Ryan is feeling better. The pain is under control, and we are just waiting for the kidney stones to pass so we can go back to California. Thank you all who prayed!

We expected something to happen. Ryan and I talked about it a few weeks ago. We haven't seen one missionary family go to the field without a trial right before they go. We have seen it over and over, and we know that the devil hates it when missionary gets to the place God wants him. So here we are, and there may be more to come, as the Lord allows. We know that He is in control and that He will provide. We are praying that this will not set our date of departure back, but we know that God knows what He wants us to do and He will lead.

We are just waiting to see what the Lord is going to do with this trial. One thing is that we are both of us more dedicated to having a healthy diet.

Thank you again for praying!

Kidney Stones

My dear hubby took sick as we were getting ready for church this morning. He was vomiting with severe pain. We went to the hospital, and they say he's got kidney stones. I'm thankful it wasn't something worse! It isn't easy to see someone you love in so much pain when there is nothing you can do about it. I've heard that passing kidney stones is similier to having a baby. I have to disagree. No matter how bad the pain is, there is a much greater reward at the end of having a baby! That is not something I can say of my husband right now.

I will update with any changes in his condition as they come.

Confessions of the Slothful Christian

Appologies to William Walford and William Bradbury


Sweet munute of prayer, sweet minute of prayer
I put my time in and left you there,
So when I close my eyes to sleep,
My concience hardly even makes a peep.
I've filled my life with so many things,
I don't recall how my heart used to sing,
When I would kneel and to God's throne reach,
humbling myself, letting His Spirit teach.

A minute of prayer, how do I dare,
To tell myself what I do is prayer,
For prayer is entering the presence of Him,
Who can't stand the sight, the shadow of sin.
It's been so long since I have thought,
To ask Him to tell me the wrongs I have wrought,
I just take a moment to stifle the sting,
Of conviction before it begins to ring.

A moment of prayer, just a moment I give,
Because my busy life I must live,
I cannot miss my TV show,
I ignore every day that they reach a new low.
Entertainment fills my mind, my heart,
Thoughts of Christ don't have a part,
My spirit is weak, my flesh is strong,
Because in prayer I don't linger long.

Sweet passing thought that I should pray,
Before I go on about my day,
God's Spirit speaks, and the thought of Him,
Makes me fear, for His voice is growing dim!
Oh God! How could I neglect you so?
Forgive me, Lord, let Your mercy show.
YOu're my love, my life let me walk with You,
And "sweet hour of Prayer" will again ring true!

Blessed Thanksgiving!

Off the top of my head, things I am thankful for:
1. The Gift of God is eternal life! Through Jesus Christ I am saved.
2. Heaven, not Hell; hope, not perishing.
3. Jesus, God is with us!
4. The Bible, God shows Himself to me.
5. The Holy Spirit, God leads me.
6. God is good, wise, and all-powerful.
7. I get to serve Him every moment of every day!
8. He gave me a wonderful husband, Ryan.
9. Bright, cheerful, open Ruth.
10. Sweet, tender, funny Rebecca.
11. Happy, lively, easygoing Elisabeth.
12. Godly parents.
13. Grandparents in heaven.
14. I am not done growing!
15. God's promises!

While I could go on and on, I think God has emphasized to me this past year that He is shaping us and changing us. He is making us more useful for Him, and He uses every last thing that has taken place in our lives. Nothing that happens can be wasted if we give it to God. He will always make something beautiful, but only if it is placed in His hands.

This past year I read "Hind's Feet In High Places". The pilgrim, Much Afraid, carries a stone for every lesson she has learned in her journey. At one point, near dispair, she considers throwing them away because all seems lost and hopeless. So she looks at each one and decides that every one of those lessons is too precious to cast aside and she goes on her journey with her stones. In the end, when she is glorified, those stones become precious gems to be placed in a crown she can wear to bring glory to her Saviour. Then she thinks with horror about how very close she came to throwing them away.

God is good! I am thankful for what He has done with us this year, and I wouldn't trade one moment of it. He has shown us that He is great, faithful, and loving!

God bless you all and have a great Thanksgiving!

Giant Sequoia Trees!

We took a trip to the GREAT BIG GIANT TREES near Visalia recently. The colors were so beautiful, it was just the right time of year. Like driving into fairyland. The General Sherman Tree is supposed to be the largest living thing on land.

Hi there!

Ruth likes to hide in little places. I guess you might say she's anti-clausterphobic. This is just one of the places she loves to huddle down in.

To Snow, or Not To Snow...

Oh my, I did wait a long time before posting this story. Sorry!

Our trip up the Northwest to Vancouver was one of those we will remember for a while! I think the Lord was trying our patience a teensey bit, just to see if it was still there.

We piled in the van and started out in good time early in the morning, and ran into a little snow in Northern California. The roads were nice and clear, so we weren't worried. Well, the snow started to thin out and go away, but there were signs all over the road saying we would be turned back at the border if we didn't get snow chains, so we stopped in Yreka and got them. (Note, these were chains that must be cut to fit the car, and the place was really busy and didn't do it.)

At the border, sure enough, there were cars parked everywhere putting on their chains and stop and go traffic through it all. We stopped and then Ryan realized the chain problem. He put them on and drove a little, and the chains were crashing against the van, so he stopped again and took them off. When we got to the border, we were turned back, and the guard told Ryan to loop the extra chain through the rubber central band. (Sorry, I don't know the technical speak for it!) He did, but after driving for thirty seconds, the chain cut through the band and it snapped. So we stopped again and then took them off, then waited in the line again. This time when we got to the border they just waved everyone through. "There's no snow, you can go!"

Whew! Four hours behind schedule, but LET's GO right? Well a couple hours later, the front of the van said, "SNAP! PING! CLANK!" and under the van, "CLANK CLANK CLANK!" A pully system just flew off and into the road! Now we stopped, in the dark and I said, "Ryan, I think our patience is being tested!" He agreed.

That all said, it was amazing just how God took care of our every need. I could have been desperately worried, I suppose, wondering how we were going to afford this, what are we going to do, where are we going to stay, etc. But that would just be so ungrateful and ungracious to the Lord! He never let us down before, and sure enough, God provided for what we needed and more. We got a comfortable night's sleep and were on the road the next day, with the van in better working order than before.

While my husband came down with a ferocious cold shortly after and we are all a little puney, we are sure counting our blessings! Don't we serve a wonderful Saviour?

Happy Veteran's Day!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every veteran reading this, especially my personal favorite veteran, my dad. The time you gave willingly to your country means so much to me. I got to live with one of America's verterans growing up, so I know a little about the honor and goodness of these people. It is that courage, selflesness, and love of right that God has used all through our history to preserve this country for me to live in, and for my kids to know what freedom means. Thank you, and God bless!

Off to Washington!

We are going to slosh through the state of Oregon tomorrow. It's a twelve hour drive from here to Vancouver, WA. There is snow here and there, so I will be happy when we arrive. I got all packed up already! I am often racing around with a desparate gleam in my eye grabbing things at random two hours after our departure time. Did I say that I have a very patient husband? He is. It's good, too, because if he wasn't I would have driven him bananas a long time ago!
God bless all!

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!

God is moving us to push our departure date for language school up to January from March!!! I am so excited to go, I can't stand it! Just two months.

Lots to do between now and then, and I'm not too organized right now, so I deeply appreciate anyone who wanted to pray for me!

Praise the Lord!!!!

On a side note, I have been told that I am too long-winded for a really interesting blog. (Note study on fear.) I would like to do a couple posts on Thanksgiving. Sorry if I get too verbose. I do love to talk, but I'll try to cut it back! LOL!