It's Rafting Time

Time is a valuable thing. We all know it. We all live by it. We all verge on considering it a god. For goodness sake, we even strap it to our wrists.

But I want God's time to be my time. He always has a way of making time seem to slow down so that life is manageable, and I am clear headed about what all must be done. It's time for me to put myself back on His time, not my own and not others.

Our trip to California was fruitful. We did find a God-send of an apartment, perfect for our needs and in a perfect location considering all that is within walking distance (a blessing when you only have one car). I am praying that one of the two upstairs apts will remain open long enough for us to grab it up once we get final word on things. Which is where time comes in.

Matt's recruiter is returning to her office tomorrow after two weeks vacation. We know the investigation finished up while we were all gone from our locations due to a couple phone calls that took place. Once the recruiter gets final word that Matt passed all his clearances, she will give us final word. THEN Matt can officially apply to the school, she can send the letter of support to the school, they can accept him, he can go to Baltimore for DoD orientation, we can snatch up the apartment, pack, and move. And according to our tentative desired moving date, we have exactly two weeks for all of that to happen. I've seen many bug-eyed responses to that time frame, including myself.

But if we rely on the Lord to keep us clear-headed and wise in our decisions and the timing of events, it won't be bad at all. Fast yes, but adventure fast. Not hurling-us-forward-and-leaving-our-brains-behind fast. Funny how when we are closer to Him, we feel more fancy free about what life holds. I believe that is called "peace."

While white-water rafting is fun, it is fast and furious. It holds great potential to cause fear. And if you don't have a Guide, you give in to that fear and are lost at how to navigate the rapids. You might paddle the wrong way and tip over. You might get stuck sideways on a rock. You might give up and row to the bank before you even try, missing the opportunity. With a Guide, your adrenaline pumps hard as the butterflies in your stomach tell you that this will be exhilerating and fun. You know He will tell you everything you need to do. You anticipate the victory and know it will come! ...and that it will all settle down quickly into a peaceful stretch. Your Guide will say with a twinkle in His eye, "Good job! Now relax and enjoy, because an even bigger rapid is next!" And He'll be there for that big one, too.

Three Things

I follow suit of sister and mother.

Three things you like about yourself:
- my eyes
- my photogenic qualities
- my love of the adventure called life

Three physical things you don't like about yourself:
- my pregnancy acne
- my thighs
- my un-toned arms

Three things that scare you:
- losing Matt
- spiders
- being harmed by a stranger in any way

Three of your everyday essentials:
- sleep
- Bible and prayer (if only I was more consistant)
- food

Three things you are wearing now:
- jewelry
- blue fitted maternity shirt
- denim maternity shorts

Three of your favorite bands or musical artists:
- Josh Groban
- Chris Rice
- Michael W. Smith

Three things you want in a relationship:
- love
- supreme trust and loyalty
- open communication

Two truths and a lie: (in any order)
- I pierced my belly button once.
- I pierced my ear cartilage once.
- I pierced a cow eye ball once.

Three of your favorite hobbies:
- quilting
- reading (currently Christian fiction)
- putzing on the Web

Three things you really want to do right now:
- shower and primp for dinner
- be settled in our final home in Maryland so we can feel life become normal again
- feel and look fit

Three careers you'd consider:
- genetic councelor
- interior designer
- fashion designer

Three places you want to go on vacation:
- Morocco/Spain
- Rome/Athens
- Philipines

Three things you want to do before you die:
- write a book with Matt
- take the above vacations
- move always towards righteousness and then see Christ come for us...and not die

Quilt and Car Pictures

These are the fabrics I used for my latest quilt called "Baby Animals." First quilt for profit. Learned my lesson about how much to charge...MORE!















This is a close up of the front. It is made of 24 Scripture squares that I traced using a quality fabric pen. Each Scripture is well known and EXCELLENT for children and parents to memorize. These are the kind of quilts that I make with some ladies at church each Monday morning for the children who must go through Child Protection Services.




















Close-up of the back fabric (hence "Baby Animals") and a close-up of the name embroidery for the little girl who will receive this quilt.















And now..........for one of our greatest blessings from the LORD!!!































Don't forget to read the post below for the 3 milestones! There's an ultrasound picture in that one! I'll be back next Thursday! Pray for travel safety and quick apartment finding!

:: Speechless ::

My friend Christa had the BEST blog post. It was all about how our lives change so rapidly and we can either try to control our circumstances or seek to follow God's will first. A timely post for Matt and I!

Change. Lots of it has happened these past few weeks. Here goes...


1) I had my first ultrasound last Friday. More than hearing the heartbeat of our little one, I was
astonished to see it bouncing all around. THAT is what finally hit me in the head with the knowledge that I am REALLY pregnant. Of course I knew I was before; but before you SEE it, you just kinda feel like you are "playing" pregnancy. Everything (hearbeat, measurements, etc.) was said to be perfect for a 10 week pregnancy, which in turn means that risk of miscarriage goes from 20% all the way down to 2% no matter how far along I am. I have only gained 3-5 pounds in 10 weeks, for which I am thankful! And my blood pressure is only 110/60...better than pre-pregnancy. I will be returning next Friday (most likely) so my OB friend Keith can listen to heart tones. I don't think it's necessary...but I think Keith is excited and wants to hear it for himself. :-) Hey, as long as it's free! Praise You, Lord, for giving me connections yet again!

2) We have been searching for a month for a new car. The Rav4 is a good car, faithful to get us where we need to go, but the fact that we are moving has caused us to see the good reasons to get a more solid vehicle. After a month of frustration with a dealership and not finding EXACTLY what we wanted, it happened. Last Saturday, Matt was looking for what we wanted online...and BAM...there it was. Almost too good to be true! A 2003 Honda Accord EXV, leather seats, side curtain airbads (in addition to front and side), 28,000 miles...for an EXCELLENT price. So we called the dealership, our insurance, and the place we knew we wanted the loan from. It sounded perfect. So, we immediately packed up and went 3 hours to Bowling Green, KY...praying all the way that this would be worth it. Woman's intutition told me it was going to happen and I was soooo excited! This has been my DREAM car for a long time! But, the car was EVEN BETTER than we had first thought!!! A gorgeous blue-gray color with two-toned gray leather interior. V-6 engine and all airbags (much needed for California freeways!). Very roomy in front and back seats. Power everything. Keyless entry (the remote IS the key...very cool!). Awesome warranty still in place. 6-disc CD changer. Heated seats. Dual passenger AC control. Brushed silver trim (totally futuristic and us). In a word...BLESSING. The dealership itself and the saleslady we worked with were incredible to work with. Several of them stayed at least an hour after closing so we could get the car. Not once did we hit a snag in the process. It feels so natural to have this car...my dream car. Every time I see it, I am in silent shock and awe that God has given us the exact car we were looking for - especially with all the safety features we wanted for both California and children. We WILL be driving this car into the ground. Remember...I know what I want. And when I get it, I am content with it for as long as it will last. Example: I STILL have my fun fishy bedding I got the summer after 6th grade. If we had a guest bed, it would totally be on there!

3) Finally, the Lord has given us direction several times over and we really feel that Monterey is where He desires us to be. We are at peace with the decision and are moving ahead with finding a place to live and all those details. School there starts September 26th-ish, so we will most likely be moving September 14th (5 days driving, 4 nights sleeping). We DESIRE your prayers for all the details to work out smoothly and quickly since we have less than a month to get everything closed up here and opened there. I have that kind of excitement that is boiling inside but very hushed and hesitant when I look at all that needs to happen. Change, Christa? This one is huge and fast!

I will post pictures of the car this afternoon as well as pictures of a quilt I have just made. First one made for profit!

Thanks for taking to time to read our insane update!

Following Auttie's Example

Just for fun! No one comments anyway...so I'll post whatever I want now.

1. If you were to choose a new name for yourself, what would it be? I wouldn't change my name. Because our mother was nice and adventurous enough to NOT give the three of us typical names, we are not subjected to duplicates in public. We are UNIQUE! Thanks, Momma! I ADORE my name!

2. If you were given an extra $10 in change at Walmart, what would you do with it and why? Assuming it was given to me as a gift and not an accident, I'd probably get clear nail polish, polish remover (almost out), and search my heart out for a good lip gloss (anybody know what happened to the good Bon Bell ones???)

3. What's the biggest lesson you've learned from your past relationships? The less you do emotionally and physically (even just an arm around the shoulder), the more INCREDIBLE it will all feel when it is the first time for an "I love you" or a kiss when it is with the one you marry. I'm on a mission to convince the teen girls in my life of this because of the firsts I was blessed to have with Matt. Oh, to MAKE them understand!

4. What's one of your worst habits? Um, I can't really think of any. Maybe the occasional face-picking fest? Or getting silent when I've been hurt and being put out for a while?

5. What was the best day of the past week for you - why? Today! I get my first ultrasound in a matter of hours!

6. What are you wearing today which is most reflective of who you are? Probably my jewelry. Simple blue beaded necklace with silver pendant (bright, girlish personality), simple silver hoops in all five holes (slight rebel on the inside), two toe rings (love of being different and of the beach), watch (organization and punctuality), and my beautiful wedding ring which is reflective of my highest and most enjoyable calling.

7. Choose a unique item from your wallet and explain why you carry it around. I don't have a wallet. I have a small pouch I carry around with just keys, cell phone, insurance cards, debit card, and DL. And lip gloss if I remember. Who needs more than that in their purse?

8. If you could change one thing about your physical appearance what would it be and why? My thighs and hips. ::sigh:: I feel like they've gotten bigger, more cellulity, and jigglier since being pregnant...more than they were before.

9. Share one of your most embarrassing moments. 6th grade. Stairwell of the school after having gone to the bathroom. Girls line was in front of boys line. I was one of the last girls in line. It was winter. I was wearing tights. Boys were snickering for a long time. Didn't know why...until I felt my rear. And found that my jumper was tucked ALL the way in my tights in the back.

10. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to go back in time and fix all your mistakes which would you choose? I totally agree with Autumn's answer. Definitely $1,000,000! My mistakes are part of who I am today. How do we learn if we never make mistakes?

11. If you were given a million dollars and 24 hours to spend it in, (no depositing it in the bank or investing it) what would you buy? A 2005 Honda Accord EX blue with leather ivory interior, a 2005 Honda Pilot for Matt in his color choice with leather, pay off Thea's entire medical school education, pay off the school loans for Matt's family, new computer desk, plasma TV, dining room set, new mattress with headboard/footboard from Pier 1 that I love, SEWING MACHINE and hobby table...am I done yet? See, I'm not high maintanence. I know what I want. That's just being decisive.

12. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you look at? My skin. It's havoced with pregnancy acne. :-(

13. How much cash do you have on you? Zip. We're debit card people.

14. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"? Vest

15. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Probably Momma

16. What is your main ring tone on your phone? I don't have a main one. Friends have a ring. Savary Slew has a ring. Esparza Crew has a ring. Matt has his own ring. And everyone else has the typical Cingular ring.

17. Do you prefer a bright or dark room? Depends on what room if it's paint. If it's sunshine we are speaking of....BRING ON THE BRIGHTNESS!

18. What did you have for breakfast? Oatmeal, strawberries, and a small cup of Irish Cream coffee.

19. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping hard I could probably have been mistaken for a dead person.

20. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say? Don't remember. That was a LONG time ago when Thea sent me one, not knowing it costs us BOTH.

21. Do you ever click on "Pop Ups" or Banners? No

22. Who told you they loved you last? Mattipoo

23. Last furry thing you touched? Paul and Tracie's cat Abby. She's SO adorable and soft!

24. How many hours a week do you work? Right now however many I feel up to. :-)

25. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? Three. But who knows where they are. And no, I still don't care.

26. Favorite age you have been so far? 23...nothing like the present adventureS.

27. Your worst enemy? Satan/my flesh

28. What is your current desk top picture? The yellow tulips on Windows XP. So bright and cheery!

29. What was the last thing you said to someone? "I love you, too!" to Matt. "NO!" to the 241,000 Today Show viewers who chose dress number 2 for the Hometown wedding. Though one girl did have a point that the other three looked prom dressish. BUT I will say that Sarah, the bride, said dress 4 was her favorite and that's the one I voted for. Classic, elegant, and gorgeous for a Chesapeak wedding. Silly viewers.

Health with a Splash of Indulgence

Thanks to Kay for exposing me to strawberries with whipping cream poured on them. Don't worry, it was just a splash of whipping cream and a dash of sugar. It was TASTY!

The quilt I'm making for Kenya is coming along. It's gonna be adorable...and Matt helped me figure out a way to possibly get more than just $10 profit off of it. When I take it to her on Friday, I can simply be honest and say supplies cost more than I anticipated so could we renegotiate the cost to $50. If she says no, I live and learn and I tried. If she says ok, wonderful! I'm definitely taking a picture of this one. It's close to perfect!

Well, tomorrow is the day Matt takes the GRE. We found out on Monday that he has passed secret clearance and the TOP secret clearance is in process still. The other guy who is "about to pass" hasn't even told Mrs. Recruiter where he wants to go and doesn't return all of her e-mails. So, we are safe. He takes the test tomorrow. Gets his scores. Calls the faculty of each school to determine which program is best or if they are equal. Then we wait for total clearance, then tell Joan where we want to go for sure. ::sigh of relief:: So nice to have a plan now.

Meanwhile, pregnancy is going well. Been extra tired and I guess "lazy" lately. Need to make sure to keep exercising to combat the fatigue. Still get HUNGRY every hour and a half, but not really nauseous. Definitely have the network of veins on my abdomen and chest! Kinda cool to see how God created the woman's body perfectly to carry a child. Dealing with two horsefly bites from swimming last night...one on my shoulder and the other on my FACE!!! Ack!

Notice the new link to the left to my Mom's blog!

Try to stay cool today!

Lord, WHERE?

Please pray for us. We are having quite the difficult time deciding where it is the Lord would have us. Dayton or Monterey?

We are workign through pros and cons to each city, and have even created four working budgets (two for each city). We have called various places to get better estimates on things like insurance, gas, etc. We are working HARD to decide. But it is not easy. We had decided last night, but now we are second guessing a little bit now that we have slept. I think the reason we keep second guessing is because we don't want to feel rash in our decision, but the point we are at is DECIDE. And either one we say will feel rash because there is not middle ground in this choice. It's one or the other. Just because we choose one does not mean the other will lose all appeal. Silly unchanging inanimate places that make it so hard!

Just pray. We want wisdom. We want clear direction (which we may have gotten but are second guessing it as well). We NEED to know asap-est of asap so we can get things rolling.

::raises head in pleading::

God gives us what we want...with a twist.

A twist to make sure we continue to trust Him. Thank you, Jaclyn, for those words of encouragment.

I'll just be blundt about it. We may be moving to Monterey instead of Dayton. Matt has not taken the graduate record exam (like an ACT/SAT for grad school) and Dayton requires it. Autumn helped us find some info yesterday that could be helpful in persuading Dayton to still take us. Matt will be talking with them today about it.

Meanwhile, I think God has graciously prepared our hearts for either location now. We were so closed to Monterey because of the heart pulls in Dayton. We were quite presumptious that Dayton was a sure thing. Yet another reminder to hold EVERYTHING with an open hand! God may give His children what they desire, but we still have the responsibility to keep looking towards Him for direction. That reminds me of the verse, "A man may plan his WAYS, but the Lord directs his STEPS." This could not be a more perfect example of that verse! :-)

We did find out that neither school starts until the beginning of October, so we have a few more weeks to breath and make sure everything gets settled. We are grateful for that!

Concerning the new little life, I think my nausea is starting to wane. Praise the Lord! Now I just get next to ravenous every 1.5 hour instead of nauseous (unless I wait too long). I got prenatal yoga and prenatal pilates DVD's and am in the process of forming a good exercise routine. Eating? Well, not to much into veggies like I was a couple weeks ago. This week's favorite food is ramen noodles, though I did HIGHLY enjoy Nonie's meatloaf and my mashed potatos two nights ago. :-P

I'm off to make a "change address with" list, do a search for churches in Monterey, clean the bathrooms, do pilates, shower, lunch, and then go talk with my "boss" about not coming back this year and what she needs from me (if anything). Have a SUNSHINY day!

My 50th Post

I just noticed that this will be my 50th post since starting my blog. And how appropriate considering the news I am about to reveal.

Our baby will be born in Dayton, OH. We will be in Dayton...by August 26th at the VERY VERY latest. We have three weeks to move.

PRAISE GOD! Remember how in the last post I said I was thankful things were returning to normal this week? Yeah. Like I said then, I'd be happy for things to be un-normal if it was because the DoD contacted Matt with a yes. Weeeell.....

He got an e-mail last night from his recruiter. It never said "Yes, you are in." It was just several items about has he chosen a program yet, she needs to know if we want Dayton or Monterey, when is he going back to Baltimore for orientation, and such like that. WHICH makes us think that possibly that letter we got MONTHS ago was THE OFFICIAL offer of employment. Perhaps we were just thrown off by the "contingent upon your security clearance." That made us think it was still a toss up. Apparently not! Matt is going to call the airforce base in Dayton and talk to some enrollment councelors this morning to finalize which program he wants to pursue, and then he will talk to Ms. Recruiter. I will hopefully know more detail after that! How will the military move work? When do we absolutely have to be in Dayton? Was that letter really the official yes and we just didn't know it?

We are so excited! We are in awe at how much is to be done in the next 3 weeks. I am looking forward to seeing all the people come forward and offer help. Thanks in advance to family who will come to Jackson to help us/me pack. Thanks to Autumn (and Andy) in advance for be our apt/home hunters!

No more praying for a yes! Now we rejoice our hearts out and start praying for a smooth transition in such a short amount of time!

NORMAL

As Matt and I prayed together last night, I thanked God for the week ahead that return us to...normal. No more traveling. No more oodles of bucks spent on gasoline. No more out of town dining expenses, ever increasing over our allotted budget amount. No more DRIVING. No more visitors. Just me, Matt, and our home. I hope the people we visited (including Guatemala) appreciate the sacrifice we made! ::whimper:: We did enough traveling in July to last 6 months or more for just two people!

But I did tell God it would be grand if we didn't return to normal this week because of the DoD's yes call or letter. I really pray that we know something THIS WEEK, whether yes or no. Patience is still there, but we're about to go bonkers!

OH MY GOSH! I JUST REMEMBERED I HAVE QUILTING AT 9:00...IN TWO MINUTES. Have I showered?? NO! BYE!

::runs to get in shower::

I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!! ::sigh of relief::

FINALLY! Now that Matt's family finally knows for sure that we are expecting a baby, I can start posting about how I feel and the progression of the baby and pregnancy. Whew! It's hard to post away about life and not be able to talk about the BIGGEST event in life! :-P

Today, I'm doing ok. We're in Evansville for the weekend visiting the Esparza side of the family. I've had to eat a little more often (but not more food) today because it's a hard day nausea wise. Janet could not have said it more perfectly...it is there constantly enough to be irritating, but not enough to make me really sick.

We still haven't heard from the DoD. So patience is still on the top of our character list. It will be very interesting to find out the timeline of events if they do end up saying yes!

Well, I'm off to show pictures!

A Bright Sunshiny Day

In my spirit that is! It's only 10:45 and I've already exercised, unloaded the dishwasher, washed some dishes, bleached the kitchen counters, and straightened the house a little. Thought I'd post while I eat my apple and give Jaclyn 10 minutes of chat!

I'm so excited...Matt finally posted for REAL on his blog! Go read it from the link to the left. It's very good. He talks some about how he's feeling waiting for the DoD to call us and let us know yes or no. Here's how I feel. I am more anxious today than I have been. Not in a bad, worrisome way. But in a "I think it might happen very soon" way. If ever anyone could get on their knees...no, their face!...and pray for a yes, now would be the time. I desperately want my husband to have his dream job at a young age, to see him get into what he REALLY is interested in, to see him involved in the government of a country I support whole-heartedly and claim as my own. I want to be closer to Autumn. I want change - it's what I've been used to for the past four years as I moved places so much because of college. And of course the better salary and benefits of the government would be nice, too! Please Lord, we don't deserve it, but You are good and can do it if you choose!

Ok, I need to go shower and order the pizza for a Guatemala Pizza 'n Pics lunch with some of the girls I got to know really well on the trip. Should be great fun!

::sigh of relief::

What a groggy day! Took a MORNING nap for an hour and 45 minutes. Ate some mac 'n cheese with Matt and Melody.

Then GOT MY GOLD STAR for the day! This makes two days in a row. I wasn't going to exercise today because I didn't feel well, but when I opened the door for Matt and Melody to go back to work, it was MUCH cooler than it has been and I thought I'd take a walk. So I took a 10 minute walk and then did some core exercises for about 30 minutes. I feel so much better now...though the thought of my soft, comfy bed is still appealing!

This afternoon's agenda:

1) Make the batter for Tracie's molten choclate cupcake things for cell group tonight...her b-day celebration.
2) Fold two loads of laundry and wash the stinky towels I've forgotten about (since Guatemala)!
3) Clean the bathrooms. But Matt said not to and he would do it when he gets home. But I guess if I feel up to it and have time, I coudl still do them. As of right now though? Yeah, I don't want to.

By the way, I'd just like to give a shout out to Autumn's blogger friends. I love all the comments they give. Very funny and very encouraging...even to me and it's not even my blog! Hmm...wonder if they know about my blog.... :-)

oooooooK

Yeah, so life will not settle for a while! And that is why I have not been able to post in a few days. So here goes!

Matt got home for lunch last Thursday and told me that yes, we were indeed driving the 4 hours to Chatanooga for the night and picking up his sister Melody on Friday...to then drive 8 hours to Little Rock for the weekend. I'm tired of driving, but it was fun! The "fourth of July" cake we ordered for the family cookout Saturday was SO tasty! I forgot how much I love ice cream cake! Thea spent pretty much the whole day with us, which I loved up one side and down the other. She's so much fun...thank you for giving us all your time, Luv! I always think to myself, there's no one I'd rather be with me for big events than Thea. :-)

We came back to Jackson late Sunday and have just been movin' through the week as normal with Melody here. She has been blatently introduced to Ken and Barbie (upstairs neighbors) both nights she's slept in the living room. I think they're on a loud streak again...thankfully a party mode rather than fight mode (if they MUST be in a mode, party is best).

To be honest, I don't know that I really want to post about Guatemala on my blog, for reasons which are personal and because most of the people who were really interested know the highlights of it. I guess I do still need to send out update/thank you letters to those who supported me.

You know? Cap'n Chrunch with Berries is such a good cereal. Sure it has more sugar than cherrios, but it has ALMOST the same amount of vits and nuts as multi-grain cherrios. And I really wanted them this morning. I think I will exercise today too. Maybe in a few minutes after my food digests a little. Gotta get that gold star, Aut! (I've only got one for the past two weeks) :-(

Doing Better

I did it! I exercised today...a 2 mile brisk walk with some arm strengthening. I feel so much better now.

My sinuses/allergies are a little better today. At least my face/head doesn't hurt anymore and I can somewhat breath through my nose when my mouth is closed.

My emotions are a lot better too. I think I am really coming to terms with Bethany and starting to remember all the sweet things about her rather than her actual death.

Still get nauseated when I think of Guatemala. Such a different trip from all the other ones I've taken. I was asked to share about it tonight at cell group. I hope Keath (youth pastor) doesn't get offended or put out because of my experience. It was pretty opposite to how most people react to a foreign missions trip. Still can't find my film. Still don't know how much I care.

I hope Melody calls us tonight, otherwise I don't know how it will work out picking her up in Chatnooga. SOOO excited about our 4th of July ice cream cake on Saturday with my family...sweet cream ice cream with coconut and cherries, yellow cake, white icing with cherry halves and blue icing stars! I so wish my family could have been with me in Memphis to see the AWESOME fireworks! Not to mention sitting by my grandmother and hearing "God bless the USA"...I miss that! But, the afghan she gave us at our wedding (crocheted American flag) looked WONDERFUL on our couch for the holiday!

I'm gonna go get some veggies to munch on. I'm glad exercise makes you want healthy food!

Yawn

I'm back. I'm exhausted. So much is going on in life, and I'm not quite sure when it will slow down.

Guatemala was fine. I'll be posting about that over the next few days from my journal that I kept while there. It's hard for me to think about Guatemala right now because it makes me nauseated just thinking about it. Weird, huh? Hope that stops soon. Can't find my three rolls of film. I'm hoping to track them down either at the Houston airport or in the church van. Please, Lord, have them be SOMEwhere reachable!

I think I'm over the hardest part of grieving Bethany's death and Matt Rehrer's loss of his entire family. Having found out the night before I left for Guatemala didn't let me realize just how much I needed to cry and grieve. That realization hit me especially hard yesterday. I was able to use the family's deaths as a devotional topic on Friday night. I spoke on the brevity of life, how we never know the instant it begins OR ends. And THAT is why we must be urgent and sincere in our evangelism. Thank you, my Matt, for that excellent perspective.

Meanwhile, while trying to catch up on sleep, I am having an "allergic reaction to the States" as my mom joked. I was perfectly fine in Guatemala despite some people's fears, but once we hit Houston my allergies/sinuses blew up. Now my whole face hurts, my neck is tense, and I'm congested to high heaven. I'm learning to let Matt do what he wants for me. It's hard not to feel guilty over him continuing to do things for himself and now me that I would normally do as his wife. But, it is nice that he WANTS me to lounge and relax. It relieves some stress to know he is perfectly fine with me not doing anything around the house today. I love him. :-)

Thursday we are going to stay the night in Chatanooga, TN, and pick up his sister Melody from a youth camp there on Friday. Then we are going to LR to share Guatemala stories/souveniers (for immediate family...money is limited). I was hoping to share pictures...but that may not happen. Then Melody will come back to Jackson with us for all next week, and we will drive to Evansville next weekend to take her back and share Guatemala stories/souveniers.

And then we might come back and pack quickly...if the DOD will call us and tell us we're in! Keep praying for our patience and that God would allow it to happen!

Gonna finish my cherrios.

And Off I Go...

It's 2:30 AM! I have to be at the church by 3, so I'll keep it short. I'm tired, but excited, and running on adrenaline. Please pray for me and the rest of my team as mentioned in previous posts. Can't wait to come back and have oodles of material for more posts!

On a side note, please pray for mine and Matt's college friend, Matt Rehrer. His parents and two sisters were killed in an automobile accident in the past day or so. Pray for wisom and peace for him and his wife, Kara. Also, pray for me to be emotionally stable in Guatemala since I was good friends with one of his sisters, Bethany.

Until next week...

Clean Paint Sewn to Suitcase

I've got a lot to do today! The apartment hasn't been cleaned (scrubbed I mean...it's straightened) in a week and a half due to Thea's visit, Matt's mono and trip, and other busy-ness. I also need to finish prepping the fabric for the banners my group is helping the Guatemala kiddos make to celebrate their new school. And then I need to pack up all the banner supplies in my extra suitcase. Tonight is our last Guatemala meeting/packing party. Each of us will carry two suitcases: 1 personal, 1 filled with supplies. I can't believe I'm leaving on Sunday!!!

On the Guatemala note, God went ABOVE and beyond what I needed for funding. I was expecting only one more $100 check, having told several not to give because I didn't need anymore. Yesterday I got $200 in the mail and found out that people at church had given $120 to my account. So as of now, I'm $220 over! Who knows what our mailbox will see in the next few days! Thankfully, the extra is not in vain. Whatever is over in anyone's account spills to those accounts that still need funds. After that, it goes towards supplies for the trip. After that, it goes into the "pot" for next year's Guatemala trip! So good to see that the Body of Christ does not hoard their money...they have given so freely and sacrificially!

Yesterday was Tracie's birthday...Paul surprised her with a new kitten! Long haired calico colored. Name: Abigail...Abby for short. She is SOOO affectionate for an 11 week old kitten! She is also very playful. Ever seen a laser pointer and a cat? Great fun!

Anyway, I'm gonna go do a little more cleaning. I'm pacing myself so I don't get sick of it!

Experiencing Life in the Body

This is in response to Autumn's latest post...

Don Winter just finished a series on Experiencing Life in the Body. I wish I could get in every detail because it was SO thought-changing about the "church." For several weeks, he wouldn't even say the word "church" to keep us from thinking inside the box. When we think "church," we think the building where we go every Sunday to sing and listen to a sermon. When the New Testament believers thought "church," they thought going to each others' homes - even daily - to fellowship, worship, and learn more about God. This is why our church has cell groups...which I know are in some churches in Cleveland and BCLR has "care groups" which are simliar.

Think about it. In the Old Testament, the people traveled from all over to the Temple for worship and learning. The priest presided and offered the leadership for all the people. But, when Christ died for us, the veil was torn in two and we were given access directly to the Father. Priests were not needed for that particular service anymore. So what did this open the door to? PEOPLE MEETING IN THEIR HOMES! They now could approach the throne of God for themselves at any time they desired. Yes, they still met at the temple for celebration, fellowship, and learning...but much of the early church's practice was small groups inside homes. The smaller the group, the less likely people are to fall through the cracks and sit on the back pew unnoticed. The smaller the group, the more people's needs will be seen and recognized. The smaller the group, the more vulnerable and real people will be...which is where UNITY in the Body of Christ appears. The smaller the group, the more people will be able to speak up as they discuss various doctrines, more questions can be asked, prayer can become more powerful.

Don't get me wrong. Assembling of all of these small groups into one building is still very much a part of Experiencing Life in the Body! It keeps a bigger part of the "church" unified and on the same page. But, where I now think the church has gone wrong is that there is not an equal amount of importance placed upon small, frequent gatherings as there is on the big once-a-week gatherings. The Body of Christ is also the Army of the Lord. Look at how our Army works. Do soldiers on a base only meet once a week for training? NO!!! They have smaller platoons and such that meet EVERY DAY for rigorous training so that in the heat of battle they will be knit closely together and know exactly how to defeat the enemy!

The same system would better serve the church...and PUSH people out of box that was formed so long ago. Can we come up with a word to replace "church" so that people won't even touch the box? :-)

Insomniacs' Anonymous

Here I sit putzing around again. I've been awake since 4:00. I've seen the clock at almost every hour of the night. Perhaps I am deeply affected by the good stress of Matt's job opportunity, Guatemala, and my favorite holiday the 4th.

I forgot to mention in the last post that God has provided ALL of my funds for Guatemala now!!! Praise Him! $1200 came from only 15 people/couples...in only 3 weeks!!! I'm am astonished. But somehow, I think maybe I am not that shocked. God wants me in Guatemala. He made it happen. :-)

Matt is teaching the jr. high/sr. high Sunday school today because most of the youth are on retreat and apparently everyone else Keath asked had something going on. I think there is a whole lotta trust going on with ECC and Matt & I. They allow us to participate in things and even ask Matt to teach when only a couple people really know our background and testimony. Perhaps it has something to do with what Hap keeps telling us...that he sees great potential and maturity in us both and he expects something grand to come of us. Quite encouraging if I do say so myself.

Don't miss my previous post, those who haven't seen it. It's a lovely one!

I hope you all have a great Sunday...and celebrate hard this 4th of July! We're goin' to Memphis for today and tomorrow! Woo hoo!

Gonna go lay down until the alarm goes off...in 15 minutes. :-P