Merry Christmas!

Enjoy your time with family and friends.
Enjoy the food and the gift-giving.
But don't forget the best and most expensive gift of all.

Please pray

I just got an e-mail from missionaries in Haiti. They use Agape Flights to supply their mail and package service. They received this news from Agape Flights:

There is no easy way to share this with you. Today (Friday, 12/21) on its return flight Agape's Caravan experienced an engine failure and ditched into the Caribbean off of Chub Cay near Abacco and not for from the US.

We ask you to share in praise to the Lord for the safety of Agape's crew Rocky and Paolo... I have just spoken to them and all is well...

Pray with us as we regroup... Please be assured we will persevere...

Please share this with other members of the Agape family, thank you...

God Bless,
Charlie (Gardner, Director of Agape Flights)

Please pray for Agape Flights. As far as I can tell, this is their only plane used for delivery service. They had just spent a lot of money to have the engine rebuilt this fall. This loss will impact the missionaries they serve in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Thanks for praying with me.

Bummer

I've had to sit out of participating in worship teams for over two months now. If you know me well, worship is a passion for me.

God has his way of keeping me humble. He has shown me that sometimes things are right for a season, and sometimes not. His ways are not our ways, and His timing is not our timing.

At long last, I commit to sing this Sunday. I got my rehearsal notification e-mail today. And I came home from the school running a fever. And as my friend calls it, having a face ache. Probably a sinus infection.

Pastor Steve said that Joseph, the father of Jesus, just did the next right thing. It's never fun when the next right thing is stepping away from something that is your passion. But when the time's right, I'll be up there again, singing my heart out. For now, I'll just sing in my heart!

I hope you and yours are escaping the many ailments that are going around this fall and winter.

Blessings!

Realizations

I've come to realize a few things over the last few weeks.

I realized I don't spend near enough time communing with the Father.

I realized that I need worship. The times I have missed it due to illness, trips or serving at church have been felt deeply.

I realized I need my friends. For support and encouragement. To share my joys, sorrows and concerns. To share their joys, sorrows and concerns.

I realized I like my job. There's never a dull moment and I don't get bored! I love working with the kids and the parents and the teachers.

I realized I like my new campus director. She is the superintendent's wife, but she has her own educational experience as a principal and assistant principal, and also has special ed training. She'll be great for our school, and I think we'll be good friends! (For those concerned about nepotism, she reports to the board, not her husband.)

My hubby and I realized we could not make it on the maximum salary the school could offer. Not to mention wondering what would happen in summer. It would be an hourly position (as mine is), so it would be "No work, no pay."

I realized that following your convictions is better than trying to please others based on their convictions.

One other bit of news: We've begun a dialog with Agape Flights, a mission organization that provides mail and delivery service for missionaries in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They also provide transportation for missionaries and bring in short-term teams for mission trips. They are in need of a field director for Port au Prince. The position requires organizing volunteers to sort mail, interfacing with customs officials, hosting teams, and record keeping, among a multitude of other duties. We're not sure how well we fit what they are looking for, but after having them "coincidentally" cross my path several times in different ways, we've decided to talk with them further. Please pray for wisdom as we investigate one another.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every
circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

-- 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Career Change?

I'm trying to work my husband into a new job. In some ways it would be a step forward. In others, a step back.

Our school is going to be putting in a cafeteria to be able to serve lunches to the students. They will need someone to run the kitchen operations. If you know my husband at all, you know he loves to cook! He's always one of the "kitchen ladies" working on Mission Meals. Plus, he's often there to help out and clean up at other events at the church.

We have been feeling that God is leading us into a hospitality ministry in missions -- running a guest house or hosting short-term teams. This would be an opportunity to try his hand at cooking for a crowd (probably only about 100) on a daily basis.

Sounds good, huh? Well, the down side is that it would be a significant reduction in pay. But it would also be a significant reduction in commute time and cost, a significant reduction in stress, and a way out of a bad work environment. We're willing to take the pay cut if we can make it on our salaries. I know we can stand to reduce our living expenses a little bit. We've done it before.

I know that God has put me in my current job for a reason. For me, it meant a bit more pay. It also meant a change in lifestyle for myself, for William (going to school for the first time), and the rest of the family. But now that we've settled into a routine, I'm finding I really enjoy my position. It really is a ministry -- to the students, the parents, and the staff.

Please pray for wisdom for us as we contemplate this career change and for the school leadership as they make their decisions.

ap·pre·ci·a'·tion

–noun

1.	gratitude; thankful recognition: They showed their appreciation by giving him a gold watch.

There's nothing like being gone for a couple of days to make folks appreciate you. Of course, the secretary at a small school picks up all the little pieces -- none of which seem that big a the time, but they add up to a lot. (Not to toot my own horn -- it's just the nature of the job.) But it is nice to be appreciated now and then.

A fellow blogger talked about moms and not being appreciated. Moms of toddlers deserve an award for just persevering! You young mothers really amaze me! Especially the ones that weave and bake and knit and make cards and scrapbook and organize meals and... Well, you get the drift. I'm doing good to just get through my day taking care of the necessities. Crafting? Baking? One day I'd like to get back to those.

This fellow blogger also told a story about her son that reminded me of some humorous anecdotes from my children. I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea, Schweers' mom. I can't promise the deep lesson to go with them, but they might be worth a chuckle.

My older son was about four when we went to my cousin's wedding. Twice during the reception, after sitting quietly, enjoying his refreshments, he suddenly found himself upside down, along with the chair he had been sitting in. Once was with chocolate cake, the other with red punch -- all on blue carpet!

While discussing these events with my sister-in-law, she shared an incident that had occurred about a month before on a camping trip we took together. He was at her campsite, watching them set up, calmly sitting on an ice chest. The next thing she knows, he and the ice chest are upside down. He gets up, dusts himself off, looks at her and says, "I hate it when that happens!"

My younger son has given us a few new sayings. My daughter now asks her friends, "What your doin'?" Also, once a year we have to go get our car expected. I know there are more, but the brain is old.

One day the younger son came running into my room, doing a potty dance. "Mommy, Mommy! Can I use your bathroom? Julie's in ours plundering the toilet!"

I still am wondering what "treasures" she was finding!

The moral to the stories?

1. Show your appreciation to all the "little people" who make your life easier.
2. Funny stories are precious! Save them up for first dates and other embarassing moments!

Because I'm home

The boy & I decided to stay home one more day. He's getting over his symptoms. Mine are diminishing but have not gone away yet. Hopefully, we'll be back in the swing of things by tomorrow.

He is feeling good enough to do homework. Getting him to do it, though, takes more energy than I have today. But I'll keep trying. I hate for him to get too far behind.

I started reading through Colossians 1 today. There are so many good examples: The Colossians, known for their faith and love and hope; Epaphrus, whom Paul calls a "dear fellow servant" and "faithful minister" and who brought the Colossians to the knowledge of Christ; Paul, who did not stop praying for the Colossians to grow in their knowledge and understanding.

And what a marvelous prayer!

10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

I praise God that he gives me knowledge and understanding, counting me worthy to share in His work and giving me the strength to do it. To Him be the Glory!

Life goes on

The excitement for this week was our Fall Carnival at school, which was Friday night. It was lots of fun! We had a bounce house and an inflatable obstacle course, which I helped man. Also, there were some game booths, karaoke, and hair and face painting. Our high school teacher obtained sumo wrestler suits -- so padded the person inside couldn't move! That was hilarious to watch! We had lots of candy and drinks left over, but it was a good night!

My school kid did not get to participate in any of the possible October 31 events due to not doing his homework for two nights in a row! He's got to get motivated to do his work. We can't coax him through every step on a daily basis. He's also needs to learn to use his class time wisely.

School kid and I had to stay home Sunday and Monday due to tummy problems. We'll see what tomorrow holds. He has the obvious symptoms. I just have stomach pain. Bummer!

We recooked the jelly last weekend and it gelled to a soft set. I like it better that way. It's much easier to spread! Now we need to cook the rest of the juice!

On a more serious note, I've been convicted about how infrequently I spend time in the Word and in prayer. Believe it or not, reading blogs is a great encouragement. But it's no substitute for personal time with God. I think it's time to pick up that Bible...

This week's update

It's been a busy week full of deadlines! First was a fund raiser -- cookie dough-- for my son's school. The second was the school picture order. The third was the Science Fair. Throw in a Monday followup visit to the oral surgeon (he's healing well!). Also, we had a benchmark TAKS test on Thursday. The good part of that was that he had no homework, being excused from his assignments to be able to work on the TAKS test. The benchmark test, if you're not familiar, is to assess the deficient skills so that they may be addressed over the year.

I'm feeling better but still have been using my nebulizer off and on and having the occasional coughing spell. Usually when taking a big breath before answering the phone! I had to turn down two opportunities to participate in worship, which is one of my passions. Disappointing, but life moves on. And God's timing is perfect.

My hubby and I made our first batch of prickly pear jelly for the year. A couple of weeks ago, my hubby harvested them, cleaned them, and cooked them to get the juice. This is the first chance we've had to cook the jelly. We experimented with the recipe and may not have gotten enough sugar and/or pectin. It might be prickly pear syrup. If so, we'll try recooking it and adding more sugar and pectin. If your interested, I can give you a jar when we get it right! (I still have some from last year, too.)

We're still getting a few e-mails from time to time from mission organizations. Sometimes I feel like we're stalling out on our progress, but life has kind of slowed us down a bit lately. And every day is a ministry, no matter what "hat" you wear. As I discussed with a friend last week, sometimes it would be nice if God dropped a billboard in front of your face so there would be no doubt what direction He would have you to go. The only problem with that "still, small voice" is that you have to be still and quiet to hear it!

I went to a cluttered spot in my living room to retrieve some things and ended up going on a cleaning tear. It looks much better, but we're still nowhere ready for Better Homes & Garden or the white glove test. But it's a baby step in the right direction.

Coming up for air

I chatted with a friend the other day. She quoted her daughter, who is a nurse, as saying something like this: "In this case, breathing is a medical necessity."

That's how I've been feeling lately. Breathing has been taking up way too much of my conscious thought. Frankly, I prefer it to be a subconscious, involuntary action. Unfortunately, I've resurrected my nebulizer, complete with medicine that's not out-of-date. And I'm hitting the cough medicine as well.

We survived the tooth extractions. Actually, he did quite well -- once he stopped throwing up. I won't go into detail lest my squeamish readers turn even greener. He didn't have much pain other than a nasty headache and tolerated his soft diet pretty well. Today was the follow-up visit, and the doc said it looked fine.

I'm still battling schoolwork with my son. If he doesn't want to do it, he just doesn't. Regardless of the privileges withheld. Regardless of the pain inflicted. Regardless of the carrots dangled. I wish I could find the right motivator. Today, I withheld food until he was finished. We drove through Wendy's on the way home. I wouldn't let him eat his until the homework, which he worked on in the car and at the doc's, was finished. At the doc's, he spent the 1-1/2 hour wait doing two sentences. ARGHHHH! Between the wait and his attitude, I was in tears by the time we saw the doc.

I'm falling asleep at my desk, so I'd better quit here. Actually, I need to hit the nebulizer first!

From Achoo! to Cough, Cough!

I had to stay home sick today. I made it through Monday at work -- just barely. I started running fever late in the afternoon. The nurse practitioner I saw thought it probably started with allergies and turned into secondary infections. After 24 hours of antibiotics, I'm feeling MUCH better. I still have a nasty cough, but my nose has cleared up quite a bit.

A volunteer at the school graciously filled in for me today. They really need to hire her -- she's terrific! And I found out she lives in my neighborhood. She even offered to take my son to and from school, but I made big brother do the carting!

I've started communication with the company for which I subcontract to do medical transcription. Tomorrow I should hear back from them to have a discussion about whether they want me to continue working part-time. I've felt like that's been in limbo since I started the new job. It will be nice to have some closure, one way or the other.

I also made an appointment for my younger son to get the dental work done he needs. I haven't told him yet as I didn't want a distraction during his homework time. He still hasn't finished it as of 8:15 p.m. I reminded him of the consequences. I'm just not up to being homework Gestapo tonight. ;-)

Hubby goes in for his colonoscopy in the morning. He's been on a liquid diet today. I'm going to take off in the morning to go with him and then head back to work at midday.

It's nice to get a few loose ends tied up. And it was nice to have some down time today. I did a lot of napping, probably thanks in part to the hydrocodone in the cough syrup! I actually did miss seeing the students and teachers, though. I think it's wonderful how God continues to bless us with new brothers and sisters in Christ and new friends to share Him with!

Achoo! etc.

Nothing profound today.

Between allergies and a cold, I've been keeping the tissue companies in business! I've heard ragweed is really bad this year. I'd been blaming it all on my allergies, but I now that my hubby seems to have a cold that he says he caught from me, it must have been part cold, too!

At The Education Center, we are still without a campus director. However, having the CEO (Superintendent) here with us has helped me better settle into my job! We've also had a volunteer come in and help us get the files in shape, so that's looking better as well. We had missing files, missing info in files, etc. Frankly, I hope they hire her!

I'm really enjoying to get to know the teachers and students. It's kind of fun to have the kids greeting me as I run about the campus with my errands. As the school nurse, I still need a bit of wisdom on recognizing the real illnesses from the fake ones. I know, it's hard to believe -- kids will actually fake illness to get out of class! Unfortunately, head lice have made their appearance already. I certainly hope we don't bring that home!

After doing some research on the heeler breed, I definitely think Emma has a lot of red heeler in her. Actually, the breed name is Australian cattle dog. We're still working on the housebreaking. Aren't puppies fun! (At someone else's house!) She's awfully cute, though. And I think she'll make a great pet for the family. She's very well behaved when napping! ;-)

I'm still doing a little transcribing. However, the company I subcontract to has complained about my lack of hours, so that may come to an end -- or I'll be moved to another contract. At this point, quitting my be the best for all concerned. I'm keeping on just to keep my foot in the door, but it sure adds a load to my day!

Not much progress on the missions front. Still taking the course, although I haven't turned in any work in a few weeks. My hubby hasn't had the time to work on it. He is still working almost every night until 8 or 9 and most Saturdays. He had today off (yay!), but he's spent it relaxing due to the cold. We do have a couple of projects we need to get to, though. But sometimes the best thing for you is just relaxing!

A Taste of Honey

You probably have heard the old saying: "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I've recently discovered there are different kinds of "honey". Or rather, different ways to use honey in your speech.

Our campus director resigned on Monday afternoon, leaving with no notice and taking all the things she had brought and not been reimbursed for. Needless to say, the staff members were a bit shocked.

Tuesday morning brought the arrival of the superintendent (or CEO) of the group of charter schools, along with his newly-hired assistant. They remained all week, filling the position of campus director between the two of them. In watching each man work, I saw different types of honeyed words.

The superintendent is a very straightforward man, loud and boisterous in his speech. He doesn't sugar-coat his words, but he uses edifying words and humor to build up others. He jokes with the parents who bring forgotten lunches, with the kids who aren't feeling well (or think they aren't), and even somewhat with the kids who come in with discipline issues. He does it in such a way that you are put at ease, but at the same time he doesn't compromise the seriousness of a situation.

The new assistant is the type to look you in the eye and smile as he talks to you, never raising his voice. His words are smooth, but can also be cutting. He instructs before asking how things are being done. He just assumes they are not being done properly. Although he has taught with the curriculum we are using, he is not familiar with how our schools operate. However, he acts as if he has all the answers.

I like both men and respect them for their experience in education. But I must admit I prefer the boisterous, humorous edifier over the soft-spoken, smiling criticizer.

Observing these men made me think about how others are receiving my words. Are they hearing a honey-coated barb or an genuine word of edification, sprinkled with humor? Or are they just hearing a barb without any honey? I have to go back to what Paul said about our speech:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29

Father, help me to remember to make my words edifying, not using sweetness to hide a barb.

What kind of honey is in your words?

Emphysema!

Several years ago, my niece had a Dora the Explorer doll that danced and sang her "We did it!" song. Dora is a bilingual show, so they say the main phrases in English and in Spanish:

We did it, we did it, we did it, yeah!
Lo hacimos, we did it, we did it, yeah!

My daughter, not being familiar with the TV show, replaced the Spanish words with what she thought she heard. Thus "Lo hacimos!" became "Emphysema!," and this became a family joke.

I'm shouting "Emphysema!" tonight because my son finished his homework! That may not sound like a big deal, but for us it is! We have been staying up late with him to try to keep him on task, resulting in sleep deprivation for everyone. (Throw a puppy's 3 a.m. wakeup calls in there, too!)

The last two days he has not had his assigned homework completed. I was pretty frustrated this morning. I'm not sure if the problem is laziness, lack of motivation, procrastination, or a true learning disability. We were all overjoyed when he finished before 10:00!

Emphysema! He did it!

Now, if only I can get Emma to cooperate...

Meet Emma!

This is our puppy, Emma, the newest member of the family! We pick her up from the clinic tomorrow. She's one of a litter of nine that were found in a taped-up cardboard box in a dumpster. They were brought to the clinic, nursed back to health, and put up for adoption when old and strong enough. Because of some of the markings, they think they have Australian shepherd or Australian cattle dog in their parentage. She's energetic and enthusiastic, has green eyes, and my daughter is in love with her!

It's been a while since we've had a dog. I figured we'd go longer than this without one, but I guess we're just a dog family. We were tempted to get two, but that would have been a lot of trouble and expense. So we settled on Emma, my daughter's favorite.

Busy!

Nothing profound to add at the moment. I've just been busy! Probably too busy. Like a hummingbird, not even stopping work to eat!

Right now I'm trying to maintain both jobs -- working at the school and doing a little transcription in the evenings. I wrote to my transcription supervisor asking how she would like to handle the change in hours I am able to put in. I have not heard anything back, so I'll keep typing. I'd like to keep the door open (so to speak) in case the school does not work out.

Working for the school is fun and challenging, but it is also frustrating at times. The Superintendent of the five schools is rather old-fashioned and likes to keep things close to the vest and under his control. I have a computer that I don't really use because most of my work is pencil and paper. Being a database enthusiast, I find this a bit frustrating. I want to make a database to track what we need, design reports to print out when needed, and link my computer with the Campus Director's so that we both have the info available. Right now, my computer programs are also being very flaky. I don't know if we'll ever get computerized, so I just keep on plugging away on paper! Please pray for me to guard my tongue and not voice all the frustrations I'm feeling.

I signed us up with an outfit called The Finishers Project -- an organization to connect potential missionary candidates and missions organizations, especially tailored for the "second career" missionaries. We've received some e-mails back from organizations, but we haven't really begun any dialogs yet. However, it's nice to be pursued!

We've made some progress on "the decision". Please keep us in your prayers. It's good to know God knows the ultimate outcome and what will be best for us -- even if we may not like it!

I was just listening to a worship song that emphasized what I need to remember --

"Strength will rise when we wait upon the Lord..."

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

BIG Change!

Wow! Life has changed a lot for the family since Sunday!

Sunday evening I spoke with a friend who had just started her son in a charter school. It sounded really interesting, but I figured Lewisville was too far to drive every day. She told me they had opened one in Denton and gave me the website. I went home and looked them up. We discussed it and felt it would be a good fit for our son. I called them Monday, which was their first day of school. They had room for my son in 4th grade. Age-wise, he's a young 5th grader, and I have been contemplating holding him back for a while now. I enrolled him in 4th grade, and he started Tuesday morning. This is big for us! Both my older children were homeschooled through high school, so this was the first time one of my children has gone to school!

While in the school enrolling him, I found out they needed a secretary. I had been contemplating getting a "real job" instead of doing medical transcription from home. It hasn't been paying as well as I need. Plus, it's really hard being your own boss. I will work much harder for someone else than for myself. It's so easy to goof off and so hard for me to discipline myself and keep to a schedule.

I had to go home and make a lunch since I was not sure if my son would stay all day on Tuesday. While at home, I tweaked my resume and brought it back. Then I went to shop for school clothes for my son. This wasn't the easiest as most of the "uniform" clothes were picked over. They don't have a uniform per se, but they do have a narrow dress code. Believe it or not, my son hasn't balked at that! (Sometimes it's easier to follow someone else's rules!)

I went back in Tuesday afternoon, interviewed for the job, and started on Wednesday morning. I'm the school secretary/receptionist, school nurse, and general flunky. The admin staff consists of me and the Campus Director (principal). They are in the throes of start-up. This is fun for me, as I like setting up new systems and organizing stuff. The pay is not as good as I'd hoped, but it should be more than I was getting transcribing. At this point, I'm not sure if I'm going to continue transcribing part-time or not. I'm kind of hoping not, so as to lower my stress and activity level, but I haven't quit yet and my boss hasn't asked me to yet.

I think the structure is going to be good for all of us and will help us establish some new habits! I've always felt the best jobs are the ones that find you. Although it was big and SUDDEN, I think this change found us, and I feel that God is in it!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

-- Proverbs 3:5-6

P.S. : For those wondering about my big decision, it's still in process. I'll keep you posted.

Pastor Steve

I saw this link on another blog (in The Diner). Steve is the one in black & white. Wow! He's a very talented photographer! I think he'll be a great pastor, too!

Steve Hixon -- Hixon Photo

I'm excited!

(No, I'm not having mood swings. Well, maybe I am, but this post is not at all related to the last one.)

We have a new pastor! Or, rather, we will. The candidate who was unanimously presented by the search committee and unanimously approved by our elders has decided to take our officer of position of teaching pastor!

We are so blessed to have a wonderful staff of gifted pastors who have kept the ministry flowing smoothly. I'll miss hearing from them as frequently, but I'm glad they will be getting a well-deserved break.

We are also blessed with excellent elders who have put in many extra hours to keep CBC on track.

It's been a rough road, but I know God is using this time to shape and grow our church. To Him be the Glory!

Angst

I am struggling with doing something that someone in authority requested that I do.

I don't mean a direct command. More a firm suggestion given because they think it would be good for me. When I decided to take on this request, I wasn't fully aware of what all it would entail. (Thus the first photo. I couldn't decide which sign best reflected how I felt, so I used all three.)

My problem is that because of differing philosophical points of view, fulfilling the request is frustrating, irritating and unsettling. It reminds me of being in a geology class in college. I had to learn all the different eras that happened billions and billions of years ago even though I didn't really believe the earth was billions and billions of years old.

Where does one draw the line between being true to self and submitting to authority? What is requested doesn't lead me into sin (except for my own bad attitude). It will win favor with the authority figure -- and possibly future authority figures -- but winning favor should not be my motivation for complying with a request.

This particular request will entail many, many hours of effort over a long period of time. A heavy investment for something your heart is not in. And a long time to harbor a bad attitude. Don't worry. I'll either convince myself to have a good attitude or decide not to fulfill the request.

Maybe I should have been in the military so that I would have been forced to learn obedience without question. Or maybe I should learn from Nike and "Just do it!" Or maybe I should take a stand and challenge the validity of the request.

Please pray for wisdom for me. I don't want to be a rebellious troublemaker. But I don't want to compromise who I am and what I believe. As the Serenity Prayer says, I need "wisdom to know the difference" whether this is something I should accept or change.

In the basket

This Sunday our speaker was a visiting missionary named Danny. He talked about how Paul went from being a persecutor of the church to the apostle to the Gentiles. Even though his conversion was instantaneous, with a flash of blinding light and a voice from heaven, the beginning of his ministry took some time. Even thought he had been trained under the high priest, Gamaliel, and was a Pharisee, Paul still had a lot to learn.

First, he went to stay with Ananias and the disciples in Damascus for several days. He taught in the synagogues, explaining that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jews conspired to kill him and kept watch on the city gates. The disciples had to lower him in a basket from a hole in the wall at night in order for him to escape.

Our speaker pointed out that this may not have been the nicest basket. Who knows what it could held before -- fish, produce that went bad, rubbish -- you get the picture. But even in the nicest basket, it is humiliating to have to be secreted out of the city to run for your life.

On leaving Damascus, Paul spent a period of time in Arabia, possibly up to three years. He then went to Jerusalem. Even after being away for a time, the believers were afraid of him because he had persecuted the church so zealously, and Barnabas had to come to his defense. After a while, the Jews in Jerusalem sought to kill him, so the believers sent him to his home town of Tarsus, where he stayed until Barnabas went to find him and took him to Antioch to teach the Greek believers. Overall, it was about eleven years from the time of Paul's conversion until his first missionary journey.

Danny pointed out that personal growth and preparation for serving God takes time. It may involve uncomfortable situations and humiliating experiences. Danny called these experiences our "basket". They are necessary to prepare us to be a servant ready for God's use. Baskets can be a multitude of situations -- financial difficulties, emotional strains, job-related problems, health difficulties, family stresses.

I'm sure Paul felt the same way I do. I don't like being in a basket! It's dark and smelly! It sticks and pokes and cramps me! I want to rush ahead and serve God with the passion He's given me. But God knows I need time in the basket to be ready for Him to use.

What's your basket?

Listen to this song. It's a simple, mellow song. A little repetitious, but what a message!

http://www.globalworshipnow.com/newsletters/dynamic/214100832_MoreMoreMP.mp3

It sounds a lot like what we've been hearing at CBC a lot lately. And it echoes one of my favorite passages. Paul was a little repetitious, too!

...I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death...
-- Philippians 3:8-10

"O, I wanna know You
deeper than before

O, I wanna know You
more and more!"

© 2004 Integrity's Praise! Music
Michael Neale

Inconvenienced?

This afternoon, I headed off on what I thought would be a relatively quick errand. At least as quick as any errand to Plano and back. I headed off merrily down I-35E toward Lewisville. However, before I got to the lake bridge, the traffic slowed to a crawl. I took the first exit, knowing a few back roads, and it still took me about an hour to clear Lewisville. All this time, I still had no idea what the holdup was.

As I drove toward my destination, I tuned in a radio station to see if I could find the source of the traffic snarl. As it turns out, there was an 18-wheeler that overturned and caught fire. For a while, it had traffic tied up in four directions -- the highway and the cross street.

On my way home, I took the "scenic route", which was several miles out of my way. As it turned out, my daughter came home shortly after I did. Having traveled that way, she said there was only a little "onlooker delay" on her side of the road.

After I got home, I realized my errand, which should have taken about an hour and a half, ended up taking over three hours. That put me behind in my work and made me a bit frustrated over the inconvenience to my day.

My hubby had to work late tonight. When he passed the location around 9:30 p.m., they were trying to upright the 18-wheeler and remove it from the road. He said it was in the center lane right at the overpass where the street went over the highway. I can see why it had traffic so snarled. I'm sure with a flaming truck underneath, they wouldn't want traffic on the overpass. Or the opposite side of the freeway. Or the service road.

As my little son listened in, he made a comment that put things in perspective: "I hope the driver got out alright."

The Dallas Morning News reported that the truck overturned trying to avoid hitting a Toyota carrying four adults and an infant. The truck driver managed to get out of the cab before it caught fire. The Lewisville Fire Chief said that none of the injuries were thought to be life-threatening.

And I thought I was inconvenienced!

Wondering

Wonder \Won"der\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wondered; p. pr. & vb. n. Wondering.]
1. To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel.
2. To feel doubt and curiosity; to wait with uncertain expectation; to query in the mind; as, he wondered why they came.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Do you ever have one of those time periods where you start to wonder? Who am I? What does God want me to do? How? When? Where?

I've been doing a lot of wondering lately about several issues. I'll share a couple of them.

The most urgent issue has been to reevaluate our schooling options for "The Short One". After getting some counsel from a friend, doing further thinking, and discussing it with my hubby, we've agreed that we should stay on the track we are on for now, which is homeschooling. Admittedly, it's a challenge to keep him motivated and on task, especially since I'm working from home. But there are some specific issues that would make it difficult for him to switch into public or private school at this time. We have done more evaluating (and second guessing) with him than we ever did with the other two. But we're in a much different spot in life with him.

The biggest issue, which is still up in the air, is the whole missions thing. Are we cut out to be missionaries? Are we too old and set in our ways? What sort of position should we seek and how should that relate to our gifts? Where should we seek to serve? For a long while, we thought those questions were answered and the main question was when. Then our basket of expectations and assumptions was thrown into the air, leaving all the questions floating around our heads again.

On a personal level, I'm much more aggressive and impatient than my hubby. He takes lots of time to think, mull over, react, and evaluate than I do. That's why he is a good balance for my impetuosity. I have to watch myself to make sure I'm not pushing my passions onto Mark but rather following his lead. When do I nudge? When do I wait? (If I hadn't nudged, we may never have had children!)

I pray that God will give me wisdom. On a personal level, of how to act (or not act) and what he wants me to be. On a family level, what he wants US to be.

I need to remember the words of a wise pastor I know:

"God's more concerned about who you are than what you do."

Amen.

Our Personal Navigation System

I heard a story today about a woman who drove to Atlanta with only her GPS navigation system to guide her. She turned right when it told her to, or turned left, or exited, or merged. She managed to get to her destination one turn at a time, although she had no idea where in Atlanta she was other than the street address. But she never got lost. Even when she missed a turn, her handy device told her so that she could correct her path.

This woman got to thinking about how easy it was to follow one step at a time, trusting the device to guide her even though she didn't see the big picture. And then she realized how much that was like God's guidance. He sees the big picture but only instructs us one turn at a time. He knows that's all we can handle. And it forces us to trust him.

I don't want a navigation system! I want the whole map. I want to know exactly where I am and 15 different ways to get where I need to be if the primary route is blocked. But God knows that if I had the whole map, it would be so overwhelming that I couldn't take it. Like a street map of the entire globe! And even if I could handle it, I wouldn't be trusting Him to guide me, but I'd be trusting my OWN understanding!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.
--Proverbs 3:1-8

Where's the next turn, God? My bones could really use some refreshment!

Spark

I'm a member of a website called SparkPeople. Its purpose is to provide tools and encouragement for losing weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle. They encourage you to join teams and read and post on the forums for your team. They even give you points for doing so. (Isn't amazing what people will do for "points"? They only earn you a trophy icon on the site!)

I belong to several SparkTeams: Christian Homeschooler's Healthy Living, Christian Missionary Moms, Conservative Christian Women, Thyroid Community, Medical Transcription, and Managing Diabetes (which I recently dropped). Through them all, I have met some great people and have found and given encouragement. Being a Christian and all, I assumed I would have the most in common and get the most encouragement from the Christian teams. Sometimes, though, I get more support from the other teams -- those who share health issues or job-related challenges with me.

I've also found that, in general, you get out what you put in. It would be easy to "hide" and just read other people's posts. But by openly sharing about myself and my own struggles, I have been encouraged by others and have been able to encourage others.

I wish I could say I've made rapid strides in weight loss. It's a slow process, and one that depends on my compliance. But I've learned a lot. About the diseases I struggle with and how other peoples struggles are just like mine -- I'm not alone! About the time management struggles I face, particularly from working at home -- once again, not alone there! About the struggles and challenges Missionary Moms face, and that they are just people too!

I've been thinking about how SparkPeople mirrors life. I've learned some things about that, too. Our support and encouragement often comes from unexpected places. We get more when we give more. Risky as it is, being transparent can be beneficial. Everybody needs encouragement.

I've also been thinking about my role in the body. Am I supporting and encouraging others? Am I giving or only seeking to get my needs met? Am I trying to draw in those who "hide"? Am I transparent? Am I open to let God use me in unexpected ways and settings? Am I a "spark" to energize or to destroy?

Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. -- James 3:5

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. -- Matthew 5:14-16

What kind of spark are you?

How can I encourage you today?

It's all about... Him

I read this on Elisabeth Elliot's devotional site today and thought I'd share it with you.

Title: Identity

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

The search for recognition hinders faith. We cannot believe so long as we are concerned with the "image" we present to others. When we think in terms of "roles" for ourselves and others, instead of simply doing the task given us to do, we are thinking as the world thinks, not as God thinks. The thought of Jesus was always and only for the Father. He did what He saw the Father do. He spoke what He heard the Father say. His will was submitted to the Father's will.

"You have no love for God in you," He said to the Pharisees. "I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me....How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from him who alone is God?" (Jn 5:42-44 NEB).

The photo? That's what our identity should be -- vessels for God's use.

Elisabeth Elliot Daily Devotional:
http://www.elisabethelliot.org/devotional.html

Thoughts

Revelation Song -- sung by Kari Jobe

Some verses that popped out at me today from Proverbs 19:

2 ...he who hurries his footsteps errs.

11 A man's discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

21 Many plans are in a man's heart,
But the counsel of the LORD will stand.

22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness...

Soaring!

I received an e-mail from this coming Sunday's worship leader with a newer song they wanted us to familiarize ourselves with before rehearsal tomorrow evening. It's called Revelation Song, words and music by Jennie Riddle. I've listened to it over and over, not only to learn the part, but also because it is so worshipful! It makes my spirit soar! I found this You Tube video. I'm working on getting it posted, but here's the link:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8

I know our rendition will be different that this one, but knowing the extremely talented musicians I will get to sing with, I know it will be wonderful -- and worshipful! And we're also doing the version of "The Lord's Prayer" that we did last month with the same team. I'm looking forward to Sunday morning! (If you're a nighttime CBC attender, you might want to pop in this Sunday morning!)

I did find out it originated in a local charismatic megachurch. But many of the words (as the title suggests) come straight from the book of The Revelation:

Rev 4:6-8

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures... Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

Rev 5:11-13

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!"

With all those creatures and angels around Him praising Him 24/7 (does that term apply to eternity?), God doesn't NEED us to praise Him. But He ALLOWS us to participate in praising Him because He knows how wonderful it is for us to experience! After all, that's what we were made for!

Can you imagine eternity spent thinking up new songs and ways and languages to praise our Almighty God, surrounded by incredible musicians? I can't wait to be a part of it!

I'm soaring just thinking about it!

The traveler returns

My international traveler arrived home safely! They ended up missing their connection in Houston, and the "regular" flight later had been canceled. So they ended up on an "express" flight (express = tiny plane) that arrived at Love Field, rather than DFW. She had to check her pilot case because of lack of carry-on space. Fortunately, the enclosed glassware survived the baggage handlers! The rest of the luggage went with the original flight to DFW, since they found they had missed their connection AFTER it was rechecked. But they made it home safely and had a very successful trip.

The missionaries thought they would only be able to complete about half the project since they were such a small team and mostly girls! Ha! After a quick demonstration, the girls mastered the use of power tools. By the end of the first day, they had all the pieces cut and had one set assembled. By the end of their time there, they had finished assembling all the bunk beds and left the varnish on the last set drying! They also had some down time to enjoy a hot springs area and do some shopping. And I know they were such an encouragement to the missionaries!

It was a bit of a surprise to them to see how COLD this tropical area was! But mountainous wins out over tropical! And the showers were a bit shocking -- literally. To warm the water, they heat the shower heads with an electrical heater with exposed wires and a switch IN THE SHOWER! They got quite a buzz out of it on multiple occasions. Sounds like they need to work on wire insulation, conduit use, and grounding. Or switch to an in-line propane heater.

Although sad to have missed the trip to Grandma's, she was extremely glad to be a part of this trip. Thanks to all who supported her with prayer and finances. When she gets her luggage, we'll see the pictures & goodies she brought home!

Back in the Saddle Again

We're home!

We had a great time with family and some much-needed relaxation. My brother-in-law miscalculated and I didn't double check him. My mother-in-law was only 89 -- still quite an accomplishment!

On the 4th, we drove up to Oklahoma and shared a nice dinner and some fireworks at Mom's with family -- including some much-needed catch-up time with my sister-in-law and two of her sons, who were only there for the day.

We celebrated Mom's birthday on the 5th. We got her some solar lights for her "boardwalk" that spans some previous steps down and back up. She loves them!

The next day was a workday -- tree-trimming, grass-raking, and re-mounting her window AC unit.

Mom convinced us to stay an extra day, which allowed us to go to the Wichita Mountains to picnic and tromp around.

The boys and I did a nice hike requiring a short bit of mild rock-climbing (yes, the hand- and foothold type!).

My hubby and brother-in-law did a bit of climbing themselves to capture video clips to use for worship slides, as well as some nice stills.

The extra day also enabled us to go to church with Mom, which she also enjoys us doing. After a safe drive home, we're back to rainy Texas. And tomorrow, the work routine resumes. It was nice to have a break!

Happy Independence Day!

We're headed for my mother-in-law's to celebrate her 90th birthday! That's her with my hubby's older brother, his son, and his new grandson! Four generations!

Have a great Fourth!

Guatemala or Bust!

I got my girl out the door for Guatemala -- barely. She had her alarm set for 2:30 a.m. and I had two set. However, she must have slept through hers. One of mine I failed to turn on. On the other one, I had the time set for p.m. when it should have been a.m., but the alarm was set correctly. So, obviously, it didn't go off 12 hours early! She was supposed to be at the airport at 4:30 for a 6:30 flight.

I woke up around 5:00 and in a panic woke her up. My hubby and I threw ourselves together and got her and her stuff in the car. We left the house at 5:25 and managed to get to the airport in 30 minutes -- with a quick "pit stop" so we wouldn't run out of gas. She got checked in with the help of the team leader, went through security without a hitch around 6:00, and pretty much went straight onto the plane!


The team made it to the first destination, Houston, without problem. By now she should be arriving in Guatemala City, where the missionaries will meet them and take them further west to Xela, where they live.


That's Brandon, Jenny & Deacon, the missionaries, in the picture below, and their house above!

I'm excited for the team! It should be a great time for them! They are building bunk beds and helping the missionaries prepare their new guest house to receive visiting teams. Yeah, a "handyman project" and they have two adult males (over 30) and three college girls!

Some of the dust settles

(in the order previously referenced)

I have an appointment for Thursday afternoon with the new doc. We'll see how that goes.

Julie is going to Guatemala! I'm so glad! After all, it is a college trip, and that was a few years ago for me. It turns out, it will be two adult men and three college gals. I hope they have a wonderful time and are a big help and encouragement to Brandon & Jenny. Thanks to everyone who supported her and/or let her use the money she had raised for Russia in order to go on this trip. (Yes, we are still going to Russia -- in May 2008.)

I've been doing a bit better on work/time management. Just taking it one moment at a time!

In order to facilitate Mark with the reading for our course, this weekend I recorded the readings for Lesson 1 on my computer. After I get closer to filling a disk, I will write it for Mark to listen to in the car. Not only does he commute about an hour one way every day, but he also often goes out to schools for computer installations that could also be an hour or more from the office. (Thankfully, he gets paid for mileage!) I really enjoy reading aloud, for some strange reason. I have read a couple of other books in the car to Mark, but right now we don't have much joint car time -- thus the CD idea. And I get my reading done in the process!

One of my blogging friends wrote about unbelief being the root of our struggles as believers. It really got me thinking. Resting in God, in the midst of whatever life brings, is probably one of the purest forms of worship I can offer. What difference does it make if I sing & shout & fall down before Him if I don't really trust Him. All of my unsettledness is just not trusting God. He is in control and knows much better than we do what is best for us. Thankfully, I have had a few favorite verses popping into mind (one from my blogging friend) as I am feeling anxious:

"Cease striving and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10
"Do not be anxious about anything..." Philippians 4:6
"...the battle is not yours but God's." 2 Chronicles 20:15

Please read the full verse in context. I just pulled out key phrases for me.

What do you have to do to make the dust settle? Stop moving! Have a restful day!

Unsettled

I'm feeling kind of unsettled lately.

First, one of my friends asked for a followup about the doctor visits of late. The thyroid scan was negative, my blood tests were normal, so no change in medication was needed there. My doc didn't volunteer to check anything else, and I'm still really tired all the time! Sometimes I think he thinks it's in my head! (As if there's anything in there!) A friend referred me to a different, less traditional doctor, both in testing and treatment. I think I'll give her a try -- when I know what I'm doing next month. (See below.)

Second, as I mentioned before, Julie & I want to go on the Guatemala trip. I have sent e-mails out asking for support, but I haven't gotten any response back (only 24 hours ago). I'm wondering if I'm not trying to force something to happen that shouldn't. But, now it is in God's hands. If the money comes in, we will go. If not, either one of us will go or neither will, and the money we have raised so far will go back to the Russia team. But I hate the waiting.

Third, I'm trying to get better on my schedule (work/sleep/life), which is hard when all you want to do is sleep. I want to put in my hours, both to be a good worker and to get paid more. And the new car payments start next month! (No pressure!)

Fourth, we're trying to squeeze in a course about missions into our busy schedule. It's an online course called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. I requires a lot of reading and listening to some lectures. We have a year to finish it. As we do this, we're also looking into missions agencies where we might be a good fit. We haven't made any contact yet, but a few look promising. It would be nice to figure out what we're going to do when we grow up!

I have to remind myself that God knows the end from the beginning. Even though I sometimes feel that life is spinning out of control, it is always in God's hands. At times like this, I have to remind myself frequently of Psalm 46:10, which in the New American Standard Bible says:

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

More Linguistic Hamburger, New Doc & Mission Trip Changes

Chief complaint: Tripping and falling with scalp laceration.

(Is that like "running with scissors?")

The patient denies any back pain when lying.

(So when he's telling the truth, he has back pain?)

I found a doc I'm going to try out. I actually discovered her online and through a friend's blog link. We'll see how it goes. I haven't made an appointment because of vehicle issues. My daughter's is in for some minor (I hope) repair.

We found out Saturday that our trip to Russia has been postponed until May 2008. I will wait to see how things shape up before I commit to continue. My daughter, on the other hand, wouldn't miss it! She'll continue on, so expect to hear more from her. Since I'm in charge of the Haiti trips, I have to make sure all those bases are covered first.

My daughter and I are going to attempt to jump onto the trip to Guatemala at the last minute. This means we'll have to raise $2000 in two weeks! They leave July 2. We are going to visit some missionaries who are former members of our church moved to Guatemala last October. They will be taking North American teams to visit their sister churches. Right now, they are getting settled and working on learning the languages - Spanish and Mam (the Mayan language).

The team going from our church in two weeks is a small group of college students going to build bunk beds for the guest house the teams will be staying in. Hey, we know our way around drills & screwdrivers! Please pray for us as we prepare to join this team.

Linguistic Hamburger

What is hamburger? Meat that has not only been butchered but ground up into an unrecognizable mass.

As a general rule, we Americans are lousy at learning languages -- even our own! I am not that surprised when I see spelling and grammatical errors in online chatting and forums. We never know what level of education folks have obtained. Nor does spelling and grammar come easily to everyone, regardless of their position or educational background.

I occasionally come across something that is very obviously wrong, redundant or just funny. And I have to share! Here are my contributions for the day:

-- from dictated medical notes (rephrased):

"PAST MEDICAL HISTORY:
The patient has a history of (a disease or condition) in the past."

"We will keep her overnight for 23-hour observation so we can watch her."

(They must work for the Department of Redundancy Department.)

-- from an author's biographical information in the back of a novel:

"She... later became the mother of three sons and an elementary school teacher."

Ouch! As my daughter said, "I hope she didn't have a ruler in her hand!"

The Key?

I have a kid who is wonderful at avoiding activities. Every time he is pressed to do an undesired activity, he is hungry, he needs a break, he needs to go to the bathroom, etc. He works harder at avoiding the activity than he would actually doing it! I can't figure out the key to motivating him!

We have tried positive and negative reinforcement -- anything from wonderfully desired rewards to withholding favorite privileges to (dare I say it?) spanking. Nothing seems to work consistently. Spanking definitely doesn't! (I wish it did!)

The thing that works best is sitting right with him and insisting he stay on task. However, this takes constant attentiveness and excessive use of time, which is not always available for this use. Any lapse in attention and he is off!

Oh, and he also has to tell you about EVERYTHING he does and discovers and makes, whether you want to hear or not.

I don't know if this is an extreme need for attention, a bad case of ADD, or just a very clever kid. But it's getting old!

Any ideas on what the key might be?