Africa Eve

Well, it's the eve of the trip. We leave around 5:15 tomorrow morning for DC and then head for Ethiopia at 8:30 tomorrow evening. We'll have a nice short 15 hour airplane ride. I have plenty of sermons on my ipod and plenty of reading material, but I'm hoping to get some good sleep on the plane as well.

If you read Big Nanny's blog about packing, you know that I was quite shocked when they told us that all of our clothes needed to go in a 30 lb. carry on. Then it was changed to 15 lbs. I really thought it would never happen, but I'm travelling lighter than normal...I still wouldn't say light, just lighter.

Shocking I know, but I have decided not to travel with my study Bible. It may be the first time I've travelled without it and I hope I don't regret my decision. Even though Angela made fun of me, I really know exactly what side of the page certain verses are on and how they're marked. I guess I'm too dependent on it, because a Bible is a Bible and the Word of the Lord is living and active whether it's a study Bible or a teeny tiny Bible. :-)

There's 31 of us on the team, five from our church. I already love two of them to death, but I'm pretty sure by the end of the trip, I'll love Jesse and Tabby just as much. Mission trips bind hearts together forever!

Tabby, Alicia, Jesse, Angela, Sumer

Yesterday I was a bit stressed :-), tonight I am sad. I know I'm supposed to go, but it's hard to leave these sweet faces. Saying goodbye is never easy.

We just had a sweet prayer time as a family. Elizabeth prayed that I wouldn't get sick and she prayed the other day that I wouldn't die or anything like that. Matthew prayed that I wouldn't get "spelled by a witch doctor" and that the witch doctors would turn good. Stephen prayed that the Africans would have enough food and water to live. All sweet and needed prayers!

And of course I'm thankful for this sweet guy who supports me without wavering and allows me to go without question.
Those sweet kids and my dear husband are four reasons that some would decide not to go...the risk is too great...but for me the risk is in not going. The risk is in being disobedient to what God has called me to do.

And so, I go to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim freedom to prisoners all in the name of our precious Lord Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 61) May all the nations rise up and call Him Lord! He is worthy to receive honor and glory!!

Thanks for praying for us!!

Perfect We're Not

Well...I should be packing, but I'm not. I was motivated to write a blog post about packing after reading Big Nanny's, but it may or may not happen.

I know sometimes perceptions can be wrong. I hope you don't think our family is perfect and I would especially think that's hard to believe if you even randomly check this blog.

This past week has not gone as expected. Derek's last day of work until January 4th was December 23rd. This was working perfectly for my mission trip, because the kids go back to school on the 4th.

But Derek was on the phone most of Christmas Eve. He spent most of Saturday on the phone. He was on the phone several hours yesterday. He has been on the phone for about 12 hours today...seriously and he's not done! My kids have played more than the recommended amount of wii and ds. They have watched more tv than anyone would recommend. Elizabeth even decided to take my travel size shaving cream and paint the bathroom wall. I was not only frustrated because I didn't have travel size shaving cream, but because now my bathroom wall is messed up.

Yesterday morning, Derek decided to take down one of those 3M sticky things that aren't supposed to leave a mark. Well, it left a mark alright. It tore the drywall right off. Whether it was user error or faulty product, I don't know. I was irritated Sunday morning. Why did Derek have to take it off right then...before church...before my trip...and now there's a big spot of exposed drywall on my painted wall. There's nothing else to say except, bless Derek's heart, he didn't say anything...he just went and got the spackle out of the garage and started to patch the spot. I wanted to scream...not sure why, just feeling all the stress of trying to wrap everything up before you leave town for 10 days.

This post is pretty random, but it is proof that life never goes as planned. This wasn't how I wanted my last week before my trip to be. We were supposed to go to the movies, go to Chuck E. Cheese, just hang out together as a family. Instead we are scattered, stretched and stressed! But we're still family and we'll stick together through it all.

I'm reading a book called You Were Born for This. He talks about how opportunities come along when we're not even thinking about them. They are not always convenient, but we have to decide whether to be available for God to work through us. If we're not, He'll find someone else or another way. A friend gave me this book to prepare for Africa and while I may have ideas of what I think God is going to do, I'm pretty sure that He has a different plan. He always does and His is always so much better. So, I'll leave a house with kids that have had too much screen time, a bathroom with shaving cream paint and a nice big white patch of spackle on my gold wall...but you know what, it doesn't matter. I'm leaving a husband who's dedicated to his job and three kids that I love to pieces to go and do what God has called me to do...minister to others across the world.

In the end, God's plans are perfect even if they include shaving cream and spackle!

In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Christ is Always Enough

Casting Crowns has a song on their new cd called Always Enough. It is one of my favorites on this cd. Christ is always enough. Here are part of the lyrics.


Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak

Your love is the anthem of nations
Brings out to the ages
And You're Always Enough for me

This Christmas season, I've been burdened for those who are celebrating Christ's birth along with sorrow. Those who have an empty chair at the table this year. For the family that tragically lost their child this year. For the mother that lost a baby that God took straight from her womb to His glorious heaven. For those who have lost a parent or grandparent either this year or in recent years. For those who have lost a spouse, their life partner. For the sweet seven year old boy I met whose daddy is in prison and who's mommy isn't in the picture. There are empty chairs at that boy's table. We all have empty chairs at our table. Someone we wish was sitting there, but isn't. For me personally, it's a child that would've been born in 2000 and a sweet grandmother that is incredibly precious to me. They are both celebrating Christ's birth in heaven! I love that no matter what we're walking through that Christ truly is always enough!

There is an empty chair at each of our tables though that can be filled. It's the chair for Jesus. I hope He's sitting at the head of your table and leading your family. Remember that He is our guest of honor. It is His birthday! I hope you don't forget to invite Him to His party! Don't leave His chair empty!

Happy Birthday Jesus! Thank you for all have done and all that you do for us! Please be with those who are hurting and comfort them. May they know that you're sitting at their table and that You are always enough!!

Sweet Sleep Update

Go to Jen's blog to see the pictures of the kids in Uganda and the mattresses. I cannot put into words the emotions that I have right now.

Sweet Sleep raised enough money to help all the kids they were asked to help. How precious this Christmas will be for these sweet kids. A big thank you to my friends who posted and gave! God will honor your generosity! Thank you so much!!

My kids don't have to pray for a mattress or food or warm shelter. How incredibly blessed we are!

This picture below....naptime on a dirt floor.

The Second Best Christmas Present

I hope you know that the best Christmas gift ever is Jesus Christ. We are so thankful that God loves us and chose to give His greatest asset, His only Son, on our behalf. Sometimes I get so busy at Christmastime and I'm so familiar with the story, that I forget the miracle of it all...the greatest expression of love that has ever been shown. Our sweet Savior, Jesus Christ.

10 years ago today we were in Florida for Christmas. We received a call at Derek's parents house that Stephen had been born. We were cautiously excited to hear the news knowing that the fate of our son rested in the hands of the birthmom. I've never been in that position, but I've been in a hospital room with a birthmom facing the most difficult decision of her life. That day in the hospital with a different birthmom tugged at my heartstrings and showed me the whole other side of adoption.

Anyway, Stephen joined our family on January. You can go here to read the whole story if you don't already know it.

It's hard to believe that Stephen is 10 years old. Where did the time go? (I'm sounding old when I say that, but it's so the truth!)

Stephen, you have been gifted with an incredible mind. I really don't know how your brain can retain all the history and science facts. Your love for history and science will open many doors in your future. I pray that you'll choose wisely. Every now and then I see glimpses of that tender and compassionate heart that was so evident as a preschooler. I understand that a 10 year old boy has to be tough, but deep down that gift of mercy still exists. God will use that in a mighty way if you'll allow Him. I hope that you'll always be a warrior for Christ. I pray that you'll stand for Jesus until your death. I pray that you'll be faithful just as Stephen in the Bible was faithful to the very end. It's the only time in Scripture that Jesus stands at the right hand of God. Jesus stood for Stephen welcoming him into heaven. May you have that same legacy. Fight the good fight, keep the faith, my son. God will not disappoint. He is so good!
With all my love,
Mom

Happy 10th Birthday to our 2nd best Christmas Present!

Be Sure

Your Sin Will Find You Out....
or the same sins will be committed by your children.

I was in 3rd grade. I changed my report card from B's to A's. I then denied that I had done it. I told my parents that the teacher must have changed the grades. I sat in a conference with my parents and the teacher and still denied it. Determined and stubborn and I guess sinful. :-)

So fast forward many years later and Matthew forgot to bring his spelling words home. They were supposed to be alphabetized for homework. Derek wrote a note in Matthew's planner to his teacher saying that he didn't bring them home. This has happened before and he usually has to complete the unfinished homework during one of the recesses. Matthew decided to erase the note from Derek and then told his teacher that the note was intended for him and not for her. He kept talking and dug his hole deeper and deeper. So, she wrote us a note and told us to ask him about it. Derek then talked to him about lying and made him write an apology to his teacher.

I love Matthew's heart! He wrote most of this on his own.

Favorite Ornament of the Week

It was a favorite last year and it's a favorite this year as well! :-)