ruins and extravagant love.

another week has gone by. and a day.
in the meantime I have travelled a bit.
first to the Netherlands to visit one of my daughters studying there for a semester, her last year of law school.
I hate the travel in itself, no sleep, long waiting times, trains cancelled, delayed, 18 hours later, with about an hour sleep during what kind of was the night, this body of mine was about to give out.
I love the reason for the travel. my child. seeing her there. spending lots of time talking, walking and more talking.
the Goodbye. tearful. in our future a longer than usual period apart.

travel again, more cancelled / non existent trains.. the reason for it, I loved. my youngest. meeting her in her new place of living. starting school in England.

lots of walking. and talking. and figuring out and setting up. then. another Goodbye. this little spunky one is the last of my children to leave the nest.

I know I will miss her much. I know I will pray even more for her now that she is so far away.

read a great devotion this morning from James MacDonald.. because we are loved by our Father in Heaven He will never stop to put us through trials.. His love is a perfecting love. even the most healthiest changes that bring a sense of loss and sadness He uses to teach us.

learning to trust Him while walking through all these times of refining. praying much and seeing prayers answered. priceless.

He is good. He is extravagant. He is trustworthy and never changing. His love knows no end.

the contrast so stark. the world. it's dark. but His love. it shines. the light that illuminates the darkness cannot be hidden.
the peace always right there. His power unshakeable. mighty He is.
not openly. but still mocked and ridiculed. for His sake? it's worth it always.

at the airport again, more travel, more stress on this old body of mine. returning to more issues. and lots to do.
in His sovereignty He allows them. the issues. or even orchestrates them exactly the way they are.
a father and a mother. their health failing all at the same time.
ruins. rubble. left over from a life lived in the darkness. destruction seems inevitable.

let the ruins come to life

in the beauty of your name

rising up from the ashes 

God forever you reign

and their souls will find refuge 

in the shadow of your wings..

with Him, all is possible, nothing is impossible.. reality is who He is.. not what circumstances are.

peace. reconciliation. love flowing freely. it's possible.

so trusting and praying and hoping and waiting. on Him. and His plan.

expectantly waiting for it to unfold. 

walking through the desert fixing our eyes on Him, the mountain mover and not the mountain. no matter how high.

coming home tomorrow I will go to the dentist ( I SO HATE the dentist ) and then embark on a 5-6 hour drive to finally, at least for a little while,  be reunited with the man I married 3 weeks and 1 day ago. together we will pray and trust and wait. do what we can and rest in Him.

I am blessed.