has been difficult at times even to pray and really difficult to try to begin my final writings for the semester. So today as Bruce and I were returning from the Saturday grocery store run I got tired of feeling broken. I asked Bruce to pray for me and for Satan to be removed from my brokenness and for God to take over. Everything changes when set your focus on God. Focus on God causes us to filter every situation through the knowledge we have of him.  There is no problem too hard for God and every circumstance can be used for our good and his glory because nothing is impossible for God. I stopped focusing on the paper writing and the family situation and began to think about God. Not how God was going to work this out or take care of things. Just think about God. I knew then that God had not moved, but my focus had.  I stopped thinking about the brokeness I was feeling, that we had eaten leftovers for two meals today and how I was afraid to write this paper. So I sat down and began to write discovering that I think I understood what to do, joyfully ate leftovers twice and surrendered the situation over to the One who holds us all in the palm of His hand.  All is well at 811.

 “I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven…Show us favor.”

Psalm 123: 1, 3

 Take joy in the journey remembering that hope does not disappoint. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene