Turning the Page

In September of 2011, as a family we started writing a new chapter in our story. We became the parents of Matthew. He was 5 years old, almost 6, and he had the sweetest smile. Soon we would come to realize that there were some deep emotional issues and try as we would, love and a stable home environment would not solve them. We sought help in many different ways… spent $1,000’s on therapy and testing. 

Not sure what to do or where to turn, we kept trusting God, to direct our steps. We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had led us in this adoption and so we kept holding on to that truth… trusting that He who started it would complete it. 

In 2018 we had to make a sudden and abrupt move back to the US. That fall we knew something had to change and we didn’t know what or how. Tony ended up walking into our local elementary school and an amazing school counselor sat down with him and with a heart full of empathy, compassion and kindness talked to him and encouraged him. The next week we enrolled him in school. This was a struggle for me. I had totally believed that because of his special needs, the best education he would get would be through homeschooling, and to enroll him into school felt like a failure to me… like I failed. I wasn’t good enough. BUT, God, had some amazing teachers and a principal at that school and they patiently met with us on countless times, walked us through things we had no understanding of, because none of our kids had gone to public school in the US. He had one amazing Special Ed teacher that loved him and pour her heart and soul into him. She worked so hard and did everything possible to get him into a special high school. She still texts from time to time to just see how he is doing. 

During those years he had more and more outbursts at home. Things were becoming alarmingly unstable in the home. Law Enforcement had to come out to our home multiple times because of the fear of Matthew hurting himself or him hurting a family member. In 2019 he spent a week in a physch hospital, there he was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder or RAD, among a few other things. When he got out he went to a therapist twice a month.  Things would be up and down. After he ran away and  was gone over night and another call with law enforcement we were encouraged to call DCS. 

I will admit to being very unsure about calling them. Aren’t they the people that take children away from bad parents? But after speaking to some counselors we called. I understand that different people have different experiences, but Tony and I only have the upmost praise for every person we dealt with that worked for DCS in our town. These people went above and beyond the call of duty. We spent 9 months with Matthew “in care” we had a therapist come to our house twice a week, for one on one counseling. We tried multiple options for therapy, including horse therapy. He was part of a special program from Vanderbilt. He had multiple physical exams. And even some genetic testing… he also finally was given a physch evaluation, where the formal diagnosis of RAD, Autism, and a couple other things were made and put in writing. Then his case was officially closed. 

Things continued. I will be honest and say there were good days and there were bad days. The amount of stress in our home was intense. You never knew when something was going to happen. Our other children slept with their doors locked. Tony and I slept with our door locked. Our daughter spent the majority of her time locked in her room when he was home, because she was afraid of what he might do. Our older son experienced a severe burn as a result of an out of control emotional outburst from Matthew, that saw him spend 10 days on the burn unit at Vanderbilt and two years of surgeries and therapies. 

In August of 2021, there was another major incident. It involved our family being interviewed by FBI officers. Then Matthew being interviewed. As a result of that interview he ended back in a physch hospital and it was at that time that we knew for his safety and for the safety of our family he could not live at home. It was heart wrenching… it was a time of again feeling like complete failures. BUT God, again had people lined up… 

We were encouraged to get a lawyer. God brought us together with I believe the top family lawyer in our area. He is a Christian man, loves Jesus with all his heart and knows what he is doing. He gently and expertly walked us through the process. Again going above and beyond to help us through. Our CPS case worker was amazing. She helped us with all the paperwork, but worked so hard to try and find a place for Matt, to go directly from the hospital… when that wasn’t possible we had to sign custody over to the State. We were scared. We felt guilty. We felt like we had failed as parents, BUT, again we were gently, and compassionately led. When Matt switched from CPS to DCS we had a meeting where we met his new case worker. After it was all said and done, After I had broken down in the meeting trying to explain everything that had happened and why he couldn’t live at home. I will never forget his case worker was sitting at the opposite end of the table from me. She said, “look at me.” And I did. She then said, “you are a good parent! A good parent does what is best for their child, even when it is hard. You have chosen to do this, not because it is easy, not because it is the way you wanted it to be, BUT because it is the BEST for your son! Don’t ever forget that and don’t let anyone else tell you different!” 

So for the last 21 months Matthew has not lived at home. He has lived in Jackson, TN. We made the 4 1/2 hour trip out to Jackson when we could. It was not as often as we would have liked but we are thankful that we were allowed and encouraged to remain a part of his life. 

His case worker and her supervisor have been nothing but kind, encouraging, and have literally walked us through these difficult months. 

Last week Matthew moved from DCS care into an amazing adult program, called “CHOICES”... He moved from Jackson to a place just 2 hours away from us. He has a comfortable place to live, competent and encouraging people helping him, and cheering him on. He will be helped to find a job or do some more training.  Being closer to us, means that we can more easily visit him. 

Last night Matthew went back to Jackson, one last time to walk in his High School Graduation. This is a milestone that many (including myself to be honest) didn’t know if he would achieve. He talked many times about dropping out of school. So the fact that he accomplished this milestone is first thanks to our Loving Heavenly Father’s  answers to our prayers… and 2nd to people from his home in Jackson who spent countless hours working with him and for all the teachers at his high school who put in the time and effort, above and beyond the call of duty to help him. And, for his amazing teachers back at Brown Elementary during his 7th and 8th grade years that believed in him and worked so hard with him and with us. 

I am so thankful to the amazing team we had at DCS who made it their mission and goal to make sure we were kept in the loop and encouraged that we were in fact Matthew’s parents and that just because we had to sign custody over to them, we never lost that standing. 

I am thankful that Tony and I were allowed and encouraged to be at his graduation. While there are a lot of mixed feelings and there has been so much emotional drama over the last years, I am grateful that Matthew accomplished this milestone and I pray that he will make good choices going forward with the guidance and support of good caring people. I am thankful at this point we can still be a part of his life. So this chapter comes to a close and we turn the page to start a new one. 

Many times life takes twists and turns you don’t see coming. Many times you get in the middle of hard things and you wonder if you are going to survive or if there is anything good that can come from this? I am here to tell you, yes, you will survive. Yes, God has a plan and while you may not understand it or even see your way through it , He will never leave you! He will never forsake you. He loves you! He has always loved you, He never left you, He will NEVER leave you! Trust the Writer of your story. 

 GROW...

Back in January I shared that my word for this year was "Grow"... and then I had different areas I wanted to apply that to.  Well, one of them was "Grow Healthy"... I will be honest and say, this is probably one of the hardest one I chose to focus on this year.  I love to host, I love to cook, I love to eat, I'm not crazy about dieting and I definitely don't like exercise. LOL!

But, early in March, my husband and I started to talk about the need to both get healthy.  And we started making a plan.  The month of March was pretty crazy for us, with traveling, (we went to Chile, then to a conference in North Carolina and then to a conference in Florida.) Then the first week of April we had a birthday celebration for our son and Easter... so I tried to think practically and not plan a huge dietary change, that was destined to fail right off.  BUT, we made plans, and we just finished a 2 week "detox", that involved no sugar and no starches or grains.  I was a little skeptical about how it was going to work, but we both did amazingly well.  We didn't feel overly hungry and I wasn't craving sweets all the time. 

A big test for me was attending a small group, where there was delicious looking homemade cookies and not really being tempted to eat any. I mean they looked amazing, and I hope to try them when/if they are shared again, but that night, I felt like it was not super hard for me to stay away from them.  Then we took dinner to our Daughter's when my grand daughter came home from the hospital and I made a pan of brownies.  They looked amazing too, but I didn't have problem not eating them, and just this past Friday, when the grandkids came over, I helped my grandson make some "cake mix" cookies, and again, while they smelled great, it wasn't a huge tempation.  SO, not exactly sure why that was, but I'm thankful for it, and we were able to stick to the plan.  

Today starts a new step, where we will add some things in moderation, and see how it goes.  My main goal is to not gain weight... So we will see.  I expect the weight loss to slow down, hoping to manage about a pound or 2 a week, as long as we are doing that, we will continue adding things in moderation, and continue to learn to make healthier choices and cook healthier.  I think if we start gaining we will just back off again, and go back to a few days of our stricter plan.  

I want this to become easier and just a part of life... a new way to eat and look at cooking.  A "lifestyle change."... So we aren't really counting calories, or worrying about that... We are watching our portion sizes, and working on making good choices. 

Hoping to be on the road to Growing Healthy!

Behind the Scenes...

Have you ever scrolled through social media, and seen all the different photos posted of other families celebrations and thought, "Man, they are amazing!  I don't know how they have it so together!  I wish I could be more like that... they even have decorations, and everything!" 

I have always been one that likes to make a "big deal", about any celebration, holiday, birthday whatever.  Yesterday when I posted our little family Valentine's Party, I got a few really nice comments, and some "wow" faces.  But, I got to thinking as I was looking through my "photo album" last night, that it only told "part of the story".   

Today, I'm going to give you the other side.  

When we went to Ecuador back in 1991, (yeah, I'm that old!)  I took some "party decorations"... paper table clothes, "Happy Birthday" banners, etc.  Holiday napkins...  you get the picture. Everytime, I used the table clothes, I would cover them with clear plastic, and when we were done, I would carefully, fold them up and put them back in my "drawer of holiday/birthday decorations".  

As the years, went by, we started being about to get more and more things in Ecuador, but I would often, still bring in decorations, and if they could possibly be re-used, even better.  Because of this, I always had a "stash" of stuff, (including cookie sprinkles for the different seasons...  We have been back in the US for almost 5 years. (that in itself is hard to believe! But that's for another post) I still find myself "forgetting to get things in time"... I went to get Valentine stuff for my Sunday School class 2 weeks ago and saw they were putting out Easter decorations, etc.  I thought then, "you need to get out and figure out what you want for the family".  But, of course other things happened, and I totally forgot to do that, until I was making my Grocery Pick-up order on Monday evening!! I realized, there was no more "Valentine Candy", no more "Valentine napkins or plates"...  I purchased some other candy, and food for a pretty simple, normal meal, and Tony picked it my order yesterday morning.  I then went looking in my "junk closet" through the bin, labeled, "other holidays, etc." Sure enough, I found 8 Valentine napkins, I had saved from last year, or the year before or the year before that! LOL!  I found a pack of un-opened dessert plates... I found 3 little Valentine balloons, and a couple red and pink clear glass bud vases, I had picked up at Dollar tree one year, along with a plastic heart shaped bowl...  I also found used, Valentine gift bags... (see that missionary, living in a 3rd world country, who says, " you know that is still in great shape, I can use that again"... still comes in handy! LOL! 

My sweet hubby braved the store, (30 feet in, to grab me some flowers and a balloon, for my Valentine)... 

The dinner was a joint effort with my Husband, daughter and myself.  The cake was a cake mix I had before and store bought frosting... (yes, homemade is better, but honestly no one noticed or cared. :) I spent about an hour or less, playing around with the table decor, grabbing flowers from vases around the house, to match... Fixing up "valentine gift bags or candy".   (the most expensive things I bought for the party, was probably the candy! LOL!) 

I just wanted to share, that it's not about having it "all together" or "being perfect"...  we literally threw that together yesterday, and I did other stuff, too.  It's about looking around at what you have, what can you do with it and how can you turn, the "ordinary" into something special.  

One of my daughters, shared about how she turned a dinner of French Toast and deli ham into a special Valentines Dinner when she was a new mom and didn't have extra... BUT, that has become a traditional Valentine dinner for them.  

Does it take some creativity, yep, you bet.  BUT, don't tell me you couldn't do it because you aren't creative.  Most of my ideas come from looking at Pinterest. (years ago it came from looking through magazines) I hardly every do what I see there, but it gives me ideas... I love trying to use what I already have, or if I need to purchase something, my favorite place for decorations, etc, is the Dollar Tree! LOL!  I'm not a person, that can go into a Dollar Tree, and get "inspired"... but if I've already been looking at different ideas, I can go in and find things, that I can make work.  Hope that made sense. LOL

So as you scroll through social media, and see other peoples fun celebrations, remember that there is always a "Behind the Scenes".  :)

Word of the Year

 Are you a goal setter?  What about the idea of picking a "word" for the year?  I have only been doing this for about 4 years now.  I don't know if there is a right or wrong way to go about it... and I don't always just have a word... sometimes it's a phrase.

So I have had,  "Be Present", "Fear Not", (used this one twice) & "Grace".  

This year, the word that kept coming to me was "Grow".  So I have decided to choose it as my main, over-all word, but add words for focus...

Grow Spiritually

Grow in Intentionality

Grow Creatively

Grow more Healthy

I have felt like for awhile since, moving back to the US suddenly, that I have spent most of the time, "surviving"...walking through the steps of grief...Grief of the loss of a parent, the loss of my life, my identity as I knew it.  Trying to help my family through the whole process too.  Just getting through from day to day, seemed like all that I could really do or focus on.  There seemed to be so little time, or energy to do other things. 

So this year, I have decided to pick up some things that I let slip...

I want to intentially, work on growing more organized, making better use of my time.  

To grow more creatively by taking time each week to do creative things that I have always enjoyed, but not just do them, learn and improve my skills in each area.  

To grow spritually, by taking more time to study and prepare to share with others.

I don't believe that God ever intended us to just "survive" through this life.  I know that as we go through hard times, that is enough, and He gives us grace and helps us through them, but that is not where we are suppose to stay.  I don't want to just "survive" I want to grow and thrive. 

As I work on my goals this month for the year, those are the thoughts that I want to be promient, in my mind.  Does this goal, help me to grow in these areas?

What Goals are you setting for this year? 

 Out with the Old...

2022, is over, and 2023 is set to begin.  There was something always a bit sad to me as a kid, when I would think about the year ending.  I'm not exactly sure why... maybe it was just this sense that I needed to stop and reflect on all that had been, before I could embrace the new.

Having spent 31 years as missionaries in Ecuador, I became quite familiar with the sadness of "good-byes" and the joy of the "hellos"...  I learned that it was natural to try and guard your heart from the pain of the "good-bye"... to "check-out", before, and not let yourself feel that hurt, but I also learned that if I allowed myself to do that, I missed out on so much.  So I worked hard to be "present" till the last "good-bye" was said, and yes, there was definitely pain and hurt, but there were way fewer regrets, because I knew that I had allowed myself to be loved and to love on the people that were there in that moment. 

So I have been applying those same principals to ending the old year and starting the new.  To be totally present and to remember.  So what are some of the highs and lows of 2022...

Our son Teddy moved to a city about 1 1/2 hours away from us.  I am so proud of him, as I have watched him grow and serve.  He is always learning and serving someone.  There are several stories I could share, but they are his stories so I will just leave it that I'm one proud Momma. 

We experienced what it was like to "go to court" and are so very thankful for the amazing Christian lawyer and Christian caseworkers God has placed in our path.

Tony made  trips to Peru and Belize, and both of us were able to make a trip to back to Manta!  I have to say that was definitely a highlight for me! 

We continued to teach 4th grade Sunday School at our church and that has been a joy.  There is just something exciting to see kids get excited about spiritual things and open up their eyes to the work of Missions around the world.

I have enjoyed sharing the teaching load for the Kids 4 Truth group time, and this past Fall Tony joined in taking care of the game time during Kids 4 Truth.

In March, Tony and I traveled to MO, where we had the priveledge of teaching in a Marriage Conference and we also enjoyed spending time with one of our daughters and her family.  (Nana, definitely loves all the time she can get with the grandkids!)

Our daughter, Ashley and her family came for a visit in August and that was fun time.  Love having time with my grandkids, but also love watching them having "cousin time" together.  The house was full, but it was a fun time.

Also in August our daughter, Carla, started her working at the church in the Mother's Day Out program. This was a big deal for her, and it has been such an amazing experience for her.  

In September we had the joy of traveling the Michigan, and visiting with long time friends, and partners. When we first became went to Ecuador in 1988, our sending church was in Michigan.  On the way back home we had the joy of stopping in Ohio and visiting with our daughter, Amanda and her family.  

In October, we got to make a short trip over to NC, to visit our good friends the, Wells!  Joe and Sylvia were like Grandparents to my kids while they were growing up in Ecuador.  It was such a joy to get to spend a couple days with them. 

The trip to Ecuador was in November... 

Then we had the blessing of hosting Thanksgiving with our family here.  

Christmas this year has been different, but that is ok.  I realized early on that without really realizing it we had moved from one season in our life to another. (Isn't it odd, how that happens and there isn't like a big warning or annoucement... you just realize things have changed.) Anyway, our daughter, Lexi and her family had the opportunity to travel to MO to be with Jonathan's family for Christmas, so we had Christmas with them on the 18th.  What I realized this year, was that we didn't have "kids" in the house anymore...  I know Teddy and Carla are just a year older than they were, but Teddy having moved out and Carla now 19 and working and Matt not here... so many of the traditions, (which I loved watching my older daughters do with their own children) were not really relevant anymore. So I realized I could do a couple different things.  I could be sad, and mourn the changes... I could just not do any of the things, that we had always done... or I could embrace the change, do things that I wanted to do, but also rest and focus on the joy of the season.  

I decided, I would decorate the house... honestly I did do less than I have in the past, but anyone coming in and looking would not realize it! Only if you saw the tubs of full decorations that weren't used would you know that I had chosen to do less. LOL!  I baked some cookies.  Not tons, but all our favorites.  I had my two Grandkids that live near us, here to do some baking and they decorated little gingerbread houses.  I decided, I wanted to make a gingerbread house, so I did, and then gifted it to some friends in our church that have 5 children.  I read my advent devotional everyday,  hung my ornament on the tree, and looked forward with anticipation to Christmas.  I honestly feel like it is one of the best Christmases we have had, Not that we ever really had any "bad Christmas"... but, I feel like we were able to greet this "new season" in our lives, with joy.  

There are so many other things that happened, that I didn't write about, but I feel like we had a really good year... ups and downs like everyone, but I feel very blessed to have been here to experience it, and to grow and learn.  

What are things things that jump out at you when you look back over 2022?  Can you count your blessings? Is the glass half full or half empty? 

You just never know...

Sorry to be silent for so long on here.  On Monday morning, March 26, my sweet mother, suffered a massive stroke at her home in Tennessee.  My 15 year old son, had just arrived on the Friday evening before, to spend 2 weeks with his grandparents to help out with some yard work and things they needed done.  The last thing she said to my son, as she was in the ambulance, but before they put the oxygen mask on her, was that she loved him and grandpa, and not to worry because the worst thing that could happen to her, was that she was going to go see Jesus.

On Wednesday morning about 9:00, My husband and 2 younger children and I, arrived to TN from Ecuador.  The next days are a total blur, as we stayed by her bedside, and prayed for God to preform a miracle for us.  He chose instead to take her home to glory about 7:00am, Tuesday Morning April 3. That really was a miracle for her, as she was now in the presence of her Lord and all her loved ones that had gone on before her. 

For the last months, my family and I have been in the States, on an "unexpected furlough", helping my Dad, and seeking God's will for our future.

This time has taught me so many things.  One of them is that grieving is definitely a process, and I don't believe you ever "get over" the loss of a dear one... you may be able to breathe a bit easier with time but I don't believe the sense of loss will ever really go away.  There are times I can think about my Mom and smile or even laugh at a sweet memory, and there are other times when I will be going about my day, and an unexpected memory will pop up and literally take my breath away, and I will have tears rolling down my cheeks.  I am sure people are looking at me strangely as I am sitting in the Captain D's with tears rolling down my cheeks because I just remembered that I had sat at "that table with Mom".... or the people that pass me in the grocery and wonder why I am crying in the produce section of the store.   It is just part of it, and it hits at the most "random" times, it seems.

I have learned that I have a choice.  I can be angry at God for "doing this to me", or I can choose to trust Him, as my Good, Good Father, and know that he is at work in my life and that all that he does is for my good and His Glory.  In saying that, I don't mean that losing my Mom was "good", BUT, I do believe that God uses it for His good in my life.  Everything He does is to bring me closer to him, and form me into the image of His Son.  I can either choose to accept that, and cooperate with him, or I can fight it.

People ask me all the time, "What are you going to do?" Well, I'm going to get up tomorrow morning, if God gives me tomorrow.  I am going to do what he places in front of me to do tomorrow, and I am going to walk the path he leads me on.  Do I know what tomorrow holds, or next week, or next month, or next year?  NO!  I do not.  If I have learned one thing through this whole time, it is this.  No one knows what a day will bring forth.  BUT, I do know, who, holds tomorrow, next week, next month and next year in his hand!  Praise God!!  And I CAN trust Him to lead and direct my steps.  I can trust that He has good plans for me and for my family and that as we wait on Him he will be that voice in our ear, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." 

Thank you for your prayers for my family during this time.

Our times are in God's hands...

Yesterday,  I was quite aggravated, at what seemed like really just plain rudeness from some people.  But then, this happened...

I had planned to go to the salon yesterday at 4:00, to get a manicure and pedicure.  (when you can get both for $10, it's nice to treat yourself now and then. 😊)  My husband had a meeting that was planned for 2:00, but came home about 2:20, and said, no one had been there, and the place where the meeting was to take place looked all locked up.  He had hung around a bit, but didn't see anyone.  (the meeting had been changed to 3:00, but no one had let us know that)

Anyway, because he ended up coming home early, I went ahead to the salon at 3:00.  While there, I over heard the owner talking to a lady about the Lord, and different churches.  Then the owner of the salon came up to me and said, "You are a 'pastora", right?" (that always cracks me up, but anyway, it is very common for people to call the Pastor's wife, a "pastora" here).  I said, yes, my husband is a Pastor.  She asked me what kind of church is it, so I told her it was a Baptist church, and she said, Oh good!  Then she called this lady to come over, and introduced us.  She said, She needs to go to church, and talk to a Pastor.  I told her we would love to have her visit.  She asked where the church was, and I explained, even gave her Tony's phone number, in case she got lost on the way, and needed better directions, then I had given her.  She asked what time services were.  Then she said, "I really just need to talk to the pastor."  Before I could say anything, the owner of the salon piped up and said, "First you go to the service and then you can talk to the Pastor!"

So this morning, I was involved in Children's Ministry, but came down to the service right before the end, and when Tony came back he said, there is your friend, Ana on the back row.  After church he sat with her for a few minutes and talked to her about her problem.  Then before she left, she asked me about the Women's Bible Study, we are having on Friday night, and paid me for a book!!  Please pray for Ana.  I don't know yet, if she is a "seeker" or a "baby Christian".  I know she is looking for answers.  If Tony had been at the meeting he had planned to attend, I would not have met Ana. 

Everything happens for a reason.  The times and seasons are in His hands. 

New Bible Studies

Tonight we started new Men's and Ladies' Bible Study at church.  We had 12 ladies show up and 3 men.  It would be easy to focus on who didn't show up and get discouraged by the lack of participation, or I can choose to focus on who did show up and feel blessed to be able to be a part of what God is doing in their lives!

Lately it has been hard to keep focused on the positive and not get discouraged by those who have bad attitudes or just don't really care.  But, that is exactly what our enemy hopes we will do.  He wants us discouraged, and hopes to suck the life out of us.  To make us lose our passion for God and start to feel like nothing we do makes any difference.  To keep this from happening, I have to make a decision to focus on God and His word.  To remember that He is the one who called me and He is the one who placed me here.  He's plans and purposes are all good and for his Glory and the growing of His Kingdom. 

So, I am going to be looking forward to what God does with these 15 people!  This is our little part of God's Church and I can't wait to see how God builds it up!!

Twenty-seven years!

There are so many things I remember about that day. 

The 2 hour ride to the Detroit, airport... The incredible mountain of luggage we had, and having to step over to the side and try to do some re-packing because one of our bags was over-weight.  I remember that I just left a huge bottle of hair conditioner with my Mom, to finally make things work out right.  I remember that the air attack on Kuwait had just happened, and because of that, security was unusually high, and that, we didn't realize until we were there, that we would have to say "Good-bye" to my parents out there, near the ticket counters before going through security.  (I'm sure that is hard to believe in this world of post 9/11, but it was normal to actually go all the way to the gate area and wait with people, who were flying.) 

I remember what I was wearing, a straight, light blue corduroy skirt, cream colored blouse with a scarf, and a sweater.   The girls each had new dolls, they were carrying, and all 3 had back-packs and carry-on bags.  It was a LONG day.  One filled with excitement, at the "new adventure" we were on, but also filled with a lot of "un-knowns".  Saying "good-bye" to loved ones... this was all in the days before internet... email... Skype... Vonage... Facebook.  Letters (actual write on paper and hold in your hand, letters!) took on an average of 2 weeks to make it to us here.  Phone service was unpredictable and costly. 

I don't remember anything really about the flight, (there have been so many since they all kind of run together)... I don't remember much about Miami airport, where we had to change planes, and I believe we had to claim our luggage and re-check it... UGH!  We are talking 10 large 70 lb. bags, plus 5 carry-on bags, and 5 "personal items"... I think Mandie and Ashley, did fairly well, carrying their own bags... (this was also before "rolling bags" were very common! I know! Really who can remember that?!) Lex, was very little, just 2 1/2, so I'm pretty sure she wasn't up to carrying very much.  I don't remember if I found a pay phone and called my parents or not.  (oh yeah, and this was also before the time that everyone had a cell phone!)  I'm thinking I didn't... 

We arrived in Quito, got through immigration and customs... always a bit nerve wrecking, in it's craziness... then we came out of the airport.  The Quito airport at that time, didn't have an inside waiting area around the international exit.  You exited right outside.  There was this chain link fence, that was there, and people were all pushed up against it looking for a glimpse of their party.  We came out into all this chaos, looking for a familiar face and not seeing any.  We had the guys pushing our luggage carts, to just pile it all up on the side walk... I had the girls sitting on the bags, everyone watching these gringos.  A couple young men came up and started talking to Tony, we had no idea who they were, they seemed to know us, and to be honest, even though I had spent a year in language school, my Spanish, especially under stress, was not good. :D  Anyway, ends up they were from the church in Quito, Nikolay and his brother, Franchisco.  I think Nikolay, went into the terminal and called our friends.  Remember, this is all before internet and cell phones.  We evidently hadn't communicated well which airline we were coming in on.  They thought we were arriving on a different airline, around 10:00pm, when actually we arrived around 8:00pm.  I honestly don't know why those young men were even at the airport at that time!  I just know God had them there, because we had no way of contacting anyone... no Ecuadorian money to make a phone call... no phone number to call! LOL!   I remember our friends, pulling up in their van.   It was so good to see them!  We loaded all our stuff into their van, and were off to the place where we would be staying for a few days. 

One of the last things I remember about that day, is that the people where we were staying had a "direct-dial" phone, (I didn't even realize how incredible that was!) and I was able to call my parents to let them know that we arrived.  I remember, it was so good to hear their voices, and to be able to let them know we had arrived safe and sound....I remember feeling excited to be here, yet at the same time anxious about the next steps. 

One thing, I can say, looking back, that while the journey has not always been easy, God has been faithful.  All the time. At every turn. 

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 11

May you be strengthened with all power,

according to his glorious might, for all endurance

and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father,

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of

the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom

of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:11-14

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 10

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,

God making his appeal through us. 

We implore you on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Totally Random!

Good morning Everyone!!  It is May first and our family is on the road.  We are on the 2nd day of a two week trip that will take us from Florida, up through Tennessee, on to Ohio, across to Missouri, Kansas and back down to Florida!  Are you tired already?!?  I am! :D  Not really, I'm very excited about this trip, because we are going to get to spend a few days, with two of our grown daughters and their families.  Nana, ALWAYS loves time with those grand babies, (and grand kids, as a few of them are getting past the age where, they are happy when I refer to them as "babies"!)

Appreciate your prayers for us as we travel!  We are taking our grandson, Crosby along on this trip, so that is an added "bonus!".  

Ok, on to my "random thought" this morning.  As you may or may not know, I design, Digital Scrapbooking kits, and sale them on MyMemories, at Memory Mosaic .  The profits are used in various "Love In Action" ministries at our church in Manta, Ecuador.  Mainly, in the Food Pantry.
I am always looking for people who would like to join my Creative Team, and make layouts using my products, and share them to a few social media groups... this could be on Face Book, on their own personal blog, twitter, instagram... wherever.  This is great way to advertise, so that is what I gain from this relationship! :D

So you may be wondering what does a Creative Team member get?  I'm glad you asked! :D

1.  You get to have any kit from my store, absolutely free.  All I ask in return is that you make at least 1 layout that you are willing to post with a link to the kit in our store (which I provide you).  If you don't want to use personal photos to post publicly, I can provide you with a link to a site, where you can get free photos to use in your layout.  Or you can blur out any faces in your photos.  After you make your layout for me... the kit is totally yours to use for your own pages, etc.

2.  You can receive a free copy of the great, MyMemories SuiteV8.  If you already have a program you are comfortable with that is fine, but if you would like to try out the software, it is available. Also if you have never tried digital scrapbooking before, it is a wonderful program to get started.  It is very easy to learn, and allows you do a lot of fun things with your pages.  Feel free to check out the program here: http://bit.ly/1GOHpKf

So if you are interested and would like more information just leave a comment below.  This is a great way for you to build your scrapbooking "stash" AND a way to help a great cause!

Blessings to you and yours,
Joy

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 9

For as by the one man's disobedience the many 

were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience 

the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:19

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, 

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Because Christ became our substitute and bore the wrath

of God in our place, he has provided the atoning 

sacrifice for our sins, and the sins of all who believe.

Just as God imputed our sins on Christ, "he made him to be sin",

so God imputes the righteousness of Christ - a righteousness

that is not our own - to all who believe in Christ.

Because Christ bore the sins of those who believe, 

God regards and treats believers as having the legal status of 

"righteousness".  It belongs to us because we are 

"in him", that is, "in Christ".

The righteous one, my servant, [shall] make 

many to be accounted righteous.

Isaiah 53:11

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 8

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, 

we have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1

Justified - declared not guilty, but righteous 

by the divine judge.  

This is so much more than saying one is found not

guilty, or that they are forgiven...this is saying

that we have been made righteous.

Declared righteous by God!

We are justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 3:28

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and are justified by his grace as a gift,

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23 & 24

Justification is the result of saving faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Nothing can be added or taken away.

It is trusting Christ as my Savior, believing he did it all.

Once for all.

His was was enough.

JESUS IS ENOUGH.

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 7

There is therefore now no condemnation for those 

who are in Christ Jesus. -Romans 8:1

Why? Because God has condemned sin in the flesh

by sending his own Son to pay the penalty 

for sin through his death on the cross.

Romans 8:3, For God has done what the law, 

weakened by the flesh, could not do.  

By sending his own Son in the likeness of

sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

My debt has been paid.

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 6

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our 

Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have 

now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:11

Not only have I been justified, legally declared 

righteous before God,  through the death of Jesus Christ,

I have been reconciled to God through the 

resurrected life of Jesus Christ!

Because of Christ I have a personal/intimate 

relationship with God.  No longer fearing the wrath of God, 

but rejoicing in my God and my daily walk 

through life with him.

Memories & Musings...

Today I opened up my Facebook feed and there in the "On This Day", were these two photos.  That brought back so many memories!!  They were taken the evening we flew into the Flint, MI airport on our return to the US for our first furlough.  We had been in Ecuador for about 2 1/2 years, and there was a large group from our Home Church, waiting to greet us.  They had a big banner and balloons for the girls.   

In this photo, you see my Mom holding my youngest (at the time), my Dad in the background holding onto the balloons, maybe talking to my oldest, (not sure) and I'm there with my middle daughter, who seems pretty excited/overwhelmed by it all.  In the background there are a couple girls from the church, taking down the banner.

This photo is my Dad with my youngest, (again at that time), with a very sweet lady from the church in the background, along with my middle daughter.

I love these photos because there is so much love and joy in them!  They also tell a bit of a story! Leaving home/country/culture is a sacrifice for a missionary.  We do it because we sense God's leading and calling and don't get me wrong, we don't do it, "screaming and kicking".  No, we feel blessed and there is a lot of joy in serving the Lord where he leads you.  Our family has been overwhelmingly blessed to be able to live and work in Ecuador.

But what these photos tell is not so much the sacrifice the missionaries make, but that there are others that are sacrificing, too.  Many of you know that I am an only child.  So when Tony and I went to Ecuador, not only did my parents lose the opportunity to have daily contact, and dare I say to experience even the "mundane" events of daily family life with their only daughter, they also gave up that relationship with their only grandchildren.  I knew in my head that it was a sacrifice for them, (and the rest of our extended family that lives here in the US) but I never really understood it in my heart, until our 3 daughters grew up, and moved back to the States...then our own grandchildren started arriving.  

Now my parents did an AMAZING job of staying connected with my children.  In the early years,(remember this was all before internet, email, Skype, etc.) They would write and send cards regularly. We would take turns calling each other.  They would call us once a month, and we would call them once a month...so we got to talk on the phone twice a month.  That was back when it cost A LOT to call internationally, and for us, it could sometimes take a couple days to get the call to go through.  We would have to call an operator... give them the number we wanted to call...hang up... when they got the call through, the phone would ring again.  Once the call was finished the operator would call back and tell us how long we talked and what the cost of that call was.  Most of the time the call back with the connection was just a few minutes, BUT, I do remember it sometimes taking a day or so.  They also made trips down to see us, twice our first term there, and a few more times before the girls graduated from high school.   Also once we got email, we would write each other everyday(seemed like an amazing thing at the time)... and as internet capabilities improved, communication became even more frequent.  

Still being a framed photograph on the wall and a voice on the phone, or even a person on the other side of the computer screen, in the case of Skype or Face Time, is a far cry from being present in the every day.  Experiencing even as I mentioned before, just the mundane activities of life...being able to eat supper together, or Sunday dinner.  Having the opportunity to have the grandkids over for a sleepover... or be there to watch them after school for an hour or two.  It is through those things that you build a relationship...you get to really know them and they get to know you.  When you don't have those opportunities, the relationships just aren't the same.  I'm not saying that you don't or can't have a relationship, I'm just saying it's different...and it's something you sacrifice.  

I'm so thankful that my parents love God and love me so much that they were willing to make that sacrifice.  NEVER. ONE. TIME. have they complained to us, or asked us to do something different. I know that God has blessed them and has blessed us in so many other ways, and I am thankful for that, but today's post is just about recognizing that it IS a sacrifice, and it's not always easy. 

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 5

Let us then with confidence draw near 

to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy 

and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

Because of Christ's sacrifice, securing my salvation, 

the forgiveness of my sins and my adoption into God's family, 

I have the privilege of a personal relationship with God. 

I can come near to him, confidently, even though he is the

Almighty, All Powerful, Great God!

Why?  Because he is my Father, my Daddy!  

I can speak to him without any fear of

being shamed or punished. 

God the Father with Jesus Christ at his right hand,

graciously dispenses help from heaven to those

who need it, who draw near, and ask.

It is given with mercy and grace.

Praise God!!

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 4

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, 

who gives generously to all without reproach,

and it will be given him.

James 1:5

Wisdom is God-given & God-centered discernment for the

practical issues in my life.

God gives this wisdom, generously to me, when I'm asking

seeking his will in a situation, without reproach.

Two thoughts, on this... 1) His wisdom will ALWAYS, be centered 

around his plan and will for me in any given situation.  

He isn't just putting his stamp of approval on "my plan". 

2) It is ALWAYS without reproach.

He doesn't say, "you again?! What to you want now?"

He wants me to come to him everyday, in every 

situation, and ask for his discernment. He doesn't want me

to hesitate to go and ask.  There is no reproach for being

"dumb or stupid" and not already knowing the answer!

I remember years ago, playing "Trivial Pursuit", with some

good friends.  I can't tell you how many times, while 

playing the game, and reading the question to 

someone else, my friend, would say,

"Oh that's so easy!  Anyone would know the answer to that!"

In my mind, I'm thinking, I'm so glad, this isn't my turn, because

I don't have a clue what the answer to that is, 

and they would just think, I'm totally stupid!

I think sometimes, I tend to have that reaction to God.  

I think, Oh no, I've got myself into another mess, 

and I have no idea which way to turn.  I need to figure this out 

on my own,  because I just went to God about that 

other problem, and I don't want to "use up" his good favor... 

BUT, the truth is, we never, ever use it up!  God wants us to come

to him about EVERYTHING, and he says, he will

give his wisdom to us, without reproach!

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 3

Do you not know that you are God's temple 

& that God's Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 

he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead 

will also give life to your mortal bodies through 

his Spirit who dwells in you. 

Romans 8:11

When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior, God adopted me into his family.

On that day, my adoption day, he sealed the legal act of my

justification by giving me a gift to mark the day...

That gift was his very own Spirit in me!!

The Holy Spirit of God dwells in me.

If you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior,

he also lives in you!

Just let that sink in for a bit.