Baby Isaac

I am so humbled to be writing this... of all the things I complain about... this situation humbles me and makes me so thankful about most of the things I think stress me out. A cluttered house and lots of laundry is not so bad after all.

I don't have time to blog much about this, and I couldn't explain it very well, so I ask that you go to babyleino.blogspot.com and pray for this baby and this family. This is a very young couple, and this is there first child. There are literally thousands of people praying for baby Isaac all over the world. Even though things look impossible, all things are possible with God. Even God raised Lazarus from the dead so that He would be glorified.

"I pray, Father, that anything that is happening to baby Isaac is so that more people will come to know you through this. We pray that You would choose to miraculously make his body work the way you intended it to work. We pray that your plan is for this baby to be a world changer and have a testimony that tells of your miraculous power in our day and time. His little body is so tired, but you created it. Please help his little body to get rid of the co2 and stablelize all his organs..., but if you choose not to, I pray for it to be for the reason to reach millions of lost souls for you."

Basketball & Laundry

It is a sad day in the Witcher household. There will be no Tennessee - Texas A&M matchup. In fact there will be no more Tennessee Orange or Texas A&M Aggies for the rest of the tournament. Both teams were beat last night in games they both could have won. THEY WERE ROBBED!! Okay maybe not. I even called a friend of mine who is a fan of Ohio State when Tennessee was up by 20. I told this friend of mine I would regret this phone call... and I did.

Okay, so what else is there to blog about. It's Spring!!! Time to add one more clothing activity to all moms who already have loads of laundry (exchanging winter clothes for summer clothes). I'm not sure I can express, as a mother in a 6 person household, how much clothing is laying around our house right now. Well actually it's mostly in the guest room, but there are PILES!!! The "sharing shop" is about to be blessed with a lot of cute clothes. I have decided I only want about 8 outfits per each of my children, then when my laundry basket is full, the closet is empty. Currently when the laundry basket is full, the closet is still full, and there are still piles of clean clothes laying in piles waitin to be put away. Why in America do we feel like we must own so much.

I don't want to sound like I am complaining, because I have been blessed with two sisters who are big shoppers. I have the cutest outfits for my kids, I just have a hard time getting rid of the cute ones even if I already have 20 outfits hanging in the closet for one child. But I am learning quickly no matter how cute an outfit is, if it's one of 20-30 outfits.... GET RID OF IT!!!

Okay, there you have it the extent of my thoughts this evening. Okay, maybe not all my thoughts.

Can I just say, "I LOVE MY GOD, because He is God even over all my laundry.

March Madness Fever!!

Do any of you know what March Madness is? It is a term used for those crazy basketball fans whose lives are turned upside down for about a whole month watching all the basketball that eventually tell what team is the best in the country... and I have to say the Madness has taken over our house.

Needless to say March Madness has been very exciting this year for us. Reason being, we are not your usual March Madness crazies. In fact March usually comes and goes and we don't even remember to turn on the TV until of course the Final Four, and then only if we know one of the teams in it.

Well, this year has been a complete turn around. My husband and I have been converted... Being college football junkies, we both went to Big football schools (well, at least I did... He likes to think he did) :-) I am actually a Lady Vol (that's short for Volunteer ... "Tennessee Volunteers" - and the "Lady" means I actually participated on a sports team while I was there) and Ken went to Texas A&M.... need I say more. Aggies are crazy for their school. When we were first dating and was talking about college football and I said, "Who is Texas A&M?" I really thought that was the end of our relationship... and you think I am kidding. It's probably the root behind all of our fights anyway. I mean who would go out and cut down large trees just to stack them who knows how high, and stand around and watch it burn singing the school fight song. Of course my joking about that was a whole 'nother fight in our relationship. :-)

Anyway, back to basketball. If you are a football fan and you have been keeping up with college basketball this year you probably know the name Acie Law. He has been the superstar on Texas A&M basketball team who has won the game many times over in the last second with some huge crazy shot from over the three point line. He scores most of his points in the last 5 minutes. He is amazing to watch and has made us basketball fans for the first time in our lives. Tennessee has also had a pretty good year and has made it to the second round in the tournament which is also a huge deal for Tennessee.

So needless to say we have sat around and watched basketball almost all day for the past few weeks. And I have got to say this is hard. I don't know how people hold down full time jobs here in NC this being such a hot house for basketball fans. Of course Duke fans don't have to worry about missing work this year. (Did I just say that? Sorry it slipped.)

Anyway this is fun!! Texas A&M made it to the third round I think for the first time in the schools history in a nail biting game against Louiville. Go A&M!! And Tennessee plays tomorrow in hopes to make it to the third round to play #1 seed Ohio State (Wow I even know the lingo!). I could really get into this. It doesn't mix well with having to take care of kids, though, because I have to keep telling them to be quiet, and can't they get their own food, and get out of the way I can't see. (my kids are 6, 4, 2, and 1)

We got it so bad if the game is not shown in our area, Ken hooks up his mama jama laptop and we watch it on there. This could be bad if both our schools make it to the top eight; Texas A&M would play Tennessee. Can you say family crisis!! We will definitely need counseling after that. So I admit! We are hooked!!

And how 'bout VCU!!! I always loved the story of Cinderella as a child.

More thoughts from a mother of many small children

Well, I guess I've taken the easy blogging road for a while and now I actually need to write something for myself. So many things go through my mind throughout the day but they get lost somewhere between dinner and putting the kids to bed, and cleaning up after dinner, and then cleaning the house, and staring at that pile of clean laundry in the guest bedroom that, well, really has become the laundry room.

Thoughts:

What exactly does washable markers mean? Does it mean only in the washer with "Tide with bleach" after soaking a few hours? ... or does it mean off the wall with that special soap and special scrubber finishing it off with primer and then paint... because I must have misunderstood the advertisement on the bottle.

What exactly does a clean house constitute? Clean once in a while when the kids are sleeping? or does it mean able to keep the house clean enough for guests to drop by? or does it mean able to walk through a room on the actual carpet without hurting yourself on a toy?

Laundry!!! Don't have very many kids until you can grow one up to help you with it.

Getting rid of the kids for a day can save you a whole lot of money for couseling down the road.
I actually got rid of the kids for a night and I can't remember the last time we had part of a day and a night without the kids. The house was soooooo quiet, and I didn't have to get up one time in the middle of the night, and I got to sleep in as long as I wanted. My husband and I actaully sat on the couch and watched March Madness basketball for hours without having to get up and referee a situation. We also actually had many conversations without any interruptions (I can't remember the last time that happened).

but.... Picking up your kids after a night away (especially your 1 year old).... Priceless.

Final thought: I love my kids!!

All Roads Lead To Paris

Why France? Why us? Why now? Go to my hubby's blog to get the answer. It just keeps me from having to say the same thing twice. :-)

Beth Moore - "Hairbrush at the airport"

(Did you ever have 3 or 4 blogs you wanted to post but also had 3-4 kids that needed your undivided attention, all while your husband is out of town, and one of your kids pours water on the keyboard of your laptop. So needless to say I haven't gotten to share all my good blogs, until today!)

So here's one. I was at praise team practice a couple of weeks ago and our leader read this email that someone sent him and I want to share it with you.

"HAIRBRUSH EXPERIENCE OF BETH MOORE AT THE AIRPORT"

(For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible teacher, writer, is married, and has two daughters.) This is one of her experiences:

April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville, waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least of which is your ego.

I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man. I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport...an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on "the Word" to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served on a wheelchair only a few seats from me.

All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him. Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man. I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing.

I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. "Oh, no, God, please, no." I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, "Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord! "There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, "Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane." Then I heard it... "I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair. "The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, "God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this, Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man." Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. "That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair."I looked up at God and quipped, "I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush?" God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: "I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:17)

I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, "Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?"He looked back at me and said, "What did you say?""May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair? "To which he responded in volume ten, "Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that. "At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, "SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR? "At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Longlocks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, "If you really want to."

Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, "Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush." "I have one in my bag," he responded. I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls.

Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I -for that few minutes – felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for ashort while.The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's. I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knees and said, "Sir, do you know my Jesus?" He said, "Yes, I do." Well, that figures, I thought. He explained, "I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior." He said, "You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride."

Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it. Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft. I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, "That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?"I said, "Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!" And we got to share.

I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need! I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way... all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me. John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We Have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."Life shouldn't be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly shouting, "Wow! What a ride! Thank You, Lord!"

Do You know Kobe Bryant?

Who says, "it's not who you know?" Who says, "technology is overrated?" Who says, "blogging is a wast of time?" Who says, "it's not important what you name your kids?"...

Well just ask Tadd Grandstaff, an up and coming church planter who has found a new and creative way to advertise. You must go to his sight and read for yourself. You couldn't make up a story like this.

I love it when God uses the world to advertise for Himself.

Why France? Why Now?

You must go to this link Why France? Why Now? This is the name of the cover story for the newest Avant Magazine that features us along with some other missionaries. It highlights how God's heart seems to be turned toward France right now. God has a plan and is powerfully at work, and we are a part of that plan (how humbling). There is also another "must read" called "Flight Delay" , describing some of the real struggles of support raising, under "Real Field Features."

Let me know what you think.

My Hubby, the Networker

You have to go to "my hubby's blog" on 1/26/07. It's entitled "Building Partners". Here in America we call it "networking," and my husband has became the master... not by any choice of his own I guarantee you. I am the outgoing social one, and when we began this adventure my husband would have rather pulled his fingernails out than contact all these people. But he has now had contact with some of the greatest and creative church planters in America, and many of them are partnering with us in some way.

Remember Moses? Basically he said, "I am not a good speaker." And God said, "Who gave man his mouth." That is sort of what my husband was like when he knew God had called us to a faith ministry. Actually my husband had said, "I will never go with an organization where I have to raise support." And I think God said, "Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills?"

Well, here we are, and there God is with that usual smile on His face whenever we say never. My husband also said he would never go to France... that's a whole different story.

Thoughts from a stay at home mom with lots of small kids

Thought # 1

I was so excited this week that my 6 1/2 year old son began writing letters on his own. We have done no handwriting program (he has struggled greatly with fine motor skills). We've done phonics very loosely (we began a program, but with three younger children it got lost in the chaos). We talk about letters all the time and their sounds and read lots of books. A few days ago he was sounding out the letters, coming in and out of the room with a marker in his hand, and then said, "Mom come and see this." So I walked into our newly finished, newly painted upstairs bathroom, and my son says, "Look mom, "C" for Caelan, "A" for Austin, "L" for Levi... all written in red marker on the wall.

What did I do? I said, "Wow Levi, that is so good. Let me show you where you can write some more letters," and I took him to the white marker board in the play room. (Did you know that crayola washable markers do not wash off the wall and cannot be covered by paint alone?)

Thought # 2

After folding my 4,000th piece of laundry, I was thinking, why do we even fold laundry when we are just going to wear it again soon and go through this whole process. It takes up so much time. I've decided I'm just going to make piles and everyone can dig out their clothes every day.

Thought # 3

Don't have 4 or more kids before growing at least one up that can dress themselves, help someone else dress, and help with house work.

Thought # 4

Find out if your insurance covers counseling before chooseing a profession where you're couped up with many small children in a small space all day long where the highlight of your day is running at least 7 miles with a double baby jogger.

Shalom

Isn't that what Jews say to each other? Did you know that shalom means "peace". Sounds a little like the 70's when people made a "V" with their fingers and said, "Peace dude."

Well, God showed me so many awesome things this weekend at our church from a semon about peace. Check out the sermon on podcast at C3.org.

One of the first points was: Stress robs us of peace.

Did you know that 40% of the things we worry about never happen? 30% are about the past. 12% are about health issues. Therefore leaving only 8% of things to truly worry about. Of course if you are a believer those are ruled out also. So where does that leave us?

Well I actually heard this sermon twice. I went to church both Saturday night and Sunday morning and I think I need to start doing this as a habit. Some of us need to be told things many times until we get it... sort of like my kids. I'm sure you and your kids are not like that.

Anyway this morning I really started pouring over the scripture in the worship outline and God blew me away with one scripture I have read a million times, taught it, encouraged people with it, and memorized it.

It was Phillipians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything , but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

God showed me that in this verse their is a command, an action, and a promise. It's very simple, yet we seem to make it very complicated to have peace. God says (through Paul), "Do not be anxious about anything..." period, end of command, that's it. Sort of like, "Do not kill"... or "commit adultry". It is a command.

But he does not just leave us hanging. He tells us how to do this (our action). Pray, petition, give thanks, present. How simple. It's sort of like us telling our kids, "Don't touch the hot stove." Why is it so hard for them to follow that command. If they do follow that command, what happens? They don't get burned. See where I'm going with this?

God is saying when you are stressed: pray, petition (the root of the word "petition" is petere meaning "to seek, request"), give thanks, and present your requests. Easy enough, right? so why do we make it so hard. Our order of things is usually: think about your problem over and over; try to figure out how you are going to handle it; talk to a friend about it; lose sleep over it; think about it some more; talk to another friend; obsess over it; exercise to relieve the stress; have a girls night out to forget your stress; watch T.V.or a movie (especially a chick flick); take your frustration out on your spouse and kids ; and then when nothing else has taken the stress away, and we don't know what else to do, go to God. So why are our fingers so scarred from the stove?

The promise is, if you can do these few very simple things, "...the peace of God which transcends all understanding (think about those words "transcends all understanding") will guard (whick means "protect from danger") your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." How simple!! So why can't we do it? What is wrong with us? Why does our human nature say I think I'll try it my way just one more time. Maybe it will work this time. When will we learn? How many more times do we have to be burned until we obey?

Old Friends

Tonight was a very special night.

My husband began working part time at my sister's and brother-in-law's church over a year ago. It was only a temporary position while we were preparing for the mission field. The church was a long drive for us and I had a newborn and three young children at the time. But we fell in love with the church. It is Cleveland Community Church (C3) in Clayton, NC. They really reach the people that literally would not go anywhere else. Most of these people would never have found Christ had C3 not existed.

It doesn't feel much like a church except for the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit. It feels more like a rock concert... and I love it! And apparently alot of other people do to. One of the most awesome things about it is that I often meet someone who came the week before, and this Sunday they have their entire unchurched family with them. I have met visiting unchurched family members say that if there was a church like this where they lived they would go to church.

Well, there are so many more things I love about C3, but that is not why I am writing this blog. I am writing this blog because a group of people from the church we attented before C3 came to visit. It is called Faith Baptist Church, in Youngsville, NC. You don't realize how worshipping with people for 8 years establishes them like family in your heart.

Growing up my father was a pastor, and we moved every 3 years except when we were in highschool. I remember thinking how strange it was as an adult being at Faith Baptist for a number of years and watching the children grow up. When you move every three years you don't see the children in the church grow up. They seem to stay the same age. You also don't realize the relationships that develop as you weekly meet, worship, pray, chat, encourage, and share life.

Well, a group from our old church (Faith), which I really feel is like my home church, came to visit C3 tonight. I was almost nervous I was so excited to share with them this new place where we were learning so much, things that we feel God wants to teach us before going to Paris to plant a church. When I saw them and worshipped with them, and got to hang out over dinner after church, I went home feeling like one might if they could just crawl up into the arms of a heavenly father and just rest. The feeling of family was stronger than if my own family had shown up. Their smiles, each unique personality, many remembered stories and laughter... I just wanted to hug them and talk with them and hang out with them for hours. I really missed them and love them so much.

I know most of them will not read this blog, but I want to thank them for coming. Even though I know they didn't come just to see me (for ministry reasons they were just wanting to check out what some other churches were doing), I want to say thanks. It was a gift God gave me that He knows will be remembered in my heart for a long time. Thanks Ty and Jennifer, Emily, Michael and Debra and family, K.C., and Amy. I really love you guys and am so excited to see what God is going to do at Faith.

New Years!!

I guess it is mid January and my Christmas blog is still up. Does that tell you any thing about my January? I still have clothes in my suitcase from our trip mid-December. I just got my Christmas boxes out of the living room last week. Pretty pathetic, huh?

I'm beginning to realize this may be how it is until my kids get old enough to help with not only housework, but with the Christmas Holiday. With a household of 6, four of them being six and under, it takes every ounce of energy and time to keep this household afloat... and that is on a normal day if you are organized and on top of things all day long. So needless to say, I begin every day in the red (meaning behind). So when you add Christmas shopping, house decorating, Christmas parties (yours or other peoples), extra activities like gift wrapping, sending Christmas Cards, etc... added toys after Christmas, Kids off their normal schedule... We just sort of survive until we can take down the dead tree, let the Christmas boxes sit in the living room for a week, (because it takes that long to take them all down in the middle of four small kids six and under), and finally put them away. Then I can attempt to tackle the large pile of clean clothes I dig through most days to find at least one child something to wear. I can also dust that inch of dust off my shelves, and clean both bathrooms for the first time in a month (I can't believe I just told you that).

I am just resigning myself that it will probably take me until February every year to get our house back on schedule. It feels so good to admit reality, accept what I can do, and leave the rest to God. Whew, I feel like I just shared at a 12-step group. I'd appreciate any prayers!!... especially from those mothers who know. :-)

Christmas!... the best time of year!

Well, we survived!! Yes, we made it back home from our "Christmas Vacation" alive with only three congested coughs, two ear infections, and one sinus/ chest infection. Sounds like the end of the 12 days of Christmas. The house is still a wreck, suitcases not quite unpacked, laundry up to my eyeballs, but we're at least able to lay around in our own home while being sick.

We did have a wonderful Christmas Eve: first in the pediatrics "after hours" office, then lunch at a sandwhich shop (just our immediate noncontageous but sick family), and then we took the kids to see "The Nativity Story". Except for the passion, it was the most moving movie I have ever seen, even if I did have to watch it on the floor near the door to keep my 19 month old entertained and quiet so as not to disturb the theatre... and of course there were those three parts that I missed because I was taking a child to the potty. But even with all that, it was amazing to visually see (in a way) Jesus as a newborn baby... acting like a baby (and obviously I love babies) :-). It also really blew me away to see how Mary and Joseph were greatly looked down upon and how this pregnancy was looked on as illigitimate.

I mean Just imagine if this happened to a young couple we knew in our day and time. Here you have a young Godly couple ready to set out and serve the Lord, maybe go to the mission field, and the girl gets pregnant from someone else and then makes up this crazy super-spiritual story that she is impregnated by God. We would say what a kook and a slut. And Joseph we would label an idiot for staying with her. We sort of miss that part in telling the Christmas story don't we.

It reminded me again in such a real way to think Jesus really does understand our struggles. He came into the world as an outcast; first through his people, then through his parents. But those who sought out this Christ child, in faith, were a part of the most amazing act of history, and were written about in the most popular book ever written in history that will live on forever. I cried through most of the movie. (Oh the joys of being a mom of 4 small children. I love it!)

I pray not only I, but you also will be a seeker of the most amazing human in history this next year.

National Lampoons Vacation

Did you ever see the movie "National Lampoon's Vacation"?... Well we are on our Christmas vacation to Texas and it feels alot like that. You'll have to go to my hubby's blog to hear the narrated version. I will begin the story with some preliminary information.

We prayed and discussed which car we thought would make it to Texas, and which car would cost less to fix if it blew up on the side of the road. The older car, 1994 Plymouth Grand Voyager with only 168,000 miles, beat out the newer model, 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan with 254,000 miles, because the older car only had an axel problem and the newer car had a transmission problem... lesser of the two evils. So we chose the older car, and so far we have made it to Texas, but it has been an adventure to say the least and it has had nothing to do with the car.

After getting off late, turning around three times because we forgot stuff, lots of throwup from a flu but that hit the whole family for at least 4 days, having to go shopping for all the things we did forget, a wrong turn costing us two hours with a sick family, bringing all the wrong clothes for 50 degree weather and it being in the 70's and 80's, no air conditioning because all the freeon leaked out of our car, a trip to the emergency room for a dog bite (our oldest son got bit and scratched pretty bad by Grandpa's dog), and... well this is just the highlights and our trip is only halfway done and I just smile and laugh everytime another situations arises. You have to go read my Hubby's blog to get the details.

Even when we were throwing up in ziplock baggies and not even slowing down for someone who got sick... it became quite humorous; especially sitting in the emergency room... it makes me laugh even just writing about it. I can't even imagine that anything else could happen... but I have learned not to hold my breath, because I could pass out and die waiting for "normal" to hit my family.

Blogging Blues

I hate that I have not blogged in almost two weeks. I guess if I had any following I have pretty much killed that by now. I know how I get when I am excited to see what someone has posted only to find they haven't had the time either.

I don't think I've ever blogged about us finishing our upstairs (the main reason we bought this house). Okay so it's taken us (I say us, but it is really my husband) three years to have it livable, and now we're down to the painstaking finish work : the second coat of paint, finish all the trim, finish the bathroom, etc., and then the moving of furniture (which of course means you have to paint that horrible looking shelf - all while kids toys and books lay around everywhere).

And then of course there's the never-ending, ever-growing laundry that gets pushed to the side to that you can do this extra-curricular activity. Have I ever mentioned that I hate clutter... but I do not have an organized mind, therefore I live in lots of clutter that drives me crazy.

... and with all this, Ken is out of town for three days and all my kids have a stomach bug that between them has lasted 7 days... and it comes out both ends.

So when I feel bad about not blogging, God reminds me that: I am a child of God first (in need of a relationship with Him), a wife and mom second; there are alot of people living in horrible circumstances around the world, many going to hell because they've never heard a clear presentation of the gospel; I am running and racing like I never thought I would again; and I am blessed with health, a wonderful husband, and four healthy beautiful kids... blogging is just a perk I love to do in my spare time. :-)

Consider this...

This week is adoption awareness week on Family Life radio show. Please go to "Voice Of The Orphan" .org. ... then I ask you to search your heart... and think of the most challenging situation happening in your life right now... and then think of the millions of orphans around the world, many living in situations we cannot even imagine... and then think, "if I were a child or baby living in an institution (even the best of institutions) wouldn't I want for someone to choose me... to know what it feels like to belong?"... think of the special needs children who have an even lesser chance of being adopted... and then think again about the challenging situation in your life today...

Think on all these things... go to some of the pictures on the websight and read about the children. Look into their eyes and their hearts and imagine what a day is like for them... and then imagine a week, a month, a year, and then 5 years knowing that the older they get the less likely anyone would want them... and then think of our Savior as he hung there on the cross... beaten bruised torn for us... for them... and think "what would Jesus do if He were here?"

...I don't think He'd come to my house, or my church, maybe not even my country. I think he'd go and find all these kids and say, "you are so precious... so very very precious. I am so sorry this world has thrown you away... but I love you... and you are more special than you could ever know, and I loved you even before I ever met you. Please come home with me.

Did you know that if only 7% of Christians around the world would adopt there would be no more orphans?

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these... you did for me."
Matt. 25:40

Trick or Treat?

Well, our family joined the heathens last week walking around in the dark on the side of the road going up to stranger's houses and asking for candy. What a great holiday. :-) We had two cowboys, a policeman, and a fire(wo)man... so we knew we were safe.

I have never actually looked up the history of Halloween, but I know it is suppose to be something evil. I like to look at it as a way to leverege one of "satan's" holidays. The past few years we have used Halloween as a way to meet neighbors we had not gotten the chance to meet yet, or a way to build on already made relationships... and it has worked well. We don't go out of our neighborhood, it is not about getting candy, but we especially like to go to those houses where it doesn't look like many people go.

I love using something Satan means for evil, for good...for my God to use later for lost souls.

My hubby's blog

Check out my hubby's blog this week. He has some great stories that really cracked me up; one especially about the crazy things parents do.

Home is where the heart is

Once again its been a few weeks since I have blogged. Since we have returned from London and France it has taken a few weeks for me to get my house in order (meaning get my kids back under control), and finally get my suitcase unpacked. On top of all that, the workers are finally coming to finish the drywall, paint, and carpet on our unfinished upstairs. To work on our unfinished upstairs (which was our storage) we have had to move all sorts of stuff into our 1300 sq foot downstairs. In the midst of all this it is a season change, meaning lots of boxes out and left open for four kids as it turns cold then hot then cold then hot again. Oh and can we forget 4 kids ages 6 and under running in around in a cluttered house. So its safe to say there has been alot of choas around here.

I say all this to say my heart is firm and my eyes set fast... for France. As October comes and goes, and our time frame for leaving comes and goes, we realize we will probably not leave for France before the new year... which is fine, because we know who put the stars in the sky and hung the earth in space and parted the waters which created France.

We know that Christ loves the French even more than we do. Our hearts are a little sad knowing there are unchurched nonbelievers there waiting for us to come. We had a Christmas party envisioned in our head as a great ground breaker to meet our neighbors, and for others to bring friends... but we know who took dirt from the earth to create a man and then took a rib from that man to create a women.

We know the man who made the blind to see, healed the sick, and raised the dead. We know the God who loved man so much that he spared nothing to reach him. So, what is it that can keep us from going to France... nothing (except for maybe ourselves if we choose not to grow for God to use us). So pray that God would open the floodgates of His miraculous power to get not only us, but all of our teammates to France at the same time as soon as His perfect will allows. We know He wants to show us His power, it is just gets hard to wait when your heart is already there.