Consider it pure joy...

As our family of five settles a bit more into the transition of moving, reality sets in and we've all realized, THIS IS HARD! We're all missing our Billings "family." Madison & Breanne began school the end of last week and I don't think being the new kid is as glamourous as they thought it would be. Breanne is especially struggling. It's torture watching your kid who loved school so much go to crying and saying she doesn't want to go! I guess in parenting, this is where the rubber meets the road. What else can you do besides hold them and bring them back to Jesus. In Paul's book to James, chapter 1, Paul says, "Consider it pure joy, my brother & sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish it's work to make you mature and complete, not lacking anything!" Isn't that the goal, to be so complete that we don't lack anything in character? Yes, we won't be totally there until Jesus returns, but this process, tough as it is, will give our whole family an opportunity to become more Christ-like. Praise to Him! (Even if at this point, I just wish we were standing on the other side of this circumstance.)

No news on the house-front. Derrick will return to the cities this week to look some more. We are so blessed by the graciousness of our parents to let us call their "basement apartment" home for now. God always provides!