This week

Well, this week has been interesting. I will start with today and work my way backwards:

Wednesday: David got invited to go to Happy Hoppers and bounce. He had so much fun and seemed to really come out of his shell. I got my sofa cleaned, I thought it had been ruined. I sat and visited with some ladies at church and ran my ideas about the hospitality house by them. Caleb and Chris did some window shopping today.

Tuesday: Chris' Dad George, came for a visit. It was good to see him. The winds were so strong it blew over our neighbors trampoline. Visited with some neighbors, and got some flax seed to try in our oatmeal.

Monday: Chris had school. Me and the kids went to the grocery store. David really is getting into coupon math. Makes me happy.

Sunday: I was so sick. I had an upset stomach. Finally figured out it was all the green salads I've been eating. Or the whole bowl of guacamole I had the night before. Onions and I aren't friends.

So here is the first part of the week. I might finish the rest of week later. George is in town and will be with us all weekend. David is happy he will be at the basketball game!

THE SWORD

Lately, Abigail has awoken in the middle of the night afraid. For three weeks, we had very little sleep. We prayed with her, Daddy Barron talked with her about not being afraid of the trains signal (3Am horn), and I finally let them sleep in a nest on the floor in our bedroom. This was just not working and I was getting really tired. At scrapbooking Friday night, our youth leaders wife, Nikki, mention that having the girls sleep with their "swords" might do the trick.

Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword,
it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges thoughts
and attitudes of the heart."

We have had 2 peaceful nights sleep!

Aren't they precious holding their Daddy's Bibles all night.

Thoughts for today

Today I was able to stay in our bedroom and have some really quiet time. I sat and read L'Abri. Now, I have to preface these next few comments by saying this...when I read a book, I like to soak it all in. And I like to compare it to the Bible. Well, I am laying in the bed, all snuggled in, and this book really gets to me. This is a real story of the home and community of Edith and Frances Schaffer. Edith has recorded in this book the workings of the hand of God in the hearts, home, and in their lives. She also recorded the impact God had in the lives of the people who came to their home.

I suddenly found myself crying. Not out of a sadness for the struggles they faced, not out of whimsical fairy tale, but out of pure desire. I put the book down and began praying. Praying that God would use us. That He would send the people that needed to hear about Him. I prayed that God would strengthen our faith, that He would continue to show us His will, that we would be available for those in need. I prayed that God would take care of all the details we had yet to know to ask for. I asked Him to begin shaping the hearts of the people we would meet. That the area in which we are to minister would be ripe.

I prayed all this and more. I can't even put into words now, what I was praying. I just know that I opened it all out to the Lord. It was like I had want to talk to the Lord about it for a long time, but couldn't find the words. This time I sat in the quiet of my bedroom and just met with Him. I was flooded with peace and Love. Like a big quilt had covered my cold body and wrapped me up nice and warm. I felt "Cozy".

I kept reading the book, and the more I read the deeper my thoughts went. I saw areas I needed to improve in my life. The kind of example I want to set before my children. The kind of wife I want to be to my husband. The kind of friend I desire to be. It reminded me of a childhood song. The words went something like this: "He's still working on me. To make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth and jupiter and mars. How loving and patient He must be, cause He's still working on me."

Today, my bedroom became my sanctuary. I could have stayed curled up in that room all day. However, in the life of a mother and wife, I made my way out and enjoyed the fellowship of being at home. Surrounded by love, heavenly and earthly. My heart feels so full tonight as I write this . I still have to finish the book, so I will sign off for tonight.

From my home to yours,
Elizabeth

Friday is Fun?!

We had a pleasant Friday. Today Chris was home until his first day back to class at 1:00. We spent the morning resting and lounging. It was so cold outside we just snuggled in. After lunch, we did our school work and our chores. This was followed by taking Chris to work. My parents agreed to watch the kids this evening so that I could go scrapbook with the MOPS moms at church. This is always so much fun. I like the fellowship. I like that we get to catch up with each other. I got home tonight and started thinking about the spiritual part of the scrapbooking that I truly love. I love being able to leave my children a faith-book of how God has worked in our family. I like that while I am scrapbooking I am surrounded by other Moms who are like me. We struggle some days with housework, meals, organizing, keeping the laundry caught up, and all the other daily necessities. But it is nice to know that we want to leave our children with more than a clean house. We desire for them to see the Lord. I know my children will not remember what God provided for them today, but I will keep a count. So that in the days to come my children can proudly declare that God has been ever faithful in their lives. This sure makes scrapbooking more than pictures and stickers. It is good to reflect on why I spend my free time doing this.

These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon

your hearts. Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home and

when you walk along the road, when

you lie down and when you get up.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

RIVENDELL

I had entered into the sanctuary listening to God. I had asked for him to speak to me all morning about his will for us. I was thinking about the soldiers we would come in contact with and how I was having faith in God to lead us in our spiritual walk. I am constantly hungry for what God is trying to tell me in the little things. And then I read this from our pastor "One of the often overlooked aspects of worship is rest. In Tolkein's Lord of The Rings, the hobbits and their friends endure life-threating dangers and then come to Rivendell, the land of the Elves. There they rest and recuperate before their quest calls them forward. Soon all fear and anxiety is lifted. The danger of their mission was not forgotten, but ceased to have the power to overburden them. Health and hope grow strong again."

I really felt like that is one of the desires of our Hospitality House to provide a place for health and hope to grow strong again. I hope our home can be a "Rivendell" for everyone no matter where it is located.

So take some time and find a place to rest in our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The E-Mail

Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent out yesterday.....

Just wanted to send you a quick update by e-mail. After much prayer and consideration Chris and I have applied to be missionaries with Cadence International. Cadence works with military chaplains in assisting their ministries. Chris first became aware of Cadence when he lived in Germany and Cadence had youth pastors to assist the chaplains there. This made a huge impact on Chris' life. Cadence also offers Hospitality House ministry. This is where we feel God calling us. We would offer a home away from home for soldiers and their families. Our ministry would provide bible studies, mom's groups (hopefully a Mops group), day-trips, one-on-one discipleship, evangelism, and fellowship time. We would also provide home-cooked meals. Most of you know that for the last few years we have hosted game night in our home doing some of this very thing. We had a home interview Sunday and it went very well. Please be in prayer for us as we continue with this process.As of right now, our tentative plans are to move back to Phenix City in May. Find a place to rent or if someone has a place to loan us for a few months. We would go to Missionary Orientation , Training, and Commissioning in June. Then we would spend the next few months visiting churches and individuals to raise support. If you would like to see more about Cadence, you can visit their website at www.cadence.org

Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. We are enjoying this time as our chapter in "seminary life" comes to a close. We have made some wonderful friends here that I will truly miss. The sadness of that is lessened by the excitement of what God is doing in our lives for the next chapter.

January is here

Don't have any pictures uploaded right now. I will really try to make that happen. The laptop is on its last legs! So it doesn't function quite like it use to.

Kids are doing great. School has started back for them an we are learning about bees. David is reading very well now. It is amazing how patience with boys really pays off. The girls are busy playing "family" with the boys and their baby dolls. They are constantly cooking and changing diapers. I think they observed a lot while I toted them around as infants!

We are anticipating colder weather this evening and are getting excited that we might have some flurries!

Chris will be starting classes for his last semester next week! Can you believe graduation is less than 4 months away? WOW!

We have decided to be missionaries with Cadence International. Running a hospitality house for soldiers and their families! Please pray for us as we move to Phenix City (short-term) and as we begin raising our support.

Wish I had more to tell you, but that is a good bit of news!

I will keep you posted!