I'm SO Thankful!

Now that it's November, the season of thankfulness, I feel the need to list some things I am thankful for... so, in no particular order, here are a few of them...

1. Plumbing (if you've ever been to Africa, you understand....)
2. Having a Job... 'nuff said
3. Laughter
4. Family
5. Friends

See, really in no particular order... there are lots of other things, these are just the first five that popped into my head.

Have fun making your own list, 'tis the season to...

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

Will I Ever Get Done?

I hope not! At least not completely... now let me explain... I've had so many things on my plate lately, moving out of my house, taking a French class, changes in responsibilities at work, traveling, raising money, etc... so many "chores" that just seem to keep on coming... Just when I think I've got one almost done, another bigger "chore" seems to come along... It all seems a bit overwhelming... I can see a few accomplishments, and these interim "milestones" are nice, but I don't feel like I'm really making much progress in the grand scheme of things... HOWEVER, I'm still here, I'm still breathing, I'm still useful to somebody, so I'M NOT DONE!

My goal is still January, 2010 to leave for the mission field, and only with God's help will it be possible. As of today, October 1, 2009, 7 months from my "official" budget approval date, I have about 30% of my cash budget raised, but only 10% of the monthly pledges needed for my support while on the field... I believe it can be done, but I also know I can't do it alone... My wonderful parents have really stepped up to the plate, and have done the lion's share of the moving for me while I've had to work, there is no way to thank them for their love and support... I thank God for such selfless, giving people in my life! They are the Godly examples who taught me first, "It's not about me..." Sometimes in my life I have forgotten that, but I'm always reminded by someone or something... I thank God for those sometimes painful, but loving reminders... Not only am I not done, HE'S NOT DONE WITH ME!

Where am I?

If "Home is where the heart is..." then I don't have just one... My heart is in several places these days... but not always where I am physically present... Pieces of my heart are all over the place, but which place is my true home? I only know that I'm not completely at home here... my true home is somewhere in the future, with my Lord and Savior... in the mean time, I will keep scattering pieces of my heart...

BIG CHANGES!!!

Been a bit out of touch lately, lots of goings on to get ready for my new venture (or is that ADventure?) My health is much improved, thanks to a two-week stay at Central Bible College in Springfield MO. No, it's not a health spa, I was there for a missions training school. I know that doesn't sound very restful, but in reality, I got a surprising amount of rest! Breakfast was at 8, sessions started at 9, and it was only a five-minute walk to get anywhere I needed to go! Sleeping late and going to bed early for two weeks did wonders for me! I also received some much needed spiritural refreshing, along with the necessary training. Just being with people from all over the US who have a passion for missions is energizing and uplifting!

NOW for the BIG CHANGE alluded to in the title of today's post... I am no longer assigned to Mozambique, but to a school in the Republic of the Congo! Thanks to an unofficial conversation with the Area Director's wife, I discovered the school in the Congo is doing EXACTLY what I want to do in Mozambique! So now, the TENTATIVE plan is for me to go to Congo for a couple of years, get acclimated to full-time missions work, and then we'll see what happens!

God's plans are so awesome!

I'm not just tired, I'm sick....

So, I finally went to the doctor about my extreme fatigue, and it was nice (sort-of) to find out that I'm not just tired, I really am sick! It seems I've had mononeucleosis for over a year, and it has now progressed into Guillain-Barre Syndrome. That explains a lot of my physical difficulties over the past year, and the progressive fatigue I've been experiencing! Now all I have to do is rest, rest, rest... Easy to say, hard to do... I really am trying to get better...

I think I need a housekeeper...

This fundraising thing takes a LOT of time! It's almost like I'm working two jobs now... My house looks like a tornado hit the inside since I come home late, exhausted, throw down my stuff and head for the bed. I rarely have time to cook, but it really doesn't matter since I'm rarely home at meal time anyway... I'm having a really hard time getting up in the mornings, so no picking-up time then either... AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! Those of you who know me know that clutter doesn't really bother me, but this is getting to me! I have stumbled over my vacuum cleaner on my way to the kitchen several times because it's been sitting in the same spot now for over a week... it's waiting for me to pick up all the CLEAN clothes from the floor of my bedroom... I need to reorganize my closet, putting the winter things away, and getting out the summer things... that's why the clothes are not being hung up - waiting for an empty container to put them in! My yard needs mowing, the flowerbeds need weeding and I can't remember the last time I dusted...

Besides all that, my life is great! No, really! It's the beginning of a new adventure, and I know it will take time and energy to get it all together! I feel like I'm on the 'going up' section of the roller coaster, things seem slow now, but I know it will all speed up eventually... Sometimes I get that excited fluttering in my stomach that you feel just before the roller coaster starts on the fun part of the ride... June looks incredibly busy with a garage sale, district council meetings and a two week missions training school... in July my church is having a commissioning service for me, and I already have services scheduled for August and September... when I started, it seemed such a long time until January, but the time is slipping away! I just need to make sure I'm making the best use of it...

Pray for me...

Getting Started...

I'm getting started (I think...) on my next adventure! I've sent out a ginormous stack of letters to family, friends and churches, and now I need to make about a gazillion telephone calls to follow up! Finding an appropriate time to do that will be a challenge! I've already spoken at one pastor's meeting, scheduled one service, and have an invitation to another informal gathering in my section!! It's such a big job, sometimes I think I'll never get there, then I remember how God has always provided exactly what I needed WHEN I needed it, and I rejoice at His faithfulness! Every day I long to be about His business, and this is His business just as much as serving on the field... I pray I will be able to share with others His incredible love for them!

He Never Fails...

I have just received another reminder of that fact... I was wondering about paying up-front expenses for fund-raising... You know, purchasing paper, envelopes and postage for a newletter mailout... that can get expensive... Well, yesterday I won a drawing for $100... I never win those things! Since I don't believe in LUCK, and I believe God has everything under control, I just have to give Him praise for supplying a specific need! He NEVER Fails!

Home again, home again...

...sort of... I'm not feeling very at home yet, still feeling a bit "out of place..." Yes, I am back in Texas, back in my house with all my stuff, but...

While I was gone my final approval documents arrived for my Missionary Associate assignment in Mozambique. I've been approved for a 2-year field assignment; now I just have to begin fund-raising... a pretty risky venture in today's economy...

My faith is really being tested...

Time to Go!

Here it is, time to go! I leave this evening, and I hope to post some updates as I go... Pray for me!

7 days and 7 hours....

...that's how long until I get on the plane... another step toward living my dream. My thoughts and prayers are always to try to do what God wants me to do; this feels so right, and I'm at peace with all the difficult decisions to be made. I read recently about hearing God's call, and what stuck with me is this definition of “call,” attributed to Frederick Buechner. “Call,” he says, “Is where your great joy meets the world’s great need.” It’s where your passion finds expression in service. When something I can teach can meet a need, it gives me great joy. When I can show love to a child, it gives me great joy. When I can do something to make someone's life a little more pleasant, it gives me great joy. It's not about me, it never has been. My great joy is to help others...

I bought my ticket...

Today I bought a plane ticket to fly to Mozambique... no, not to stay and work for a year, not yet... this trip will be preparatory for that adventure. Today is the 354th day since I left the continent of Africa, and not a moment has passed since that trip that I have not longed to be back there... When I return next month, it will be two years (almost to the DAY!) since the first time I went. Since my son had been there before, and my parents had spent a year in another part of Africa, I thought I was well prepared for what I would find. I was prepared in some areas, but totally unprepared in other areas. I learned a lot from both trips, mostly that I have a LOT more to learn! So, I went to school, read books, talked to folks who have been there, and prayed - a lot! I still have a lot to learn, but now I think I am better prepared to learn it! What surprised me the most, I think, was how easy it was for me to love the children I came in contact with, and how easily they warmed up to me. Something that also surprised me was the depth of committment shown by the missionaries working in that difficult area. I am still wondering whether I have the "stuff" to do it, am I capable of that absolutely selfless devotion? I'll never know unless I try... God help me, I know I can't do it alone...

And it all starts over again...

OK, now that Christmas is behind us (in more ways than one, ugghhh!) the New Year is upon us (again, in more ways than one, eewww, gotta get back on that treadmill!), now what? I have so much to look forward to this year, but I'm still waiting for the final paperwork so I can get started! So, here's a look back at some of the fun things I did...

Carly came along early in the year, making me a grandmother for the second time. I think I'm liking this grandmother thing! This photo was taken the day I saw Carly for the first time, on my way home from the airport. Silly little girl couldn't wait for Mamaw to get home from Africa! That was OK, though, because her daddy sent me photos almost immediately! Isn't the Internet wonderful!

It snowed 8 inches in March! Hey, this is Texas, for Pete's sake, it's not supposed to snow here! Then a couple of weeks later, it was a beautiful day for the Easter Egg Hunt! That's more like it! (yeah, notice those manly legs in the background, wearing shorts!)
Graduation happened, and then summer...

Caleb loves Grandpa's tractor!

Fall and football... that's my niece in the football pads, flirting with the players as usual (She's 4, and a very silly girl! Her daddy's a coach, so she spends a LOT of time at football games...)

Carly grew and grew and grew!

Once this year I got inspired and baked whole wheat bread FROM SCRATCH! (not that frozen stuff you get at the supermarket!) Yeast bread rising smells so good!

The obligatory Thanksgiving family pose... (after the football game, of course!)


....and SUDDENLY it's Christmas again! Where does the time go? Now we get to do it all over again... I hope and pray that 2009 will be as much fun as 2008!