This is the song that never ends!

A week ago the kids were singing the same phrase of the same song over and over and by the time Rob and I had had enough we decided that instead of quenching any spirits by screaming at them to "SHSHUUUUUTTTT UUUUUUPPPPPP!" we would sing for them.  Robby, Jack, and Ahna were all singing together and this is a very rare occurrence. So Rob and I started singing "This is the song that never ends".  Our children started cracking up and after a few rounds they all started singing with us. Memories. What made that song famous? Well "Lamb Chops" of course.  What do I remember about "Lamb Chops"? FRIENDSHIP. That's what I remember. Making friends, keeping friends, forgiving friends, caring for friends, etc. I wish tv for my kids was more like "Lamb Chops".

Anyway as Christians, friendships are precious, and even more so. I'll tell you why I think so. Friendship in the church is a brotherhood or sisterhood. You have a connection that is heavenly.  And when the other person is not a christian the whole purpose of that friendship is to make sure that friend goes to heaven with you. That is what we want with all our friends. We know that this isn't the only life we have, we'll all have eternal life in Christ with our creator.  We don't have to worry about where we are going when we die.

The first time I felt the connection that Christians have with one another was the summer of 2001. I guess you can say that it was the first time I felt part of "the Body". I went on a missions trip to Kenya and met some of the most diverse and awesome people ever. Ranging from 14 years old to 19 years old, I was only 15 and turned 16 while we were there. The only connection we had was Christ and wanting to do something for Him. By the end of the summer we didn't just become friends,  we were a family. We prayed for each other, we held each other, we ate together, we washed clothes together, we picked on each other. Through rain, wind, mud, morter,  stone, african dive bombing bees, bulldozing goats,  life saver steeling monkeys, mesquitos,   malaria, and more, we grew and became brothers and sisters in Him. I can't believe that it's been 10 years since we met and spent the summer together. I met my best friend, my future husband and father of my children. I walked away from that summer wandering what God was going to do with my life.  Wow what 10 years has brought.  I am excited because a reunion is in the works and to find out what God is doing in the lives of the 28 people that went to Kenya that year will be awesome. I love you all so much and I thank God all the time for the call He gave us that year. That and that we answered the Call.

One of my favorite memories that year was of Tyson and Robert. I had to use the squatty and Tyson and Rob decided that it would be funny to pick me up and swing back and forth, Rob had my hands and Tyson had my feet. Back and forth they went until I laughed so hard and screamed "I have to pee, I have to pee!"  I thought that was it when they put me down I started running toward the bathroom. NOOOO Tyson had to grab me, pick me up, and throw me over his shoulder. With his shoulder in my stomach, pressing on my just about to explode bladder, he started running toward the cliff. Is this something that a brother would do? Yes and I'm glad he was my brother for the summer. I miss you all and I can't wait to catch up.

meg

Rain Rain Go Away!

Life is hard let's face it. They say that God only gives you what you can handle but do you ever feel that God must think a lot more highly of you than you do of yourself? I'm a mom with 4 kids all of life is bit more complicated with 4 kids in tow. It takes longer to do everything and since Jason was born I was always 15 minutes late to everywhere. I wouldn't give up being 15 minutes late for anything I love my children they are awesome! Today they actually made my life a little easier by keeping themselves occupied. Rob has not 1 but 2 hernias in the most painful of places. Due to us moving and trying to get insurance here in MD he has to wait to have surgery. So our life as we know it is at a stand still. I have been having trouble with a broken tooth that keeps abscessing regardless of antibiotics and the insurance issue is a problem there as well. It's just ironic that it all happened right after we got here and there is nothing we can do but wait.

Today's Rain was Jack getting hives after eating 3 shrimp. Well if anyone get's an allergy it's him, he is a lot like his aunt Erin in the allergy department. Rob can't do anything it hurts to get up and walk to the kitchen not to mention bending over.

I feel like the thunderstorms that happen here. It doesn't just drizzle for awhile with it being overcast and then dwindle away. Here, the clouds build up, roll in, and dump for an hour. I've never ever seen it rain this hard in my life. The thunder that explodes overhead and the lightning that flashes? It makes everyone in the house go silent. The house shakes and the sky (at night) turns white for a split second.  The other night that's what my emotions did, when Rob was sent home from the hospital with just some pain meds. I lost it. It wasn't necessarily  loud but boy did I dump and light up. The tears sure rained down and what calmed my storm? Rob whispering in my ear "I don't want to be going through this but I'm glad I'm going through this with you." What keeps my inner storm calm? Robby (the next day) climbing up in my lap giving me a kiss and saying "Mommy I love you".  It's crazy to feel God's presence in the arms of my 7 year old.

I know God doesn't give us more than we can handle. He also gives us ways out and we're watching for them. But He also gives us times where we break so that we can rely more on Him instead of ourselves.
In brokenness we are strong in Him.  I am learning to praise Him for my times of brokenness.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the Rain. Without storms we wouldn't know what calm is. I thank You for the smell of Your creation after a storm, in it's freshness and newness, after receiving a much needed refreshing drink of Your grace and love. Thank You for the arms of my husband and the arms of my children as small as they are they help me feel the physical presence of Your grace and love.
In Your Sons Name,
Amen

Steps :)

Our new house has steps and already they are making memories. Oh how I have missed California but steps are important in life and they are crucial or you get stuck in a rut. I've been trying to avoid ruts and that's one reason why we moved to Md.  We took a huge step I think it was more like a mountain than a step. I feel like I personally walked away from an amazing church family and avoided an amazing rut. In this past weeks sermon I heard a missionary say that "Go" is not the commandment in "The Great Commission" but the commandment was to "make disciples".  In the Greek term "Go" it means "in your going" make disciples. How do I translate this information? This means to me that when I am going through life I should be developing new relationships and not only bringing people to the Lord but discipling them all a long the way. In the same Sunday we were looking at defining discipling we did this in Sunday school.  Discipling - to invest oobers amount of time in someone so that they may in return go and do it for someone else all in the name of Christ. I think one of the reasons why we had to move was because I was to comfortable. I look back and I realize that I was to comfortable putting all my focus in to the Church. I am a mission minded person and I haven't been acting like it. I should have been getting out of my comfort zone and getting involved in my community. I should have found someone outside of my church to invest time in.  So I'm stepping out!

          Robert is dreading our steps. He has 2 hernias and they are at the very bottom of the triangle at his groin. It's painful to do everything but lie down. The steps are only making them worse. Rob has made some headway. Is he worried about the Lord providing while he is laid up? No! another huge step.

       To end my note I am going to tell you that there is no other feeling like when you're hanging out on the couch and you look up and your baby is going bumpity bump down the stairs. Jason who is 17 months old had figured out how to open his bedroom door after his nap today. He was coming down the steps on his butt because his legs are to short. I started hearing the thump thump thump from his diaper covered bottom.
STEPS!!!!