They say we might soon see snow and I hope they are right. Sure, this warm weather makes going out and about a whole lot easier, but it also means that my little boy wakes up each morning asking if this is the day he can make a snow angel, only to be disappointed again.

But I also hope there aren't any major storms this week since Daniel will be making a fairly impromptu trip to Pittsburgh for his cousin's wedding on Friday evening. He'll be making the trip down with his mom and sister, who have been here since last Thursday. On the return trip, he'll be on his own.

Speaking of our visitors, we're having a great time having them here! I'm very glad they were able to come visit. It makes the distance between our homes seem a bit less when we don't have to go so long without seeing them. There have been lots of stories read (Bronwyn has figured out that she has a sympathetic reader in her Aunt Beth), lots of games played, and lots of "pretending" done.

I've also enjoyed seeing lots of dishes get washed by someone else.

By this time next week, our household will be re-adjusting to regular semester life. And, even though winter break didn't ever feel quite like the break we had anticipated and hoped for, I'm looking forward to classes beginning. The pace of life shared with 40-50 crazy, passionate-about-Jesus students might be much, much faster than what I would choose on my own, but at least I'm learning that the craziness is predictable. And because it's predictable, it is somehow restful.

I will confess that I'm not looking forward to returning to evenings spent mostly without Daniel. I love what he does and I love that he loves Jesus enough to do it, but night after night without him home does get tiresome. But before I complain further, I think I'll go read the excerpt about Adoniram Judson that Daniel shared with us this evening; that will put things in perspective.

You see, I want to give and pour out. I really do.

Last week as I looked ahead and felt exhaustion, I also felt His hand supporting me. Sometimes I just have to give in. I have to say, "God, I'm too tired to do this thing You've called me to. It doesn't matter how many times I tell myself I'm a wimp and that this is all really very do-able, I can't do it right now. But You are God. And even though I'm frail and fallen, You are my God. Please help me to give again... to give today... to give tomorrow... to give when I want to... and to give when I don't want to." And then He can be God.

The only giving that counts is the giving that flows from God through a vessel. So I guess I ought to let Him do the work through me instead of trying to do it on my own.

And I'll do the next thing.