Karter's 4th Birthday

We celebrated Karter's birthday 'Mickey-style'. It was a beautiful warm afternoon and we were so blessed to have our closest friends and family join us to celebrate Karter. This year has been one worth celebrating!

The menu for the kids included Mickey shaped chicken nuggets, fries, veggies and for dessert Mickey cupcakes and for the adults chicken and various salads. The kids played in the bouncy castle (care of J & K) ran through the sprinkler, enjoyed water guns and of course the Mickey pinata. It was a hit for all the kids and we were thrilled to spend time together with everyone.

Here are a few pictures of the festivities

 

 

 

To my precious Karter:

As I say to you all the time, you are such an inspiration. Your ability to overcome adverse situations is commendable. You go with the flow and you smile all the way through it. Your infectious laugh brings us to tears and your courage is something not many people have. You are an over comer and this year has been a big one to overcome. You faced neuro-surgery for the second time and astounded us with how well you did. We have deemed this year one of 'celebration and expectation' and little man, you blow our minds daily with what you have accomplished.

The favor that rests on you is something that can only be explained as God given. Although you have never spoke one word, just who you are has spoken louder than a 1000 words. You are so loved by so many and you are in the prayers of people all over the world. As your parents we could not be more proud to call you our son. We love you so much and we look forward to the next year ahead.

Our prayer is that we see you accomplish things far beyond the realm of normal! You have been equipped by the Lord with all you need to succeed and we are excited to sit on the sidelines supporting you and cheering you on as you accomplish great things. I love you Karter James. Thank you for coming into our lives 4 years ago and making us into the people we are today. You are one in a million!

Depending

I found this article this week and it was such a nice reminder for me.

Prov 16:3 Dependence upon God yields Success.
Prov 16:3 (KJV) Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Prov 16:3 (NIV) Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Prov 16:3 (NCV) Depend on the LORD in whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

"Commit" (16:3) literally means "roll." It calls the reader to roll his burdens onto the Lord's shoulders; they are not too great for him. [New Bible Companion]

Lay the matter before him by prayer. (Matthew Henry's Commentary)

When a man recognizes his own need and turns to the Lord for guidance and help in every act and decision, then the powers of heaven come to his aid and enable him to carry out the decisions reached under the influence of the Holy Spirit. [SDA Commentary]

There are different ways to fail to commit whatever we do to the Lord. Some people commit their work only superficially. They say the project is being done for the Lord, but in reality they are doing it for themselves. Others give God temporary control of their interests, only to take control back the moment things stop going the way they expect.

Still others commit a task fully to the Lord, but put forth no effort themselves, and then they wonder why they do not succeed. We must maintain a delicate balance: trusting God as if everything depended on him, while working as if everything depended on us. Think of a specific effort in which you are involved right now. Have you committed it to the Lord? [Life Application SB]

When we want God's direction, there are no halfway measures. There will be times when we slip back, stumble and sin. These times grow fewer as we seek and gain His direction. Progress comes when we place our full confidence, our will and intellect, in the Lord. Does this mean God wants us to stop thinking, stop being individuals, become a robot? God forbid! He doesn't expect us to short circuit our own mind. He just tells us not to go to that understanding with the wrong assumptions. It is simple. Place your confidence in God, wholly, on a matter. (To do so, you will have to pray and search His word to find out what it has to say on that matter.) This is putting our thoughts before the Lord and His Word. As we do this, He will give us the direction we need. Decide today to pay due respect to God in all that is done. He will direct decisions, judgments, and actions. And we can count on growing in our walk with Him. [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom]

Dependence is something that does not come naturally to me but it is something that I am learning. In the past years, we have had to depend on God for many things. When it comes to Karter, we have been able to look back and see how there has never been lack for anything that he has ever needed. We depend solidly that God will provide. Not just for Karter’s health needs but also for the equipment and other things that he requires. Not only has Karter never gone without what he has needed, but more than, the best has always been provided for him.

We have been praying about how to acquire the extra money to pay for the walker that we had selected for Karter. It is a substantial amount of money, far above what we could “just cover” out of pocket. Believing that Karter would have that walker that we chose for him, we continued to pray and look for ways to find the extra funds.

This week, someone contacted me to tell me that they were sending the money we needed to cover to amount for Karter’s walker. As they shared with me, I went to tears. I had no words to express my gratefulness, I was absolutely floored. As the day went on I was so humbled by the fact that once again provision was made for the things that Karter needed. He does not live in lack but in blessing. God knew when he gave Karter to us that provision would be made for him and He proves that time and again. So we continue to depend and He continues to provide and show success for our plans. I will leave you with the last part of the article:

Dear Child,

I watch you labouring and fretting and anxiously striving to achieve things for me and my kingdom. Hear me. Your work is not my primary concern. Your work is now, has always been, and always will be secondary to your relationship with me. What you do will flow out of your relationship with me as irrigation streams flow out of a deep, clear, powerful river. The river (the relationship) will set your motives and supply your strength. Then your work will flow forth to honor me. Any time you allow your work to come ahead of your relationship with me, you risk working against me and my purposes.

Draw near to me and rest. Seek my will at every small turn. Listen for my voice. Be filled with my Spirit. Then work with joy and abandon!

The Source of your power, God