1003 Park Colony Drive
Norcross, Ga 30093
Looks like we are going to be on the 2nd story. We'll be in great shape when we get back....
Sunday, December 27, 2009
New Address
Our address in Atlanta is:
Christmas at La Quinta
The last few days have been quite eventful! On Wednesday evening, we were able to get most of our belongings packed up in the cars. The boys stayed at Tim's parents for the night so we we were able to be more productive than usual. I could hardly sleep that night...lists were running through my head. I was so scared that I would forget something we "need" for our next 5 months in Atlanta. I finally got up at 5am, did a few things on my list, then crawled back in bed for another hour.
When we woke up, we finished the final pieces of packing and found that we had to eliminate some things in order to fit it all in our cars. We picked up the kids, said good-bye to the family, and headed towards Texas. It started sleeting pretty quickly after we left, but nothing was sticking. As soon as we hit downtown Tulsa, though, all that changed. The roads were covered with ice...not snow...and they were getting pretty slick. We had to drop down to 30-40mph. It just got worse from there. More and more cars started spinning out and sliding off the roads around us. Tim took over driving the minivan with the kids and I drove his car. He handles the stress much better than I do...
Our most amazing miracle took place after dark....Tim was driving behind me when the car next to me lost control and swerved with a foot or two of my driver's side three times. Then all of a sudden he turned and slid right between Tim and me and into the ditch. Neither of our cars were touched. We pulled over at the next gas station, and I just cried my eyes out. I was so thankful that no one was hurt.
We finally crossed over the border into Texas and were immediately stuck in dead stop traffic. For the next 45 minutes we sat there until they cleared an accident up ahead. Once traffic started moving again, the roads were solid ice and we could only go 20mph. By the time we got to Sherman, the minivan's wheels were just spinning on the ice and Tim could no longer drive faster than 15mph. We pulled over and found a hotel for the night. It was so disappointing, but definitely the safest thing to do. After 12 hours of driving (normally only an 8 hour trip total), we still had 60 miles left. At the speeds we were going, it would have taken us 2-3 more hours.
So we spent Christmas Eve and had a delicious Christmas buffet breakfast at the La Quinta.
After breakfast, we got back in the cars to finish the drive. The roads were still icy, but much better than the night before. Tim was ahead of me with the kids when the car in front of him slammed on their brakes and started sliding across a bridge. He quickly switched lanes and the car in the left lane behind him put on their brakes and slid into the back of the minivan. So, we stopped and traded insurance, took pictures, and convinced the driver that it was not worth anybody's time to call the police. Both cars were drive-able and we just wanted to get to my parent's house for Christmas.
Two hours after we left that morning (a 14 hour drive total), we arrived at my parents. One dented minivan, 2 fussy children, 2 exhausted parents, and all our 5 month belongings crammed into the cars.
The rest of the day...and weekend has been wonderful. The kids played with their cousins, took good naps, opened presents, and Tim and I finally got to relax with my family. We are so thankful that no one was hurt and that God is watching over us. We are planning to leave on New Year's Day for Atlanta so please be praying for safety!
When we woke up, we finished the final pieces of packing and found that we had to eliminate some things in order to fit it all in our cars. We picked up the kids, said good-bye to the family, and headed towards Texas. It started sleeting pretty quickly after we left, but nothing was sticking. As soon as we hit downtown Tulsa, though, all that changed. The roads were covered with ice...not snow...and they were getting pretty slick. We had to drop down to 30-40mph. It just got worse from there. More and more cars started spinning out and sliding off the roads around us. Tim took over driving the minivan with the kids and I drove his car. He handles the stress much better than I do...
Our most amazing miracle took place after dark....Tim was driving behind me when the car next to me lost control and swerved with a foot or two of my driver's side three times. Then all of a sudden he turned and slid right between Tim and me and into the ditch. Neither of our cars were touched. We pulled over at the next gas station, and I just cried my eyes out. I was so thankful that no one was hurt.
We finally crossed over the border into Texas and were immediately stuck in dead stop traffic. For the next 45 minutes we sat there until they cleared an accident up ahead. Once traffic started moving again, the roads were solid ice and we could only go 20mph. By the time we got to Sherman, the minivan's wheels were just spinning on the ice and Tim could no longer drive faster than 15mph. We pulled over and found a hotel for the night. It was so disappointing, but definitely the safest thing to do. After 12 hours of driving (normally only an 8 hour trip total), we still had 60 miles left. At the speeds we were going, it would have taken us 2-3 more hours.
So we spent Christmas Eve and had a delicious Christmas buffet breakfast at the La Quinta.
After breakfast, we got back in the cars to finish the drive. The roads were still icy, but much better than the night before. Tim was ahead of me with the kids when the car in front of him slammed on their brakes and started sliding across a bridge. He quickly switched lanes and the car in the left lane behind him put on their brakes and slid into the back of the minivan. So, we stopped and traded insurance, took pictures, and convinced the driver that it was not worth anybody's time to call the police. Both cars were drive-able and we just wanted to get to my parent's house for Christmas.
Two hours after we left that morning (a 14 hour drive total), we arrived at my parents. One dented minivan, 2 fussy children, 2 exhausted parents, and all our 5 month belongings crammed into the cars.
The rest of the day...and weekend has been wonderful. The kids played with their cousins, took good naps, opened presents, and Tim and I finally got to relax with my family. We are so thankful that no one was hurt and that God is watching over us. We are planning to leave on New Year's Day for Atlanta so please be praying for safety!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Baby #3 Photo Shoot
Today I had my 15 week appointment and we got to see our baby once again. (We had an ultrasound at our first appointment, but I put the pictures in such a "safe place" that I have not seen them again....) The baby is doing great - weighs about 4 oz and the growth is on target. It doesn't matter that this is our 3rd, it is always such a miracle. I don't understand how anyone cannot believe in God after seeing a baby. What a work of art!
I am hoping to find a doctor to see temporarily in Atlanta and then come back to KC just in time to have the baby here. Based on the measurements today, they think my due date might be a few days sooner than we originally thought. For once, I wish they were pushing back the date and not expecting it sooner :)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Money, The Place, and The Baby
We have three exciting announcements to make in this post!
1. We have raised the entire $5000 for our tuition! Thank you everyone for your support. We could not have done this without your prayers and gifts. If you would still like to financially support us, you can write a check directly to us (which will not be tax-deductible). We will be paying for all other bills, groceries, etc with our savings. Any additional money donated to WFC Missions will still be given to GFM, but it will not be helping us specifically.
2. We have a renter for our home! We have a couple moving in to our home in January and will be staying there at least 3 out of the 5 months. This is a great relief to us knowing our home will be taken care of and that we will have some help with our house expenses while we are gone.
3. If you have not yet heard, we are expecting our 3rd child in June 2010! Yes, you are probably thinking, "Aren't you coming back in June?" We are....and we have about 3 days to spare before we'll meet this little one. :) It will be quite an exciting drive back home. We will not be finding out the sex of this baby (it is now tradition) so you will all have to wait patiently with us. We will be having a sonogram at the end of next week, so I'll post pics as soon as I can!
1. We have raised the entire $5000 for our tuition! Thank you everyone for your support. We could not have done this without your prayers and gifts. If you would still like to financially support us, you can write a check directly to us (which will not be tax-deductible). We will be paying for all other bills, groceries, etc with our savings. Any additional money donated to WFC Missions will still be given to GFM, but it will not be helping us specifically.
2. We have a renter for our home! We have a couple moving in to our home in January and will be staying there at least 3 out of the 5 months. This is a great relief to us knowing our home will be taken care of and that we will have some help with our house expenses while we are gone.
3. If you have not yet heard, we are expecting our 3rd child in June 2010! Yes, you are probably thinking, "Aren't you coming back in June?" We are....and we have about 3 days to spare before we'll meet this little one. :) It will be quite an exciting drive back home. We will not be finding out the sex of this baby (it is now tradition) so you will all have to wait patiently with us. We will be having a sonogram at the end of next week, so I'll post pics as soon as I can!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
More?
We just received a letter in the mail informing us that we were awarded a $500 Ministry Education Grant! That means we have now have $4700 out of $5000 for our tuition/housing costs! I had completely forgotten that we had even filled out the application earlier this summer so this came as a big surprise. And once again, it reminded me of God's grace....
I had a rough afternoon. Joel went to the bathroom in his bed again today during his "quiet time" and he broke two of my things today (including my cell phone) totaling around $100 to replace them. When I told him that he broke my things, he said "Let's go buy a new one." I told him we didn't have the money so he pulled out my FPU cash wallet and told me there was some money in there. I had to explain that money was for groceries and not for replacing things he broke. I failed to see the humor in that moment because I was too busy nursing my anger since I had lost my temper with him and had just about had it.
Times like these make me wonder why God has picked us to go to this school. I am rotten to the core. It all comes down to grace. I am not perfect, but I am willing to follow Him and allow Him to change me. Thank goodness!
I had a rough afternoon. Joel went to the bathroom in his bed again today during his "quiet time" and he broke two of my things today (including my cell phone) totaling around $100 to replace them. When I told him that he broke my things, he said "Let's go buy a new one." I told him we didn't have the money so he pulled out my FPU cash wallet and told me there was some money in there. I had to explain that money was for groceries and not for replacing things he broke. I failed to see the humor in that moment because I was too busy nursing my anger since I had lost my temper with him and had just about had it.
Times like these make me wonder why God has picked us to go to this school. I am rotten to the core. It all comes down to grace. I am not perfect, but I am willing to follow Him and allow Him to change me. Thank goodness!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6 Weeks Left
It hit me this week how close our move to Atlanta is....6 weeks from today we will be making the long drive to Atlanta from Dallas. We are planning to spend Christmas in Dallas with my family and stay with them for a week before the move, so we actually only have 5 weeks left in KC.
I am in my list making mode. It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing things even when I am not. Lists of what to pack up and put in storage, lists for what we need to take with us, and lists of things we need to do before we leave. My mind is running in a hundred different directions, but the peace is still there.
We continue to have confirmation after confirmation that moving to Atlanta is what God has asked us to do. I am still often asked why we are going and what we are planning to do when we get back. We don't know! We still feel that God has asked us to just be patient and wait for His direction. Maybe we just need to get away from all our current commitments, expectations, and comforts before we can hear Him clearly. Even with the unknowns, it is exciting to be exactly where God wants you to be.
On the family side of things, Tim's mother finished her last round of chemo last week! We are very excited and are looking forward to her having her strength back. We are spending Thanksgiving in Nashville with Tim's ENTIRE family. Our boys have become quite the travelers this year, and we have figured out how to share tight quarters. It means less sleep for everyone but it is doable. :) I don't know how families that all live in one room do it!
I am in my list making mode. It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing things even when I am not. Lists of what to pack up and put in storage, lists for what we need to take with us, and lists of things we need to do before we leave. My mind is running in a hundred different directions, but the peace is still there.
We continue to have confirmation after confirmation that moving to Atlanta is what God has asked us to do. I am still often asked why we are going and what we are planning to do when we get back. We don't know! We still feel that God has asked us to just be patient and wait for His direction. Maybe we just need to get away from all our current commitments, expectations, and comforts before we can hear Him clearly. Even with the unknowns, it is exciting to be exactly where God wants you to be.
On the family side of things, Tim's mother finished her last round of chemo last week! We are very excited and are looking forward to her having her strength back. We are spending Thanksgiving in Nashville with Tim's ENTIRE family. Our boys have become quite the travelers this year, and we have figured out how to share tight quarters. It means less sleep for everyone but it is doable. :) I don't know how families that all live in one room do it!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Financial Update
God has blessed us through many of you. We have already raised $3100 out of $5000 for the GFM tuition/housing! Thank you for supporting us financially and through prayer. Seeing everything fall into place has given us confirmation that this is what God has called us to do.
We have yet to find a housesitter for our home, but we have a good back-up option. Either way, we know that we will not have to go into debt for this. That is such a relief!
We have yet to find a housesitter for our home, but we have a good back-up option. Either way, we know that we will not have to go into debt for this. That is such a relief!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
1/4 Full or 3/4 Empty?
Today we had a neighborhood garage sale. Over the past few months, I have been cleaning out our closets and selling anything we don't use to Craigslist or saving it for the garage sale. When I say "use", I mean we really have to be using it on a regular basis. That obviously cuts out a lot of things in our house. There are very few things that I am sentimental enough to keep when we are not using it. When I am given the choice of packing it up and storing it or getting rid of it....I choose the latter. I am proud to say that each of our closets are now only 1/4 full (or 3/4 empty :) )! It has been freeing and I really enjoy looking into our closets and not thinking about how I can organize them better. There is so much extra room that there isn't even a need for organization!
I guess the theme for my next few months is discipline. God is already teaching me a lot. Tim and I started FPU (Financial Peace University) last week to help us better prepare for being on a tighter budget and use our money more wisely. We have always been pretty good in this area, but we know there is still so much more to learn. We are going to try the cash system on some areas of our budget which will be really hard for us - Tim and I both hate carrying cash. I am typically more likely to buy a drink, snack, etc with cash than I am with a credit card. It's worth a try, though, when I have to dig it out of the special envelope and know there is a definite limit.
I also started a women's bible study on "Listening to God". We are held accountable in spending time reading the Bible and praying daily. I need that. Instead of just skimming through the Bible (which I sometimes get in the habit of doing to just check "quiet time" off my list), we have to write down things that we are learning. I am embarrassed to say that I had forgotten how much I could learn from just one passage or chapter of Scripture.
Atlanta News:
I guess the theme for my next few months is discipline. God is already teaching me a lot. Tim and I started FPU (Financial Peace University) last week to help us better prepare for being on a tighter budget and use our money more wisely. We have always been pretty good in this area, but we know there is still so much more to learn. We are going to try the cash system on some areas of our budget which will be really hard for us - Tim and I both hate carrying cash. I am typically more likely to buy a drink, snack, etc with cash than I am with a credit card. It's worth a try, though, when I have to dig it out of the special envelope and know there is a definite limit.
I also started a women's bible study on "Listening to God". We are held accountable in spending time reading the Bible and praying daily. I need that. Instead of just skimming through the Bible (which I sometimes get in the habit of doing to just check "quiet time" off my list), we have to write down things that we are learning. I am embarrassed to say that I had forgotten how much I could learn from just one passage or chapter of Scripture.
Atlanta News:
- We sent off our $2000 (gulp) deposit check this week to GFM. Our spot and apartment is now reserved! The good news is that we only owe $3000 more for our remaining tuition/housing. The bad news is that we have $2000 less in our savings...which should not be a problem since we'll be saving all sorts of $$ from what we learn in FPU, right?? :)
- We still do not have any serious leads for a housesitter/renter. Please be praying that the right person(s) will come a long so that we do not have the financial burden of our home while we are in Atlanta.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
September Letter
Below is a copy of the letter we are sending out this month. Just in case you didn't receive it or can't wait to re-read it :)
Dear Friends and Family,
It's official - our family is about to embark on an exciting adventure! In January, we will be moving to Atlanta, Georgia, for five months while Tim attends a missionary training school. Some of you may have already heard the rumors, but if not, I'll try to give you a condensed version. This past March, Tim led our church's mission trip to Mexico like he has done for the past 3 years. They went to Oaxaca and worked with an organization called Global Frontier Missions (GFM). Tim came home impressed with the organization, the people, and their mission and felt that God was asking our family to make some changes to live more missionally. Over the next few months, we prayed about it and felt that God was asking us to attend the GFM Missionary Training School. The school has a very intense curriculum and lot of hands-on training. Tim will be spending each morning in classes and each afternoon will be spent volunteering at various international organizations. We have all sorts of opportunities for us when we return to the KC area, but we are waiting for God’s direction before making any definite plans. We are excited and nervous all at the same time.
We want to ask you to be in prayer for us over the next year.
Our specific prayer requests are:
*Smooth transition and move to Atlanta (especially for Sarah and the kids)
*A house sitter/renter who can take care of our home and cover our bills while we are gone
*Open and willing hearts to His direction and teaching
If you feel led, we are also welcoming any financial support. You can make monthly donations (now through the end of February 2010) or a one time donation. The school's tuition is $1000 per month (includes housing) and totals $5000 for the 5 months we will be there. We are planning to pay all additional expenses (insurance, groceries, travel/move expenses, etc) from our savings. If you would like to support us financially, you may make tax-deductible donations to Westside Family Church Missions.
Please feel free to email us at any time. We are so thankful for you being in our lives!
timothyjoelhayes@gmail.com
sarah.hayes79@gmail.com
Donation Info
Checks payable to “WFC Missions”(write "GFM" on memo line)
Mail to: Sarah Hayes 7542 Anderson St, Shawnee, KS 66227
Dear Friends and Family,
It's official - our family is about to embark on an exciting adventure! In January, we will be moving to Atlanta, Georgia, for five months while Tim attends a missionary training school. Some of you may have already heard the rumors, but if not, I'll try to give you a condensed version. This past March, Tim led our church's mission trip to Mexico like he has done for the past 3 years. They went to Oaxaca and worked with an organization called Global Frontier Missions (GFM). Tim came home impressed with the organization, the people, and their mission and felt that God was asking our family to make some changes to live more missionally. Over the next few months, we prayed about it and felt that God was asking us to attend the GFM Missionary Training School. The school has a very intense curriculum and lot of hands-on training. Tim will be spending each morning in classes and each afternoon will be spent volunteering at various international organizations. We have all sorts of opportunities for us when we return to the KC area, but we are waiting for God’s direction before making any definite plans. We are excited and nervous all at the same time.
We want to ask you to be in prayer for us over the next year.
Our specific prayer requests are:
*Smooth transition and move to Atlanta (especially for Sarah and the kids)
*A house sitter/renter who can take care of our home and cover our bills while we are gone
*Open and willing hearts to His direction and teaching
If you feel led, we are also welcoming any financial support. You can make monthly donations (now through the end of February 2010) or a one time donation. The school's tuition is $1000 per month (includes housing) and totals $5000 for the 5 months we will be there. We are planning to pay all additional expenses (insurance, groceries, travel/move expenses, etc) from our savings. If you would like to support us financially, you may make tax-deductible donations to Westside Family Church Missions.
Please feel free to email us at any time. We are so thankful for you being in our lives!
timothyjoelhayes@gmail.com
sarah.hayes79@gmail.com
Donation Info
Checks payable to “WFC Missions”(write "GFM" on memo line)
Mail to: Sarah Hayes 7542 Anderson St, Shawnee, KS 66227
Thursday, September 10, 2009
A Wonderful Day
Today we found out that Tim's mom is in remission! We are so thankful that God is healing her. Please continue to pray for her as she finishes her last 3 rounds of chemo.
Things are moving forward as we work towards our transition to Atlanta. We are having a garage sale in 2 weeks to get rid of some stuff we have unnecessarily accumulated. Just when I think I have finished collecting everything for the sale, I find something else that is just taking up space. We are also finalizing the details on the financial processes and will hopefully be able to begin raising support in the next couple of weeks. So for all of you who are just jumping at the bit to help us financially, we will have those letters/emails out soon. :) We received a link to the apartments we will be living in in Atlanta, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that we are getting a 2 bedroom! Anyone who knows of our sleeping issues with Joel know what a blessing this is....
I am really getting excited about all the changes that are taking place. There are still those "why are we doing this?" moments, but overall I am very content and looking forward to the growth in our family.
Things are moving forward as we work towards our transition to Atlanta. We are having a garage sale in 2 weeks to get rid of some stuff we have unnecessarily accumulated. Just when I think I have finished collecting everything for the sale, I find something else that is just taking up space. We are also finalizing the details on the financial processes and will hopefully be able to begin raising support in the next couple of weeks. So for all of you who are just jumping at the bit to help us financially, we will have those letters/emails out soon. :) We received a link to the apartments we will be living in in Atlanta, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that we are getting a 2 bedroom! Anyone who knows of our sleeping issues with Joel know what a blessing this is....
I am really getting excited about all the changes that are taking place. There are still those "why are we doing this?" moments, but overall I am very content and looking forward to the growth in our family.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A Successful Nap (at least Joel thinks so)
I read Joel a few books and then put him in his room to take a nap as usual today. It was pretty quiet, and Caleb soon went down for a nap as well so I decided to go outside and get some yardwork done. I peeked in every 15 minutes or so to check on the boys and didn't hear any screaming or loud bumps so I assumed they were peacefully sleeping. After mowing the lawn, edging, and pulling weeds, I came inside and decided it was time to "wake" Joel up. As you can see, his naptime was very productive. Not in a sleeping sense....please notice the naked boy with diaper on the floor (he soon informed me that it was wet), the bed rail has been attacked, sheets are off the bed, his shirt....well, I am not sure what is going on there! What you can't see are his clothes, books, and blankie that are tucked neatly between the wall and the bed. He was in a very chipper mood while telling me all about his activities while I was gone. I remained very serious and did some "mom chastising" on the outside, but my insides were laughing!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Is fall really here?
What a beautiful weekend we had! The weather was amazing - it feels like fall and we are still in August. Every year I am surprised by the changing seasons (my brain still feels like it is stuck in the hot/hotter seasons of Texas).
On Friday night, we took the kids to Chick-fil-a. I must say, it is is the best family friendly fast food place. Good food, clean restaurants (and bathrooms), great service. They even put little disposable placemats and hand sanitizers on every high chair. Ok, enough raving about it....Tim says I should get paid for my advertising :) Tim worked on Saturday morning, but then we got to hang out with some good friends for a couple of hours before heading to his parents to celebrate his mom's birthday. We hired a babysitter for the evening, and it was really nice spending time with his family without being in my "mom" mode. Today we went to church, took naps, and then went hiking. Then a friend brought over a bunch of "hand-me-downs" for Joel. What a blessing!
It is times like these that make me really sad about moving. I know, we will only be gone for 5 months, but I don't want to miss a thing here. After much praying and talking the past couple of weeks, we went back to our original plan. Which is really not much of a plan :) All we really feel confident about it going to the GFM school in Atlanta. We both feel like we are to wait on God's direction from there. We are still planning on moving closer to downtown after we return, but we are not sure where exactly and what we will be doing. I hate the unknown, but it is much better than making plans when we are not exactly sure if God is behind them. Please continue praying for us as we make decisions for our move - our house situation (finding a renter/housesitter), finances, and direction. Please keep Tim's mom in your prayers as well. She is half-way through her chemo treatments (4 left) but each treatment seems to be taking a higher toll on her body. Pray for health, healing, and continued faith in His goodness.
On Friday night, we took the kids to Chick-fil-a. I must say, it is is the best family friendly fast food place. Good food, clean restaurants (and bathrooms), great service. They even put little disposable placemats and hand sanitizers on every high chair. Ok, enough raving about it....Tim says I should get paid for my advertising :) Tim worked on Saturday morning, but then we got to hang out with some good friends for a couple of hours before heading to his parents to celebrate his mom's birthday. We hired a babysitter for the evening, and it was really nice spending time with his family without being in my "mom" mode. Today we went to church, took naps, and then went hiking. Then a friend brought over a bunch of "hand-me-downs" for Joel. What a blessing!
It is times like these that make me really sad about moving. I know, we will only be gone for 5 months, but I don't want to miss a thing here. After much praying and talking the past couple of weeks, we went back to our original plan. Which is really not much of a plan :) All we really feel confident about it going to the GFM school in Atlanta. We both feel like we are to wait on God's direction from there. We are still planning on moving closer to downtown after we return, but we are not sure where exactly and what we will be doing. I hate the unknown, but it is much better than making plans when we are not exactly sure if God is behind them. Please continue praying for us as we make decisions for our move - our house situation (finding a renter/housesitter), finances, and direction. Please keep Tim's mom in your prayers as well. She is half-way through her chemo treatments (4 left) but each treatment seems to be taking a higher toll on her body. Pray for health, healing, and continued faith in His goodness.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Playing Catch Up
I have been really bad this past month on updating our blog. So much has happened so I am now subjecting you to a really long update....
Last week we went to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for 5 days while Tim attended a work conference. Besides the 9 hour drive each way, we had a wonderful time. I am getting a lot more adapted to traveling with little ones and am more confident in taking care of them by myself in hotel situations. We visited the water park that was on-site every day and I took the boys to an apple orchard one morning. It was beautiful!
To top off the last couple of weeks, we celebrated Caleb's first birthday and my dad's 55th birthday this past weekend! They share a birthday so I will always get to spend my dad's birthday with him now :) I can't believe is has been a year since Caleb was born. He is such a joyful and peaceful baby. He is so calming to me and I thank God for blessing us with him. Along with Caleb's birthday party, we also dedicated him with our close friends and family. My dad led the dedication and Tom (Tim's dad) also prayed a blessing over us. It was very special and I'm thankful for everyone who is keeping us accountable in raising our boys to be like Christ.
First, I'll catch you up on our mission adventure. We received an email a couple of weeks ago from GFM questioning whether Kansas City is a good location to start one of their schools. We have questioned that very same thing considering KC is not as diverse as their other 2 locations (Atlanta and Houston). GFM's current mission statement, though, includes teaching "families to live on mission wherever they are", and we feel that this is needed everywhere and is an area we have a heart for. If their mission is narrowing, though, a GFM school in the KC area may not be needed. This is not huge in itself, Tim and I are content to let God lead us in whatever direction whether or not starting a school in KC is in the picture. On the other hand, this may impact whether we should be attending the school at all. If we are not planning to go to the 10/40 window or start up a GFM school and this is their whole purpose, then we are not the right ones to go. It has been a confusing couple of weeks as we have been processing and talking through all this. I personally am having a hard time dealing with whether I heard God right or whether I am hearing Him now. I really wish He would just send me a letter in the mail telling me exactly what we should be doing and how we can be serving Him best. :) Please be praying for us - that we will be listening to His direction and not our own desires.
Last week we went to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for 5 days while Tim attended a work conference. Besides the 9 hour drive each way, we had a wonderful time. I am getting a lot more adapted to traveling with little ones and am more confident in taking care of them by myself in hotel situations. We visited the water park that was on-site every day and I took the boys to an apple orchard one morning. It was beautiful!We started potty-training Joel 2 weeks ago and what progress he has made!
It took him TWO full days of peeing in his pants before he went on the potty for the first time. If Tim hadn't encouraged me to try another day, I would have given up. I did countless loads of laundry and was quite frustrated with the whole process. Over the first week, he progressively got better and I learned not to ask "Do you need to go potty?" I learned quickly that a 2 1/2 year old's response will always be "NO!" (followed by peeing in their pants). I just take him when I feel like it has been a while or when he asks. He hasn't had an accident in 4 days now.
It took him TWO full days of peeing in his pants before he went on the potty for the first time. If Tim hadn't encouraged me to try another day, I would have given up. I did countless loads of laundry and was quite frustrated with the whole process. Over the first week, he progressively got better and I learned not to ask "Do you need to go potty?" I learned quickly that a 2 1/2 year old's response will always be "NO!" (followed by peeing in their pants). I just take him when I feel like it has been a while or when he asks. He hasn't had an accident in 4 days now.
To top off the last couple of weeks, we celebrated Caleb's first birthday and my dad's 55th birthday this past weekend! They share a birthday so I will always get to spend my dad's birthday with him now :) I can't believe is has been a year since Caleb was born. He is such a joyful and peaceful baby. He is so calming to me and I thank God for blessing us with him. Along with Caleb's birthday party, we also dedicated him with our close friends and family. My dad led the dedication and Tom (Tim's dad) also prayed a blessing over us. It was very special and I'm thankful for everyone who is keeping us accountable in raising our boys to be like Christ.Monday, August 3, 2009
Time for Some Mouthwash
I am really dense. When God is trying to send me a message or convict me on something, He has to tell me in all different ways before I finally listen and get the hint. The past few weeks, He has been hitting me hard on controlling my tongue. First, He told me during one of my quiet times. A few days later, Tim and I had a discussion about it. Then to top it off, I was preparing for my small group study tonight and guess what? It is on the same topic. I gossip. Not specifically to hurt anyone, but to vent and "talk things out". I hate confrontation. It is much easier to tell someone else about my hurts than it is to tell the person who hurt me. Sometimes I do it to make myself feel better. I seem much more normal when I talk about how weird or different someone else is. I guess I am looking for confirmation that I am doing things the "right" way.
There are so many scriptures that teach on the power of the tongue - it is hard to list just two.
Proverbs 15:4
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians is tough. Not only are we to control our tongues, but what we do say needs to have a point - something that is helpful to those we are speaking to. And in order for my words to change, God is going to have to do some cleaning up on my heart. My words reflect my heart. Ugh! I think I am going to have a lot less to say...
There are so many scriptures that teach on the power of the tongue - it is hard to list just two.
Proverbs 15:4
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians is tough. Not only are we to control our tongues, but what we do say needs to have a point - something that is helpful to those we are speaking to. And in order for my words to change, God is going to have to do some cleaning up on my heart. My words reflect my heart. Ugh! I think I am going to have a lot less to say...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Escape
This past weekend I spent a night away in a hotel ALL BY MYSELF. Tim came up with the idea as a gift for my 30th birthday. When he first told me of the adventure, I was excited but kind of nervous. What was I going to do all by myself? I can't remember the last time I was alone for that long. I've given up most of my hobbies (due to lack of time) and hardly even know what I enjoy doing anymore. He told me that I needed to spend some time with God and just reflect. That sounds just fine, but I couldn't imagine that filling the entire afternoon, evening, and next morning. I just knew I would get bored and started making some plans. I was going to paint pottery, shop some, and meet a friend for dinner (he said that was ok as long as I didn't hang out too long).
I decided to stop by the hotel to check in and view my accomodations before setting out. I walked in the room and did my usual - inspecting everything and reading all the "instruction" cards in the room. I know it is weird, but I really do enjoy reading manuals and figuring out where everything is and how it works. There was a nice big corner couch in the room that looked pretty inviting, and I decided that I should probably start my time alone with a quiet time. That may sound all spiritual, but it was probably more along the lines of "I better do this first so I can get to the fun stuff without feeling guilty." I started reading the Bible and writing in my journal. Before I knew it, an hour had passed. I took a break and read a magazine by the pool then went back up to my room to do some more reflecting. I answered some tough questions - what are my current temptations, what is my biggest fear, where do I see myself in 1 year and it five years. It was fulfilling and relaxing all at the same time.
I never did make it to the pottery place or shopping. I did have dinner with a good friend and we talked about how we could live purposely in our current phase of life. How do you serve others with small children and how do we teach them to serve at such a young age? We came up with a few ideas and I came away encouraged and motivated.
I never once was bored or lonely. When you let God be in charge of your day, He will not disappoint you. Even though I am back in the real world, this is a lesson that I need to remember...and I highly recommend that everyone take some time to be ALONE every once in a while.
I decided to stop by the hotel to check in and view my accomodations before setting out. I walked in the room and did my usual - inspecting everything and reading all the "instruction" cards in the room. I know it is weird, but I really do enjoy reading manuals and figuring out where everything is and how it works. There was a nice big corner couch in the room that looked pretty inviting, and I decided that I should probably start my time alone with a quiet time. That may sound all spiritual, but it was probably more along the lines of "I better do this first so I can get to the fun stuff without feeling guilty." I started reading the Bible and writing in my journal. Before I knew it, an hour had passed. I took a break and read a magazine by the pool then went back up to my room to do some more reflecting. I answered some tough questions - what are my current temptations, what is my biggest fear, where do I see myself in 1 year and it five years. It was fulfilling and relaxing all at the same time.
I never did make it to the pottery place or shopping. I did have dinner with a good friend and we talked about how we could live purposely in our current phase of life. How do you serve others with small children and how do we teach them to serve at such a young age? We came up with a few ideas and I came away encouraged and motivated.
I never once was bored or lonely. When you let God be in charge of your day, He will not disappoint you. Even though I am back in the real world, this is a lesson that I need to remember...and I highly recommend that everyone take some time to be ALONE every once in a while.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Imitation is the best form of flattery...
I constantly have 2 little pairs of eyes on me. They are watching me...and then they copy whatever I do or say. I can no longer vaccuum alone. Joel follows me around with his little vaccuum holding Elmo (I am usually holding Caleb). If Tim gets out a hammer, Joel has to get his out and "fix" something too. Everything is imitated - the good and the bad. I have to be much more aware of the things I say because I hear a little voice in the background repeating every word. I know that I mess up...alot...and I don't want my children to do the same. I need to pray more for my boys. God will have to teach them what I cannot and He will have to correct my mistakes.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
First Box
It's official now - I packed my first box today. So I know we are not moving for another 6 months, but it will take a little more time to pack with 2 kids than it did before! We received our unofficial acceptance via email earlier this week and have attempted to work through the application process for an education grant (to jump start our funding) and for CTEN (the organization that will handle our finances and provide pastoral care). We are in the tedious phase of applications and working out all the details. So many things to think about - insurance, storing our stuff, preparing our place to rent. . .
It is weird having a temporary mindset. I am constantly looking around our house for things to get rid of. I have never been very sentimental about our stuff, but now I am just plain ruthless! If it isn't practical, I am not packing it :)
On the family side, we spent a week in Colorado Springs to celebrate Peter (Tim's brother) and Joy's wedding. We even got to stay a couple of extra days after the wedding for some much needed family time. It was beautiful and I keep wondering why we are not moving there. . . .
Tim's mom finished her third round of chemo last week. She is on an alternating schedule of "easier" treatments and harder treatments. The harder ones require a hospital stay and are very draining. She thankfully has not had too many side effects. Please keep her in your prayers.
It is weird having a temporary mindset. I am constantly looking around our house for things to get rid of. I have never been very sentimental about our stuff, but now I am just plain ruthless! If it isn't practical, I am not packing it :)
On the family side, we spent a week in Colorado Springs to celebrate Peter (Tim's brother) and Joy's wedding. We even got to stay a couple of extra days after the wedding for some much needed family time. It was beautiful and I keep wondering why we are not moving there. . . .
Tim's mom finished her third round of chemo last week. She is on an alternating schedule of "easier" treatments and harder treatments. The harder ones require a hospital stay and are very draining. She thankfully has not had too many side effects. Please keep her in your prayers.
Friday, June 12, 2009
St Louis
This past week we went to St Louis for Tim's work conference. It was my first time to join him and the first time to stay in a hotel room with the kids. 
Of course, we were not totally roughing it - we were blessed with 2 rooms and my mom joined us from Dallas to help me out. Traveling with little ones is always an experience, though, and I have had to adjust my definition of "vacation". In fact, I am not quite sure why that word is still used when you have children along. Maybe it is only viewed from the child's perspective - staying up late, eating lots of junk food, days filled with fun. Although I enjoy watching my children have fun, I have to say that I am way more exhausted when I get back than when I left in the first place.
Of course, we were not totally roughing it - we were blessed with 2 rooms and my mom joined us from Dallas to help me out. Traveling with little ones is always an experience, though, and I have had to adjust my definition of "vacation". In fact, I am not quite sure why that word is still used when you have children along. Maybe it is only viewed from the child's perspective - staying up late, eating lots of junk food, days filled with fun. Although I enjoy watching my children have fun, I have to say that I am way more exhausted when I get back than when I left in the first place. 
St Louis ended up being a great place to take Joel. On the first day, we went to the Magic House. It was awesome - Joel was actually entertained the ENTIRE time (without fussing) and we could have stayed much longer than we had time to. I highly recommend it to anyone who is going to St Louis with kiddos. The next day we went to the zoo. Joel hardly noticed the animals, but we did have a great time riding the train and carousel several times. Little Caleb was his usual sweet self during both excursions. All in all, the trip went much better than I expected and it gave me confidence to travel with my boys once again.Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Why go to the GFM mission training school?
Many of our friends and family have been asking why we have chosen to attend Global Frontier Missions (GFM) training school and why now? We officially turned in our application to the training school this morning and I copied the response that Tim wrote on the application to this exact question. I added a couple of explanations in parenthesis for clarification on a few things. Hopefully, it will give you a good understanding of how all this came about and what we are doing. . .
"A series of fortunate and ordained events really. I have always felt called to do more for the body of Christ then I was currently. In some sense the blessings in my life have conspired to put a burden on me:
1. I have always been pretty well aware of the state of the rest of the world. Just being an American felt like such a blessing that it became a burden,
2. I have a job situation that is somewhat unique in that my dad owns a very successful business and wants me to eventually run it. This is also an amazing blessing so much so that it has become a burden.
3. I have an upbringing that was, while fraught with imperfections and its own unique taint of sin was so overwhelmingly Christian and filled with correct instruction that to hoard it and keep only for my own successful management of family and business would be an insult to God.
My wife has shared my desire, but she is a little more practical then I and also a little more fearful. This is fortunate because I may have gotten us into several things that God had not called us into simply from impatience.
I had decided that my path was to work hard in my dad’s business as a career because I have seen how he has been able to bless people both financially and through his influence as a successful Christian in the community. Since then, Sarah and I have been very involved in discipleship at WFC both in leading small groups and leading small group leaders. My plan up to the point that I went to GFM in Mexico was to keep going to Mexico on short-term mission trips until I hit upon something that could be a more permanent ministry for us. This never happened and in a way I was continually discouraged by the very nature of the short-term mission trip. My vision letter that I wrote from GFM in Mexico to myself states that I was:
1. Done with short term mission trips for the time being.
2. That I needed to talk my wife into moving down into Kansas City closer to Hispanic populations so we could serve in ministries that were not available to those of us who live in the suburbs.
3. That I wanted to focus our energies more on discipleship within organic church ministries and less on traditional church ministries, but I was still planning on working full-time.
On the missions trip I got several gentle but fairly bold nudges from Grant, David Wyndam, and Jordan among others to go to MTS (Mission Training School) which I considered but not really seriously. When I got back from Mexico, Schaun (our Missions Pastor at Westside Family Church) had the idea about opening a MTS in Kansas City, Kansas to the area that I felt like I should move our family. The final piece fell into place when my father told me that he was not retiring for another ten years, that he was fully supportive of me leaving for awhile and that he would like me to work part time when we got back. At this point it felt like God was conspiring with the universe to send us to the MTS and we should probably pay attention. "
There you have it in Tim's words :) We will be in Atlanta, GA at the school from January to end of May and then are planning to move to Houston for the summer to help open another MTS there. Houston will give us the practical experience of starting a school from the ground up. We will return to Kansas City in late August/early September and work on setting up the school here with hopes of opening it in January 2011. If you are interested in finding out more information on GFM, the link is posted on the right side of our blog.
"A series of fortunate and ordained events really. I have always felt called to do more for the body of Christ then I was currently. In some sense the blessings in my life have conspired to put a burden on me:
1. I have always been pretty well aware of the state of the rest of the world. Just being an American felt like such a blessing that it became a burden,
2. I have a job situation that is somewhat unique in that my dad owns a very successful business and wants me to eventually run it. This is also an amazing blessing so much so that it has become a burden.
3. I have an upbringing that was, while fraught with imperfections and its own unique taint of sin was so overwhelmingly Christian and filled with correct instruction that to hoard it and keep only for my own successful management of family and business would be an insult to God.
My wife has shared my desire, but she is a little more practical then I and also a little more fearful. This is fortunate because I may have gotten us into several things that God had not called us into simply from impatience.
I had decided that my path was to work hard in my dad’s business as a career because I have seen how he has been able to bless people both financially and through his influence as a successful Christian in the community. Since then, Sarah and I have been very involved in discipleship at WFC both in leading small groups and leading small group leaders. My plan up to the point that I went to GFM in Mexico was to keep going to Mexico on short-term mission trips until I hit upon something that could be a more permanent ministry for us. This never happened and in a way I was continually discouraged by the very nature of the short-term mission trip. My vision letter that I wrote from GFM in Mexico to myself states that I was:
1. Done with short term mission trips for the time being.
2. That I needed to talk my wife into moving down into Kansas City closer to Hispanic populations so we could serve in ministries that were not available to those of us who live in the suburbs.
3. That I wanted to focus our energies more on discipleship within organic church ministries and less on traditional church ministries, but I was still planning on working full-time.
On the missions trip I got several gentle but fairly bold nudges from Grant, David Wyndam, and Jordan among others to go to MTS (Mission Training School) which I considered but not really seriously. When I got back from Mexico, Schaun (our Missions Pastor at Westside Family Church) had the idea about opening a MTS in Kansas City, Kansas to the area that I felt like I should move our family. The final piece fell into place when my father told me that he was not retiring for another ten years, that he was fully supportive of me leaving for awhile and that he would like me to work part time when we got back. At this point it felt like God was conspiring with the universe to send us to the MTS and we should probably pay attention. "
There you have it in Tim's words :) We will be in Atlanta, GA at the school from January to end of May and then are planning to move to Houston for the summer to help open another MTS there. Houston will give us the practical experience of starting a school from the ground up. We will return to Kansas City in late August/early September and work on setting up the school here with hopes of opening it in January 2011. If you are interested in finding out more information on GFM, the link is posted on the right side of our blog.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Joel Conquers Water
Joel had a big day - he conquered his fear of water! It has been a long two years getting him to sit down in a bath and get his hair washed without screaming. In the last month he has slowly started playing in the bath with Caleb and bathtime has become a lot more enjoyable for all of us. Today, he took two more major steps. 
First, he played in the sprinkler this morning with his friends, Brooklyn and Jordyn. Then this evening we took the boys to one of our local pools that has a zero-depth entry baby pool with all sorts of fountains and slides. After dipping his toes in the water and gingerly walking in one-inch water while holding my hand for 10 minutes, he attempted the slides. Before we knew it, he was running, splashing, and even laying down in the water! It was so much fun to watch and he kept talking about it all through dinner. I can't wait to take him back.
First, he played in the sprinkler this morning with his friends, Brooklyn and Jordyn. Then this evening we took the boys to one of our local pools that has a zero-depth entry baby pool with all sorts of fountains and slides. After dipping his toes in the water and gingerly walking in one-inch water while holding my hand for 10 minutes, he attempted the slides. Before we knew it, he was running, splashing, and even laying down in the water! It was so much fun to watch and he kept talking about it all through dinner. I can't wait to take him back.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Weekend
We finished up a great Memorial Weekend today with a cookout with friends. My parents left us this morning after driving in town last minute to spend the weekend with us. As usual, they spoiled our kids rotten. Oh the joys of being a grandparent and not having to deal with the repercussions of spoiling. . . .
On Saturday, we drove downtown to KC, MO to visit an old childhood neighbor of mine who now runs a Catholic charity organization. They bought an old house and are fixing it up while ministering to the people in that area. Afterwards, we drove to KC, KS to show my parents the area that we are thinking about moving to. Funny how the area looked very safe and inviting after being on the other side of the city. It is all perspective. . .
We are now leaning towards attending the training school in Atlanta from January to May 2010 and then moving to Houston for the summer to help set up the school there. I got a little panicky today thinking about moving and how to store all our stuff. We don't think it is wise to sell everything yet since we are not sure what we'll need once we move downtown. It is amazing how much stuff we have accumulated even though we have tried to be pretty vigilant in giving away or selling our unused things. I have to constantly remind myself that it is just stuff - I catch myself thinking "I don't want to get rid of that ____, I like it." I am realizing how easy it is to get attached to all my stuff. I think I find security and comfort in it. . . maybe because it feels familiar to me. I think this will be a constant battle for me over the next few months. . . years. . . maybe lifetime. . .
On a random note, on Saturday evening we were playing Blokus with my parents after the kids went to bed when the power went out. We ended up talking a bit and going out on the porch to check out the darkness. After realizing that the power wasn't coming back on anytime soon, we lit some candles, got ready for bed and turned in for the night. It was nice. How much more sleep we would all get without electricity!
On a random note, on Saturday evening we were playing Blokus with my parents after the kids went to bed when the power went out. We ended up talking a bit and going out on the porch to check out the darkness. After realizing that the power wasn't coming back on anytime soon, we lit some candles, got ready for bed and turned in for the night. It was nice. How much more sleep we would all get without electricity!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Unknown Territory
I feel that God is about to send us into unknown territory. The past few weeks have been full of ups and downs. After Tim's trip to Mexico, God has been opening doors for us to attend the GFM Missionary Training School in the next year or so. The plan is to attend one of the schools in Mexico, Atlanta, or Houston then move to KC, K and open up a school locally. I have had mixed emotions - I am excited about God's plan for our family but I have been confronted with my obsessions for safety, comfort, and yes. . . even materialism. Why now? We have 2 small children and still want to have 2 more. These changes certainly do not fit into "my plans". We were about 90% confident that we were to attend the school in Mexico this coming September when we found out that Tim's mom has a growth on her lymph nodes. To date, we are still awaiting results to find out exactly what it is and the plan for treatment. We can not imagine leaving her or the family right now if a difficult road is ahead.
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