Thanksgiving...

I had one condition to agreeing to be away from home on Thanksgiving. This past Thanksgiving was perhaps (more like our HoPe!) our last Thanksgiving in the states for a while, for we sincerely pray that we will be in Zambia next year by that time. God knows our timing and also if & when we will be ready!

All that being said, my one condition was that we would be with the closest thing to family 1300 miles away... at that is "The Hayes".

in Oct 2009

This is the same family that kept our three youngest children when we went to Zambia on 2006. A three week time period in which my children experienced sickness the likes of which I never experienced with them. It was "Ma Hayes" that got All the puking, fevers, puking, and more puking. I, to this day, don't think I understand the completely sacrificial way they cared for my family that week. I pray their reward in Heaven will be rich and sweet for that act of mercy and selfless love alone! That was also the same three weeks Ma Hayes turned my once coffee loving youngest child into a tea drinker, but that is another story!

Oct 2000

It is also the family that has three boys that are nearly twins to each of my own male children. All alike and different at the same time, and within months of each other in age. It is perhaps one of... if not the only place that everyone has someone to be with... including the adults. "Mr" just takes turns between the adults and the kids.

We were so thrilled to be in their "new to them" home in Southern Louisiana for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful and warm. The fellowship was even warmer and more wonderful! We have been there four times since they moved there, and this was the first time Olivia was able to join us. 

I also had one major request that I added to my "one condition"... that we could fly her to where we would be for the holiday. I say "request" loosely. It was more of a demand veiled in sufficient submissive womanly eyelash batting and extra back scratching. There would have been temper tantrums and feet stomping and crying and hunger strikes (who am I kidding?! It was Thanksgiving... That was for sure an idle threat!!) if she couldn't come.

It was a terrific week. We LOVE them all and are so very Thankful for them. We were able to get our Christmas pictures taken there as well, which was a special treat in that it allowed outdoor photos with smiles without teeth chattering!

Bye Bye Montana..

We are learning to hold onto vehicles very loosely. What may look like tragedies... are often blessings in disguise! Isn't that the way of all things though?!

 While this Montana served well it's entire lifetime, the time for it's final resting place in the firefighter's practice fields. Burn Baby Burn! Nearly 190k miles and it saw us safely through many situations! Alas, it was time to say good bye. Thankfully the accident was not the fault of our daughter! Insurance did very well by us. We are so thankful for insurance!

In with the new! This is Liv's new car. It is proving to be very quick on the pick-up, very safe in a rear crash test, and also very deer repellant!! All of this has been determined in only a few weeks. I hope it is true things come in threes... and then are done! :)

An Ordination... a Commissioning... and an Engagement!

In Uniontown, PA, Bethel Baptist Church had a service to top all services! 

First, a great young man was ordained and commissioned as Pastor of a brand new church, Bridge Baptist Church. 

Second, new Pastor Douthitt asked his lovely girlfriend to be his bride. She said YES... whew! 

 Awww! That is one way to get the spotlight off of himself!

 Third... the preparations for the first service! Signage... check!

 Pastor Douthitt... Check!

Double Rainbow from God... Check!

 Amazing first service! Nearly 60 in attendance... and we are their first missionaries! AMEN!

 Charter members of Bridge Baptist Church, Masontown, PA.

Savannah made this on her iPod... Kind of looks like them, don't you think?! 

Pastor Douthitt and Amanda. So excited for the work the Lord is planning to do through them, and with them! So happy to have been a part of this special week with them! 

In EveryThing... Give THANKS!!

We are convinced the Lord is concerned and in control of every detail of our lives. Because of experiences like this one! 

When we are traveling for a couple of days in a row, the optimal situation is that we are able to find a place to park the camper overnight to sleep somewhere safe. Often what we will do is map out about half way, and have the numbers of several churches in that area that we will call en route, and hopefully one will be able to let a vagabond family park in their lot overnight. It is certainly better than a WalMart parking lot or a camping world! :/

In a great situation, we will have electricity to plug into. If they have a water hose we can hook up to, we are living high on the hog. If they have a sewer hook up... WOW! We have hit gold! 

Well after we left Daytona Beach, FL on a Thursday, we needed to get to Pennsylvania in two days time. That meant at least 16 hours driving, so about half way we did our research. Rock Hill, SC, was our place. We wrote down all the churches that showed up on the IFB  list, and began calling. 

After calling 7 churches.... NO ONE would allow us to stay! Shocking! That had never happened to us to date! Usually people are very gracious and we find a place after one or two calls. We were shocked! SHAKE OFF THE DUST MAN!! :) 

Plan B! 

We looked at the map, and have friends that live in the tri-city area near High Point, NC. That is over 9.5 hours away. LOOONG day of driving! That is GPS time... we usually add an hour for gas stops and potty breaks. (Is it OK to say that?!) 

Anyhow, Dan called the pastor of a church we had visited with our friends, and sure enough we can stay. With electricity AND water!! High Cotton!! We planned to leave the next morning, Friday, bright and early. 

 While driving to get to NC, Dan had to add water to the radiator a couple of times. We realized we needed to have it looked at, but figured it would wait until PA. I think the Lord knew the hills of W. Virginia were ahead of us, and we would have been in deep doo-doo had we waited. Dan went to several parts stores to get the "check engine" light code checked  (just a day in the life!), and after he left one of the stores, there was radiator fluid pouring out of the truck! 

Plan C!!

There was a crack on the place where the hose clamps on to the radiator ... busted! Wouldn't you know, they had the radiator! Divine direction for sure as it is a 2000 vehicle, and not a popular one at that! The Lord knew we were going to need to be at a place where tools were available for the repair. And a vacuum for the ant extraction!

 Well the guys made quick work of the repair. Thankfully a radiator is one of those repairs that can be done in a relatively short time... with minimal number tools. A few wrenches, a garbage can for the old fluid, and some elbow grease!

 Savannah took up her position... the nearest swing set!

 They got it out in short order...

 The offending part! Dan was a little frustrated because the poor guy knows with a little time and some JB Weld he could have repaired the radiator and saved himself a few dozen dollars! The broken  radiator actually looked great... sadly. I think he would have felt better if it was a wreck!

 New part in... clap the hoses, fill with fluid...

Tighten it all up, and VOILA!! DoNE! We now know why Rock Hill was less than friendly. God needed us in High Point!! AMEN to the Divine Guidance of the Lord! We were also able to visit with some great friends for dinner and dessert. That is always a good thing!

There have been many times of distress and potential danger when the Lord puts a butterfly in the middle of it. (Right Savannah?!)  While this little guy was already passed his fluttering days, it was still a great reminder of the Lord in all situations!

Recap: For the sake of documentation!

In early October we were in Florida, camping in Blue Springs. BeauTiFuL!! It is an aquifer with water at 72 degrees year round. It is also a Manatee refuge where they stay during the cold months. The camp sites are more like a jungle than a traditional campground, which may explain the illegal transporting of native Florida wildlife across several state lines. I will explain!

Where we were camping, there was a very small area for the camper and we were surrounded by Central Florida foliage complete with creatures that thrive in that environment. This lovely creature decided to INVADE our camper.

Here is a nicely labeled picture with the proper latin name... we are if nothing else a home camper schooling family ready to take advantage of learning at any cost. Including my sanity! 

 We had seen a couple of them during the five days we were there, but knew as long as SHE didn't show up, we were fine. After leaving the camp site, we had stored the camper in a church yard for about 5 days while we were in a conference in Daytona. We were being spoiled for a few days and were able to stay in a house for the week :)

Well she did show up. They must have thought that a Springdale was such a lovely location for a nest and all that wood in there!  Complete with eggs. MANY Eggs!!  Our vacating the joint for a week was there perfect opportunity to multiply... undisturbed! :/

After Florida, we were in North Carolina ... in a church parking lot. Thankfully! I have a couple  reasons for being thankful for that. 

One: We ended up needing to replace the radiator in the truck. Post to follow! :) 

Two: They had a vacuum cleaner! Had we not seen the nest as quickly as we did, what a nightmare that would have been!! 

They poured out of that cupboard like soldiers in a war fighting for their lives.

They lost. 

I stood over the site of their intended home for over an hour, vacuum hose in hand and ant killing spray in the other. They were not going to win... I refuse to share the camper with them! They are UgLY! 

Now... the radiator! :) 

A few Books I have read...

Warning... don't read them unless you want your life to be challenged, convicted, and perhaps worst of all... more Conformed into the Image of Christ...! (Oh MY!) 

Made to Crave

I have yet to finish this book. It is not one I will be able to plow through as easily as a piece of Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake and a Tall Chai Latte. It is one that I need to really have a chisel, hammer, pick axe, and a nut cracker to thoroughly get all I should out of it. Well, perhaps I dont need those implemts, but I need to let God use hem on me as He wants. The title intrugued me... the first chapter terrified me. I am not quoting here, but one point she makes is we spend so much time and energy building up walls around our selves, that it seems so wasteful to just tear them down. I mean all of that work and energy for nothing! Instead of tearing them down and chucking them into some landfill of our minds, repurpose every brick and build a pathway of faith and belief to God. Let the labor of healing from some very wrong thinking patterns create hope through the truths of the Word of God, which alone has the power to transform our minds. Very challenging read! 

_______________________________

One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

 Another one that is more important than the previous is this book. It is more important because it has lasting impact on the sould of people that will surely drop off into eternity into one of two destinations. I talked to a young guy of 17 who said, "It is a terrible book!! I finished reading it at 11:30 at night, and couldn't sit in my house any longer! I had to get some tracts and go out and tell someone about Jesus!" 

That is exactly the same feeling I had. Compelling, convicting and challenging! 

_______________________________

Under the Overpass

This book was just given to my husband yeaterday, and I finished it today. Wow! It is not that I should do what these two young men did, but I should be more aware that I need to follow what the Lord tells me to do!! 

I vividly recall an evening not very long ago, when we were traveling in Florida on deputation. We were going into a dollar store, it was nearly closing time, and outside the store there were two young people sitting on the concrete near the grocery carts. They looked to be "travelers" ... or homeless. Something inside me wanted to buy them some milk and some "good" snacks in the store to give to them. It would have not changed my day whatsoever to do that... a few spent dollars would not mean I couldn't eat or feed my children, but I never followed through on my thought. I say my thought, but  truth be told, I know it was the Lord speaking in his still small voice. 

I ignored him, giving (lame) excuses that I had my children with me. Yes, how horrible would it be for my kids to see me showing compassion on some young people? That would have been terrible. I then thought it was so close to closing... did I really want to go back into the store? Were they really homeless? Maybe they were just young kids hanging out. Blah... blah... blah. Whatever they were, I walked away and did not act on my thought, impulse, nudging from the Lord... whatever it was. And now, several months later, I regret it. 

Through reading this book, I began to think that the way I may view a homeless person is nothing compared to what the Lord sees when he looks at me. Truly my sin and filth that I live with and tolerate every day is more sickening to Him, and yet he loves me with an unending, uncomprehendible love. I can only marvel at His goodness. 

"No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regret" 

_____________________________

Radical

We read this a while in the van while we traveled on deputation. It gives some real every day examples of people and ways to live for the Lord in a radical, turn-your-world upside down on purpose for the Lord, and begin to live for the eternal, and not for the temporal. It was a wonderful read, and certainly timely as it was the week after we moved out of our rental house and then had an accident that totaled our trailer... which was to be our home. We felt a little radical about then. And certifiably something, we just didn't quite know what yet! I posted on some of the thoughts and emotions we went through that week, and now when I look back on that time I am thankful for the test, blessed by God's provision, and amazed with His undeserved and endless grace. Truly what we may call "radical" is nothing more than a real understanding on Romans 12:1.... it is reasonable! thank you GOD! 

I hope you have a chance to read one ... or all of these books! Would love to know how they affect you... and better yet, the effect they have on you!

Some fun tips...

OK so the link to embed doesn't work, but I just saw this link on a friend's FB account, and loved it!

(thanks Andrea!) Click the picture or  HeRe for a youtube video on dozens of different ways to wear a scarf!
Deputation has many challenges, but one of them is clothing variety... or the appearance of it! Long ago I learned scarves are a wonderful gift to a wardrobe. Now they are a necessity! How else can a girl spice up grey, black and white! Some of my favorite souveniers are scarves... $5. knock off pashminas on Canal Street in downtown Manhattan or handmade creations from an Amish gift shop in northern Ohio... they are all my faves! I dislike coats, and a well chosen scarf can go a long way on a cold day! Enjoy! :)