Amazing!!

I am not one to endorse products... Well not much at least! It is just when something works I get so happy! We are driving home our "new to us" truck and this is a before picture of the middle bench seat...

It is half finished and can you see a difference?? I am telling you we are shocked! I thought the seats would always be a little less than desirable but here is the completed after. 

(drum roll please...)

Wow!!! I included the miracle product in the picture and will not type out the name, but let me just say it isn't just for porcelain!! 

Why we have a new truck and about the broken tie rod I will post as soon as I get on a real computer! This just couldn't wait though!

It always happens after you leave...

So we are traveling to Connecticut without the children and after a few hours get this picture texted to us. 
Why we are traveling to CT we will let you know in another post. Suffice it to say our boys are learning a crash course in car repair! Can two teens fix a broken sway bar? Can it be done in a driveway? Inquiring minds want to know!
Be assured, as soon as I know, I will update this!!

It Looked Like a Good Idea...

True. We were gone for a month. 

True. A nest is very fragile, and the weather can be perilous. 

True. A covered shelter is a very good idea when deciding on a location for your home. 

True. She was very thorough and quite industrious. That was a Whole Lot of Stuff in there!  

 True. The eggs were so cute and blue and warm.

 True. We may have baited the poor unsuspecting creature with an abandoned plastic Easter Egg from a few weeks prior. Perhaps a "Birdy Vacancy Sign"? Or perhaps their equivalent of a "Space For Rent"?

But perhaps the greatest Truth... We USE OUR GRILL!!

In any event - and not to shock you out there with some ill placed sense of duty to helpless wild creatures - the nest exists no more. The eggs will for certain never hatch as they are splatted all over the back yard, and we once again have regained the use of our grill. That little momma is quite diligent - and testing Micah's restraint on practicing with a moving target - as we continue to find bits of grass brought back on a regular basis. We clean them out, and she brings them back.

I think we need to grill chicken tonight. Perhaps the smell of seasoned Pork Ribs did not strike a chord of  "That could be me!" with her. I think chicken should do it!

Not that I would eat a Starling, mind you. Much too much work for so little reward!!

Fighting the Wind...

We have experienced so many different conditions while driving. Everything from rain and lightening to snow and ice. None of them have been fun, but by far the worst condition and the most exhausting for D. is a strong headwind. For whatever the reason-a pretty big one is the raised temperature on the tranny's temp gauge- this is the last condition we would choose if given the option to choose!
Surely there is a spiritual application here. The Holy Spirit is typified in Scripture as the wind, air, a force. I think the Lord is showing us in a very real experiential way just what it is like to go against His moving! Thankfully when it comes to God whatever direction He is moving in is the right way to go!

Memorial Day in CT

By 8:03 am, all the parades in this area of CT were cancelled due to crazy thunderstorms, but the parade in New Haven was still on... rain or shine I guess! We were going to Haven of Rest BC to pass out tracts,  and the city routes the parade right down the street of the church! Perfect! The church is in a former storefront, so there is lots of parking and space to set up chairs and such. While I didn't get any shots of the parade, I did get a few of this pretty cool car! 

This belongs to a member of the church, and to say the least he is a True Blue Patriot! He has customized his Jeep to reflect his passion for the USA....

AND his passion for Jesus Christ!

Ray and his Jeep

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble

 themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked

 ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and

 will heal their land."

II Chronicles 7:14

He takes it places throughout the summer, and asks if they would like to see under the hood, and of course they say, "yes". Under the hood he has the 10 Commandments printed which makes a very nice transition to witnessing! Now that is going Out of the Box for Christ! 

Lord, Teach Me...

We have been "home" for only 8 weeks since August 24, 2010. (By home, I mean in Spencerport.) That is a pretty staggering statement to me, knowing exactly what that entails in vivid, personal clarity!

Savannah Livvie and Sam <3

More so what that means is, my children also have been gone from friends, church, events and activities that most kids take for granted. They have been amazing and exceptionally gracious. Their attitudes have had so few moments of freaking out, (for MUCH the lack of better terms!)  I honestly couldn't give one example. I know they will have great reward in heaven for their stamina and perseverance, but I personally don't remember that being a huge motivating factor for Me when I was their ages. I am just saying.

At Cathedral of the Pines overlooking Mt.  Monadnock

So what motivates them? For the most part, and this is just a guess here, sheer obedience. I think they are learning more and more what it means to "lose your life" for God's sake, and I know the Lord is giving them grace for every day. It is wonderful to hear their unrehearsed answers to people's questions like, "So do you want to go to Zambia?", and "So what is it like to live in a camper for several weeks on end?"

With Besties :) 

I remembering looking forward to this time of deputation traveling with my family knowing how quickly these years fly by. I am Very Much enjoying nightly routines of games in the camper, and seeing my children interact with people they would have otherwise never have met. I love that the guys have a great relationship with their little sister, and even if there are other choices, they often choose each other's company.

J's & B's

I love seeing people ask my guys to come work with or for them. When they return without fail they tell us how well they worked, and what nice young men they are. I am bragging a little, but truly it is like taking credit for the beauty of the sunrise. The Lord has gifted us with wonderful children, and we are blessed.

One of the greatest blessings is the gift of friendship with people. The body of Christ is vast and far reaching, made up of people from backgrounds and cultures as diverse as snowflakes. The bond of Christ knits our hearts with people in ways I could never have imagined. 

Friends from NH

I have met people all over this East coast that if I lived within 30 minutes driving I would often sit over coffee with. People come to my mind and I just miss them, even though the accumulated time I spent with them was barely the span of a church service. I may not even know enough about the details of their lives to "intelligently" pray for them, but I still lift their faces up to the Lord, as truthfully in some cases I don't even know their names. Why the Lord has given our family this gift of time called "deputation" I may not fully know this side of Heaven. That it gets tiring sometimes is understandable. That I, too, get homesick for family and church is definitely an understatement. But for all of my being a "goal oriented" person, I am really enjoying this time. 

The Lord is gracious and patient and kind and good. Oh, and He is so much more than that! 

Oops on the previous post...

This is the one I meant to upload!