My cup is running over!

I love how God answers prayers.  If you know me for any amount of time I will tell you about my husband.  And, I will tell you about how I KNEW without a doubt that I was going to marry him.  And, if you listen for any amount of time you will hear how amazing he is and how he still is not "everything" I want him to be.  You will hear that he is a Christian but there has not been any discipleship in him.  You might hear how he goes to church but that is about it.  You might hear how I have and continue to pray for him to become the spiritual leader of my home.  From this point forward I am going to change my discussion about him.  I am going to say that he is becoming the spiritual leader in my home.  Let me tell you about last night.

Yesterday we brought C home from school because she wasn't feeling good.  I had a stomach bug last week so we thought she had just caught that.  Around 9pm we realized that she had strep.  D rushed to the after hours clinic to get the diagnosis and meds she needed.  D put her to bed.  He does this often but usually it is "Go to bed." with a kiss, hug and tuck.  Tonight was different.  "Alright let's pray."  I know this might sound silly to someone else but it sent me to cloud nine.

I listen from the other room while I put away laundry.  I held my tears in check and I prayed silently.  I thanked God for his faithfulness to bring Dusty along.  I thanked him that my children have the kind of man that Dusty is and is becoming as a father.  I praised God for all the many little tiny blessings that he gives me each and every day in the person of my family.  I thanked God that Dusty was trying to speak my love language.  I thanked God that he gave me eyes to see when Dusty was truly trying to let me know he loves me.  And as I prayed I put laundry away.

I had kneeled down next to my bed to put a comforter in a suitcase under the bed.  Dusty walked around me.  He kneeled down beside me. He smiled at me.  He folded his hands.  "Want to pray?"

He took my breath away!  Really.  You are asking me this.  Do you not remember a year ago January when I had a melt down and told you that "someday"  I wanted you to pray with me?  Do you not remember that same conversation where I told you that I would continue to pray this and that God answered prayers?  Do you remember that I told you that I would pray this until I got an answer and beyond?

I smiled.  "Go for it."  I said.

And he did!!

"Thank you for today.  It was a beautiful day.  Thank you for giving me Amy 11 years ago.  Thank you for knowing that she is just what I needed.  Thank you for the two amazing children she has given me.  Thank you for my new job that allows me to go to church with my family.  Thank you for bible study.  Thank you for friends.  I know Amy has been praying for them.  They are exactly what we have needed. In Jesus name."

He left it open for me to pray.

"Amen"

"Are you not going to pray?"  I shook my head.  How could I?  I was crying.  I don't know that I could have prayed out loud.  I don't know that I could have gotten out more than thank you lord.

"Happy tears?"

Happy tears are an understatement.  What I was crying was beyond happy tears!

It has been  a long couple of years.  Long but in a good way!  We have recently begun going to bible study together.  (yes,  another answered prayer.) It is not what most people think about "bible study" at the moment.  It might be some day but right now we are just easing into getting to know our group and building on fellowship.

Bible study has been good for us.  We have been to one session.  This last week the couple that shared gave us a little "get to know you" information.  We are in the get to know you part before we actually start a study.  I can't wait to know  a little more about each family.  One of the things they shared was their "family" life verse.  Roman 4:20...

Dusty and I talked at bedtime that night.  Mainly about what he might be comfortable with.  The conversation went something like this...

"At some point would you be okay if we did something like they did tonight?"  This is me feeling D out.

"Talking about myself.  Yeah we can do that.  I don't know that I would be okay leading a devotion but I don't mind if you do."  This is kind of a normal for us.  The two times he has been able to lead something he has been amazing, but I know it is NOT his comfort zone.

But then I got to thinking.  I have a verse that "I" think is our families verse.  Well, let me rephrase that I have a verse that I pray for our family.  But, is it something that I (we) have discussed.  Well, that is different altogether.  No we have not.  So I asked.

"Do you think we will every agree on a verse like they do?"

We talked about the two verses that I made him help me pick out when the kids were born.  I wanted them each to have a verse.  He asked if I had any verses in mind.  I read him the verse that I have been praying for about 6 months.

So I told him that I have been praying Colossians 1:9-12 for each of those in our family.

"We (I) have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding and I pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the LORD and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

We talked a little more before falling asleep.  No decisions have been made.  I am learning that is okay. God's timing is perfect and until we have an agreed upon verse I will continue to pray that my family live a life worthy of the LORD growing in the knowledge of God.

Dusty doesn't read this.  But, if by some weird chance he does.  At least now you are forewarned that at some point in the future we will agree on a "family" verse.