Random Thoughts on a Typical Day

I sit here on my couch with Cohen cooing in his baby seat on the floor.  Corban is upstairs watching a video, and hopefully falling asleep.  That will give me a chance to actually finish some of my thoughts.

Our ministry was so blessed by the visit of Fielding and Carla Cage.  Their visit was a bit different.  It was a mixture of having a mission team here (setting up churches for them to minister in, setting up the crusade, etc), a bit like having interns (showing them our ministry sites and how we do things, introducing them to the culture, etc), a lot like having family visit (playing with the kids, babysitting so Francisco and I could go out one night), and mostly a blessing for our whole team in a lot of ways. We all missed them when they left.  I hope they come again soon and often.

We are starting to prepare ourselved mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and all other ways for the onslaught of visitors, missionaries, teams, and whatnot that we are expecting throughout the month of July.  We truly enjoy having mission teams, we love having interns, each team member gleans a ton from all the new faces we meet... still, it is a lot of work on our part.  I suppose if you have never been on this end of receiving missionaries and teams you cannot know the amount of prayer and planning that goes into it.  None of us complain.  It is a good switch from the "ordinary" every day stuff.  Yet, trying to fit the planning of teams and visitors into our already full work week can sometimes leave us a bit drained.  I was talking to someone not long ago and compaired it to exercise.  Have you ever participated in a sport of some type... the adrenaline rush was fantastic and the physical exhaustion afterwards felt good- as if you had accomplished something.  It is a delicious exhaustion that makes taking a break seem like a fit reward.  Hosting teams and guests is like that.  There is an exciting adrenaline rush that pushes us on through to the end.  When it is all over we are tired, drained, and so ready for a break- but at the same time are filled with such satisfaction.  ahhhhh, love having guests.

This weekend we are going to be holding a training class for 2 or 3 area churches.  All of us are excited about that.  It all started as a favor for a pastor friend who is getting his children's ministry started.  It grew.  We are so glad.  A lot of time and effort has gone into making this class a professional deal.  To know that all this hard work is not for a handful of people but rather for about 25 to 30 teachers and leaders of children, well, the satisfaction is great.  To know that we are multiplying ourselves in more ways than we thought possible is an exciting new adventure.

I get so excited as I see this ministry grow.  And then I go through moments of panic.  How to balance the growing ministry with the growing responsabilities of motherhood.  hmmm, now that requires the wisdom of God.  It is something on the forefront of my mind and heart and at the top of my prayer list lately.  But I am learning and growing every step of the way.  My desire is that my life would be worthy of being an example for others to follow.

 Lord, lead me and guide me.  Help my heart's desire to be yours.  Help me to be patient while I wait to hear from you.  Use my life to bless those around me even in the little things. And above all, may you be magnified and glorified though me and my ministry team.

Corban has just come downstairs to announce that he would like an apple.  So, my random thoughts end here for a while.