The LORD's gift to you

"This is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Today, Grace stepped inside the door of a church for the very first time!

Here she is in the car on the way

I was so excited to see what she would think.  I must say at first seeing and meeting so many people her little heart was racing.  She just looked around a little confused but once we were settled in our seats she was better.  Two sweet friends blessed her with gifts so that definitely diverted her attention for a few minutes!  It was just a little hard to help her understand she couldn't play with the balls in the sanctuary…haha!

As soon as the service started we stood to sing and I knew she would like that part!!  This little girl loves music and I pray God uses music to heal her sweet heart, soul, body and mind!  I know He has used it so much in mine.  She looked around at the screens and all the people singing and raising their hands in worship.  I wish I knew what was going through her little mind.

Then…she got to see her little nephew, Chance Judah, up at the front while her big brother Ben and sissy Heather and niece Annie stood to dedicate him to the Lord.  She watched all the babies pictures up on the big screen and LOVED it!  We all went up to pray over Chance and she gave Annie a BIG hug when we finished.  It was so sweet!

I read in Exodus 16 again the other day where God provided the manna for His people to eat everyday.  It says in verse 18 that "each family had just what it needed."  Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it until morning."  But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning.  But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell." (vs. 19-20)

Verse 22-26 says, "On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much as usual…then all the leaders of the community came and asked Moses for an explanation.  He told them, "This is what the LORD commanded:  Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the LORD.  So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow."  So they put some aside until morning, just as Moses had commanded.  And in the morning the leftover food was wholesome and good, without maggots or odor.  Moses said, "Eat this food today, for today is a Sabbath day dedicated to the LORD.  There will be no food on the ground today.  You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath.  There will be no food on the ground that day."

I love what the LORD says in verse 29, "…the Sabbath is the LORD's gift to you."

I love that!  This is such a picture of why we do what we do.  Today, living in the 21st century, we observe the Sabbath day on Sunday.  It is a day holy to the LORD.  We don't go to church out of habit, we don't go for purely social reasons, we don't go out of obligation.  We go, and we teach our children to go because it "is the LORD's gift to us."  A day set aside above all others to worship Him in a special way.  I love Sundays!  And I want to teach Grace how special Sundays are to the Lord her God.  His ways are good and we want to follow His ways out of pure love for Him.

I hope she loved her first day in His house!  I know I sure did!!

Grace with her sweet sissy, Katie!

Baba shows her the BIG cross outside the church

Let's go "whit-tee-i" (Chinese for "home")

Today we made some memories!