Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World

L -R Emily, Megan, Peter, Eliot

Here they are! Four of the most unique children that I have the privilege to share life with. Each with their own story and each with a whole history created by God. They have strengths and weaknesses, joys and sorrows, likes and dislikes, conflicts and relationships. Only God could have put them together and make them a family. And one day when we are gone to be with Jesus, the Lord willing, they will continue the legacy of the gospel that has permeated and will permeate their entire lives.

They have pets to comfort them and sit next to them on car rides. This is Peter and Megan's dog Lily sitting in his little jeep. There's nothing better than a jeep ride with your dog!

Then comes the first tooth lost and then another! And hey what's this, a new, bigger tooth growing in it's place? That's amazing! There's the gift of a brother who will pretend with you and make you smile when you really don't want to.

Families dress up together. Big sisters get excited to share in little brother's birthday parties. They head up the games, get into character and lead a band of little super heroes in victory against imaginary foes.

Mom-moms and granddaughters, Mommy and sons, cousin and cousin all having fun.  Thanksgiving is never more blessed than when you spend it with family.

The thought occurred to me as I was thanking God for all the wonderful memories this past year, "Thom and I dearly love our kids, but God loves them so much more than we could ever love them.  He has a special plan for each of them and only He can bring it to fruition and He loves to do this."  I found myself singing,

"Jesus loves the little children, All the little children of the world.  Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world".

God is so Good! 

Look Unto Me!

"And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land.  And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.  Joshua 5:12"

From the book, Look Unto Me, a devotional by Charles Spurgeon, he writes: 

 "Dear Christian, perhaps this will be the case for you this year.  This is a joyful prospect, and if our faith is active, it will yield pure unvarnished  delight.  For God's people to be given the blessing of resting in Jesus is an uplifting thought indeed,  and to see the glory of it in the this life is a double blessing.. . .So may we banish every fear and, instead, rejoice with exceedingly great joy at the prospect that this year we could actually begin our time to "be with the  Lord forever." (1 Thes. 4:17). . . .This year we will gather heavenly fruit on the earthly ground where faith and hope have turned the desert into the Lord's garden.  If "men ate the bread of angels" (Ps. 78:25) long ago, why not today?"

From the pen of Jim Reimann, he writes this:

"It seems we often approach a new year with mixed emotions, sometimes hesitant to let go of the past, even as difficult as our past year may have been. . . .For believer's, however, this should not be the case.  Although we do not know the future in detail, we know the One who has made great promises to us as He guides us there.  (He cites Jer. 29:11) 

After my last post in July we joyfully went into August, finally catching our breath.  Thom and I went on our first overnight in a year and were greatly refreshed.  Then in an instant things changed.  Peter fell and hit his head very hard and so started 3 months of medical investigation seeking to clarify whether his fall had something to do with seizures, heart issues,  sleep apnea, urinary tract infection etc. . . I thought we might take up residence at CHOP.  

Pete's sleep study

Pete's new glasses

(Just a Note)  Peter is just fine!  The Dr.'s have found normal brain activity for a typical child Peter's age (not a typical child w/DS, typical child).  They found that even though Peter has sight in both eyes, only the right eye was actually seeing which landed our boy the cutest green glasses (green being his favorite color).  His heart is fine and strong and he only has a mild case of sleep apnea and only in REM sleep.

Nature walk

My Helper Megan!

During all these visits, we also started home school with our boy Eliot.  We love to home school.  It is such a privilege to be there for all the "firsts", like the first word read, the first time they write their whole name, the first time they say, "hey God made that!"  But how could I be in 2 places at the same time?  God had a perfect answer which I will forever be grateful for.  My daughter Megan, came to us and asked if we would like her to take a season off from serving other families in our community to be home with the boys and I.  What a gift that was and what an incredible season we have had!

Knoebles Thom and his boys!

Brothers are Super heroes

Inglin Family Singers 2012

We have celebrated our 10th anniversary of moving up to PA on the church plant.  As always, we went to Knoebles Amusement park.  Eliot turned 6 and we threw him a Super hero costume party.  Eliot was the HULK and Peter came as the Caped Crusader, Batman.  We went on our first Buddy Walk for our county.  Our team's name was Peter's Pacers!  We spent Thanksgiving with my Mother-in-law and went to Macy's to see the light show in Philadelphia.  We did our annual "Inglin Family Singers" at Glick's Poinsettia show and all of  us had great fun.  Thom and I went to Cape May, New Jersey for my 53rd birthday for 3 days.  My heroes Megan and Emily, watched the boys.  They missed us, but had a great time with their sisters.  And because of colds, we didn't do anything the entire Christmas/New Year holiday except hang out at home.  It was the best family memory making time ever!!!!

Peter's Pacers 2012 Buddy Walk

Light show 2012

Just hanging out during the holidays!

Last night we had a small gathering of folks over for New Year's Eve.  As we looked back over the year 2012, bitter sweet came to mind.  Each person shared that they were challenged but clung to the truth that God was good to them through it all.  As I read this devotional this morning and the words from the quote above of Jim Riemann's, "we know the One who has made great promises to us as He guides us there.", courage for future grace infused my soul.  No matter what cliff, fiscal, relational, work-related, God knows it, planned it and is bringing it to fruition already!!!  For believer's this truth is given to us in the person of Jesus Christ and the finished work on the cross.

As Spurgeon closes his entry he writes, "May God grant us the grace to feed on Jesus and thereby eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan this year!"  

I'd like to close with a prayer from Jim Reimann:

Father, may we enter this new year in complete reliance and  trust, knowing our steps into the unknown have been ordained by You.  May our walk with You be one of dedicated obedience to Your Word and your will, that You may be glorified in and through us.

Hope you have had a Merry Christmas and a blessed and assured New Year.