Dear Friends and Family,
Day by Day and with each passing moment
Strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best.
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Domestic problems tend to materialize when my handyman husband is away. Like the time the roof blew off (one of the times, that is) and my neighbor lady and I chased down sheets of insulation that were blowing across the desert. But that is another story.
This week it was a clogged kitchen drain and Greg was in Boulder, Co helping our brother in law. The bottle read, “Instant Power Heavy-Duty Drain Opener—guaranteed to work on even the toughest clogs.” Sounded good to me and gave me hope I could get this fixed without burdening a soon-to-arrive-home-tired husband. Just another example of the empty promises the world offers.
What began as a simple clogged drain morphed into a huge plumbing problem and three days later I am washing dishes in the bathtub.
Another graduation from IM school has come and gone with people we view as family moving and leaving holes in the school program and in our hearts. Constant hurting people with messed up lives. Rain and mud and wind that can drag down one’s spirits.
June will find us babysitting grandkids in Phoenix while Jeremy and Denise get away. Then up to Colorado Springs to move Matt and Jen down to Farmington. God gave him the youth pastor job and we are so excited, both for a much needed job in his area of gift, and also that they will be so much nearer to us. In July they will present us with our seventh grandchild, another little girl. We are so blessed.
Each event, be it pleasure or pain, GIFTS accompanied by God’s Fatherly wisdom, kindness beyond measure, strength, peace and rest.
Jerry Bridges said, “Confidence in God’s Sovereignty in all that affects us is crucial to our trusting Him. If there is a single event in all the universe that can occur outside of God’s control, then we cannot trust Him. His power, love and purpose cannot be thwarted.” What joy to be His.
God bless you as you bless us. We love you,
Greg and Kathy Staley
Immanuel Mission 