Thankful

Another praise to report this morning...we sold our piano! We had a beautiful ebony Yamaha upright that Abner has reigned over since we moved into our apartment. There was no way, however, that we could haul it all the way to Tabasco without risking serious damage. We put an ad in the Bargain Book (a free publication in the Valley that lists services and items for sale), hoping to get a nibble or two. A gentleman called last week, but our contact was hit and miss. Abner called him again yesterday with the off-chance that he'd still like to come see it. Lo and behold, he calls at 10 pm last night that he's at our apartment complex with his family. They come in, we all chat (very lovely people), he says "Let's close the deal", he writes a check for the piano, and VOILA! Done! He and his wife are both doctors, so I think the check will clear (smile). He said he rarely ever looks in the Bargain Book, but he did on a "whim" last week. Hmmm...thank God for divine "whims", eh? *chuckle*

Another major concern crossed off the moving list!

Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere...

Ok. So does anyone else out there in cyberland care to take more of our stuff off our hands? Just when I think I'm making great progress in clearing out the house, I find there is infinitely more beneath. Now we're getting down to the small knick-knacky stuff that is tedious to deal with. I'm about to throw it all in a box and drop it at the Salvation Army's front door. Actually, we've already taken a giant load to our local S.A. store. -sigh- At least I'm not having to PACK it all just to UNPACK it later. Thank the Lord for small blessings.

In family news - we're heading up to Pleasanton this weekend for my youngest sister's (Kathleen) high school graduation. Melodee is pumped about seeing Gramma and Grampa...not to mention her aunts (and Uncle Taylor) who spoil her rotten. Now we have Kaitlyn to spoil too! It will be great fun. I should have some nice photos to post next week.

The school year is almost over (do I hear a colletive Hallelujah echoing out there?)! I am strangely calm and serene about the usually stressful end of year procedures coming up. Maybe not so strange since it's my last year to deal with them. I will certainly miss my close friends and coworkers, but I know it's time for me to leave. Teaching ESL in Mexico is getting more and more exciting, and I find myself inspired again! It shouldn't take long for me to get some sort of program started in the church. My hope is that it will quickly turn into a free or minimal-cost program for the community, also providing a platform for relational evangelism.

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received, and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."
- Mother Teresa
Amen.

Be blessed, ya'll!

Check it out...

For those of you who, like me, are accutely aware of the increasing presence of Islam in our country and the world, I suggest you check out the blog "Islam and Christianity" I have listed under Favorites. The blogger is a friend of mine from college who has a missionary's heart, is well-versed in Christian apologetics, and who lives in the Middle East. I respect him immensely, and I am certainly the better for having read the provoking thoughts and questions that arise.

If you find, as I have, that you are to some degree or other ignorant about Islamic belief systems and traditions, you may discover that his site is a great starting point for further discovery. He has many links to interesting articles and websites, while discussing important folks involved in the world's dialogue on Islam.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this blog to all of you. We need to be informed in order to have any ability to participate in the discussion with or about the Muslim world. And how can effective evangelism happen unless we know what we're dealing with?

Just A Thought

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?"
- Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451, 1953)

Starting Over

THIS IS MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF MEL

I have begun in earnest to clear out the apartment for the big move. We are selling, throwing, or giving away nearly all of our belongings in order to reduce the load and possible complications of taking a household into southern Mexico. We plan to start fresh once we get down there.

Moving Day #1 will be the week of May 28th. This is when we will be leaving our apartment and moving in with my uncle and aunt for the summer. Our lease was up at the end of May, and rather than spending even MORE on rent this summer (because of the month-by-month cost increase) we decided to save the money. We'll also do some traveling to visit family and friends before we go.

Moving Day #2 will come sometime in September - either the beginning or end. We're trying to figure out the vaccination schedule for Kaitlyn. If we can get them done in Mexico then we'll leave in early Sept. But if we have to get them here we'll leave at the end of the month.

Thanks to our church family at Hosanna, and our families' churches (New Life Outreach and Iglesia Del Pueblo) for helping us with the purchase of the camper for our truck. Hosanna will be pulling together a dynamite BBQ plate fundraiser the first Sunday of June (Thanks for grilling, Brother Juan!) and we're scheduled to speak and minister at Iglesia Del Pueblo on the last Sunday of July. Of course, we'll be popping in to my parents' church New Life Outreach throughout the summer. What a blessing to have so many friends and family supporting us in our ministry and this call. We love you guys!

"Back to Work"

I've returned to work this week. Kaitlyn has been doing really well - gaining weight, going potty, eating well...doing everything she should be. For those of you who were not filled in, she was born at 35 weeks and had to spend two weeks in the Neonatal ICU for oxygen, feeding, and jaundice problems. Thank God she was off the oxygen in about 3 or 4 days. Her little lungs started working full speed on their own. Her sucking reflex, however, took a while to kick in. Her inability to eat well caused her to lose weight (which I know is a normal occurance in any newborn), but it also produced some higher levels of jaundice. There were IV's and feeding tubes being put in and taken out in cycles as she was able or unable to eat on her own.

But she's been home for three weeks and has really gotten the hang of it all! We are so thankful that she had very minor issues compared with so many other premature children. I've been asking God to give me a greater compassion for people. I realized towards the end of Kaitlyn's hospital stay how God had used this situation to do just that. Walking through a Neonatal ICU can be heartbreaking as you see parents coming in and out - sometimes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes months - to see their baby who in some cases is struggling to just survive. It was so difficult for me to turn Kaitlyn over ENTIRELY to the One who created her, and my heart went out to the parents and children who had their own wrenching struggle. As I began to be familiar with some of the babies and parents we saw there on a regular basis I began praying for them and their battle. My eyes were opened to the plight of so many - those who are bedridden or homebound, those endlessly confined to hospital beds, the families of those who are ill ... I have realized due to personal experience why the church must reach out to these. They need special grace and strength to fight and endure. They need the encouragement and support of those whose faith is strong and ready to stand with them in battle. I pray that God continues to open my heart towards others in new ways.

I'm going to try AGAIN to get a picture up of Kaitlyn. For some reason my photos are not uploading to the site. If anyone has any suggestions please share!

Love to all