Tuesday Ten

I thank God for:

1. Our amazing road trip last month, especially my husband's cheerful perseverance in visiting a drizzly Civil War battlefield, rewarded by finding dedicated re-enactors camped out in a field hospital tent

2. The warm Christian fellowship at Bryan College and the fun of "discovering" David Beisner (when we had been searching for him all weekend) -- up in a cherry picker taking a picture of the students posed on the ground.

3. Sunday's sermon and the reminder to continually recognize and kill the idols that raise their heads up in the "idol factory" of our hearts. "Prone to wander..."

4. The beautiful picture of Redemption in the many Christian couples I know who have adopted children or who serve as foster parents. What a way to serve as living sacrifices and to make disciples.

5. The inglorious way that we finished the last chapter of How Jesus Transforms the Ten Commandments when we were all particularly exhausted and peevish -- and my husband's summation: "Well, even this devotion time was considered righteous and pleasing to God because of Jesus." I love my husband.

6. Getting to hear historian Bradley Birzer from Hillsdale lecture on the virtues of Western Civilization -- and the encouragement of knowing that there are great minds out there training young people to think clearly from a biblical perspective about politics and current events.

7. The humility, hope and zeal that come every time I hear the good news that God is not like us (oh, how glad I am of that) -- and that instead of despising us for our sinfulness He credits us with His holiness because of Jesus. I could never express how thankful I am for this and how it helps me to fight on. The Word of God saves and keeps us.

8. John Jr.'s confidence as an umpire and realizing how every job he has is preparing him for his vocation, his calling from God, whatever that may be

9. The beautiful dress that Leah completed and the vivid imagination that makes her want to sew costumes rather than practical clothes.

10. The new students in my 5-year-old class, who have already won my heart when I thought I could never get over letting this last class move up.

11. The sweetness of deep talks with my husband and those special friends whose hearts burn and yearn for more of Him, knowing there is always so much more. "We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead, and thirst our souls from Thee to fill."

Tuesday Ten

I thank God for:

1. His unshakeable love: "I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me." (Jeremiah 32:40)

2. Getting to go visit schools with our senior

3. Julie, who will truly love my 4- and 5-year-olds

4. Jessica, who will truly love Buck (somehow!)

5. Getting to go to Lookout Mountain and Chickamauga battlefield

6. The fun that I know we will have in the hotels along the way, even those that are cheap and happen to be next to train tracks

7. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levine, which we bought to listen to on the way

8. How hard my kids have worked to get ahead in their online classes so they can make this trip

9. The reminder that we are polishing these arrows to send them out

10. That the timing of this trip worked out perfectly for John to be able to drive us

Tuesday Ten

I thank God:

1. For His mercies, displayed in Romans 1-11, that lead us to humility and hope (He who did not spare His own son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32)

2. That He has made us slaves to righteousness, free to do the will of God from the heart, only through the power of His Spirit

3. For trouble that exposes sin and presents an opportunity to kill it! (Always be killing sin or it will be killing you. - John Owen)

4. That He has made Christians dragon slayers

5. That my husband and I are one flesh -- no one can make me so happy, so mad or laugh so hard as he can

6. That my children have heard the powerful, living and active Word of God from before they were born

7. For the godly teachers and role models that He has given our family

8. For friends who can preach the Truth to me with one sentence

9. For children who believe what He says

10. For neediness that glorifies Him -- because He is the only fountain that fills

Tuesday Ten

1. The unmerited gift of belief: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68)

2. Such a powerful sermon Sunday on John 6 http://www.newlifeindavie.org/media/sermons/if-not-jesus-who/

3. A husband who has my deepest respect -- but who doesn't take himself too seriously (as demonstrated by this recent quote: "If I weren't me, I'd spend a lot of time making fun of me.")

4. John Jr., who knows so many things I never taught him

5. Leah, who values and loves people

6. The desire for holiness that comes from remembering (again) that we owe everything to God, that our Salvation and everything that follows from it flow from His undeserved mercy.

7. That nobody in my house has to get on a schoolbus this week

8. That in this country, I am still free to teach my children that Christ's Death, His Resurrection and His promise to redeem all of creation have a bearing on every subject that we study in school.

9. Getting to attend The Truth Project this weekend

10. More transcripts!

Tuesday Ten

I thank our generous God for:

1. John Rabe, my favorite person

2. those who labored in the Lord to teach and love our youth this week

3. my ring made out of a green pipe cleaner from Jacob Harrison

4. when worlds collide -- Peter at VBC

5. the joyful reminder of being "accepted in the Beloved"

6. how hard my family laughed as we read Mark Twain out loud last night

7. that "a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again" (Proverbs 24:16)

8. the joy of have my greeting card drawer organized

9. Veritas Press online classes

10. the recent transcription work that boosts our budget right when we need it for school