Time Off

I've had some time off he sometimes I wonder what I did with myself or my son before I had my job.

We're leaving for Galveston on Sunday. The forcast calls for storms and rain the whole time we're down there. That makes me really sad.

My girlfriend recently blogged about how she's had to release a desire for the American Dream into God's hands. For a long time I've known that John's desire is for the opposite of the American Dream and I've had to deal with that. But I have so many friends and family in houses and some in brand new houses and it makes it so difficult to sit idly by and watch them enjoy that. I know that some day when we retire we might by a place to settle but before that, it's just not what life has in store for us.

On the other hand I'll be able to raise my children in countries other than their own, and I'll be able to take them places some children will never be able to see. They'll have a life stuffed full of cultures from around the world. My husband will be so happily serving his country while getting to see the world and his wife will love walking to the market to buy fresh vegetables for that day's dinner.

That sounds like a great life!

New Favorite Song

Few and Far Between

I realize that my blog updates have seriously gone downhill in frequency. Most of the people that read my blog get updated on the phone or through email. Maybe that's one of the reasons I don't do it much any more. Another reason might be that I used to blog in the morning and now I work in the morning.

Life has been good. Summer school at CFNI is over so this week is just clean up week. Michelle and I have done most of the work in our room, so I don't know how much we'll have to do this week. Malachi has to come with me and he wont have his class and I don't know how that's going to go. Pray for us.

A week from today we're going to sleep in and head off for Galveston. We're going to go to Houston first for a trip to a dumplings restaurant. Our favorite in Dallas is supposed to pale in comparison so we're excited.

We'll spend four days down there including some time at the beach and Moody Gardens and some historical sites. We're staying at The Tremont House in Galveston and it looks really nice.

Today at church I was a part of a cardboard testimony. If you don't know what that is, check out this video. WARNING you may cry.

good weekend

We've had a pretty good weekend so far. Friday was mostly a relax day with a haircut for Malachi that morning. Our friends had a party so when Malachi woke up from his nap we went over to their house and didn't get home until 12:30 yesterday afternoon. They let us have the extra bed in their house. It was nice to not have to wake Malachi up, take down his bed and drag him home in the middle of the night.

Yesterday after Malachi's nap we went to the Zoo to have pictures taken. It was supposed to be a family photo session, but I think most of the pictures were just of Malachi. I think we did get some good family shots though. We've never done this the three of us, so I'm excited.

This morning we're off to church and tonight three of the youth from our church are coming to our place for dinner because they're staying on campus for YFN (Youth for the Nations) and KFN (Kids for the Nations) the two summer camps going on right now. I know that two out of those three aren't getting home cooked meals so they're happy to come over. I promised them a nice home cooked meal, but I think I might get a pizza from Papa Murphy's. We'll see.

1 Cup Cold Water

All I need to make Jello is 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup cold water. The boiling water is no problem of course. The cold water seems to be an issue in a hot Texas summer though. The water was running for well over two minutes and all I got was tepid water.

I think it will be ok though because it seems to be jelling. I meant to add banana slices and I forgot. Sorry babe.

Thank you!

After reading this in the Girl Talk Blog (check side bar for link) I was so encouraged about my life.

Some days I wondered: if I do all I do, only to have it undone, am I really doing anything?

Today, as I pack up my home in June of 2008, I can see the answer more clearly than I did in February 1986. Each of my daughters is married to a wonderful, godly man, Chad will be a sophomore in high school this fall, and we’ll welcome our seventh grandchild at the end of August.

I realize that all of the mundane, repetitive days were actually full of significant, enduring work. A home was being built. A family was being knit together. Four souls were being shaped for eternity.

This home has spawned three more homes where the same tedious yet momentous work goes on day in and day out. And God willing, many more homes will one day be built, day by day, so “that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:9).

Thank you Mrs. Mahaney for those very, very encouraging words!