We had a very cool but weird weekend. My mom bought us a puppy on the Anniversary of my wifes departure from our family. So the date has a good thing to dwell upon on now. It has been 5 years. She is so cute. Her name is Molly Irene Snyder. She is a Shetland Sheepdog. It is the fourth one the family has had.
Saturday evening, the Teens group I teach was really kinda rowdy but good. I have a good group of kids that attend. Sunday morning we had a missionary come speak and it was rather lame..... in my opinion. I am not usually critical but it was. Afterwards we had communion. It is moving when I get to partake in the Lord's Supper with my Kids. It affects us all in such a great way. Our attitudes just get right it seems. It moved me to tears to be in communion with my boys and our Father.
After Church we went out to my sister's house for a family get together. My oldest son Daniel was swinging on a rope swing tied to a tree. He got crooked and tried stopping himself by holding out his arm to catch the tree. He broke his arm at the shoulder. The growth plate has a crack in it. Get this the bone is called the humor bone. That is the way it is pronounced but I am sure it isn't spelled that away.
We were about 40 miles from the hospital so the drive was kind of hard on him. At one point I mentioned that he should meditate upon the scriptures for comfort. Then I told him he now has a very small taste of what suffering the Lord did on his behalf. He hadn't cried until that moment. That meditation brought him to tears. He was in the most pain he had suffered yet.
This Evening I got to cut my Joshua's hair and his best friends. For some reason I feel the neighbor kids just love me and need me. Of course these guys aren't kids anymore. They are all starting to shave and they look down at me now.
My life has been hard sometimes. I have hated it during certain periods. But God always gives me seasons of rest and joy when I don't deserve it. I am scared to death to find out what real suffering is like. Because I haven't even come close to suffering as others have. God is definitely merciful and gracious. His loving kindness endures forever. Even when we don't feel like it is there.
A Psalm of David. (Psa 103:1-22)
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
