Yesterday I wrote about the powerful prayers that were being faithfully prayed for years as God Almighty was orchestrating events spanning years, time zones, and cultures.
Faithful God.
I’ve received hundreds of emails over the last 2 years from you, my sweet bloggy friends, who want to share how the stories we’ve told here at our Place Called Simplicity have encouraged hearts. The stories have reminded you that God does, indeed, care about not just the big stuff BUT He really cares about the seemingly insignificant stuff as well.
I am so thankful that our stories of God’s faithfulness
have blessed you and
given you the desire to pray for the
“little stuff” in your own life.
And so here’s what God’s done on the home front,
with what could be thought of as seemingly insignificant request.
When Dw was gone a few weeks back to visit his mom {who has momentarily rallied – talk about the power of all her sons coming home!}, he was gone about 3 days when Elijah said, “Mommy, when is daddy coming home?” I said, “In a few days, why?” He said,
“Cause I just need to wrestle!”
There is nothing quite so wonderful to a little four year old and
seven year old boys as wrestling with daddy.
Not.Even.Kidding.
Their faces light up when Daddy makes the announcement,
“I’m so gonna’ womp on both of you.”
And the games begin.
So at that point, I thought, “Oh Lord, could you please provide some maleness
for my little boys to wrestle with while Daddy is gone for THREE weeks to Africa?”
Three weeks is a long time for two little guys to go without wrestling their hero. They can wrestle with Graham after two weeks, but there is nothing quite like the Daddy-man.
So I started to pray, “Lord of all the things that we most need while Whitey is gone is that the little boys need someone to wrestle with. A man. Someone who can toss them about and throw them around and who they can beat on.”
And so a few days ago two of Graham’s friends texted me:
“Can we come eat dinner with you guys?”
Ummm, yeah.
“Can you wrestle with my boys?”
Heck yeah!
Gabe and Ben and Isaiah and Elijah
Can you see Isaiah laughing his head off in the picture below?
And then a couple days later our precious friends,
Sarah and Sean called.
{They went to Africa with Dw and the team in January.
Totally have a heart for the orphan!!}
“Hey can we bring dinner and eat with you guys?”
You betcha.
“Sean, can you wrestle with my boys?”
You betcha!
Pounding the daylights out of Sean.
{He may never be the same again.}
Sean and Sarah thought it would be super
fun to bring mustaches for everyone….
Nice uni-brow Sean.
They told me I had to wear the mustache they brought for me.
But alas, they insisted.
And my kids thought it was the funnest thing
to see mommy in a mustache.
And then the kids thought it would be sooo fun to make silly faces.
And then they told me that I had to put it on the blog.
So there you go.
Me, with a mustache and a silly face.
oh.my.
totally out of my comfort zone
Ma and Pa Kettle, I think.
And so that’s the story of God answering yet
another seemingly insignificant prayer….
and Ben, Gabe and Sean and Sarah
have already said they’re coming back next week
for more memory making times together
and some good ol’ fashion beating on each
other times with the boys….
Yippee Jesus!
so sweet! I love that God takes care of everything.
I laughed so hard at the last picture especially!! The Kettles. bahhahha
Oh how cute they are wrestling around. We have lots of that going on at our house. oooo,really,…you get a mustache when you go through menapause? yikes!
Love-Love-Love the pictures. God is so Good. :))
Oh how sweet!! Just love how God takes care of the "little things" that we need!!!
God is so awesome!
You and your family have truly wonderful friends. Treasure them always (I know you do!).
Can't wait to see next week's action pics. 🙂
He really does care about every little thing! I have thought of you saying that so many times this week. We are on vacation… much needed… and we have had such a sweet time together and have just really felt blessed and know that He loves to shower His blessing upon us even in these little ways.
So glad he is taking care of you while Dwight and Graham and Emma are gone.
oh–this brought tears to my eyes! the JOY of boys wrestling, precious friends & how God cares about even the littlest of things. LOVE it. [and can't wait to get our boys home & for them to get some wrestle on with a dad that LOVES them!] =)
I love it !! How sweet. I needed reminded today God cares about the little stuff . Thanks. 🙂
delightful post!!So many ways Jesus sends kisses our way- even in the form of wrestling!
bee blessed
mary
The God of the little things comes through again. I love it! and I love your photos. Laughed out loud at you all with your moustaches and also Ma and Pa Kettle. They are the cutest Ma and Pa I've ever seen. Love you dear friend. Praising Him for you!
Just laughed out loud in the theater reading this …dollar theater with hubby
Love it. : )
Too cute :-). God Rocks!
That's awesome about answered prayer. Loved the photos 🙂
Its important to delight in every small victory <3
Brooke Annessa
http://www.theannessafamily.blogspot.com
LOVE THESE PICTURES!!
Love it! Yes, my little guys squeal with delight when Papa says, "Let's wrestle!"
Funny pictures.
Hugs,
janet and gang
I can totally relate, all I have is girls but they still love to "wrestle" with their Daddy. :0)
Love the mustache and funny face. It would be out of my comfort zone too, but if the kids ask, what are you gonna do?
love love love Sarah and Sean!!! So glad they could come "play" with your family!
Linny & Bloggie Readers —
Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers last week (June 3? Whatever the prayer request day was).
My prayer request has been answered in a BIG way. It was that I get an internship and possible a part-time job. The Lord has blessed me significantly in the internship category! I have been offered internships at three different facilities so far, and I believe more are on the way. It's a big answer to my prayers and a confirmation that what I'm hearing is from the Lord.
Linny, thank you again for sharing things in your life. His "still, small voice" is easier to hear when I learn how He speaks to you. He is a big, mighty and powerful Lord who cares about the big and small things. We are all truly blessed.
Laura
Those photos of you with your kids are powerful. We might not have photos of the miracles Jesus did when He walked on the earth, but there are lots of miracle photos being made these day! Love it!
I love this post! My FAVORITE is when God takes care of the "little" things! He loves us so much!!!
And I love the pictures, too! Thanks for posting the ones with you in them. You look great, silly, but great!
🙂
Justine
Linny, loved this post, but somehow me thinks you misspoke, (totally out of my comfort zone) just doesn't seem to fit….*snort* If we ever get to meet in this life I am TOTALLY going to watch my back…LOL
just saying…
I think you need to talk to Dad and maybe straighten out that little embellishment of the truth…:o)
Here is a quote from George Washington that might help… LOL
"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man."
saying a little prayer that your face don't freeze in that position, although it is kinda cute and funny looking….*snort*
P.S.
Thanks for the smiles today.:o)
Delightful! 🙂 God is good.
Thank you for the laughs! Little boys wrestling with Daddy is so important and makes memories that will last a life-time.
I love it! That is awesome:) I <3 the unibrow! That is hilarious! Love to hear the BIG and small answered prayers!!! God is so good! Even when my furnace is dead and my hot water heater is dead! I needed this today as I was feeling a bit sorry for myself…lol! Silly me!!!
Such joy…such sweet happiness…love this!!! Love the mustaches…hysterical! The Lord is answering important, oh so important, prayer…that you and your precious family are having sweet moments of treasure while DW, Emma and Graham are away! Thank you, Lord, for the sweet times You are giving them. Kisses from Heaven!
All the prayer that has gone into what is taking place in Uganda is such an encouragement and testimony of the Lord's Faithfulness, Orchestration, deep, deep Love and the faithfulness for those who pray and respond to His Calling! Such sweet and awesome miracles come from faithful praying and seeking His Perfect and Glorious Will! This is such encouragement to all of us! Thank you for sharing each & every day/post with us. How it builds our layers of faith and walk with Jesus! Oh the preciousness of walking with Jesus!
You bless me in so many ways… thank you with all my heart. <3
by the way…your hair looks awesome…your crown of glory has come in, well, gloriously! 🙂
oh just read all the comments…Laura…congratulations on answered prayer and the "choices" the Lord has given you for internship. So exciting to see the Lord move mountains and open doors for you! Continuing to pray as you seek His Will on which one to take! blessings!
Seriously, our God is so awesome!
Ever-so the awesomeness of God in your home. I love visiting your house.
i am so glad God is answering prayer for all the little things like smiles and fun times together. He must take so much pleasure in our pleasure and thanksgiving. as i read this and enjoyed i could not help but think of my brother Christopher in Eastern Europe who has been separated from his little children for 6 weeks. i thank you all who prayed for them on our day of prayer and fasting. I ask you to continue to pray for dear little Natalia and Nikodem's safety and freedom as they hurt for their daddy and miss their tumbling and snuggling times with him. He is their only source of love and affection and safety outside of their heavenly Father. Please pray that they will be happy in his arms soon. i am sooo glad your two little boys can be happy and loved today, Linny! still praying for that amazing ministry in uganda, for Emma's dream and for the precious gem she found suffering in the orphanage. Praying without ceasing and trying to keep faith even in the hard times! thank you and love to all you praying sisters. May God Bless you! So happy bout the internship and praying bout your water heater candace!
God answers prayers in many ways and it's awesome when things happen that we prayed for! Love the mustaches!
Amen Grandma Becky!
It's so beautiful when He answers the "small" things which are actually such important parts of the big picture.
AMx
seriously too sweet! what hearts those men have! God is so good. Stories like that make me want to give Jesus a great big bear hug. haha.
Just a minute ago, i came across a website that sells coffee (a friend was raving about how good it was) and i noticed the company works with families who want to adopt! They help you by setting up a webpage for your family to have friends and family buy coffee from your "Store", where the family gets $5 from proceeds toward their adoption costs. i thought it was a great way to add to any fundraising…everyone has to buy coffee! i know i'd love to help a friend by doing that. anyway, i thought it was worth maybe looking in to? maybe readers would be interested?
https://www.justlovecoffee.com/registerFamily.aspx
love your blog. i'm encouraged every day!
xoxo erin
Ok..I just randomly came across your blog and it has touched me on many levels.
First, my son LOVES to wrestle…but he does not like wrestling with me…it must be with Daddy or another male. Your sweet words about your boys wanting to wrestle brought a smile to my face. When my husband is out of town my son often says, "I can't wait till Daddy comes home so I can WRESTLE with him!!!!"
Also, it's funny (ironic, fate, etc) that I came across your blog because my husband and I have been talking about international adoption a LOT lately…and have just begun looking into it. Your family is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!
Hugs to you…
Jamie