Where in the world...

So what have I NOT been doing?? Sewing, crafting, riding my horses, blogging. What have I been up to? Working for HFH, keeping up with my excercise (although not as intensely as I'd like) and trying to finish out the last tidbits of school with my kiddos.

Historically, summer has always been our busiest season at HFH. When I realized we were once again entering the hectic cycle, I figured I had two choices - buck up and deal with it (and help) or say 'no' and grab that time for myself, my hobbies, etc. Thankfully with God's grace I have found some additional time to devote to HFH this summer. The reward has been meeting some precious new moms and helping my husband in the work that he is so devoted to - he amazes me with his dedication! Even when he's having to do things that I know aren't his favorite, he presses on and honors God with his discipline.

Tomorrow, we leave to go spend some time in NY with my mother-in-law and the rest of Mark's family. We will take your prayers - we will arrive thursday at the cottage, and this is the first overnight this year that anyone will have spent there since Gary passed away. We are looking forward to helping Margaret get settled in to what we know is the new "normal" - one that none of us want to deal with but with God's grace we will see it through.

At the end of our time in New England we will make a quick trip to Boston to see our precious and long-time friends Annie and Adam, to visit Eli VanZanten and his family, and to spend a bit of time at L'abri Fellowship in Southborough, MA. L'abri. AHHHH. Enough said. Some of you may know that we have modeled some of what we do here at HFH after the L'abri model. Mark will need to drag me home (I love Memphis, really I do!!). We would appreciate your prayers for our summer trip and I will try to post some pictures while we are away.

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Rejoice!

Happy Birthday Poppy Joe!!! We love you.

Hi all!

I intended to write a post today to ask for your prayers. Although I would still love it if you would pray, primarily I would love to share how God is meeting Mark and I right in the midst of trouble this day.

First of all, I won't go into great detail, but Mark and I are experiencing stress and pressure in really all areas of our ministry life right now. We have children that we have loved dearly that are in the process of dying, we are at that point in the year when churches renew their funding (and with the economy we know our funding will likely decrease), we are experiencing some struggles within our team...and yet some great advances as well. Of course, as we close in on the holidays, we are missing Gary (Mark's dad) more every day. I can't begin to imagine how Margaret must feel - and it hurts us to be away from her.

Yesterday, Gretchen posted a few new items she had created that were for sale. I quickly contacted her and told her I wanted to purchase this:























I just love it, and it gave me joy right away. And just to know that my sweet friend made it makes it all the better. Last night, when Mark came home from his men's group, he grabbed my OLD Streams in the Desert devotional off the shelf. He had bought it for me when I was pregnant for bella. We read through some of the prayers that I had written in there several years ago, and it gave us peace. This morning, I grabbed it off the bedside table and found this for November 20:

Blessed is he that waiteth. Daniel 12:12

Wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keeps you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.

Obviously the waiting part is so timely, but this: "the vision shall come and shall not tarry" is taken from Habbakuk 2:3, which happens to be one of the verses the Lord spoke to Mark through a Garifuna woman in Honduras in 2005 (call mark if you want to hear that story!).

And then I sat down and read over Mark's shoulder; he has been faithful to move forward in reading the bible cover to cover this year. The Psalm today was Psalm 118:19-27

Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.
The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

So I wake this morning knowing that the Lord is with us, that He reigns, and His peace and rest is with me.

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Help bring home Joshua Jones Carroll

Our friends Ashleigh and John Carroll have been led for some time to glorify Christ by growing their family through adoption. They are in the process of adopting a baby from Memphis that should be born close to December 20th. They are asking for our help for adoption fees for their new little man.

Please visit the site here to help bring home Baby Jones!

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Be Kind

Found this on Abraham Piper's blog. Love it.

Be a Kinder Calvinist

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Just a couple of peaceful reminders...

One of my favorite sections of scripture; (and one that I am leaning heavily on tonight!)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:18-25

And just a neat little missive Mark saw recently on a piece of art:

Live with intention
Walk to the edge
Continue to learn
Do what you love

blessings to you!

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WooHoo!! We made it!

Thank you so much for your prayers! We made it - fell into bed about midnight, and this morning feeling like the time change is giving us some margin. Today, we will make breakfast for the family downstairs, take them to church with us, and then have the day to relax (until I meet with my community group tonight!). I am really hoping to CREATE something today - have lots of fabric I need to cut. Just found this today...love it!!!!

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HFH Fall Fellowship/FM 5 Year Anniversary

Hi all,
If you happen to read this, I would appreciate your prayers today! In a couple hours we will host the 3rd annual Habitat for Hope Fall Fellowship. At 6:30, we will need to leave the house for a party to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of our church, Fellowship Memphis. The day will be LOTS of fun, but I admit to starting out a little wiped. We had a full day yesterday, and we tought horsey lessons and whatnot on Thursday. I am looking forward to Sunday, already :)!

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Finally, something that makes sense

I've been really careful not to start talking "election" here on the blog, or on the HFH blog. But I've been increasingly troubled by many reactions to this election and the campaigns...so many seem to be driven by foolishness and fear. For the record, it is true that I am STILL UNDECIDED. I have never believed that my faith dictates my allegiance to a particular political stance or party, and lately I have been joking that I am voting for Ron Paul.

I read this today; its an excerpt from Sarah Palin's interview with James Dobson. Its one of the first things I have heard regarding Nov 4 that makes any sense to me at all.

Dobson asked the vice presidential hopeful if she is concerned about John McCain’s sagging poll numbers, but Palin stressed that she was “not discouraged at all.”
“To me, it motivates us, makes us work that much harder,” she told the influential Christian leader, whose radio show reaches tens of millions of listeners daily. “And it also strengthens my faith because I know at the end of the day putting this in God’s hands, the right thing for America will be done, at the end of the day on Nov. 4.”

Amen, Sista! No matter what Nov 5th looks like, God is still in control! It encourages me that this woman truly believes that God's holy purpose will be accomplished, regardless of who wins this election.

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Life as a Vapor

It's been a busy week here at home. Last January, Mark, Andy and I started a program to read the through the bible in a year. The guys are doing really well with it, but I've been slacking (somewhere around the minor prophets??). Recently I picked up this little gem at B&N and have really loved it. The devos are short, but really rich. I have made a habit of reading, mediatating and journaling through it. Love each of you...more soon!

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