I'm just going to be honest with you.  This has been one of the toughest, if not THE toughest week I have had since we moved to Quebec.  It started with a really bad hair day last Sunday.  I know, it's silly; but I know some of you will understand.  From there we had a week of migraines at some point for all the big people in the house; a bit of a bug of some kind for most everyone at some point during the week; homeschool frustrations with a child who would not listen to directions and follow them, which meant everything took longer than necessary; a toddler who is cutting molars and not sleeping through the night; poor food choices due to the rough week, which was especially frustrating since I am trying to eat healthier; a crashed computer, which resulted in lost photos; and uncharacteristic homesickness.  I mean, I have lived here five years and have never had a serious case of homesickness until this week Then to add insult to injury, I opened Instagram last night to see that my brother and his family were "home" for the weekend and enjoying ice cream sundaes with the extended family at my cousin's new house.
However, even with all of this I have peace in knowing that I am where God wants me to be and Quebec truly is my home.  I love how He gives us things to encourage us during these difficult and discouraging times.  I'm thankful that my hairdresser friend Nadia was able to fix the hair problem by the end of the day on Sunday.  IT IS SHORT, and I love it.  I'm thankful that the sicknesses were not more serious and we had the flexibility of schedule for everyone to rest and get well without losing any school time.  I'm thankful that the homeschool frustrations are temporary and progress is being made, and I'm thankful that I am able to have the time to work each day on these issues in a way that will help mold the character of my children.  I'm thankful that even though I'm exhausted from the sleepless nights I have gotten extra snuggles during the long nights. I'm thankful for the support and encouragement from three friends who are also trying to eat healthy, know my struggles, and pray for and encourage me. I'm thankful the Lord's provision that allows us to deal with the computer problem; and, thanks to all of the pictures I have posted on Facebook, I didn't actually lose ALL of my photos.  I'm thankful that I will be able to be "home" for Thanksgiving in a couple of months and will get to spend time with the family I love in my HOMETOWN.  
But there are other things as well.  I have the privilege of doing what I love every day. I get to care for my family, teach my children, and minister with my husband.  I see the smiles and hear the giggles of three little boys that I adore.  I laugh hysterically with my crazy teenagers on a regular basis (if you aren't friends with them, you are definitely missing out).  I get to watch my daughters grow and mature into godly young women who are making wise choices and are willing to serve God in whatever way that they can.  We have a neighbor who has taken our oldest son under his wing in a grandfatherly way, and it is a joy to see them together.  We are becoming more and more established in our community and building relationships with the people around us.  
We have begun taking our Friday night family devotion time to each share a passage that has meant something to us during the week. Last night I shared Psalm 34:1-8, but I'll just share verses one and eight:  "I will bless the Lord at all times:  his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  O taste and see that the Lord is good:  blessed is the man that trusteth in him."  These words are a great source of comfort and strength to me.  God is good!

I do not usually watch the news.  I find it frustrating and a little disheartening, so I generally avoid it.  Tonight, however, Summer was required to watch the evening news for an assignment for Speech class, so I watched it as well.  My heart broke as I watched the report of so many people displaced, scared, hungry, cold, and wet.  These people have no home, no guarantee of their next meal, and insufficient clothing to protect them from the elements.  I watched as a mother dug through a pile of donated to shoes to find covering for her children's cold feet.  I heard one mother tell how her daughter, who had been injured in a bombing, had to be told of her sister's death.  The girl feels that her sister is better off for having not survived.   Because of the impact it had on me emotionally, we spent a few minutes discussing the situation as a family during our family devotions and prayed for the situation.  Here is how we can pray...
1.  Pray that these refugees will find a safe place to live.
2.  Pray that wherever they end up will be a place where they will have access to the gospel message, that they will listen to it with open hearts, and that they will accept Christ as their Saviour.
3.  Pray that they will be provided with sufficient food and clothing.
4.  And most of all, pray for peace in their land.

As I tucked my little boys into bed tonight, I couldn't help but be thankful for a safe, warm place for them to lay their heads.   We have no guarantee of that in the future, I know.  However, for tonight, I will thank God for this blessing and pray for the Syrian refugees to someday know that same peace.