My 3rd week was a little more relaxed than the first couple of weeks. I got to enjoy the time off with my wife and 3 boys. It seems like their favorite thing to do is wrestle on the floor and play “good guys – bad guys”. I can see how much they are loving this time with daddy being home. One of the things that I have realized through my quiet times these couple of weeks is God the Fathers heart for his children. I was reading Psalm 107 and all throughout the chapter it talks about those He has redeemed and His heart for them. It says “Some wandered in the wastelands – they were hungry and thirsty – then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. Another verse says “Some sat in darkness and their deepest gloom – then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from their distress”. Again, another verse says “Some became fools through their rebellious ways – then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress.” I love these verses of scripture because they paint a picture of the Fathers heart for his children. Most every morning I wake up before my sons and my 2 year old still sleeps in a crib (because he would constantly come out of the room if he slept in a bed) and every morning when he wakes up his first words are “Daddy – Daddy – Daddy” and there is something that pulls in my heart every time I hear him say those words to go get him and rescue him out of that crib. I truly believe this is the way Father God feels about his children every time they call out to their Heavenly Daddy. One of my service projects for the Sabbatical was helping out with the “Boots on the Ground Ministry”. This ministry provides help to people in preventing possible hazardous situations in the homes of the elderly, disabled, and poor. Boots on the Ground has built numerous wheel chair ramps for the handicapped, repaired roofs for the elderly, and also provided needed essentials for the poor. During my service project, Boots on the Ground generously received 218 mattresses from ACU. We moved and stored the mattresses at the Boots on the Ground Warehouse on North 1st Street. I was surprised to see how many items Boots on the Ground had in their warehouse. From Refrigerators, Washers and Dryers, Furniture, Clothing, and Kitchen dishes to Lawn Mowers, Mattresses and home décor, they had it all. So if you are looking to donate to a wonderful ministry here in Abilene, you couldn’t go wrong with “Boots on the Ground”.
