Sixteen!

Sixteen years ago today, hubby and I got hitched!  Yup... it's been sixteen sweet years!!!  How time flies... it tends to do that when you're having fun, doesn't it?

I am truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me a wonderful gift in my hubby.  He is more than what I asked for or imagined... truly a heaven-sent!

This photo is from way back when we started dating (19+ years ago)...



On our wedding day...



And here we are today (taken during our vacation at DisneyWorld last month)...



"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."  --- James 1:17 (NIV)

First Day of Summer

It's the first day of summer... and it's one day past Father's Day.  I am indeed blessed beyond measure to have a hubby who is a great and awesome father to our children! Just like the song I Want To Be Just Like You says...

Lord, I want to be just like You
'Cause he wants to be just like me
I want to be a holy example
For his innocent eyes to see
Help me be a living Bible, Lord
That my little boy can read
I want to be just like You 
'Cause he wants to be like me

... I am ever grateful to my Heavenly Father for graciously giving me a wonderful gift in my hubby --- Happy Father's Day to the grace of my life!

Now, summer... it's here and school will be out in just one week's time!  Our household will have a busy summer ahead of us as our church hosts eight weeks of summer sports day camp specifically targeted to low-income families and children in difficult home situations.  It has been encouraging to see many families from our target areas start to register their children... could it possibly be that we are finally breaking ground where we originally wanted to at the start of this church plant?

This thought brings many emotions into my soul... to be quite honest, this (by far) has been the most challenging and frustrating season for me in the life of this church plant.  There is so much that we can do as a church to make a difference where God has placed us but there is so little motivation in most of our people to effect this difference!  This verse pretty much sums it up for me...

When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!" ---Matthew 9:37-38 (The Message)

So, it is okay for me to feel challenged and frustrated!  Even Jesus noticed the huge harvest with very few workers to do the work.  We are to pray, pray, pray --- that is what this verse is teaching me to do... then HE will send us harvest hands.  It is an amazing, yet simple, promise which I am no doubt clinging to right now.

With that in mind... summer, we welcome you!  Bring it on... for the Lord of the Harvest will send out workers into his harvest field.

Here I am.  Lord, send me! 

June... Here We Come!

Wow, June already?!?  How did this school year go by so very quickly?  My son has already started his countdown to THE END OF SCHOOL --- and there are 26 more days including weekends, I've been told!

In a lot of ways, I am looking forward to this month... it is shaping up to look like a calmer month for us.  I'm looking at June as 'the calm before the storm' as our church kicks off 8 weeks of Ignition Sports Camp starting the first full week of July!  I am looking forward to it --- anticipating the great things that God has in store for us as we continue to serve our community in a missional way.

So... May was a busy month for us indeed!  Here are some highlights...

~ I started the transition to reduced hours at work!  I am still in transition mode but everything is going very smoothly.  I am looking forward to my "new norm" in June.

~ May marked one year since my brother-in-law had surgery to remove the cancer in his nasal passage... at this one year mark, they found more of the same cancer in the same general area.  We continue to trust in our good God; for truly nothing is impossible for Him!  As my sister shared on her Facebook status update one day this month...

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand; but I know WHO holds tomorrow and I know HE holds my hand!  --- lyrics from Gospel Ballad by Ira F. Stanphill, 1950.

~ School started to wrap up with concerts and track/field events...

Here's my son in his pirate costume for the Spring Concert... the theme was 'Pirate of the Caribbeans' and their class did an awesome job.

My daughter qualified for the Track and Field Area Meet for Triple Jump. She placed THIRD with a personal best jump of 8.03 metres!!! Way to go, girl! Here she is landing her jump!

~ We went on vacation!  We had an awesome time in Orlando, Florida... where we visited with hubby's sister and brother and their families.  Of course, Disney World was not to be missed... and the Kennedy Space Center... and the beach!!!

No Orlando trip would be complete without a visit to the huge LEGO Store in Downtown Disney. I think I was more giddy than my son!

Star Wars Weekend at Disney's Hollywood Studios!!!  We had one VERY excited little boy that day!

~ On our trip to Orlando, we also visited Teen Missions International and learned about their work with AIDS orphans in Africa!  Wow... it really touched my heart!  My kids were moved too.  We are currently pondering how we might be able to become a part of this incredible mission work.

Well, that was some of our May!  I'm sure June, in its calmness, has its own share of excitement that is coming our way... with end-of-school field trips and lots of family birthdays and anniversaries!!!

Finally, something I read today written by Beth Moore on her blog...

I have seen a fresh revelation of Christ in the last week but not only through tracing His steps in the Holy Land. I’ve beheld it on the faces of His people. Many on the trip and my own beloved daughters, as different as they are, and as imperfect as they’d want me to tell you they are. They have each outdone their parents. Lord have mercy, what messes we were at their ages. Thank You, Lord, for full redemption. For Your willingness to change an entire lineage. Your grace is unfathomable. Continue to use it to set families free.

I could have easily written the exact same thing as I pondered many things while on vacation... y'know, I just have all that extra time to think deep thoughts and discuss thought-provoking things with hubby while relaxing! ;-)   I am constantly awed at my Heavenly Father's redemptive love for us --- how HE continues to mold my children into the masterpieces that HE has designed them to be, in spite of how limited my and hubby's abilities are to parent them!  Thank you GOD --- for YOU are always good!!!