January 5-6, 2013

BY GEORGIA!

I wrote several things down from last year but never got them published.  Somehow I will record some of the highlights from last year but there are several things from last year that I’d just as soon leave where they are ….in 2012.  A new year, even though we’re just going from one day to the next – new year’s eve to New Year’s Day – causes us to resolve to put the past behind us and make a new start.  I praise God that He collectively takes all of the things we experience, good and bad, and weaves them together with His promises for us and creates a beautiful future that benefits us and glorifies Himself…when we love Him freely and trust Him completely.

The first weekend of 2013 out with the Bowen Arrows started with a bang.  I forgot my phone and this laptop that I blog on. The blog that in December I had resolved to begin writing again.  So much for a great start. 

On Saturday, January 5, we drove to Cumming, Georgia to get a good night’s rest.  We always intend to get a good night’s rest on Saturday night but so many times Grace refuses to sleep until well after midnight on Saturday nights.  I’m not sure if it’s the anticipation of a big day the next day or what.  Midnight was the last time I checked the clock and didn’t know anything else until the alarm went off. 

After a decent night of sleep I realized that my phone wasn’t the only thing I had forgotten on this first trip of the year.  I was without the appropriate shoes for church.  I had my suede snow boots but they just didn’t look right with my black slacks.  We’d already stopped at Walmart across the street from the hotel the night before to get yet another pacifier for Justis as…well, we forgot that too.  Bobby talked like I was going to have to wear the hideous tan suede boots with my black slacks because we did not have time to spare but when he made a “wrong” turn after leaving the hotel I questioned where he was going.  He told me he didn’t want me mad at him the rest of the day because he didn’t stop and allow me to get another pair of shoes.  I thanked him, relieved, but asked him not to be mad at me for causing all the trouble. 

I always meet people that I can relate to or admire or am lead to pray for and this first Sunday of the year was no exception.  I met Carrie who tried for many years to have a child and finally, after totally giving up on ever having a baby, conceived and had a beautiful daughter that is just a year younger than Grace.  Then her second daughter came along 13 months later, also very beautiful.  Finally, she and husband, Keith, had their son who, at 6, is quite handsome and talented as well.  While Keith played drums in the worship service, his son stood nearby and played percussion never missing a beat. 

After service at the CD table, a lady approached me, shook my hand and asked me to pray for her daughter who has tried for years to conceive.  I was able to acquaint her with Carrie’s testimony and suggest that she ask Carrie to pray for this need as well.

We enjoyed a fine lunch with the pastor, his family and a few more church friends.  The pastor introduced us to a drink enhancer called Mio.  Just add a few drops of whatever flavor of Mio you prefer and viola!  You have an instant flavored tea/drink.  Pastor’s daughter borrowed one of his Mio bottles and set it down on her table right next to ours.  When we’d finished eating and were leaving our tables, Landis noticed the Mio drops still sitting on the table where the pastor’s daughter had left them.  Since no one remembered the drops Landis felt they were fair game and put them in his pocket. He had plenty of opportunity to give them back to the pastor but chose not to. I found the drops after we’d said goodbye and had driven several miles north to Chatsworth.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  This was not the first time he’d taken something that wasn’t his but it had only happened at home.  I knew this was getting serious and that something had to be done.  Bobby is not usually one for confrontation and that carries over to disciplining the children.  He would just as soon, tell them not to do something again and go on with life.  I’m just the opposite and want contracts written, oaths taken and blood drawn.  Bobby and I talked on the drive home from Chatsworth after the children were asleep and discussed the “problem.”  I couldn’t emphasize enough to him how I believed this could turn into a huge societal problem with Landis if we didn’t nip it in the bud now and discipline him in a way that he’d never forget. 

We arrived home at 1:00 A.M. and after making sure the girls got to bed I came upon Bobby standing just inside Landis’ bedroom and I could tell the conversation was serious.  Come to find out Bobby had just discovered that some cash he’d thrown into a jar wasn’t there any longer.  He asked Landis about it right then and Landis confessed he’d taken it.  I stood there, jaw agape, not believing what I was hearing.  I wanted to say, “I rest my case.”  But I didn’t. 

I had a little trouble falling asleep in spite of the late hour because my heart was troubled and when I awoke the next morning, Landis’ “condition” was the first thing on my mind.  I washed my face, donned a robe, grabbed my Bible and sat at my desk.  After sharing my heart with God and laying Landis on the altar, I spent some time looking to see how God handled theft.  In the Old Testament in the book of Proverbs it talks about returning seven times what was taken and in Matthew we read how the converted tax collector returned four times the amount he’d stolen. I took some notes and showed them to Bobby later that morning and he agreed to look it over and consider everything.  I also handed Bobby a book that he found and purchased at a home school convention in May of 2011.  I’d noticed the book recently and thought what a shame for such a great book to not be put to use.  The book is written by a dad with 6 sons and 1 daughter who wanted to put together a biblical study for fathers and their sons of what it means to be a man complete in Christ.  Not only did the author write a book, but he started an organization similar to Boy Scouts, with chapters all over the country.  The organization is called, “Teleo Scouts.”  Bobby had forgotten the book and, that night, brought it to bed with him to look over before going to sleep.  On Wednesday, our day off school, he planned to take Landis to breakfast and start their weekly study together.

At Bobby’s suggestion I printed out a Bible study on stealing and put it in a binder to present to Landis to use in his morning devotional time.  And when Bobby announced to him that the two of them would be going to breakfast the next morning, Landis couldn’t help but grin but questioned why.  Bobby explained to him what his motives were and I couldn’t help but be amazed at the excitement that showed on Landis’ face at the thought of his dad wanting to spend time with him.  Powerful stuff.