The Venable Family: Last "Leg" Complete

Friday, June 29, 2007

Last "Leg" Complete

Well, Sarah and I made it - we arrived mid-day yesterday and are presently sitting in the living room of my friend and co-laborer, Seth, relaxing before the start of another busy day... not a lot of driving, though, thankfully! We will go over to the title agency later today (11am) to sign the closing documents for our new home, do a walk through at the home in the afternoon (2pm), go to church, and then we have a church gathering afterwards to attend! Then it's back here, go to bed, up early on Sunday (4:30am) and go to the airport to catch a 7:20am flight back to Chicago!!! What a whirlwind of a trip - I love it!!! Don't worry, Sarah is holding up just fine...

Things seem to be going well at home, though Michelle has still not been able to shake the headache... please pray that the Lord would just remove it!!! I woke thinking this morning that this coming Monday will be the first Monday in 13 weeks that I will not have to do a post about how Michelle is doing after a treatment. Wow... On the relocation front, she continues to pack-up the odds and ends that are left, but we are almost there. Please pray for all the "little" things to get done - thanks! I just have to gear myself up between now and the end of next week to do that drive again... as does Sarah!

Okay, well here is a couple photos from yesterday; we didn't take too many (I think we were a little worn out!!). We love you all!! - Steve and Michelle -

Crossing into Arizona!

New Home - photo 1

New Home - photo 2

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi Dad,; June 30, 2007 at 8:43 AM
Tamara said...: Michelle or Steve this is your sister inlaw Tami drop me a line in email I need to ask some questions thanks.
love and prayers Tami
joneslt1961@hotmail.com; June 18, 2008 at 7:28 PM

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Trust, Lean, Acknowledge

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov 3:5-6)

An alternate rendering of "He shall direct your paths" is that the Lord will make your way smooth and/or straight. This can seem so contrary to life experiences, which at times appear to be anything but smooth or straight. Yet, as we trust in the Lord and not in our interpretation or thoughts on what is "happening around or to us", acknowledging that He is in control and nothing escapes His knowledge including the trials of life, relying on Him for even our very next breath, He truly provides "shock absorbtion" for the bumps and potholes of life; and what seemed to be a dramtic turn in the road is nothing more than Him redirecting us down a path for our edification and growth. It is not always easy and many times doesn't seem to make sense, but in the Lord it is ALWAYS for our good.

Trust in, lean on and acknowledge HIM... He will guide you through even the most difficult of times of life. Today, even if you are in the midst of the fiery trial, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in Jesus you will come through it not singed, without even the "smell" of fire on you (Daniel 3:27), purified for greater service unto Him and bringing glory to His name alone.

Pause and Ponder (Selah):

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say,'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'" (James 4:13-16, NKJV)

At times like the one Michelle and I find ourselves in at the moment, it amazes me how simple life really becomes. Yes, things can seem on the surface complicated when you think of tests, surgery, radiation therapy, possibly chemotherapy; but in actuality, as life becomes more focused on the immediate and more critical, it slows and everything just seems a little more uncomplicated. You can't really make plans for tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year to some extent; you literally have to live life moment to moment, day to day. This brings about a re-evaluation of ones life, causing that which is truly important to come to the forefront.

It makes me wonder how many times we, even as Christians, fashion our plans, establish where we are heading, and detail out where our life is going and then, once we have come up with it all, ask God to bless OUR endeavors having never sought Him in the process. How much struggle do we bring into our own lives because we didn't first seek Him as we were coming up with our "plans"? I am reminded again that is is okay to make plans in the Lord for our future, but in the end it is the Lord's will that matters most. To paraphrase Henry Blackaby from Experiencing God, we are really here to simply participate in what God is already doing around us!!! As the Word says, don't get caught up looking to tomorrow because you have no control over what it holds and sufficient for the day (today) is it's own trouble (or "stuff" to deal with!). Oh yeah, and don't get hung up looking back at yesterday either because you can't change it!

Keep an eye on where you are heading in the future, yes, trusting in Jesus each step of the way as you make your plans. But be sure, in the midst of the "road trip", to give your ALL today in serving the Lord, giving Him the "steering wheel" as HE guides and directs you into the future HE has planned for you. It is better than anything you could have come up with anyway!!!

The Venable Family

Friday, June 29, 2007

Last "Leg" Complete

2 comments:

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