Friday, January 4, 2013

Step, Stroll and a Stride

Happy New Year!!
I've been meaning to share the link to my son and daughter in law's blog,
and this seemed like the perfect time. 
They're in Korea, enjoying the adventure of a lifetime! 
Here's their newest post...beautifully written by Sarah :)


There’s something about a New Year’s Eve that gets me thinking.  If you’re like me, you made resolutions in years past that you’ve probably not kept. And you’ve regretted even making the ones you knew you weren’t going to keep anyway. This blog isn’t about resolutions, because let’s be honest, the last things I need a longer list of things to do. It is, however, about is God’s goodness, and that my friends it worth list making!

2013 is kind of a big question mark. We don’t where we’ll be this time next year. I personally don’t know if I’ll be working, if i’ll be a mom, or if I could, by some small chance, be at a job that requires me to waste time on Pinterest. (Now, that would be AWESOME!) I also have no idea where I’ll be living, what church i’ll be attending, or what crazy ideas i have for the next coming year. But, what i do know is this. Every year is an panorama of God’s goodness. And 2012, as all my years past, was just the same. It was packed-- rich and full-- with the favor of the Lord and that is worth every bit of reflection. 

A little over a year ago, my best friend ask me to marry him at a little place folks call Disneyland. Maybe you’ve heard of it? And it seems like life to follow moved at warp speed. (Baby, it can be used outside of Star Wars... and yes, i know what it is!) The Lord “gifted” Randy and I with eagerness( some would call it impatience), and we set a wedding date 5 months out. No big deal,eh?! (Ask my mom about that one... maybe she’d answer differently.) Regardless of the timeline, the details (while awesome!), and the endless hours of DIY-ing, the Lord’s favor covered it all. Down to the smallest, seemingly insignificant, details. It was as if the Lord could calculate how to gift me with the simplest and smallest things that would make me the most happy. As a good Daddy does.  From a perfect wedding venue, the blessing of a woman who had all the lovelies to make it beautiful, the perfect mustard yellow bridesmaid dresses(which i hunted down and secured like a mad woman through several wee hour mornings) and a family who gave more than imaginable to make it wonderful! That my friends, is the favor of the Lord! Not simply over the celebration of a wedding, but over the marriage I was going to enter! It was the Lord’s favor that blessed me with my husband. One who loves and serves me like Jesus, and makes life sweeter by the day. The Lord’s favor is sweet... and while so underserved, too rich and good to not ask for more.

The days and weeks following our wedding were something akin to chaos. Some said we were crazy and questioned what we were doing. But the Lord’s favor covered it all. He’s good like that! And in hindsight things are always a lot clearer! Three weeks after the wedding, with 10 days notice,  we packed up our first house and moved to South Korea. How we managed to get on the plane in one piece-- without any big brawls-- with the essentials for two in a foreign country is a blessing in itself. One only to be attributed to the Lord! I’m ever more convinced that  he calls and moves and blesses those whom he desires. And it’s there his favor rests. It is that favor that establishes the work of our hands.... and the direction of a plane in some cases.

Life has settled down for the Murpheys. And yet life continues. Even as I watch life happen, admittedly from my News Feed, I’m daily reminded of the goodness of the Lord and the favor he covers his beloved with. A daily reminder that draws my heart to worship! 

My list is short and far from complete... but they are good reminders of God's favor!

The favor of the Lord is on my cousins, who, in all different directions, are forging the world with the love of Christ. Architecture, medicine missions and airplanes. You are connecting the dots of the Gospel for people and creating a web of grace for them to look at. The Lord’s favor is on you... and big things are ahead for you!

I see the Lord's favor all over my brother. He's got one of the most giving and gracious hearts I’ve ever known. He’s one of those guys who would literally give his jacket and shoes off for anyone in need, take them to Denny’s for a $2 stack of unlimited pancakes, and then bless the waiter with a $30 tip on a 4 dollar bill. Yea, he’s that guy. And the Lord’s favor-- so very evident in his life-- establishes the work of his hands! Big things are ahead of him!

I’ve watch my lovely sister, brother and their two beautiful daughters. The favor of the Lord is all over this family! His favor is over Kenny’s job. It’s over Sharon’s ministry to Kenny and raising two Godly, hilarious, kind hearted girls! The Lord is establishing this family to be a powerful tool in the lives of people around them. It’s such a beautiful thing to watch... only bigger things are to come!

My brother-in-law rocked a full time job and started an awesome master program. Another started the police academy. My best friend give birth to a sweet baby girl!  Our dear friends gave birth to a handsome little man. Friends have been provided with stellar job. New house. Long awaited diplomas.  People have been saved. Baptized. And called to missions. Friends have written books. Moved to new places. Gotten engaged. Married. And all to many have been impregnated. That, my friends, is the favor of the Lord littering my News Feed!

(Did i just justify Facebook?) :)

You can thank me later.

When i think about the favor of the Lord, it’s a little baffling. It seems to land, undeservedly, on the most unexpected in extraordinary ways. And that’s what’s so beautiful and baffling about it! It just doesn’t make sense, but there is something so rich about it!  It’s like a cloak of royalty on a the back of a simple woman.  It humbles me to be covered in it, and yet there’s no where else i’d rather be. 

"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" Psalm 90:17


Go over and follow them if you get a chance, at:
Step, Stroll and a Stride
May God bless you in 2013!
Marcia

15 comments:

  1. Happy new year. Have a blessed, prosperous year ahead. And that is one lovely blog.

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  2. WOW! Just plain, "WOW!!
    Wonderful to read how God is blessing others by blessing you and your family. WOW!!

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  3. Marcia- God bless you and Happy New Year to you, too. it sounds like you had a busy, happy productive year- xo Diana

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  4. Cute name for their blog. Looks like they are having a great adventure over there. Best wishes, and happy new year, Tammy

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  5. Wow! I've missed a lot! I had no idea they'd gone to South Korea! I need to find the time to go back and read through some of your earlier posts. I've not been able to spend much time in Blogland recently. :(

    This is a beautiful post. You, my friend, are a blessed woman. :) What an amazing family!

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  6. I'm sure it must be hard to have your family so far away, but I'm sure they are having a wonderfully blessed and rewarding time. My son's friend just spend two years there with his new wife and they really enjoyed it.

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  7. Hi Marcia, long time no see, great to hear from you. God bless you this new year, may all your dreams come true. Love their new blog, awesome adventure! :)

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  8. Hi my friend...I will take a peek at this sweet blog...sending you oodles of love for a blessed new year. xo

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  9. She's adorable! Great writing, cute son. One of life's blessings is watching your kids mature and grow. Happy New Year! Mimi

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  10. To be blessed is one thing, but to realize it and revel in it is such a gift. You're passing on all your positive thoughts in this post truly made my day. Congratulations on the marriage of your daughter and the excitement of their journey to Korea. I'm their newest follower, so I can't wait to read all about their adventures! Happy New Year Marcia!

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  11. I am so happy for them and your family, what a great adventure! Thank you so much for being such a calm presence in blog land, your posts always find peace with me. I will be around following my heart and healing and checking up from time to time. Happy new year and many many blessings to you and yours!

    Love and hugs
    Michelle
    xoxo

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  12. Thank you Marcia for taking the time to grace your beauty over at my place. Such blessings are so evident here, when hands are busy doing the Lords work his hands are laid upon us blessing us in ways we could never imagine.
    I love hearing how your family walks in faith with The Lord as there compass to every move and direction when serving God. You my friend are blessed to have such Godly children.

    I have to go back and read up so I can take in all that has been going on in your beautiful life.
    I am going to make a big effort on visiting you more often, I have missed so much.

    See you soon, a beautiful 2013 to you and yours.
    This post was so moving!
    Xoxo
    Doré

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  13. Wow! The joy of the Lord all over this post!
    Beautiful!!!!

    All my heart,
    Deborah xoxo

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  14. Awesome post! Sounds like 2013 will be a great year for you :) Be blessed!

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Thanks so much for stopping by :)
Blessings,
Marcia