“Here she is!” She is not Miss America, but she is more precious to us than any Miss America could be unless it is Laurie, the latest “future addition” to be added to our family. We are already excited and are exceedingly blessed to have Tim and Kara’s wedding coming up. I already look on Tim as my son. I look forward to sharing Tim as a son with his Dad and Mom. Now God is blessing us with a daughter to share with her parents and as Jonathan’s future wife! (Go to www.jdblundell.blogspot.com for pictures, video, and Jonathan’s commentary.) We spent most of last Saturday celebrating the engagement which took place that morning.This morning I wrote a few comments to and about Jonathan and Laurie which are copied and edited from my comment post on Jonathan’s blog. They follow in italics and in bold print:
20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV)
Has it been only four months, Jonathan? It seems we have known Laurie for a much longer time as we have heard so much and so many good things about her. We had no idea she even existed until you mentioned you were communicating with a young lady who said she thought your parents went to the same church as her parents.
She was and is right. We have known her parents for around six years. They are fine folks. Neither we nor they had any idea the other couple had an unmarried and eligible child. We all believe it is God who is bringing you together. Both sets of parents have prayed and watched as God answered our prayers. Praise the wonderful name of Jesus! He has definitely done exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think!
We congratulate you and Laurie, publicly and on- line. We already love Laurie as our daughter. We look forward to Laurie becoming our “daughter-in-law.” We are proud of both of you and love you both very much. God bless you all, always, and in all ways. I pray blessings for you both as Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:14-21.
“14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you,” Jonathan and Laurie, “according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you,” Jonathan and Laurie, “being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height– 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you,” Jonathan and Laurie, “may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
10:41 AM (end of comment on Jonathan’s blog.)
There are several more items in which we request praise and prayer. We praise God for the many ways in which He answered prayers as God saw Laurie, her parents, and Jonathan. Laurie had an angioram and complications the week before the engagement. God answered the prayers of many all over the country for Laurie’s recovery. He has given Laurie an awesome spirit of cheerfulness. You should have seen her smile, even while in pain. He also gave strength, wisdom, and courage for Laurie, her medical caregivers, her family and ours. We have an awesome God.
It is time I share a few other things on this blog. Some friends have been checking it and probably wonder why I have not been adding to it. We have been extremely busy since school started. Margie has an oversize school class of 24 second graders this year. I have been trying to help her with domestic things at home so she can keep up with all the grading, filing, and other paperwork for that class after my four days, at ten-hours per day work week.
I have realized the most important relationship I have after Jesus Christ is with my wife and family. Church membership and responsibilities, work, and trying to help others see a “passage to higher ground” come after that. My life is far from balanced, but I praise God that He is still
teaching me and my family is so patient, especially Margie.
I am loved by Christ and others more than I had thought or understood. Kara and Tim have been given several wedding showers along with other preparations for their December 30 wedding. God has, I believe, given me a better understanding 0f Christ’s statement about ministry to Him.. Jesus said, “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'” (Matthew 25:40, NKJV).
When someone does something for Margie, Jonathan, Kara, Tim or Laurie, it affects me emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as if they had done it to me! I had not realized it so thoroughly before this time. The carefully planned showers and thoughtful gifts to Tim and Kara have affected me as if the blessings were directly to me.
Please remember Matthew, my great-nephew, whose heart valve had not completely closed at birth. God answered our prayers and his heart started functioning normally before he was seen by the pediatric cardioligist specialist at Medical City of Dallas. Matthew is now suffering from a weak and/or atrophied muscle in his neck or shoulder, as I understand it. This makes it painful and difficult for him to have full motion of his neck and head. This is being treated by therapy. Please pray for Matthew, Delaina and Mark (Matthew’s parents), and Matthew’s grandparents and therapist as they deal with this. We are trusting God to heal him completely.
God has provided Tim and Kara with an apartment with rent and all utilities, except telephone, paid. They are even eligible for insurance, get a small monthly stipend, and can eat breakfast and/or lunch provided for the tenants and staff. This is in exchange for their alternating with another security couple in answering the phone and tending to minor maintentance or sometimes emergency needs of tenants in a senior citizens retirement apartment complex when the office is closed. They also help serve lunch on their “on-duty” Sunday and are enjoying getting to know the senior tenants.
One of Margie’s students came after the school year had already begun. He was to have been retained in first grade but Dorsey Elementary was unaware of it. The principal had him moved to first grade where he is more developmentally capable of learning his work. Another student was a terrible disruption unless he had recieved his medication at home. He was perhaps a foster child and was transferred to another school district out of Dallas by CPS, as I understand it.
Margie’s main problem child now is the best reader and perhaps most intelligent student in her class. I’ll call him Nathan to protect his name. Nathan tends to be ornery and just plain mean at times. If things do not go his way he may throw a “hissy fit,” yelling and/or growling his displeasure and anger. Margie has developed a separate discipline system for him and is trying to encourage him by having him help other students. Nathan has the reputation for being the worst child in school and is only in second grade! Near the end of the day on Friday he had an extreme outburst of anger, shouting disgust with his life, and disappointment in himself after Margie had to discipline him. Margie was able to calm him down and had him sit on her lap as therer were no other seats available for the activity which the rest class was doing. All at once Nathan started hugging her very hard and long.
Please pray Nathan will have a change of heart which only God can accomplish. Pray for his family and “parents,” too. Please pray for many of Margie’s other students who are also being raised by single mothers, with no father or only a live-in boy friend “step-father,” or by a grandmother or grandparents. Please pray for Margie, too. The paperwork and oversize class load are a consistent burden. She is teaching about half of the students at the very basic beginning of second grade reading level. One little girl cannot even read at that level! Thank God for those students who are close to or above the level at which they need to be. Please pray they will continue to learn and excel although Margie cannot seem to spend adequate time with them while trying to raise the level of the others.
I praise God for Margie and 30 years of marriage which we celebrated all day on October 1. We still have some celebrating to do. First, Margie was surprised by a large anniversary Macadamian nut cookie in Sunday school class when I recieved permission to pre-empt the scheduled refreshment provider couple. She shared it with the whole class and there was still some left over. That afternoon a good number of very close friends and our immediate family were able to suprise her again. Kara, Tim, and Kathryn (Amy’s lifetime best girl friend) pulled together cake, punch, cookies and ice cream for the afternoon celebration while I took Margie to lunch. God bless each and all of you as you prayed, praised, and/or celebrated with us. We are surrounded by the best friends and family for which we could ask God. We thank God for each of you.
We have a friend and sister in Christ, Jeannie, who needs our prayers. Her son, Andrew, is in the hospital again after being in and out several times in the last month. Please pray for Andrew, Jeannie , and Chris (Andrew’s brother.) They have been through numerous trials and tribulations. Please pray they will continue to trust God and see His answers and provisions at this time, too. God bless you as you also pray for these friends.
Finally, please pray for the leaders of our communities and our country. Please pray that God’s people will do their part to pray for and to elect good leaders in our country. Please pray for our military service personnel who are so courageously serving our country all over the world as they try to give other nations liberty and democracy. Please pray especially for our brothers and sisters in Christ in our military services. Please pray they will be effective and faithful ambassadors for Christ and our countyr wherever they are and in whatever they do. ambassadors wherever they are.
” 1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle–I am telling the truth, I am not lying–and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” (I Timothy 2:1-8, NIV).
Thank you for joining this praise and prayer with me.
Thanks for the encouragements and updates!