Our Family Circus

Friday afternoons I get to hang out with some pretty cool people for English class.  This class is not required for anyone, for anything, and there is no accountability to be there.   It allows for us to have fun together and does not demand a scope and sequence which makes it fun to teach too! Recently, in class, I talked a bit about social rules for Americans.   There are many visitors to the mission and probably just as many eager students who want to practice speaking English.  I recall being approached by them when we first moved here and feeling a bit uncomfortable.   Funny enough, I asked two female interns about how they felt because my initial feeling of discomfort are gone and well, this is my normal now. We talked about "personal bubbles," approaching a man vs. approaching a woman, touching or not touching....just STUFF that is cultural that we don't even think about.   I will confess that sometimes when we discuss American culture, I find myself considerin

In February 2014, there was a children's conference in KY.   My heart was heavy the entire weekend. My Dear had taken the children to NC to visit grandparents while I was away.   We were trying to cushion our children during a difficult time but My Dear and I knew I should continue with my plans. I sat in a seminar and the speaker shared about a child that was a part of her children's ministry.  Shelby had a passion for raising funds so kids in Haiti could go to camp.   I listened to how she walked along side of this child and fostered her passion. After the session, I waited for the classroom to clear out.   I stepped forward to talk with Missy, the speaker.   My voice began to shake as I held a secret that was wrecking my heart.   My friend Fay was with me and I had already shared my secret with her....in fact, the Lord had spoken to Fay before He spoke to me.  The Lord knew I would need this as one day Fay told me she was praying for me....her sister-in-law had just sa

I have learned there is no consistency to what my day of rest might look like.   Today's was very different but I can honestly say, it was a good day! Snoozed the alarm 3 times for church.  You should know that I am not a "snoozer."  This was not a good start. Instructed the big kids last night to set their alarms.   Fussing to prepare for church is no longer an issue for me.  They do it themselves and if they are not there when it starts, there are consequences in the area of their free time.  THIS is liberating for me!  And big sister woke little sister for me...who had a new dress so you only had to tell her once to get ready. We came home from church and read a chapter in our book together and prayed. I put on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt.  It felt like spring here today but our concrete house is much like a cave.  I have to wear a skirt anytime I leave our housing area.   Few businesses are open on Sunday or at least have limited hours so I rarely

So it is has been a few days....meaning like almost 100 of them, but the time never really came for me to write what the Lord showed me about my word.  As I was writing the other post, it just got longer and I got tired of writing so I knew you would tire of reading.  Speaking of tired, the word the Lord gave me is REST. I am reclaiming my Sabbath.  The Lord didn't suggest a Sabbath, He instructed it, demanded it.   I have been sinning not following His leadership in this area.  My day is Sunday since we school Monday-Friday and I work on Saturdays.   Resting is not doing that thing that drains you.  For me, schooling and cleaning are draining.  I would much rather read and play games with my family. You know what I noticed when I rested, I like me.   Not only did I like me, I liked everyone else too!   RESTING has not exactly worked out for me each weekend when I tried.   The first 2 weekends were great!  I had to prepare in advance for my "day off."   It meant sandw

We are heading to the states in a couple of days.   We have taken our furlough time the past 2 summers.  BUT as we looked at the calendar, we were asked to submit possible furlough times.   It was difficult to find a time we could go out with our obligations.   There was nothing on the calendar for the month of February.   Of course there is stuff going on but nothing additional to our already busy lives.   My Dear said, "So what about going out in February?"   My response was, "We don't have clothes for that!"   Well, guess what, we are heading north for winter....we are backward snowbirds! Nana did some shopping and we have clothes waiting on us!  Billy's suitcase was the funniest...2 pairs of pants.   Hi-waters are not popular I hear!   Thank you God for growing children. Here is our schedule for our time out.   Feb. 5th      Murfreesboro morning service Feb. 19th    Lexington  morning service                    Paris evening service If you ne

For almost 10 years,  the Lord has called me to "a word."  It is not a resolution but could be.  What I have learned is, the Lord gives me the word and then leads me through a season of that word.  There have been times that I knew my world was about to turn upside down like 2014 when we would move to Haiti.  The word was CHANGE.   Little in our lives would stay the same.  I knew change was coming....and a lot of it! Years before that, the Lord called me to LESS....less stuff in our home, less debt, less weight, you get the idea.  I did not expect for the Lord to call me out in other areas like the LESS baggage area when He flipped my heart upside down and called me out on junk I was hauling around in my heart.   It was a year of liberation!    I see how it prepared me for all that would follow. In 2015, my pal left Haiti.  The Lord called me to SWIM.  Truth is, it was a sink or swim situation.   I was dependent on her for culture, language, and all of the who, what,