8.24.2010

Flowers that Grow in the Shade



Our dear friend, Ruth Karner, gave us this wonderful daily devotional book, Streams in the Desert back in November. We keep it on our dining room table and have been encouraged by it many times. Today's entry did just that and I thought I would share.





August 24


I have received full payment and even more (Phil 4:18)





In one of my garden books there is a chapter with a very intereswting title: "Flowers that grow in the shade." It deals with those areas of ta garden that never catch direct sunlight, and it lists the kinds of flowers that not only grow in the dark corners but actually seem to like them and flourish in them.


There are similarities here to the spiritual world. There are Christians who seem to blossom when their material circumstances become the most harsh and severe. They grow in the darkness and shade. If this were not true, how could we otherwise explain some of the experiences of the apostle Paul?


When he wrote the above verse, he was a prisoner in Rome. THe primary mission of his life appeared to have been broken. But it was in this persistent darkness that flowers began to show their faces in bright and facinating glory. Paul may have seen them before, growing along the open road, but certainly never in the incomparable strength and beauty in which they now appeared. And words of promise opened their treasures to him in ways he had never before experienced.


Among those treasures were such wonderful things as Christ's grace, love, joy, and peace, and it seemed as though they had needed the circumstance of darkness to draw out their secret and inner glory. The dark and dingy prison had become the home of the revealed truth of God, and Paul began to realize as never before the width and the welth of his spirituall inheritance.


Haven't we all known men and women who begin to wear strength and hopefulness llike a regal robe as soon as they must endure a season of darkness and solitude? People like that may be put in prison by the world, but their treasure will be locked away with them, for true treasure cannot be locked out of their lives. Their material condition may look like adesert, but "the desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom" (Isa.35:1)
John Henry Jowett

When there is much light, there is also much shade.

8.17.2010

Rockford Benefit-September 12

My wonderful family and friends in Rockford, IL (where i was born and raised) have been working really hard planning a benefit in honor of the kids. It sounds like it is going to be our biggest fundraising to date.

If you are in or near the Rockford Area, we would love to see you there. It is our first fundraising event in Rockford and we are really excited.

Here are the details:
Boyce Family Benefit
Sunday, September 12
2-6 PM
Franchesco's
Ristorante
7128 Spring Creak Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
815.229.0800
Adults: $10
Children 10 and Under: $5
Music By: Prime Time Live Band
Silent Auction
Food
Join theBoyce's and dance, eat, and bid on many silent auction items (a weeks vacation, spa items, resturant gift cards, and much much more!). It will be a blast!
All proceeds will assist the Boyce's in building a handicapped accessible home near family to meet there current and future needs in Beach Park, IL.
Hope to see you there!

8.03.2010

all went well

just waiting for the go ahead to see him in recovery but the Dr said that everything went well! He will need 4 hours at least of monitoring after he comes out of anesthesia.

All went well and his tonsils were removed and ear tube replaced....the adnoids didn't grow back from last time so they didn't have to remove them.

If he can drink and recovers well, we will go home after rush hour tonight!

Thank you for your prayers!

Tonsils and more...

As I type, Jayden is in surgery. They are removing his adnoids, tonsils, and replacing his tube that fell out of his left ear that was placed in Jan. This was scheduled prior to his last children's visit.

I will keep you updated on the progress of his surgery and recovery. It is an outpatient procedure, with a slight chance we will be spending the night.