Go! Go! Go! Studio Go!!!!

For our upcoming trip to NYC with the teens, we are bringing the show! (in a new tab) Click for the full effect, and then return here to read the rest of the post. I will apologize in advance as I know you will be singing the song from now until ... well for a long time!

The teens are providing the man power for a 3 day VBS to be held at a church in Queens, NY. This church was less than thriving with a handful of members. Praise God under Pastor Ron Taylor's leadership, it has grown to around 40. The missions trip will focus on street ministry as well as link arms with this pastor to evangelize as much of the surrounding area for Jesus Christ! Our students will lead a Friday night Bible study with drama, worship and music, and a message from the Word, in hopes of this becoming a regular event for teens. The 29, 30 of June and 1st of July we will be doing the Studio GO! VBS at his church for potentially 50 children each day. What a way to reach that area! The next generation is where it is all going to happen- good or bad- and we are praying the Lord will raise up strong leaders for the Glory of God our Savior to change the face of NY!

Pastor Tumia and our teens have collectively put hundreds of hours into being as prepared as possible for the demands of this trip. It is no light task these teens have signed up for! They will be doing street evangelizing, one-2-one conversations, tracting, as well as hosting children's ministry meetings in the projects. Hours of video training, memorizing scripture and references and the ten commandments, as well as learning the beliefs of other religions are just some of the areas of preparation. They are excited, and we are too knowing the Lord has great things in store for us all!

So, here is the project that I have been busy at. (Aside from a billion other things that is! Did I mention to you that Olivia is graduating from high school? On Saturday?!?! ) (More on that later!)

Part of the VBS is a lesson where each of three days a teen will be dressed in biblical period clothing, and will teach the children a story about their character. This is a backdrop that will serve as the "room" they will stand in front of. It is painted on a queen sized sheet, and the table, fireplace and curtains are separate elements that are removable to change the "room" for each day. The curtains are actually reversible- you can see the other side from the folded over valance. Paint, an overhead projector, transparencies, and a really big table are all that is needed! Well that and a little time!

More to come on the trip- pictures and testimonies of the Greatness of God to be sure!

Please pray for us as we travel, for the teens to have boldness to proclaim the Gospel, for their health and safety, and for the hearts of those we will come in contact with. We have been praying for people we do not know for months now- and we cannot wait to meet those God has prepared!

Can you tell?

I know, you are thinking Can I tell what?!

That I got a new lap top computer of course! Does this post look fresh? Up to Date and ever so technologically savvy?

Well it should! Thank you Puppies (they are all sold!) and what did not go to debt relief went to my new Mac! And I got the free iTouch with it... delayed gratification certainly paid off this time! I have been saving little by little for a new one, but with 5 kids and cars and dental issues to name a few of the obstacles, the reality of getting one was long off in the future. Enter Molly and her four adorable little puppies, and Apple running a great promo... today is the day!

I love the feel and the speed of it. What a treat! It will certainly be used while on deputation, that is for sure ! I am looking for a scanner gizmo that hooks up and allows us to input all receipts etc while traveling to prevent loss of them, as well as instant retrieval. We need to minimize the potential tax time nightmare now! We have always been a little "paper organizationally challenged", so we are trying to get ahead of the game!

So this mission monday is all about thanking God for his provision- even for something that may be a little more than was necessary if not thoroughly appreciated. I will give you updates tomorrow or the next day on what has been keeping me occupied the past several days. Painting backdrops for our NYC missions trip with the teens. They look oh so cool- I hope I can get some good pictures!

Give and it Shall Be Given...

Every year at this time it seems there is someone moving. For a few years it was us... thankfully it has been others the past few!

This year it is one of my closest friends. She has five kids and has been contentedly living in an impossibly too small but with an "I can do this" attitude adorable 3 bedroom home. She had dreams of living on a farm with chickens, land, a goat, hunting, etc.

Well I am here to tell you,with God all things are possible, and dreams really Do Come True! They now are the proud owners (well, with some bank that is still afloat, that is!) of an hundred year old 6 bedroom farm house on several acres of land. And they already have the chickens!

My whole family was with them full steam ahead moving all of the contents of that little home- which when packed into 2x2 boxes seemed much bigger! The box truck suffered only slight damage when a tree branch viciously reached down and whacked the top corner, and within 4 hours, their belongings were the new location! By 6:00 pm we had all dressers in their proper places, the beds were assembled and made, and the kitchen was fully unpacked and operational. Now that is saying something!

The whole affair made me thankful for so many things.

God's provision is on the top of the list. This home is "abundantly above all" they could ask or think! What an incredible gift of His goodness this is for them!

Good friends are next on the list. I know all the people there only because she is my friend. Her in-laws and sisters and friends are such wonderful people that I may never have had the opportunity know. All family in the Body of Christ, and such a blessing to rally together and make my friends burden a little lighter. Bear ye one another's burden, and Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. God was truly glorified!

Another thing I was thankful for... the average age of everyone... about 16! We had 22 children there between our families. One mom is due today for her third- and another due in a few months with her tenth!!! Our next generation saw the value of hard work and the reward it brings. They had a bonfire to burn the empty boxes late into the night, and I am sure they too felt the satisfaction of a job well done.

We all worked together, laughing, joking, preparing food and unwrapping dishes. Making beds and filling soap dispensers, and wondering why in the world did she keep that reindeer porcelain creamer? Regardless of what kept our hands busy, there was singing and joy that made the work seem like play, and while I am a little tired, I am going back today for some more. These are the joys of friendship. Thank You, Lord!

Mission Monday... it's been a while!

Scattered throughout I will include some pictures to be looking for in the future on our web page and prayer card etc.

Long ago I wanted to put updates on our "Mission in Progress" every Monday, and while I was consistently doing something to progress our mission, I didn't think "I have prayed that the Lord would continue to guide and direct as we continue to travel this path etc." was something that needed to be said. Every week!
That being said...

For four long years my husband has been diligently working a full time job and attending full time institute...( I know you know that...!...) and my type A personality was just doing nothing waiting for the moment he was done. Nothing of course consisted of parenting, home schooling, working, blah-blah-blah. All the normal life things a mother does. It felt like nothing towards the ultimate goal. I wanted to get the "green light" so I could plunge full speed head long into all of the things that needed to be finished in order to start deputation... let alone actually get to the field!

Well the day has come, and we are starting deputation. Soon. We are in the process of having a web page designed. (thank you Mr Lunch Time Thoughts!) We are also getting reference letters, content materials, hard copy, etc. needed to give pastors a little view of who we are and what our vision/mission is. We also need to get our video completed. No small task!

We were advised to start this piece years ago. Let me tell you, we still do not know exactly how to present our mission! We want to be informative, but not too detailed. We want to be reaching the brain, but not devoid of emotional pull. We want to have it just long enough to make you wanting to know more instead of "will this ever end"! Exactly how should we do that?!

So we have full courses of about three dinners on our plate! And while we could slap it all together, that is not my hubbys M.O. He is methodical in his proceedings. (Read that as he does things WaY DiFfErEnT than I do!) (... and that is Such a Good Thing!) We will take this at his pace, and at times it will drive me (my flesh!) nuts. I am understanding more every day why the Lord gave us twenty years of marriage before He called us to this! {ahem}"Discussions" like the ones we have had in the past few weeks would have done great harm in the early years of our marriage. We didn't know each other well enough, nor did I care if he had a differing approach. I would find a way to make it agree with my way, end of discussion. (read that as I was a manipulative wife. Go ahead. I give you full permission.)

The front of our prayer card

But God is Good, and I have changed (well I have been changed!) and my husband is a great man of God and leads this home spiritually like no other I know. We have three teen age children. And two others not far behind! That alone should give you a picture of some of the struggles he faces. That they are still going to church with us with a good attitude is the least of the reasons for our thanksgiving. I am so grateful we are not traveling with tiny children and I have to worry about nurseries and ear infections and croup. Now I have other worries, great big ones in their own right, but I am still thankful for the timing of the Lord for us. His ways are perfect, and every day I see the Great Conductor making beautiful music around us.

Back of our prayer card

Don't try the web page yet... work in progress! :)
Dan's email is good though!

My prayers recently- allow me to follow my husband with a single heart, as unto the Lord. I pray we are worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, and I pray this path is a journey to be enjoyed as opposed to a labor to be endured! I have been on a journey within a journey, and I keep singing the little ditty

He's still working on me,
to make me what I'm supposed to be,
it took him just a week to make the moon and stars,
the Sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars...
how loving and patient he must be,
cuz he's still working on me!

Cute, but so true! He is a gentle, patient, and giving God!

I will leave you with that thought!