The Crow Family

My sweet Madeline at bed time :) She must have her baby doll and the pooh bear that her daddy slept with as a child every night to go to sleep. There is something so comforting to me about routine and familiarity...must be for her as well



The kids love to do art work. We do some sort of art project (even if it is playing with stickers) on a daily basis. Then once a week we take it to the post office and mail them to daddy. This is a picture of some of the art work hanging in Jason's locker. :) How great it must be to see the work that those little hands created...


Speaking of work created by little hands...this t-shirt was created very spur of the moment as we were painting one day. It is hard to tell, but the kids hand prints are at the top of the shirt :) Jason, this picture of you makes me love you more than words could ever describe.

We are blessed beyond measure to be able to talk to Jason as often as we do. He is doing well, just missing home as I am sure you can imagine. He is getting a lot of care packages and letters which I know bring him so much comfort. Words can not even begin to express how much it means to me that people are taking the time to send care packages and write him. I know it means the world to Jason.

Jason said the other day the temperature got up to 140! After he told me that I made a promise to myself not to complain about 90 and humidity...I mean look at a thermometer...it does not even register 140. I feel so bad for our troops in that heat. Oh I pray for relief from the heat for them.

Life around here is so hectic...There are time when whether I am overwhelmed by my own making or by situations not of my choosing that I feel separated from Christ. Boy that is a lonely feeling. I find myself out of my element, exhausted. It is in these times that I am learning more and more about the mercy of Christ. What is mercy? Mercy is a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion. (I wrote this in my journal but I failed to note the author of it...wish I could take credit for that definition) I find myself constantly putting my prayerful concerns under the mercy of God, knowing that what I am unable to do He is able to do for me. We have come a long way over the past 5 months, but I often find myself focusing on the 10 months still ahead, instead of seeing God's faithfulness to us over the past 5 months. I pray daily not to dwell on this, it is out of my control. Dwelling on what can not be changed will only steal precious joy. The one who trusts in the mercy of God is productive and secure.

"But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth."
Psalm 86:15

In my need I trust and know that when I pray to God, He answers me out of His loving kindness. He does so because He alone is righteous and just. He alone knows what is best for me, because after all He alone is the orchestrator of events.

I have been reading in a book by Elisabeth Elliot called "Keep a Quiet Heart" It is just one of those books you can pick up here and there. I have found some great comforts in it. One prayer I read this morning really touched me and I wanted to share it. It was written by a 17 year old named Lady Jane Grey who prayed this prayer in her prison cell before she was beheaded in 1554!

O merciful God, be Thou unto me
A strong Tower of defence,
I humbly entreat Thee.
Give me grace to await thy leisure,
And patiently to bear
What Thou doest unto me;
Nothing doubting or mistrusting
Thy goodness towards me;
For Thou knowest what is good for me
Better than I do.
Therefore do with me in all things
What Thou wilt;
Only arm me, I beseech Thee,
With Thine armor,
That I may stand fast;
Above all things taking to me
The shield of faith;
Praying always that I may
Refer myself wholly to Thy will,
Abiding Thy pleasure, and comforting myself
In those troubles which it shall please Thee
To send me, seeing such troubles are
Profitable for me; and I am
Assuredly persuaded that all Thou doest
Cannot but be well; and unto Thee
Be all honor and glory. Amen.