Can God handle Algebra?

This week in Bible study we were in Isaiah 10:5-15 and 2 Kings 18:9-16. At first glance I thought, "Okay God, what am I going to get out of this one?" Then the deeper dig began.

It's a reasonable question though. What in the world does Judah, the Assyrians, and their rebellion to God have to do with me? How does it apply to my life?

I warn you, the first time you read it, you may yawn.

Isaiah 10:5-15 (New International Version)

God's Judgment on Assyria
5 "Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,
in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
6 I send him against a godless nation,
I dispatch him against a people who anger me,
to seize loot and snatch plunder,
and to trample them down like mud in the streets.

7 But this is not what he intends,
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.

8 'Are not my commanders all kings?' he says.

9 'Has not Calno fared like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad,
and Samaria like Damascus?

10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,
kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria-

11 shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?' "

12 When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, "I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.

13 For he says:
" 'By the strength of my hand I have done this,
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
I plundered their treasures;
like a mighty one I subdued [a] their kings.

14 As one reaches into a nest,
so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations;
as men gather abandoned eggs,
so I gathered all the countries;
not one flapped a wing,
or opened its mouth to chirp.' "

15 Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it,
or the saw boast against him who uses it?
As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up,
or a club brandish him who is not wood!



2 Kings 18:9-16 (New International Version)

9 In King Hezekiah's fourth year, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and laid siege to it. 10 At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah's sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. 11 The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in towns of the Medes. 12 This happened because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out.

13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 14 So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me." The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents [a] of silver and thirty talents [b] of gold. 15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace.

16 At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the LORD, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

Read it again.

So the first question in my study was: How was Isaiah's prophecy accomplished against Israel and Judah?

In my mind that was an easy one, God allowed the Assyrian's to come in and take Judah back to Assyria.

The next question asked, "How did God's immediate purpose in sending Assyria against the godless nation of Israel compare with the Assyrian king's intention in advancing against Judah and other nations?"

I love that God's plans were different than the Assyrian kings, yet he used this man to accomplish what he knew was best for his people. God remained in control. It never slipped out of His hand. He had full reign of the outcome AND the process.

How in the world do we somehow think we are in control? What a waste of time, energy, and often heartache. I will tell you that I do not believe that I am, yet at times my heart and my actions reflect otherwise.

I then wrote, "Lord, teach me to bask in the fact that you are in control. Please give me your peace and joy. I want to walk the process in a way that honors you!"

The bigger questions for my week were questions like this. Why am I stressed over school? What if a child failing a particular class this year is part of God's bigger plan? What if that child needs that experience to see God's hand in bigger ways, to prepare them for life that is to come, or just to have to work hard in order to receive victory?

I ask Him with great fervor, on a consistent basis to work in all of our lives, then I stress out when He does just that.

I want to learn to trust my Lord, as many doubts that I do have in life, His trustworthiness is NOT one of them!

So here we are. Today we left London 12 weeks ago. I have to be honest, I am grateful that they are twelve weeks under my belt and that I do not have to repeat them. It's been hard, but it's been good. We have no doubt that God is using this all as part of His bigger plan!

This weekend, today or tomorrow, is the day that we finally get to claim we are unpacked! What a great thing, a certain victory for The Thomas Troops. Yet even in typing it, He reminds me that this is not where we find contentment or peace. He is the only source for such treasures and in the greatest moments of chaos, stress, or even tragedy, in Him, they can be found.

If God can control great armies and Kings, he can certainly handle all three levels of Algebra and The Thomas Troops.

Love in Christ...my Immanuel,
Dinah for The Troops

What treasure have you found?

Dear family and friends,

I've been so sick this week, which is no fun, it has brought me to a dead halt.

I feel so much better today, but am exhausted. A combination of sinus infection accompanied by migraines has been a great opportunity to trust God.

I am so grateful, this is the first day since Tuesday that I'm really feeling better. I feel like I'm recovering from surgery and certainly haven't been in bed this much since I recovered from surgery three years ago this month.

The first week of Bible study I found a treasure in Isaiah 1:24. Yesterday I found a treasure in John 15:16. Bible reading can vary so vastly for me. There are many days I really enjoy it and have sweet fellowship with Jesus, there are days I do it out of obedience which I know He honors, and there are days where it's just habit. It's amazing God wants me back after days as such. If you were to go the Queen and present yourself the way I present myself to God sometimes, well, another invitation would not come.

Then there are the days you find treasure.

The verse that you read that you know God put there just for you, just for that moment. A verse that is sometimes an answer, a promise, or just the encouragement you need.

I've really struggled with portions of this move, yet I know I am exactly where He wants me. It's nothing to do with Alaska, it has served as a beautiful backdrop. It doesn't really matter where we are right now, I would still be doing the same thing. I'm trying to find a new "normal" for everyone while sorting out the fabric of our lives.

My list continues to be long and I have to look backwards to see the progress in order to even think about looking forward as it has been so overwhelming.

We are ready for winter and that makes me cheerful. The studded tires are on, the Christmas lights are up, the new rakes we needed are purchased, and the happy light is working. Did you ever hear of a happy light? It's really helpful for the short days that are coming and heaven only knows these children need a "happy" mother.

The weeks are starting to blend together as I've pressed through on organizing and orchestrating school. For the first time in Thomas Troops history we are receiving state funds for educating our children. What a project that has been; creating four educational learning plans, preparing lots of paperwork, thinking through how I'm going to collect a sample of everyone's work for each subject quarterly.

We are starting our third week of online classes which means the first round of tests have arrived. I'm now on someone else's timetable which adds another whole element. I don't think Wyatt will mind me telling on him. He wrote his first lab report like a creative writing assignment, catchy lead and all. It was funny, and through the laughter I had to explain that lab reports aren't usually funny. Always something new to learn...learning to learn.

Music lessons are in place and going strong although I'm still looking for a used piano. I need one with stronger action and when I ask most people they have no idea what I'm talking about. I am so grateful for both of our new teachers. I could have searched the world over and not have found a teacher more perfect for Caroline than Kevin Barnett. I look forward to having the music that is in our London shipment.

God has provided an opportunity for Wyatt to be in Boy Scouts here and he's beyond pumped about hockey. He wrote this sentence in a memoir this week, " The thought of flying across the ice with a puck, and smashing into people at bursting forces, sounds fun, and thrilling." What more could a fifteen year old boy want?

So how does this all tie into my treasure?

John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last."

Fruit that will last, those words were like fresh water to a thirsty soul.

There are so many things that a mother does that are exhausting and sometimes it feels so fruitless. I so dearly want good things for our children. Not good "things" like the "things" we are waiting on. The things that count...the things that will last.

I'm working hard to teach our children to run our household without me. This is one of my goals for the year. This next year Ed and I will travel at least once together and it's something they are very capable of. They've always helped for many reasons. Although their helping does free up more time for me to accomplish other things, it's really about the deeper lessons. The lessons of perseverance, diligence, hard work, and attention to detail. The lessons of trustworthiness, caring for others more than yourself, self control, and reliability. The lessons of kindness, graciousness, and love. The fruit that will last.

This past week has been good practice. I now know some areas where they need more training, new information, and accountability. I have also seen them excel and can grab the victory and revel in how much I love them.

We aren't schooling, parenting, and loving these children so they'll be highly educated, make great money, and have off the chart SAT scores. These can be fine things, but in and of themselves they would leave you pretty empty. They are not the goal. We're are desiring to help them grow the fruit that lasts.

So I venture into a new week knowing God is doing a work that I cannot do.

Love in Christ,

Dinah for The Troops