Sad

There are moments that happen around us that words really cannot describe how we feel.  Yesterday was a day like that.  The loss of a legend at such a young age gives me pause.  It confirms that we don’t know when our time here will end.
My prayers and thoughts go out to all the families that are impacted by this tragedy.  There is a community that is hurting deeply today.  Mothers, daughters, sons, husband, wife, cousin, grandparents, siblings, etc.  The list is long.   The mourning is real, the grief unbearable, the future unimaginable, the hurt indescribable.
This is the time when we see humanity in the hearts of people.  Reach out and in to their hurt.  Allow them to grieve.  The range of emotions that this trauma produces is vast.  Lift them up in prayers.  Because only our Heavenly Father can give them the peace that is needed.
I hugged my kids extra long yesterday.

Senior Year

So my youngest is entering his senior year at Calvary Christian Academy in Philadelphia.  He will be the last of my children that will graduate from this school. 
He asked me yesterday if I was sad.  I am not.  I am excited to see what God has for our family as we end an era and begin a new one.
Seasons come and go all the time.  And while it is great to remember moments from them, we must not look back too long or we will miss what is right in front of us. 
This is going to be epic.  I cannot wait to see how the Lord will work.

Hard Day

Yesterday was a hard day for me.  Can't really explain as to why but there was a lot of frustration and irritation over the least little things.
My constant throughout the day was to remember all the blessings in my life.  I went on a 30 minute walk and the entire time I was thanking the Lord for all that he has given me and done in my life.
It can be so easy to camp in the frustration and irritation but I was not allowing the enemy or my flesh, for that matter, to win.
Every victory is given to us my our Heavenly Father.  I know I could not have changed yesterday around on my own strentgh.  It was by inviting him into my presence that I was able to let go of all that I was feeling and change it around to be thankful and grateful.
So today, my day started way earlier than I wanted or expected.  (Especially since I did not fall asleep until 2:30a).  The maintenance guy that was due between 9a-12p came 2 1/2 hours earlier.  Needless to say when the phone rang at 7:13a, I was none too thrilled.  But as we are meant to do, I put on my big girl pants and started my day.  And what a beautiful, gorgeous, splendid day it is already.  Just look at this beauty.

Serving The Lord in Kenya

We have a family at Calvary Chapel Mercer County that has been serving in Ongata Rongai, Kenya for 5 years now.  Every year we send various numbers of people from our church to help them with their ministry.
They are serving at Calvary Chapel Ongata Rongai through Potters Field Ministries.  The family of four work with children to teach them about the Lord but to also make sure they are receiving an education.
Like most places outside the USA, Kenya is a country where public school education is not free.  So Geoff, Linda, Christian, and Faith pick out children that are in the most need of receiving funding for basic education.  They run a school that goes up to 4th grade and they work with teenagers who are in danger of not getting funding.  The catch is that they must maintain good grades in order to be sponsored.  Last year as a family we decided to sponsor a student in desperate need.  He had to move into an orphanage so that his dues where paid.  The crazy thing is that he has a mom.  When Linda and Geoff mentioned that him being sponsored will allow him to move back home, well that was a no-brainer for me.
They come home to visit every summer and we enjoy connecting with them again.  This past summer they were encouraging us to come to visit them.  So, when I heard that CCMC was going to be sending a team to come alongside the family, I felt as if the Lord said that this was our time.  Unfortunately, we were not all able to go.  My youngest two and I were able to travel the 18-24 hours to help.
We were a team of 11 4 adult males, 1 adult female (me), 6 teens (3 girls and 3 boys).  Needless to say I became the team mom.  Not that I minded.
We took about 60 Kenyan teens along with 4 Kenyan leaders plus our group on a teen retreat.  The retreat center we stayed at was 3 hours by bus.  Located in Nakura, Kenya.  The facility was very nice.  Dorm style rooms, with leader rooms located at the end of the hallway.  Plus the use of the owners guest house.
There are so many words I can use here to describe the time we had those 4 days on the retreat.  The best way to sum it up is this:  God used all the talents of our team so well, that it was such affirmation and confirmation that we were meant to be there then.
After the retreat we were able to have a thanksgiving meal with 29 of us.  Such sweet memories from that celebration.
We culminated our time with Kid's Club.  A program that serves 250+ children around CCOR.  At Kid's Club they receive Chai and lunch as well as many songs about Jesus and of course a bible teaching.  We were able to bring a craft with us for them to enhance the story of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist found in Mark 1:1-11.  The ages that attend go from 2 years to 17 years.  Such a huge under taking but so very rewarding.  It was an honor to be a part of the team.

Here is a photo of our team with the Simpson Family

Route 56

Our church has a group that meets once a month for 5th and 6th graders. It was started the year Ste was in 6th grade. That was 5 years ago. Well due to various leaders being called away to other ministry the group was running for the last year with no head leaders. Bill and I started praying and felt The Lord calling us to step up and take control of His group. We are excited to see what God has in store for us. Sunday was our first meeting. While we only had 4 kids attend, we know God was present.