Relying on God

Well, where do I begin. It has been a while since our last entry.

First,our trip to Haiti is only about 2 months away. We still owe quite a bit of money for our trip but I am not as worried about it as I was the first part. Our deposits have been made,our passports are in, our plane tickets bought. It all seems-- not real. Us going to Haiti. Today at church we had a guest speaker who was actually the pastor of New Mission in Haiti. It was an eye opener to hear him speak. They have come so far since the beginning. So many people have come to know Jesus through New Missions in Haiti. I know God uses ordinary people to do His work. Sometimes it seems that the only thing I can do is shake my head in disbelief, but only because I believe, can I know that God calls ordinary people. I have seen God do so much in this journey, I can only imagine what I will see him do in Haiti. Am I worried? Am I scared? Am I unsure? The answer to all of those questions is YES. The only thing I know and that I am sure of is that the same God I know and that is with me everyday is the same God that will be with me in Haiti. And that is comforting.

Benson-- We have now owned Benson for one month. He has started puppy classes where we are hoping he will be socialized and taught manners. The instructor Melody announced to the whole class that Minature Pinsher were nicknamed the devil dog. Maybe we should change his name to Lucifer. She also told the class that we were very brave dog owners. I guess that if we let him get away with the things he wants to he will be a devil dog. In my experience with dogs I think, no, I bet you can find a devil in all breds. I will say he is a very smart animal. He knows his name,he comes when he is called, he can sit, and lay down. He seems very much my dog and really likes Elise. Joel on the other hand, well sometimes he loves him and other times he ignores him. He has grown quite a bit since we have gotten him. If only we can get him potty trained consistantly. We love our devil dog, we think he is our little angel.

This Saturday,Elise was involved in "Mock Trial". It is a competition of high school students that act out the different parts of a trial. Because our upper school is 7th-12th grade,middle schoolers could compete. I was amazed and very proud of Elise for wanting to participate in something like that. I know she learned a lot and would maybe even desire to have a career in law one day. I will say that during this time of transition for our school, I get concerned that Elise will not be able to continue there, but then things like this weekend happen and there is not another place I would rather her to be. It seems that through my whole life I have always had the uncertianity of how are we going to continue to financially send Elise to school but again (as I am shaking my head)God shows me He will provide and that I need faith in Him to see it through. It would be a scary thing to pull her out of a school that she has known since she was 3.

Relying on God, I know He teaches me that everyday.


Coninue to pray for us as Haiti approaches.

Passports are In

Last Monday, we received our passports. It only took 3 1\2 weeks. Again, I stand amazed in all that the Lord can do. We only have 4 months and we will be in Haiti. Continue to pray for our support and for God to prepare our minds for his work.

Wow! I am standing amazed!

I know I keep saying this over and over again in this blog but... I stand amazed at what God can do or better yet what he does.

It touches my heart in so many ways with all the support we have received either in money or prayer. It is amazing just how God moves his people to give. I am happy to report that all of our first deposits have been met. Praise the Lord. We are half way there. Isn't it just so amazing? Why do I doubt so much.

I told my mom just this weekend, that I know God is teaching me patience. I told her I would not be surprised if our passports and our deposits showed up on the last day of February. Well, I guess God wanted to show me just who was in charge. He paid our deposit before March 1. Before even February 1st. How great He is.

Now let's just pray that our passports come before March 1. If you ask me tomorrow will be fine.

The next time you see a flashlight or change a light bulb, I want you to look at it as if it were you. Light bulbs and flashlights come in lots of different sizes and shapes just like us. Some of the bulbs are bright some are dull. Just like us. Why do we use flashlights or light bulbs? That is easy, we need light in dark places to see. Jesus referred to himself as light. But it is up to us to spread His light to others. So get a light, maybe use a mirror so it reflects even more into this world.

Praise the Lord, how great He is.

Well Done! Good .....Puppy! :-)

Some of you know that we have a new family member he is a 7 1/2 week old miniature pinscher. We named him Benson (after the creek in Kentucky). We wanted a big dog name for a 3 lb puppy. This week has been an exciting one.

As I am working on Benson's behavior I wonder sometimes if God sees us as a disobedient people. At least I know He probably sees me that way. Trying to teach Benson to walk on a leash is rather comical. He stands up on his hind legs and flops around reminding me of a fish out of water. The research I have done on Min Pins says that they are willful but so want to please. Of course when Benson does something wonderful I praise him. One day when I meet Jesus face to face I just want him to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant.

I think my own will gets in the way of pleasing God. Sometimes he pulls me in directions that I don't want to go and then I flop all over the place trying to get right again.

My mom was a little disappointed in the choice of dog that we now own. She told me that they were one owner dogs. Which is my desire for my life in relation to God. I want to serve only one master. So is belonging to one master so bad. Maybe there is a lot to learn from dogs and puppies.

My cat isn't so sure as what to think about this "little bit of a mess." I think she has brought home "rent" that is bigger than Benson. But she too is learning to deal with him. Mainly by avoiding him.

I will keep you up to date on the things Benson is learning. I am sure our house will not be the same for a while or maybe ever. I still miss Oscar terribly and wish everyday that he was still around for me to love. He will always be in my heart.

We are singing praises today for our support checks. We have received two more. We are only $550 away from our March 1st goal of $1800. Isn't God good. Shouldn't we follow His lead, when He asks shouldn't we just go without any pulling back or flopping around. Still my biggest fear is that we will not raise the support we need. I know my doubting disappoints God.

God has taught me so many things during this part of the journey. I can't wait to see what He will show me while we are in Haiti.

I just ask for prayer that God will rain in the support that is needed and that our passport will arrive on time (before March 1).

My Leaning Side

It was great to visit family and friends in Kentucky. The only thing I did not like was the temperature. Cold very Cold.

While we were there I was given the third support check. This check comes with lots of mixed feelings. I know this check was over and above just giving, it was a sacrifice.

Music has always ministered to me, I am not sure if it is because growing up I would hear my brother playing the guitar just outside my door or if the Lord has just used music to touch me. There is a song sung by Third Day the words go "your faithfulness reaches into the heavens," I think that God sees faithfulness and sacrifice as a form of worship. So words can't describe the faithfulness that I have seen during this journey.

It is also so amazing to see God ministering to me through different situations that come up. Of Course we went to church on Sunday, we went to my father-in-laws church and while I was there he preached on God is able. The key verse was Ephesians 3:20"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." He talked about a barn that was leaning and was propped up with lumber on the leaning side. I realized that that barn is me. I made a reference to a friend of mine just last week that I need God to keep his hand on my back. I was actually meaning that I was needing him to keep pushing me because if I really sit down and think about going to Haiti---I actually get scared to death. It is a dangerous place, I am just a person, a very insignaficant person. Why me? Wouldn't it be better for God to send someone worthy of telling others about Him. I know that althrough life God has used ordinary people. I told some of my family in Ky that I was excited about our trip-- which is true but really I am scared to death but also excited to see God. I know it will be life changing. So God's Hand does needs to be on my back because I would probably not go. However, I know that God has had his hand there all along and I will be obedient to Him. God has my leaning side.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

As most of you know I am a teacher. I have often said I was going to write a book about all the things that happen in my class. Well, this really isn't a book but a blog will do.

Yesterday, when I received a text from Joel telling me that we had received a second support check, I was sitting at my desk when I felt my phone vibrate. Usually I don't pick up or check my phone during school hours but for some strange reason I stopped working with the student that was standing next to me to read the text. After I read the text, with tears in my eyes, I hugged the little guy standing at my side. Well needless to say my class just thought what in the world had happened to me. Even the guy I hugged asked me why I had hugged him. I took the time to explain then to my class about going on a mission trip and trying to get the money to go that far away was hard. One of my other little boys told me that he would bring me $2.00 tomorrow. Guess what, this morning he did. I told him thank you very much but I wanted him to save his money. "No." He said. "I insist." I of course didn't take it from him. However, he ask me later why I didn't take it. I explained that although I appreciated his thinking of me in that way that it just wasn't right. At that he really didn't understand what wasn't right about it. He told me that I was doing what God was wanting and even though he wasn't old enough to go he wanted to help me. To help me go and do God's work. To help me, to help me, to help me, do God's work. I just sat there again with tears in my eyes,(that happens a lot lately),wondering how do these little children get it and as an adult I still struggle.

How precious are all of His little children.

A Heavy Heart -- Lifted

As I sit here in the Lancaster County library my heart is very sad. Elise and I dread going home. You see Oscar who is our family Lhasa Apso is being put to sleep probably as I write this. We have had Oscar for 17 years. He was bought for me for my graduation present in 1991. He has been a good dog. He has given us a lot of good years and we will miss his Aroo, roos. As sad as I am about Oscar being put to sleep I know it is the right thing to do. I know that God will give up the strength to go on.

Last night as the darkness closed in I was very down because I knew this time was near. Robbie, our youth pastor called to report on their trip to Haiti and update us on our trip. It seems that at times I can actually be floating on cloud nine seeing God work. He was so excited because of our first support check had come in. I was doubting with every part of me that God could actually provide the support we need. It seems so unreachable. I told Robbie this and he again reassured me, that God would provide. After I hung up from him I just went to bed with a heart that felt as it weight 100lbs.

As always, God doesn't leave us down like that for long. You see we received our second support check today. And well, we have gotten enough support where one of us can almost go.
So as I felt the vibration from the text that Joel was sending, I checked my phone and read just how God lifts us when we most need it.

I ask that you will pray for us as we will probably have many ups and downs on this journey. I also ask that you will pray for the following requests:
1. support will pour in a mighty way
2. the passports will be in before March 1- passports are taking 6-8 weeks to be processed and we processed in week 7.
Again I stand amazed at what and when God does things. How great You are, Lord!!!