It is Monday!

Well, we are home again after a three week trip through several states. Our journey brought us to four different churches, and we had a wonderful time in each for many different reasons.

It was a very profitable trip as well. We met a whole slew of amazing people and made some really great and lasting friendships. At one church, they were so glad we were bringing older kids and not just babies or no children at all. I thought about it, and realized we are probably not the norm, and was a little glad about that. It is neat to see the Lord take our every day family, and perhaps put into the heart of others the possibility that "Yes! I too can let God do what He wants to do!" Perhaps not the norm, but really what is that???

The other blessing is many of them have committed to financially partner with us as well. Every step, while a small one, is still a step forward. We are so amazed at the grace and power of God through all of this! Even the smallest detail that we sometimes might over look or think is a coincidence, we can trace directly to the hand of God himself. That is perhaps the most glorious thing about being a child of God... he will never leave me nor forsake me, and I can rest in KNOWING everything has passed from and through him. Such a place of peace and rest in the midst of this potentially insane and unsettling time in our lives.

There aren't any long distance trips planned for the near future, and I hope to make good use of the time home.

The first order of business is to tackle spring cleaning. To-Do-Lists and purging are necessary things in the next few weeks!

Also, I am purposefully adding to the calendar. I have many families and individuals with whom I desire a social affair... dinner, coffee, shopping, etc... and have learned if it is not scheduled, it will not happen! So it will get scheduled!

*HERE* would be several stunning pictures of different scenery and people from our travels... if I ever would remember to take them. I always remember to bring the camera... and then leave it in the car or my purse! I do have a camera on my phone, so these are from that. Not terrible, but I am sure they wont be getting pirated for any reason!!

In Sumter, SC at Swan Lake. Kind of neat looking... he struck me as one who was all dressed up and no where to go! Click the picture... it is really quite a lovely shot for a cell phone camera!

Again at Swan Lake, Levi toting Savannah around. Such a sweet Older Bro. Although he threatened more than once to dump her in. Typical brotherly love. =o)

I went to a quilt shop with my friend, and fell in love with this one. It may be the only way I will ever see it. Good intentions to one day try to make it... HA!

We went to St Augustine, FL to the Castillo de San Marcos. Gorgeous old battlement dating back to the 1600's.

Overlooking the Atlantic while on the top of the battlement.

Fishing at the pond in the back yard of one of the homes we stayed at. Pretty much the biggest catch right there!

At the same house... some Georgia Bulldog fans! Savannah with their dog Herschel Walker!

Savannah always found treasure wherever we were. Here we are at Tybee Island, GA.

While it was quite chilly, this same day back home there was a blizzard with feet of snow on the ground and more coming by the minute. We were just fine with our jackets while we dipped our toes in the Atlantic!

All in all, while deputation is all of the things we heard it would be, it is also so much more of what we did not hear about. People just want to love on us, and the hospitality we have experienced is nothing short of the Grace of God poured out on us through the saints. Our children struggle a little when we first leave, and then they struggle a little when we return. But I ask myself... what house (especially with teens) doesn't have some struggles? They are truly un avoidable and we are glad these are because we are pursuing Christ and not some temporal thing. They give us opportunities to be thankful and to let God do what he does best... Be God!