answered prayers & raspberry jam

This morning I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God.  Do you ever feel as if He never hears you?  Do you feel as if He really doesn't care?  Well I was starting to feel that way. 


My son's sleeping habits for the past three months have been not-so-good.  That, in turn, had left me and my husband always feeling slightly sleep deprived and has caused Seth to be quite a handful at times (as he gets crazy hyper when he's tired).  But he just wouldn't sleep or stay asleep like he should be doing.  We were constantly crying out to God for help.  Constantly.  And it just didn't seem to be getting better.  Then we went on the Disney trip, which stirred up a bad sleeper into a horrible sleeper.  I was praying through tears on the trip each night that God would have mercy on us, that we might be able to enjoy that time with our family.  Each time I prayed, I felt the Spirit telling me, "Sylvia, do you not remember that God knows exactly what is happening?". His still, small voice was instilling those words into me.  Yes, Lord, I remember.  Help me to remember.


And this is why I'm overwhelmed:  since we've been home, Seth has been putting himself to sleep in his crib, not crying at all when I leave the room, and staying asleep for substantial naps and all the way through the night.  How can you not believe that's an answer to prayer?!  Woo hoo!  He's even going to bed earlier than normal at night, allowing Jack and I to have some quiet time with each other before bed.  God answers prayers in ways we don't even ask.  His ways are definitely higher than our ways!  God's goodness to us is so deep that it seriously brings me to tears.  I really felt that the Lord used our Disney trip to bring Seth to a place where he would sleep once he got home.  Perhaps it was the exhaustion he felt on the trip that he's finally able to rest here at home; maybe it was all of the changing scenery that has caused him to find much comfort in his own bed ... whatever it was, I feel a huge amount of confirmation that the Lord used the battles we experienced on the Disney trip to bring Seth to this place of rest now.


Sounds like a sermon to me.  Praise God!

.. .. ..

On a completely different note, I made jam for the first time yesterday.  Raspberry Jam!

I had a blast making it (Seth helped smash the raspberries!), and was shocked by how simple it actually is.  I had equally as much fun decorating the jars.  :)

I have to let it sit for 24 hours and then I'll have Jack and Joel taste-test it before I give it away to some lucky people.  Let me know if you want a jar!