Alyssa just left in the truck for her second day of school...it's getting easier for me to let her go...a little! I am glad she left the house early yesterday because she got lost! She left before 8 so she could meet her friend before school, and didn't get there until 8:45- fifteen minutes before school started. Oops, guess I should have given her directions! You know what happens with assuming....

Last afternoon and evening was so cool...do you know how great it was that Alyssa and Becky could go to the mall together to birthday shop for Heidi? Now, I'm not talking about the shopping necessarily, or that they got to go to the mall TOGETHER (something they enjoy)...I'm talkin' "I didn't have to drive them!!!". And so cool that I could send Alyssa to the store a little later with some cash to pick up dinner (hmmm...where's my change?!). This meant that I had a SOLID amount of time to get a few things done- laundry, mopping, etc.- and I enjoyed it! Yes, I can be easily pleased.

I have been reading the book of Exodus since I got home from CIY. I grew up reading and hearing stories of the plagues and have never realized how much God was showing His love even as He sent those plagues down on Egypt. Sounds crazy. But He wanted Pharoah's heart. It is scary to think that, after hardening your heart so many times, that God will eventually give in and do the same. But, only to still show His power in your life so that you can know that HE IS GOD. He kept repeating that He wanted Pharoah and all of Egypt to know who HE is. To think that if Pharoah humbled himself, what a different God-experience he could have had. Instead, his decisions to ignore God's calling affected him and every single person around him. So sad. I bet it broke God's heart.

He wanted Pharoah's heart...all of it. No bargains. Not just parts of it.

I read a quote today in one of my email devotionals that just cemented this truth more into me. I love it when that happens. "God is Lord of all -- or He is not Lord at all!" God wants all of me, not just the parts I feel comfortable in giving. Who better to give it to than the One who loves me perfectly, the One who always welcomes me into His presence, the One who is perfect in wisdom and created all the complexities of me, the One who knows and offers the unimaginable perfect plan for this life He has given me.

I am still working on memorizing Ephesians...the first three verses I have come to recite pretty easily. I love verse three where it says "Grace and peace to you, the faithful in Christ Jesus". My prayer time was great that day. I thought about all my friends who are going through different struggles and prayed grace and peace over them by name. And, a little more difficult, I prayed the same for some that I have a hard time loving. To be honest, that was not easy. God loves us so much, and His outpouring of grace and peace is something we all need and crave...I don't care who you are. He extends His grace to all...I wish I had more of that kind of love...I am confident He is able to grow it in me...do your perfect work, God.

I'm working on verses four and five...let's see how if I can get it on here...

4. Praise (yes..because He IS worthy!) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed in in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Wait, I think that is verse three. That came a little too easily. Umm....

4 & 5 (for real this time, and I just had to peek to get me started...) For HE chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight (I feel loved...extremely). In love, He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will (wow, so cool...He WANTS us!).

Yeah, I have some work to do on that. :)