palm therapy

i was in florida this week for work and some fun. wow- what a little palm tree and salt water can do for a girl's soul! i feel better physically and mentally as a result of just a few short days.

celebrating

authentic friendships. i went to pv to do a talk on celebrating authentic friendships for my old mops (mothers of preschoolers) group. it was so fun to prepare for it and reflect on those really meaningful friendships in my own life. i did a pictorial walk through the stages of friendship. there were pics of many of you--my kids thought the old ones of me and mom and jessica were hilarious. harrison asked me why i was a teenager and tatiana wanted to know why my belly was showing like a brat doll (in my bathing suit). i was tempted to tell her because it was a hot, flat belly back then but i refrained. i digress.

the celebration is really the realization as i looked out at many of those women and talked with them afterwards; they don't really have authentic friendships. some of them even defined authentic as not talking for months or years and then catching up like no time had passed. those are great friendships but i argue that authentic doesn't go years--it is involved. so i celebrate specifically those of you that are involved with me. it is messy, it is hard, it takes time but i thank you!

crazy kid talk

just a couple of funny things lately:

brennan- i am having a piwat (pirate) berfday (birthday) and it only for boooyz, not giwls (girls).

tatiana- i got a growd up toof! (her big tooth came in behind her baby teeth--they aren't even loose!)

harrison- i am having a really bad day! (the day tatiana got her tooth)

sasha- with no headphones for her portable cd player i was trying to explain that she couldn't hear. she insisted she if i would just put the cd in and push play she would put her "eaw weawy cwose to wisten".

missio dei

we got word this week that the college/career group of about 15 or 20 is going to join up with our church. we had been in discussions with their leader and his wife and we had all been praying that we would be able to clearly understand each other's vision and determine what was best for the kingdom. they spoke with the church where they were meeting and determined we share a common vision for reaching the city and it would most glorify god to join together on mission. we just doubled in size!

struggles

this news at missio dei is great for the kingdom and provides missio dei with another leader. the leader of their group desires eventual full-time ministry. he will be able to maintain his administrative job at the church that founded this group for now and he also has funding from the baptists for a start up ministry. he will be able to carry that start up support money into missio dei as our ministry is also a start up (although missio dei can not pursue funding from the baptist planting organization as a result). this provides great leadership with three pastors but still little income coming in. michael has been pursuing teaching opportunities in the area that would allow him to continue to pastor here while bringing in income. so far nothing has come up and we are in a struggle to determine what god would have next for not only our family but this ministry. please continue to pray for michael as he determines how to proceed and for kurt and shannon as we share our struggles with them.

messy lives

as i reflect back on the last just couple of years i am struck with the messiness of life just within our own family and friends. death, disease, difficult marriages, difficult divorces, big decisions, sin, moves, strife etc.. and this is with otherwise pretty normal people. it is such a reminder that we need each other to make it through and how important it is to have hope that one day it won't be like this. i understand anew as i think of these stories that i am really excited about the day when no tears will fall and no pain will be suffered. it spurs me on to share with others of our great god and his provision for us in this life and the life to come. i understand grace for putting one foot in front of the other just as much as i do for eternal life.

bible as epic

christine got me hooked on reading the story of god in chronological order. there is a new bible that has taken the events and placed them in order of occurrence with a reading a day for 365 days so you can get through the whole bible in a year. http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Bible%C2%AE-Compact-LaGard-Smith/dp/0736915826/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1_rsrsrs0/002-5610771-2440833. it puts things into great perspective and is WAY better than those misguided one year bibles that take a hodge podge from the old testament and the new testament and hope that if you are a rocket scientist you might figure out how it all goes together and why. if you have ever wanted to read god's story but struggled to put it all together this is great reading. i have really been in a fiction mode lately and this is even better. a colossal page turning epic with life changing implications. there is supernatural, world destruction, crazy characters, murder, people turning into salt and I am still in genesis! i love it!