At last, the pictures!

Things have gotten to be a bit more hectic around the Brogle house lately so please excuse the tardiness on the photos...Alex has been in an appraisal course all week so until he has time to tell you about the trip, here are some photos from the trip to Tahoe to keep you interested!

He's back!

Well...Alex has made it back safe and sound from Lake Tahoe. I think he's going to post a message with some highlights and photos coming up here soon. It sounds like he had a great time with the guys, and though I missed him, I also had a great time up in Duluth with a friend of mine for a very relaxing spa weekend. This year instead of arriving at the airport and asking for a ride to the emergency room(more on that in a bit) he came back needing some Nyquil to nurse a cold. Last year, upon arriving in MN, Alex needed to go to the emergency room because he thought he broke his heel. A couple of x-rays later, and it was realized that his heel was not broken but indeed bruised and sprained! Talk about a memory! After Alex got back we had our Marriage Retreat. This is the second year we have gone and it was a great time. We head to Chaska, which is aobut 15 minutes from our house for the weekend and learn about marriage and visit with friends. We always like the time away...plus marriage advice, well what's the harm in learning more!

Our El Elyon and El Roi

The Most High, sovereign ruler of all teh universe. The one who sees, the omnipresent Lord. I am so thankful for my God, the God whose rule is perfect and the God whose eyes are open and aware of all circumstances. I believe in a God who does all things for our good, who brings hardships and trials to demonstrate His greatness and bring Him glory. I believe in a God who knows every hurt and sees every injustice and disrespect. "The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, 'Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened and just as I have planned so it will stand.' (Isaiah 14:24)" "I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, creating well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these" (Isaiah 45:6-7) "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3) These verses comfort me, bring me hope and bring the focus back to God. Who are we to think we help God, to judge Him for His actions. God is sovereign, He sees all, He is perfect and all He does is perfect. All things happen under His control, but the famines and floods, and killings, and deaths, He allows them all but He sees our pain and ultimately He brings healing and forgiveness. After a week of trials and hardships, I am thankful for a God who knows every hair on my head and takes hold of my hand with His right hand to pull me thorugh. He is mighty and He is able. A baby dies this week as their mother's fallopian tube was removed due to an ectopic pregnancy, a job was lost that could have secured 3/4 of a year's revenue, people are suffering with illness. Did God allow these painful things? Why? He did, and He did because he has a perfect plan for eternity. If you believe this, with all your heart, that our circumstances are but the head of a needle in light of eternity and the will of God, adn you take refuge in a loving and seeing God, who endures every hardship and pain with you, then you can begin to understand and see the sovereignty of God, like I try to day in and day out, relying on my Father, through faith.