Thank You for Being A Friend (if you're 40ish, you can hear the tune in your head)

"Sometimes it's not easy, when I have had a day
Where nothing went right, but it'll be okay
Cause there are so many things that I am grateful for
That You have given me to let me know You more
One thing that is true
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends (yea-ah)
Sometimes it's not easy to try and understand
that You know what's best and that You have a plan
but I know that I can depend on You
and that You have given ways to help me through
one thing that is true
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends (yea-ah)
And when the rain comes down
they can be like the sun and brighten my sky
when i get turned around
a smile from a friend makes it okay
You give me the friends I need
to show how much You care for me.
Oh yeah, yeah yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
When I'm up or when I'm down, I can count on them to be around
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I see You through them, so thank you for my friends"

"I See You" from the album The Way I Was Made, Family Wise Music

This song has certainly taken on more meaning as I have prepared for this trip.

• The children's ministry leadership team and others will be providing several meals for my family so they don't have to survive on Kraft mac and cheese, frozen pizzas, tv dinners, and carry out.
  
• People have offered their homes and beds if the kids want to do an overnight because they're bored or just need a mom.
  
• Forty dollars was secretly thrust in my hands Sunday morning with a whisper, "buy the kids a great souvenir or something."
  
• Two different people handing me sizeable sums to get whatever I needed personally to go (with some of it going for the most massive economical suitcase I could find for my 49.872 pounds of clothing, etc.).
  
• Cards, letters, emails, text messages, e-cards of encouragement and support
  
• and, as previously mentioned in earlier entries, donations that covered all travel expenses, including immunizations and visa (which included one anonymous donation that I'm still trying to deduce)
  

So I thank you and Praise God for all the ways He has led, blessed, arranged circumstances, prompted action, and made the way clear. . . What a network I have! I'm so incredibly blessed!!!!
Back to final packing and planning--Cynthia aka Lucy

Two days away. . .

I just got back for Orlando, where I attended the Children's Pastors' Conference with staff and team members. We had a great time, heard from the Lord, and gained ministry ideas and resources. Now it's turn around and unpack/repack time. Of course, Satan complicated the prep work by striking our washing machine with some kind of affliction the day I left, so we'll have to go to a friend's house or the laundromat to get the last of the necessary laundry done. It finally seems real. I'm not sure I'm sleeping til I get on the plane late Tuesday afternoon. It seems like there so much still to do!!!
More coming later. . .

From step of faith to step of faith

Today in our staff meeting, we had a conversation about the progression from seeker to believer to seasoned believer and how some get sidetracked and stalled in advanced faith. How does one's faith continue to grow after years of church, small groups, Bible studies, service, etc.? I believe that part of keeping one's faith fresh and vibrant is related to an economic principle I recall from college (which I tried to leave in Econ class, but apparently it has other real-life application). We talked about the law of diminishing returns. If you crave a Big Mac, then the first bite is going to be extra super delicious, and each one following will a little less so. Another way to look at it is thinking about thrill seeking. One graduates from the Merry go round to the kiddie coaster to the Spider and Scrambler to amusement park coasters. Then you look forward to the new one that's higher, faster, and has more loops. The thrill, risk, and challenge have to increase to keep our interest.
I heard Tim LaHaye speak once at the American Association of Christian Counselors' Conference. He talked about faith growing as a process and how we go from step of faith to step of faith, increasing our risk and dependence on God. The last couple of times I listened to it, it really resonated with me. I want to grow in faith! I love inviting God to show off what a faithful and personal God he really is. And He always does.
Speaking of increasing our risk and dependence, there is a line in the book I'm reading In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day: Are you living your life in a way that is worth telling stories about?
I was speaking with someone who was considering a mission trip experience, but decided now was not the time. Now, I'm not doubting the fact that they prayed about it and heard a "not now" answer, but I can tell you that I do not want to miss one opportunity God has in store for me to step out in faith and live an adventure with Him. Life is too short and too many things can happen between now and the "perfect" time to go.
I want to live a life worth telling stories about----how about you???

My FAITH Sign from Vicki

I have to look up at the FAITH sign in my office that my girl friend Vicki gave me and smile. I now have the travel funding I need for the trip PLUS some that can reimburse me for the immunizations (which cost $350).
My travel visa also came today, so things are coming together!!!
Who says the Christian life is a boring one?? Let's chat, because I think differently!!

Mission Trip Calling, Part 2

I can still hear them in my head repeating after me this Sunday. "God is a God of ________?" "Order!" they would yell back. That was the lesson for this past week in the kindergarten and first grade room. We talked about how creation had to be done in a certain order or, for example, the animals would have drowned! Have you considered how He has ordered the steps of your life to build on each other, preparing you for each upcoming experience? Isn't that cool what a personal God He also is??? Let's rejoin the mission calling progression.
I spoke with Brad about watching the Nyaka video and how it had touched me. He said that he was considering planning a trip there because that was mission organization he had not visited yet. It was indeed a possibility!! As I talked, thought, and prayed, it looked more and more like it could become reality. Initial discussions with my family revolved around whether it was a safe place to go. There were questions like, "Wasn't that where one of the cruelest rulers had ever governed?" (Idi Amin) Yes, but he's not been in power for nearly 30 years. I was not going to be dissuaded.

We set a goal for VBX of raising $5000 because that would build Nyaka another classroom. Our grand total was $5,287! We also held a successful book drive because that was one of the high priority needs listed. Now, what we did not consider was the cost of postage--which is completely outrageous (approx $250 for every 65 lbs), so we'll be taking books with us along with continuing to send shipments as we can afford them (if anyone wants to contribute to the book postage fund to build up their library (they are taught English, so books will help them immensely!), let me know.

As Brad and I talked more and he communicated with Jackson, school founder and one of the American contacts, the trip became reality. I ordered my passport in August even though my family was not fully in love with the idea of me going. They're coming around. In September, I experienced what I felt was another major confirmation of the calling.
My prayers at that time about the trip centered around the fact that all the info and training I had was about American children's experience with grief. How was I going to help the Nyaka teachers if I had no conception of their culture, the children's roles and relationships with their parents, etc? What had I gotten myself into? I didn't want to be some arrogant American with all the "answers"--none of which applied to these kids' situations. I prayed, "God, how am I going to at least get a glimpse of their situations and understand so I can help???"
I went to the American Association of Christian Counselors' conference in mid-September. I attended a very helpful seminar on kids and grief that was a great, concise, reminder of what I already knew. A few hours later, I was sitting in one of the main seminars, admittedly bored with its message and flow. I started perusing the conference program, and decided I would determine the location of my next breakout session. I find the building map (of the Opryland Hotel--I LOVE that place!!!! That was the first place someone ever said to me--I could see you in ministry--plenty of stories and memories there!). On the page facing the map, there was an advertisement for a mission organization. The headline was, "Be touched. Be inspired. Be changed. There was a quote in the upper right hand corner: "The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the greatest opportunity for the Church to be the Church. It is time for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who need compassion." Rick Warren. Whoa, it got my attention. The paragraph on the page read:

Try to imagine the devastation of losing not one, but both parents as a young child. You are left alone with no one to care for you, no one to feed and clothe you, and no one to protect you. Millions of frightened children have been abandoned to fend completely for themselves after watching their parents die a slow agonizing death from HIV/AIDS. Meet these courageous children. They will change your opinions, your beliefs . . .and your life!

I'm not sure I was breathing at this point. This organization was GIVING AWAY a book that contained the very information I had prayed about that week. The book, Children of Hope, is available (still free) through an organization called World Help . Tears welled up in my eyes as I experienced one of those God connection moments. I sank down in my chair, overwhelmed, and felt as if I could melt into the floor. Talk about a personal God. Confirmation of a calling? You betcha. After I prayed and the session let out, I dashed down to the exhibit hall to obtain a copy of the book. I began reading it before the conference was over. The stories were incredibly sad, but many had positive outcomes. Exactly what I needed. Wow. There was no turning back now.

Thank you God, for the way you lead when we ask and are trying to pay attention. Help us never to miss the ways you provide for us.

Criminal Mischief->Burglary

If you caught the end of my last blog, you'll remember that I cut my explanation of my call to mission trip short because I discovered my garage and car had been burglarized. Yep, it was true. When the garage door was up for a short time while my daughter drove a friend home around midnight, one or more misguided youth decided to get my purse out of my car in the garage, dump the contents in my side yard, and steal my mp3 player. They also found our other keys and checked out our cars in the driveway. My daughter got a good look at one of them as he ran across the neighbor's yard. We have given the unusual description to the police and hope they continue to investigate. The kids may have been looking for one more "thrill" before Christmas break ended (yes, we call it Christmas break around here, not "winter break" or "holiday break"). I'll let you know if any arrests are made. . .
It's already late tonight, or I'd finish the calling story. There are more stories to tell. I'll add more tomorrow night.

In The Beginning. . .

I love to hear about people's God encounters, especially when they involve a call into ministry. Tony Campolo once said when he was asked about his "call," "I wasn't called. My mother told me. She told me over and over again, 'Your life is for serving God and other people. Do you understand? Do you understand!?'" Several people lately have asked me about my call into ministry, and I have shared that story with them. I figure it's time I make good on my promise to tell my mission trip calling story.
Last year was my first year in a newer, larger church, planning vacation Bible school. Instead of requesting a recommendation from the mission committee as to which mission to share with the kids and where to direct the offering funds, I was able to ask the missions minister, Brad. We start planning in January, but some of the details don't have to be determined right away. He got back to me probably in March and said let's support Nyaka School for AIDS orphans. I thought, "Okay, fine. You know who needs the funding and attention." He told me he had a dvd from them that he would pass along so I'd know more about them. He also mentioned they had a website I could look up. I had felt in the past that I hadn't promoted the missions aspect of vbs heartily enough, so I was determined this year to know and understand Nyaka's purpose, location, needs, etc., so I could speak about it at vbs and informally in an intelligent manner. Little did I know what was in store. . .
Well, finally, several weeks later, as I snuggled in bed for one last laptop computer encounter before dozing off to dreamland, I went to the website. It said, "click here for Nyaka video." I clicked. As I heard and read the statistics of how AIDS is affecting the children of Africa, as I watched the kids in the video and heard them singing, as I saw the impact the current efforts were having--then the kicker--Jackson describing what kind of people they need to come help the school. There was no denying it--he said "social workers who could help the teachers help the children in their grief. " In an instant, I thought, "I have to go. I could do that!"
For those of you who know me well, you know what an absolute stretch of every fiber of my being this is. I have never been called to consider missions work (and really, was pretty much genuinely thankful about that). That was something other people did. Other people who spoke other languages. Other people who liked rugged adventures (like primitive camping). Other people who knew and understood the spiritual, political, and cultural situations in other countries. Other people who liked to and were skilled at building houses or churches for the locals. OTHER PEOPLE!!!
I thought about how God had prepared every step of my education and professional experience to lead me to this opportunity: my degree in child development and family studies, my graduate work in counseling, my research papers on grief, my work at the hospital with children who were grieving the loss of health and normalcy because of illness or injury, supporting kids who had lost family members in car accidents, dealing with my own conceptions of death as I helped intensive care nurses obtain footprints and handprints for the parents of a baby or toddler who had lost their health battle, teaching a seminar on children and grief . . .. . . . ..
The fear, the hesitancy, the disdain for rugged adventures, etc. disappeared in a heartbeat.

to be continued--apparently my car and garage have been broken into---
ah, the sin of humanity. . . . .. . .. . . .. .