How can you take your kids?

Ok, so the title is an abbreviated questions from one I got a few weeks ago. "How can you tantalize taking your kids over there?" I think the lady who asked me this was really just trying to understand what life is like for our children.

She wondered if it was safe where we live overseas. We feel very safe where we live. Does that mean we have had no issues there? No. Our house was broken into, but that happens here in the states often. The burglars likely thought no one was home, and nothing has happened since then. Have our children never been bullied? No, they have been bullied, but that happens here too. We addressed the issue with the bullies and talked with their families and others to see that it is not repeated. We feel as safe there as anyone would feel here.

She wondered maybe if my children had as good of an education as hers do here. Well our children are home schooled by me.  They may not have the socialization in school as hers do, but they socialize outside of school.  There are areas that are not my forte, but I do my best to fill in those gaps. I would venture to say that my kids know a lot more in a lot of their studies than many of their peers in the states.

I am sure there are lots of things that caused that question to be raised in her mind and in the mind of others. My answer was simply this,"God knew that He would be giving us these children before He ever called us to go to Africa. God knew where He had called us to go long before the children were born.  God was not ignorant of either the blessing of children or His call to go when the other took place. If God did it, then I must trust Him with the rest."

I have seen a lot of ups and downs in the lives of those around me in 2012. I really do not understand it all. However I trust that God who is sovereign holds each of these situations in His hands, just like He holds our family situation.  I don't know how that young mother will raise her boys to know what an awesome dad they had, that died fighting for his country. I don't know how God will use the young couple who carried twins through months of bed rest to only spend minutes and hours with them once they were born before they went to be with Jesus. I do not know how God will work in the lives of friends who so desperately want to adopt a precious child.  I do not know how God will work in each of these, but this I know, "He's got the whole work in His hands."