Life can be a Lion's Den

So, I had this really cool analogy of my life and Job and Satan trying to work me to lose my faith going on.

Then, I tucked in my kiddos and read them a story.

All three kids (our foreign kiddo and Christian & Alyssa) received Bibles for Easter that are geared toward their age.  Christian was not all that happy about it.  I think he wanted a chocolate bunny or something instead.  But back to my story....

As I was tucking them in, I noticed Christian's Bible still in the box.  I opened it up, prayed out loud for God to show us an awesome story that the kids would understand.  The pages flipped through my fingers and both kids told me to STOP!  So I opened it up and moved my hand from one side to the other until they said STOP!  Finally, my index finger did circles until again, "STOP" rang out.

The story we landed upon was from Daniel.  The chapter was about the lion's den.  And that was a story that I needed reminded of and was so very thankful to be able to read it to my kiddos.

You see, even though I have not had to face actual lions like Daniel did, people have (still are) trying to make me falter and sway from my beliefs.  In a way, I should be thankful for these trials of faith testing, and yet I am also slightly bitter (OK, maybe more than slightly) that I have to go through all of this.  I mean, really.  I am a nice person who loves God, her family and country.  In that order.  The reason I am getting attacked is because my family comes before my job.  It always has and it always will.  Never in a day will I regret the times I left work on time so that I could be at home with my kids and think to myself, hmmm... perhaps I should have worked longer hours.  Nope, never gonna happen.

When King Darius rolled the stone away the next morning looking for Daniel and asking him if his God saved him, Daniel replied that He did indeed send an Angel to keep the ravenous lion's mouths closed.  God protected Daniel because Daniel did not stop trusting in God. 

Again, I know I am not Daniel, but I think that everyone of us can relate to what he went through way back when.  Can you imagine the trust and faith Daniel must have had to pray to God knowing that doing so would make him be fed to lions?  And then King Darius.  I feel sorta bad for him.  I mean, he was deceived by this subjects to make a law that made it illegal to pray to anyone but himself.  Those men knew what they were doing- they wanted Daniel dead- and because there was no other way but to get him where it hurts, they did just that.

In the end, Daniel's faith prevailed and the King fed the bad men and their families to the lions instead.  He also encouraged others to have faith in Daniel's God, the One True God that protected Daniel when he needed it the most.

Through new and exciting opportunities, God has shown me that the stone is rolled away and I am free to leave the lion's den.  And that, my friends, makes me super happy!

Speaking of being Super Happy.....

Sunday was Easter.  I love Easter because people everywhere celebrate a Risen Savior whether they view it as that way or not.  It's not about the candy or chocolate or bright colored eggs and new bunnies- it's about a promise that was kept.  A promise to for a new covenant to be born in the death of our Savior Jesus Christ.  God kept that promise to us. And he keeps keeping it because we are still here.  Living. Loving. Trusting. Enjoying. Crying. Believing. Being.

My family has started celebrating Easter a bit differently the past two years.  First, no Sunrise Services falling asleep listening to a boring preacher tell the same story the same way every year.  If that is your thing, that is awesome, but for us, we go to the 11 AM service, we rock with an amazing praise and worship band, and we celebrate Jesus's Resurrection!  I can just imagine back on the first Easter how sad everyone was because they didn't know, didn't believe, didn't think it would really happen that He could raise from the dead.  And then, Jesus shows himself!  He says I am here with you as I have promised!  Man, I don't know about you, but if I were a follower on that first Easter, I would have PARTIED and celebrated our LIVING King!

Sorry... got side tracked again.... man, this post is getting long....

Easter eggs.  Yup, we have them.  We set out clues for the kids to follow to find their gift.  Here are a few pictures from Sunday:

Kids beginning their journey to the second clue.



Alyssa and Carlos finding the first big egg in the tree house.


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At the wood pile checking out the next clue.

 



Kids in the hay feeder.



Carlos taking a break for Jersey.



At the apple trees.



Checking out the rabbits for the next clue.



Boys are getting into it, too.

Let the shooting begin!!!

Our little targets.





Both kiddos shooting.



Alyssa getting help from Ted, it's a heavy .22.



Some trampoline time.



Girls being silly.

Christian rocking the .22.  I kid you not, the boy hit every target and if there was a top shot for pre-teens, he'd win!

Carlos can't touch guns while here, so he had to watch us.

Christian shooting the .22

How can you NOT love this picture?