It’s November?  But, I haven’t finished writing about October…. And then there’s the Christmas letter…  where do I begin?

Let’s begin with some prayer requests.  First is Andrew, one of the triplets... the one in the middle. Emergency surgery to remove some bowel obstructions – bad infection – serious breathing problems… and new parents who are learning early on, as mom Wendy put it, just what it means when we say our children belong to God (on loan from God) and are in His care.  Thankfully, the news this morning was more hopeful.  God has heard our prayers and Andrew has turned a major corner with his breathing, but we must keep praying. 

Brian and Judy could use our prayers.  They should be in the Philippines by now. They left Thursday.    Brian will be teaching in a Word of Life Bible Institute there.  It’s his third trip, so he must be doing something right. 

I think I wrote that Megan went hunting with her dad… her Grampie went out to find the deer that she hit twice, but couldn’t find it. I just learned that Jeremy has built a little hunting shack up in the back field.  Since I don’t have any blaze orange, I don’t dare go up there to see it yet.  Loralei came yesterday afternoon to sit with him.

Meanwhile, Carissa got a tick bite on her neck this week that was imbedded deeply.  It didn’t take long for the bull’s eye rash, fever and headache to set in – all symptoms of Lyme’s.  So, for the next 21 days she will be on a heavy regime of anti-biotics. 

I don’t think I wrote about the concert we went to Wednesday night.  Crysten, Loralei and I met Bob in Lowell, MA at Cracker Barrel for supper before heading to the auditorium for the Michael W. Smith and Stephen Curtis Chapman United Tour.  As I write I am listening to Michael’s New Hallelujah CD.  Awesome. 

And then there’s 'IT'S A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS'… someone has perceptively said “If Christmas had a sound track it would be this album.”  Crysten purchased it last year and we both agreed that the original pieces sounded like a sound track to a movie.  I’m pretty particular about what I want new Christmas music to sound like and most don’t make the cut… but every piece on this CD won my approval. 

But, the star of the night had to be Stephen Curtis.  Many of you will remember the terrible tragedy that he and his family went through (and still are) last May.  There was plenty of celebrating to do with one son graduating from high school and their oldest daughter newly engaged. (She got married at the Biltmore!! three weeks ago.)  Then the unthinkable happened.  5 year old Maria ran into the path of her brother’s car and was killed right in their driveway. 

When Stephen walked on the stage I choked – and he hadn’t even said anything yet.  With a grateful heart for America’s prayers he began to explain the difficulty of coming up with an opening song that would help us understand where his family was in their journey through this accident.  He settled on Blessed Be Your Name.

Two years ago another family in our church, the Foshays, were trying to come up with the right funeral song to express their belief and sorrow when their son, Tim, was killed in a car accident after three tours in Iraq.  God showed them this same song… a song that seems to minister to mourning parents…

Blessed Be Your Name

by Matt Redman

- - -

Blessed Be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

The remainder of the concert was all Michael and all Stephen – together, separately, and both had sons in the band.  It was a wonderful service full of worship to our Lord.  After sharing so much of the Chapman tragedy second hand, it was nice to see and hear Stephen in person.  He looks old, though.  We all noticed how this has aged him.  I walked away from my time reminded vividly that God will see us through the tough times. 

From the concert Bob drove back to RI where he has been working all week.  The girls and I got home around 1:30.  The phone rang early that morning, awaking me from a deep sleep.  It was one of Bob’s farmers…  oh, well.  The concert made the sleep deprivation worth it. 

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Posted by Anonymous

HI Susan, thanks for the wrap up of you month....Blessed Be Your Name is a song that we sing often as a family and now after reading through the book of Job all together, the girls understand it more....it was a song that I truly had to think about when singing the words when Ezzy was first born.....great words, words that can only be sung with God's strength.
Much love,
Liz

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