Another thing maybe you didn't know... we're pregnant. I was in my second month during the last post--- when Matt was in Cameroon. (He got home safely, by the way!) I began working half-days, so I could be sick at home instead of sick in the office. :) Half-days are the way of life for me, still, since my amazing manager is so flexible---as long as TECH isn't hurting for help. Several days I've stayed all day or late to help ministries, but if possible I cram as much work into my mornings and then head home for rest or to teach lessons.
So maybe those are the two main reasons why our blog was on hold... ? We're doing very well! We're excited for Christmas for sure!
We went on deputation last month. Deputation is a ministry update visit where a missionary runs around like crazy telling friends and family about what God is doing, and then they return to the ministry often without a moment to take a breath. FORTUNATELY, we got several moments to breathe before we got home because when we got back to Longview, things moved very quickly! Here's a look what's been going on:
- Unpack after trip (of course)
- Got home and found the fridge had been off due to a circuit thing during a power outage, and we had rotten food, including a rotten turkey in the freezer to take care of. And then that smell... oh, how it's lingering. Fortunately we were in great spirits & didn't really get bothered by it all! (Praise God for that miraculous work in our hearts!) So we scrubbed the fridge... twice.
- Doctor's appointment and ultrasound.
- TECH Women had a Christmas party, and I played music for it.
- Started private lessons (teaching) back up.
- Took care of Jones boys
- MTT Christmas social
- Northwood women Christmas banquet (I got to prepare the special tradition of the Good and Perfect Gift, the devotion, craft and a song! Matt was one of the servers--- boy, I wish I had a photo! He was quite handsome!)
- Northwood church Christmas Potluck (Matt and I got to do the special music: a fifteen-minute musical medley of the Christmas story, walking through all the Scripture on PowerPoint slides accompanied by illustrations. This took a lot of prep, but it was neat worship as a couple; Matt took care of coordinating the slides while I sang. I guess we were "the entertainment.")
- For chapel at MTT, Tom Brewington (our part-time, retired mechanic) and I did the entire chapel full of music with our stringed instruments. It was a blast!
- MEANWHILE while all of this is going on, Matt has been working extra hours most days to finalize the report for Mbingo Baptist Hospital in Cameroon. This week he has worked over 40 hours... and it's Thursday morning! (He hopes to be done this morning, so the hospital can receive the report in time to propose it for funding.)
- Tomorrow night we have an event that Rebecca Friedlander, Matt and I are putting on at her dad's cabin called The Patchwork Christmas. I'll share the flyer with you, so you can get a better idea. (See below)
- Christmas Eve we are hoping to pack our house with friends who are missing their families or wanna be together for supper! We're making a turkey and ham, along with all kinds of sides and snacks. I already started baking. :)
We are really excited for all God's let us do! Please pray that we are sustained and that our attitudes glorify God. We REALLY long to have opportunities to help bring people closer to Jesus through all we're doing... especially tomorrow and Saturday. Please pray that we, too, would have VERY intimate times with Christ. Someone once said that when you're busy, you're like a speedboat: the faster you go, the more shallow your bottom is in the water. We want deep times with God that bless Him... not shallow moments. :)
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| This is the Patchwork Christmas flyer we handed out. |
