March 10, 2016

I woke up this morning, and started the day with the First 5.  This morning, it was about how the fire on the altar had to be kept burning.  One thing that I did not know but learned this morning, was that the fire was not started by the priests.  In Leviticus 9:24, the Bible tells us that "Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar.  And when all the people saw it, the shouted for joy and fell facedown"  Now that Jesus has come to be our ultimate sacrifice, and we accept that sacrifice, then the "Holy Spirit burns brightly in and through us  to show others that only Jesus is enough."  Only Jesus is enough.  I will never be enough.  You will never be enough. There is no object of our desire that will ever be enough.  Only Jesus is enough.  Only Jesus.

School went well. The students worked hard and finished their Library Research Reports.  They all turned them in today, even though they were not due until tomorrow.  There was much rejoicing in the room when every one of them was turned in.  It was exciting.

After school the Youngest Princess and I came home.  The Oldest Princess and the Young Prince were already home.  My Prince came home not too long after that.

The Youngest Princess practiced "When the Saints Go Marching In" on her flute.  She wanted me to video her and send her performance to several different people.

We ate dinner, and while we were all at the table we went ahead and did our family devotions before the kids all went their separate ways.

As the evening wore on, I could tell that the Young Prince was not his usual chipper self.  I was concerned.  I have been concerned for a while now.  I've thought that maybe it was just normal teenage stuff, and then I've worried that it was more than just normal stuff.  And through talking about it with him from time to time and from walking through some dark times with him, I began to realize that maybe it was more serious than "just normal stuff".  Tonight I talked to him for a long time.  There was a need for assurance of his salvation.  We talked a little about that, and My Prince joined us and helped him with that a little more.  We discussed how that we feel it is important for us to seek professional help for him.  He agreed with me that we need to get him some help. And so, our journey begins.  I was not going to write about it, because I respect my son and his privacy.  He came to me after we had talked about a lot of things, and I was beginning the blog.  He asked me if everything we had talked about tonight was going to go in my blog.  I told him no, that out of respect I would not put it in my blog.  He told me it would be okay if I did.  So, with his permission, I share some of our struggles with you all.  I share in the hopes that our transparency would be an encouragement to some of you who may be facing similar conditions.  As we continue down this road, I will share what he gives me the permission to share, and I will keep private what he asks me to keep private.  I also ask that you all cover us in your prayers.  We covet them at this time.  I know that there is great power in prayer, and so I ask you to pray for the Young Prince, and I also ask that you pray for wisdom for My Prince and I as we walk with him through this uncharted territory.  It is an unsettling place to be.  But with God's help, we will face this head on and give Him the glory every step of the way.

Until tomorrow...