Turn the Page

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Turn the Page

That quote is from one of my favorite songs and reminds me that when things seem the darkest, God is simply setting the stage for another miracle. So, allow me to set the scene.

On Tuesday of last week, we had an unexpected expense of $100. Ouch, right? But nothing too big for our God.

On Wednesday, I had a doctor’s appointment (always pricey) the insurance company didn’t cover. Double ouch!

On Thursday, we took our Xterra into the shop, hoping its recent skipping was merely a spark plug issue or possibly the need for new wires. The plugs were fine, but the wires were shot, and so was the distributor. Seriously?

All of this happened, I should mention, after Jason received one of the lowest paychecks I ever remember. Yes, the grand total of hours for the two-week paycheck was 38. When you’re used to having 40 hours each week and getting a check for 80 hours, getting one for 38 is a kick in the gut. As you can imagine, by the end of the week, we were (or at least, I was) growing a bit anxious and discouraged.

Turn the page. . .

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Ten Things That Your Missionary Will Not Tell You

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Ten Things That Your Missionary Will Not Tell You

I read an article this morning that convicted me so much that I feel the need to share it with you. Though Jason and I are just beginning our missionary journey and haven’t even begun our work on the field, we can already relate to a few of the points the writer states in the following article. We’ve also had the opportunity to hang around enough missionaries in the past few months to know that what is said here is true. Very sad, but true. I share this today as a reminder to pray for and reach out to missionaries across the world. We’re people too, and we need your love, prayers, and encouragement.

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Walking and Waiting

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Walking and Waiting

I came across this quote in my devotions yesterday:  "Waiting is much more difficult than walking."  I heartily agree with that statement, and so does Barnabas.  In fact, he demonstrated this very principle on our morning walk.  

Our dog is all about the go.  He loves to walk and hike, to explore and sniff.  Unfortunately for him, our morning walks involve crossing a few busy streets, which means we have to stop and wait for traffic to clear.  Barnabas spent some time roaming the streets before we adopted him, so he has great respect for traffic and knows to stay clear of cars.  That being said, the process of waiting to cross the street nearly drives him crazy.  As each car passes, he looks up at me like, "Can we go now?"  If I give him the go ahead, he takes off like a horse out of the gate.  If I tell him we have to wait a little longer, the look he throws my way is comical because it reminds me a sullen teenager who isn't getting his or her way. (If you've ever owned a dog, you know how much they can act like children.)

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