Monday, May 24, 2010

Earning the Right to be Heard

Yesterday, on a long walk in the forest, I had a lot of deep thoughts going through my head. Maybe I should re-phrase that, running through the forest, because if you stopped moving for even a second the mosquitoes try to eat you alive (good motivation to keep moving). The deep thoughts wandering through my mind went something like this. I need to get over my obsession of trying to please everyone. I should do my best to please God first and my husband second. But after that, I need to stop and think about who it is that I am trying to please and taking advice from. Are they people that I really respect, admire and want to be like? Is their marriage one I want my marriage to be like (if they are even married)? How about all those mothers that have given me their "wonderful advice"? Do I really want my kids turning out like theirs? How about their relationship with God? Are they Christians that I admire? I guess what I'm trying to say is, have they earned the right to speak truth into my life? Don't get be wrong, I think counsel is great, I just need to stop and think about Who I'm getting counsel from.
And then it hit me. Have I earned the right to be heard in the lives of my friends? Am I being and doing all God wants be to be so that I really can give Godly counsel? Do I even know someone well enough to be able to give correct advice or counsel? I'm afraid that a lot of times I have just wasted my breath and people really don't care what I have to say. But for some odd reason, I feel that I need to tell them anyway. Does this really have anything to do with ministry? Maybe, maybe not? But I for one am going to stop wasting my breath and start earning the right to be heard before I expect others to stop and listen. How about you?

Friday, May 21, 2010

Busy and excited!!!

You haven't heard from us in a while. The reason is we've been busy. Finishing up home schooling for the year, guest, getting ready for a training conference for childrens workers, getting everything ready for VBS this summer and our regular ministry to mention a few of the things we have been busy with. Jason and Josh just headed out this morning to take our friends the Hunts to southern Ukraine and then do a Bible trip on the way back. I'll do my best to do a few post while they are gone and get you all caught up on what has been happening here. Thanks for your prayers as we headed into our busiest time of year for ministry. We are excited what this summer holds for us.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Direction!?!

My life, especially since being Jason's wife, has truely been an adventure. An adventure with God and Jason. Sometimes I'll have to admit I'm struggling to keep up. But most of the time, it has been great fun. This past month was a true account of how exciting things can get around here. We have been saving up sky miles for several years with the plan to go on a anniversary trip together (without the kids). Well, we have dreamed for years of going to AK and this time it seemed like it was meant to be. We had enough miles to get free tickets and friends who invited us to stay with them and also we had to leave Ukraine to take care of the paper work with our visa. Everything seemed to be working out, but I should've know better. You see this isn't the first time we have tried to go to Alaska. Twelve years ago we were on the way when we had a terrible accident. Then 2 1/2 years ago we were making plans in that direction and Jessica had a accident and cut off her finger. Well once again our plans were rerouted when there was a volcano in Iceland. Yes, a volcano. The ash from the volcano shut down all the major airports in Europe and all fights to the USA were cancelled as well. So no trip to Alaska. But we still had to go somewhere because we had to leave the country. Jason said, "How about Georgia?" We have wanted to go to the country of Georgia, so I was game. We took the train from Kiev, down to the port city of Odessa. Then we took a boat across the Black Sea to Georgia. Maybe I shouldn't say boat. It was really a cargo ship, no fancy cruise ships for us. Yes, we did have a room. It was clean and small, very small. But this trip really turned out to be one of the best we have taken together. The kids stayed with our friend, Katrina. So we had time to talk, rest, pray together, plan, nap, read together, and think about the important things in life. It was a much needed time of rest, but also planning. Now before any of you start laughing about us taking a romatic cruise on a cargo ship, just wait. My husband is a very practicle man and it really was fun, and well, cheap. That made it romatic for Jason, cheap is good. On the ship we met some very nice Georgians that spoke English. They told us so much about their country and we had a great time talking with them. When we finally did get to Georgia (our 2 day trip turned into 5 days) our new found friends helps us along and made our trip wonderful. The people in Georgia are so friendly and kind. And when you hear the stories of their past and how it has been one war after another, you have to admire their courage. The last war was only 2years ago, when Russia invaded. One city we were in had been hit by bombs in this last war. You could see bullet holes in the buildings down town. Yet the common greeting on the street, in literal transalation, is "Go and Win." Isn't that great! What courage. It was wonderful to have met these brave people and visit their country.
The kiss says it all. It was a great trip!!!!!