A Casual Sunday

Today for the first time in over a year, we did not attend church as a family.  We've been busy with packing to move this week, worn out from the intense heat and humidity and well, we were just plain tired.  So, we had a very casual morning and everyone woke up when they wanted to.   Noel was the first to come into our room.  Every morning he spends time with the dogs.   This morning he could spend more time with them because he was not in a hurry to rush off to school or in this case, to church.

Sunday mornings, breakfast is cereal; it's fast and easy.  Today was no different, except that each boy could eat whenever he awoke.  Nicaraguenses are not prone to sleep late.  I think I heard all of them awake by 8:00.   

As for Preston and myself, we had been up for hours sitting in bed reading.  Preston was typing fast on his computer as God was downloading to him some "good stuff" with regards to his  morning's bible reading.

After breakfast, Freddy came into our room with his Bible and journal.   He likes to be close to us.  Out of all the boys, he is the one who hangs around us the most.

I decided to look around the house to see what the other boys were up to.  They were sitting in a bedroom.  Israel was laying on his bed listening to "Hosanna" from his cell with his Bible in his lap.  Pablo was reading from his Bible and also Noel.

The fact that we did not have to remind the boys about using the morning for some quiet time of reading and reflection says a lot about the boys desire to learn more about God through His Word or their respect to adhere to the daily schedule that we have established for the boys.  Whatever the reason, I count it as a miracle either way; progress is showing in many areas of their lives.

After about hour, we all met in our room for a few minutes of discussion about "controlling our thoughts and renewing our minds".   We also talked about not allowing their own thoughts to condemn them for not being in church today, or the words of other people.    We've seen firsthand "well-meaning" people try to make another person feel guilty for not attending church on a given Sunday.  There is a lot of bad teachings that have taken place in the churches that causes many, many people to live under condemnation.  This condemnation usually results in a person to stop attending church altogether.  

Since the boys are back in school, we have not had a morning together that was casual and laid back.   We have missed our morning time of devotion and prayer.   We still meet with Pablo and Freddy in the mornings, but I miss the whole gathering of all of us.  This morning was very special and I'm sure that it pleased the Lord.