Off He Goes

This makes his sixth trip to Barranquilla, Columbia, South America.  We were both surprised how normal this trip is beginning to feel.  The ease of packing due to knowing the routine and what to expect, the reminders of God's blessing and renewal of perspective,  experiencing the need to depend  on Him moment by moment as he functions out of his element.
Many ask if I am ok with him going.  At this point I recognize it is hard to let him go for the week, but I also know the man that walks off the plane upon return is a different man.  One who has seen worship of people who have nothing but God.  One who sees what it looks like to stand in line for hours to have an illness treated, hopeful eyes looking to him.  One who gets to talk to each of these, who have waited in line, about the Great Physician who rescued him.  One who year after year experiences walking among mentors sold out for Christ. 
I am so proud of his obedience to go, to serve.  Please join me in praying for him and the team he serves with this week.

Saturday, October 29
Team travels to the Colombia. Children’s Ministry Training. Leadership Training.
Matt 11:25-30
REST IN JESUS
 
Sunday, October 30
Worship with local churches and
believers
Eph. 4:1-6
UNITY WITH CHURCH
 
Monday, October 31
Prayer concerts and ministry of Intercession. Yo Soy Segundo Discipleship/ Church Planting Teams. Community Transformation Deaf Ministry Medical Team
Col. 4: 2-6
OPEN DOORS
 
Tuesday,  Nov 1
Prayer concerts and ministry of Intercession. Yo Soy Segundo Discipleship/ Church Planting Teams Community Transformation Deaf Ministry Praise Team Medical Team Eph. 6:19-20 BOLDNESS
 
Wednesday, Nov. 2
Deaf Ministry
Praise Team Medical Team
Eph. 1:17-20
RENEWED STRENGTH
 
Thursday, Nov. 3
Deaf Ministry
Praise Team Medical Team
Hab. 1:5
UTTERLY AMAZED
 
Friday, Nov. 4
Rest and Fellowship
Evening Rally
Psalm 95:1-7
THANK GOD. HE IS OUR ROCK
 
Saturday, Nov. 5
Team departs for home. Pray for the discipleship of the leaders and workers in the new churches.
Rom. 12:1-2
SAFE TRAVEL
 
Sunday, Nov. 6
Rejoice in what God has done!
1 Thess. 5:16
REJOICE
 
Monday, Nov. 7
Pray for leaders and workers of new churches.
Eph. 4:11-16
LEADERS
 
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Pray that God will continue to change lives of new believ- ers
Eph. 4:17-32
GROWTH
 
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Continue to pray that new believers grow strong in faith
Eph. 5:8-10
GROWTH
 
Thursday, Nov. 10
Pray that God would raise up workers for His harvest field. Ask God if He would have YOU go on a mission trip with us!
E3 Partners: 1-800-5–I-CAN- GO
Thank You For Your Prayers!
e3 Partners Ministry 214-440-1101

Boston Retreat

A few months ago Mark called and said he had an upcoming conference in Boston.  The big question was if I wanted to go with him alone, take one or all of the girls with us.  I was back and forth for several days.  We are studying American History this year and the girls would have LOVED to see first hand some of the places new to their knowledge base.  However, God knew I was really going to need a break once this trip finally arrived.  We decided to take some time away for us (ok, really it was a lot for ME;)  Mark was going to be attending the conference from 7:30 through about 6:00 each day.  I was set to take full advantage of some quiet time to sleep, read, and just be still.  

 Thursday morning, before Mark started attending the lectures,we took some time to see some of Boston.  We walked the Freedom Trail, stopped in a little coffee shop for breakfast, and then walked the wharf.  It was beautiful (and shocking how much I love history now too!) 

Once Mark started attending the conference, I started being still.

 

This is the scene I took in for hours and hours, it was GREAT!   I read an eye opening book, What Women Fear by Angela Smith.  It was a great chance to read, process my thoughts, and pray.  With  a few naps intermingled with more reading I moved onto, Loving the Little Years Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.  My oldest sister had highly recommended this book a few months ago.  It was a sweet, lite way to evaluate this stage of mothering I am in.  The first paragraph of the book puts it this way, "...if organization and order can still be found in my attitude, we are doing well.  But if my attitude falters, even in the midst of external order,  so does everything else."

 

In the evenings we ate a lot of great food and explored sweet parts of Boston. 

(Our first evening there we had the pleasure of sharing dinner with the new doc, joining Mark's group next month, and his wife. We got to hear their adventurous story of how God has been using them.  We are looking forward to them coming to Greenville.  It will be a relief exciting for the group and great to get to know this neat family better!)

Overall, this was an absolutely needed break from the constant go go go of normal life.  It was fun to relax and think whole thoughts,  to talk to God in the quiet without interruption,  to explore a neat city and great restaurants with this guy...

 

and needless to say laugh a lot!!!

(Do you see how much he looks like that frog behind him?  Really!?)

And we were able to do all this because I knew my gals (who I'm sure needed a break from me too) were having a blast back home- thanks Mom!

The Children's Museum

 Last week we had something to celebrate...

Grandma and Megan (the oldest of my sweet nieces) came to town!

 Tuesday morning we hit the books to get school done for the day.

Then we headed to the children's museum for the afternoon. 

We all had a blast!!

The Apple Orchard

 To kick the month off to a great start, we headed to the apple orchard with some sweet friends. 

It could not have been a better day.  

There was no shortage of pumpkins, apples, animals, smiles, or laughs.  

Just pure fun, family and friends excited for fall!!!

We set out to make this weekend a camping weekend!  We had a few reasons for this weekend.  The first, to celebrate a friends 9th birthday.  The second, to claim some much needed family time to slow down. 

 

.

 We hit a few bumps along the way... after setting up the tent in the dark our car wouldn't start.  This morning a  wrecker was able to get it started but Mark had to spend much of the day on the hunt for a solution.  (The solution-not as simple as needing a new battery like we thought,  meant heading home early so we wouldn't have to turn the car off until we had parked it at the shop in Greenville to be worked on Monday.)  We sure did make the most of the time we had though!!

 Sophie loved canoeing!  Haleigh loved fishing (and caught one!)  Mackenzie loved playing with her buddy!

 Happy Birthday Josiah!!  I hope you had as much fun celebrating your birthday as we did!!  Thanks for inviting us to be part of it.

First Day of CC

Monday was our first day of our Classical Conversations Co-op.  

This is Sophie's sixth year of CC, Haleigh's third year, and Mackenzie's third year in the sibling class.  We are beyond blessed to be part of this community committed to walking this path of homeschooling together with support and lots of grace. 

First Days of School

According to "blog world" we haven't even started school.  Good thing we account for our days in the real world :) We have been in the thick of school for about 5 weeks now.  Stepping into our school routine and schedule of extracurriculars has kept us moving at a pretty constant pace.  Today, we (all but Mark, who is working hard at the hospital) are putting on the brakes, enjoying the cooler temps, playing outside, and getting caught up on all that has slipped by undone.  Ahhh, it feels so nice!  

Here is a glimpse at the last 5 weeks.

These are a new addition to our school day.  They keep us on track with what needs to be done for each gal.  The girls know what they have to do if I am working with someone else when they finish the assignment at hand.  They also know how much they must get done before a fun break, snack, or even a joke.