free slaves

what is it about life that causes us to think we are in charge?  where do we get off trying to take control? and why, every time, are we blown out of the water when it just doesn't go as we planned?  is God's Word that mysterious?  is His love for us so hidden we fail to see His best for us?  has He not adequately demonstrated that His ways are not man's ways and that He works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him?

first time swimming...he giggles, squealed and splashed for the longest time

....or are we just sinful....

enter emphatic    YES!!!!!

beautiful harvest at the market we went to several times each week in Mbarara

sin is blinding, paralyzing, deceiving, and allows us to be painfully unaware of the Truth.  the head and the heart disconnect, emotions run wild, and before we know it sin has taken control of our being....but then....

FREEDOM!

the "lizard" wisperer and his one of his precious geckos

we are not slaves to sin!  we are free from sin and slaves with Christ, free to hope, free to claim our rich and glorious heritage in the eternal bounty our Father is storing for us.  bondservants.  can you hear the freedom in that word? it's amazing!  and if we are watchful, and continue to sweep those sinful, blinding cobwebs of emotion from our eyes, we will see glimpses of that bounty...like a beaming sunset, it shines into our lives and warms our souls with HOPE

wrapped in craig's arms, silas makes his trip home with us

the words are just starting to come...the last 7 weeks have been beyond anything we had imagined or been prepared for.  craig has now been in uganda with the kids, waiting for visas for 3 weeks alone.  we have been through the Refiners fire in that time, but never burned.  we have been pressed down, but never destroyed.  we have been stretched, but never torn.  because He who started this work is faithful and never abandons His children....more to come as we continue to reflect and pull it together.

i wish i could explain the sounds and faces that girl can make with those lips...it's truly amazing

for now, we still wait.  visas this week?  we have more hope than ever before

the miracle we are asking for....that visas will be given tomorrow when craig goes to the embassy at 10 am kampala time (that's midnight california time).  he, silas and naomi could get on the plane later that night and be home by wednesday evening.  what JOY that would be!!!

sweet girl in her pink tutu suit. new favorite maela phrase (^ = short pause):  mom^i'm^feezing!

so we wait, claiming our FREEDOM as slaves to the King, clinging to the HOPE of eternal bounty...and longing to be in one anothers arms again, finally