First of all, I would be remiss if I didn’t wish my brother Joe an official Happy Birthday on his actual birthday. We celebrated yesterday at Mom n’ Dad’s.
Happy Birthday, Uncle Joe!!!
More pictures from Sunday:
While we’re on the topic of brothers Joe, my friend Maggie also has a brother named Joe. This morning I received an email from Maggie’s brother, Joe. It is in reference to my post about Abraham. Joe brought up a few interesting points about this Biblical story that I had never bothered to ask or wonder about. But as I read Joe’s email I thought to myself, “Yeah! What about that?? Why WOULD God do that??” Joe’s conjectural explanation made so much sense to me – that it would almost certainly have to be the answer!
Email from Joe:
…you were talking about Abraham the other day. The story of God asking him to sacrifice Isaac used to bother me. On the face of it, it seemed a little sadistic. “Kill your son…JUST KIDDING! HA!” That’s pretty harsh, especially when an all-knowing God already knew that Abraham was ready to obey, and would, Why put the poor guy through that?
But a few years ago, something occured to me. Sometimes people are tested, not because the person testing them wants to know how they’ll do…but because the person testing them wants them to know how they’ll do. A kid walks into a classroom scared to death of a test that he’s going to take, and the teacher KNOWS that the kid’s going to ace it…but gives the test to him so that the kid knows it too. As a mother, you must have had several occasions when one of your kids wasn’t sure they could do something that you knew they could do…and you had them do it so that they knew they could do it, too.
Maybe that was the point of God’s test of Abraham…because for the rest of his life, whatever God asked him to do, Abraham could say, I can do this…I know I can, because I was ready to do something a lot harder. And I’m not afraid…He’s shown me time and again that obedience to Him is always rewarded. After you’ve been asked to sacrifice your son, how hard could anything else be?
It’s a theory. I’m telling you all this because I think that some of the tough or scary times that you and your family have gone through in the last year have been similar kinds of tests. It’s not God saying, “Let’s just see how much they love me”, it’s Him saying “I’m going to show them just how capable, how strong, how loving they really are as a family.” I don’t KNOW if that’s what God’s doing, but…it doesn’t seem impossible that He might be. Anyhow, since you mentioned Abraham the other day, I wanted to shoot that at you.
Take care, Miz Yusko,
Joe
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In summary, and in inspirational “Pinterest photo” format: God doesn’t give you a test and say, “I want to see what you can do.” He allows you to be tested saying, “I KNOW what you can do… I want you to know it, too.”
Thank you for that, Joe C!
Yesterday, Nora neglected to mention her time here at home while Mommy was out gallavanting around the town, reunion hopping. Apparently there was a request for a baff that was placed. Daddy had to throw on some swim trunks and fulfill this requisition. I received these series of photos by text while I was out and was a little, greatly “nermused” (nervous and amused). Perhaps it was ACDC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll)” bagpipe solo that was blaring in the background when I received these pics that added to the craziness factor.
Wide eyed babies, guinea pigs, bathtubs, and crazy fuzzy hair. One might pause to ask, “What the heck is going on there?”
That’s all I got!
Goodnight! (I hope!!!!!!!)
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
(Psalm 66:10 NIV)
iwillcarryyou 
WOW!!! I THINK YOUR BROTHER JOE BROUGHT UP SOME VERY GOOD POINTS. I THINK THAT EACH ONE OF US HAS HAD TESTS, AND TO MUCH SURPRISE WE FIND OUT WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING GOOD ON THE TESTS. I LOVE THE WAY JOE DESCRIBED YOUR FAMILY, TO ME (ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NEVER MET) HE COULD NOT DESCRIBE YOUR FAMILY ANY BETTER. THAT IS HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOUR WONDERFUL FAMILY. NORA CAN EVEN TELL DADDY WHAT SHE WANTS, AND IMMEDIATELY HE KNEW IT WAS A BATH. LOVE THE LOVE THAT SHOWS ON WILLIAM’S FACE FOR THIS SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL. I LOVE THE PICTURE OF GAVIN AND NORA LAYING THEIR HEADS ON EACH OTHER, AND THEN GAVIN GIVES HER A KISS ON THE FOREHEAD. THAT IS SOOOO SWEET. OF COURSE THE OTHER SWEET GIRL YOU HAVE, LOOKS SO CUTE PLAYING WITH HER GUINEA PIG. I KNEW SHE WOULD TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF HIM. YOU ALL LOOK SO HAPPY AROUND THE TABLE AT YOUR DAD AND MOM’S. I LOVE THE LITTLE DOG YOUR BROTHER IS HOLDING. IT IS SOOOO CUTE. I LOVE DOGS ANYWAY. WE JUST RESCUED A DOG SOMEONE HAD LEFT AT A COVERED BRIDGE DOWN FROM OUR HOUSE. IT TURNS OUT HE IS A PUGGLE, PART PUG AND PART BEAGLE. EVERYONE THINKS HE IS FULL BLOODED PUG. HE HAS TURNED OUT TO BE REALLY A GOOD PET. WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHO HE BELONGED TOO, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW, ALTHOUGH A LADY AND LITTLE BOY HAD BEEN CHECKING ON HIM FOR OVER A WEEK EVERY DAY. GUESS WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHY HE WAS LEFT THERE. HE WAS ALREADY HOUSE BROKE, BUT HE WAS VERY TIMID, LIKE MAYBE HE WAS WHIPPED A LOT OR SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT. HE IS NOT TIMID ANYMORE, AND FITS RIGHT INTO OUR FAMILY. HE LOVES US, AND WE LOVE HIM. HE LEARNS TRICKS REALLY FAST. WELL, I SEEM TO TALK YOUR LEG OFF EVERY DAY, BUT SO MANY THOUGHTS JUST KEEP ROLLING OUT OF MY HEAD, AND I FIND MYSELF WRITING TOO MUCH. SORRY!!! HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP, AND A REALLY GOOD DAY AWAITS YOU WHEN YOU WAKE UP. LOVE YOU ALL. GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS.
Very cool perspective to chew on. Thanks for sharing Aleisa (and Joe :). Man, I love this blog. I especially love that I have something on the middle of the night to center me again when I can’t sleep. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing! As always, hoping you are all well.
Wow! I needed that explaination. Thanks for always sharing! Mora is so cute! ❤
I meant Nora (sorry my kindle edits me).
Wow, is right. That just totally blew me away. I never once stopped to think about being tested that way. Probably because I’m too busy whining or yelling that I’m tired of being tested. This is always going to stick with me. Thank you for sharing your life with precious Nora with all of us. I’m am truly grateful.
Thank you for sharing this explanation. It makes sense to me! Nora is so adorable, love to see how she is growing and developing. God bless you and your family!
Not sure if you ever read these (how would you have time?), but 2 things really struck me with this post. First, I really liked Joe’s e-mail & thanks for sharing it. I am so in doubt of God, but I keep trying to have faith and understand. Oh I go to church, give money to church and am a good person, but my scientific mind is soooooooo doubtful…. in my journey, I fear, I may never find peace with it- but I still enjoy hearing from true believers like yourself (and hearing how other people try to make sense of it all). And #2- the end of the post with the random photos and commentaries were hilarious. Billy always was such a comic! Take care all of you and I am so happy your little girl is doing so well!