Just HAD to add this picture of Jachin: ) He is helping me unpack!
Thankful Thursday:
Some random things I am REALLY thankful for:
1. We arrived safely last Tuesday with no accidents and no mishaps.
2. Our children have SO much room to run and play *I have to beg them to come inside*
3. I am very comfortable with our new church family.
4. We have a former pastors wife as a very close neighbor, and she has brought us produce from her garden and has already become a friend.
5. My husband is in his element and his preaching is so different from what it used to be, he has really grown in the last few years we were out of the ministry.
6. I refuse to be lonely or depressed and God is helping me focus and train my mind and heart to take all my needs to Him.
7. We have decided on no television, it is expensive and time consuming, and has a negative impact and influence on our children. *We are still watching good movies so we are not depriving our children : )*
8. We have a wonderful pianist in our little church *something I really appreciate because our last pastorate had no pianist and it was hard!*
9. I have great views out of every window.
10. God has proved Himself true to me, and I can see that the last few years of trials and hardships were not in vain. This is perhaps what I am most thankful for.
11. I am also thankful for each one of you, my friends through blogging, for your prayers and great comments, I have really missed interacting and am glad to be in touch again : )
Even with all the packing we are still having fun! One thing I have wanted to make sure is that we still spend time with the children even though we are super busy. I have been letting them help, and they have really helped! Karagen has written on the boxes, which helps her practice her writing skills, they have folded, wrapped, cut, taped and worked to fit things into boxes which helps them with problem solving and hand eye cordination. We have enjoyed our packing experience.
So farewell dear friends, we will be turning off the computer for the next few days and packing it away. I am not sure when we will be getting internet service in our new home, but you can be sure I will be back to blogging as soon as I can!
We are packing the truck Monday August 2, and then driving it to our new home on Tuesday August 3. We would appreciate your thoughts and prayers while we move and get settled!
I need to be random today, umm, make that maybe for the next 3 weeks! 1. We are Moving! We are going to the Henderson Maryland church to pastor. I am nervous, scared and still in a state of shock!
2. We have moved 8 times in 8 years. Yes I am complaining, just a little ; )
3. I have a very messy house right now. We currently live in a small double-wide trailer and it is now full of empty boxes waiting to be packed and some already packed. I have really streamlined our "stuff" while we have lived here, but when there is 7 of us in this small space...well you get the picture, but in case you don't here's an actual picture of some of my mess. *embarassed grin*
4. Everyone wants to see us now that we are moving.Not that is isn't nice to feel wanted, or whatever. But I have so much work to do!
5. I really need to go pack! Do I have to? (WHINE!!)
6.I have let my baby play with paper because he likes it and it keeps him happy.
This may make me a horrible mother, I will especially think so if he has paper in his poopy diaper.
I have to go clean, pack, take care of the children, nurse the baby, cook dinner...oh ya, you don't want my whole list do you?
If you would like you can click on the links below and join in the fun!
We are home and tired but so thankful for traveling mercies! What a weekend, traveling over 6 hours on Saturday, got lost (a little) the directions we were given had 1 wrong word in the street title that made us late, but we got to the home of the District Superintendant and his wife safely. We REALLY enjoyed our visit, they made us feel so at home! When we arrived I was able to go nurse Jachin and relax a little while the meal was finishing. We ate at almost 7 pm. We talked and visited awhile then went to bed....I drove the whole way so I was very glad to see the bed. And suprisingly the children did not really sleep on the way, not even the baby, so they all went right to sleep, what a relief!
Sunday morning Jonathan was up at 4:30 and handed me the baby to nurse then he worked on his message. We had a late breakfast that put us behind schedule, Jachin wanted to nurse and sleep and was screaming, so were my nerves. Admist that I realized Jonathan forgot to pack his suit pants -REALLY? I actually thought it was rather amusing is an uh oh kind of way. I wish I had a camera when I told him he had not brought them, I don't think I have ever seen his face so horrified! I also forgot my slip but the the couple we stayed with loaned me a slip and our host had a pair of black pants from when he was thinner that were just a tad too short, but fit around the waiste (at least stayed up, they were 34 and Jonathan is a 32 waiste) You can't expect perfection when the pants you normally wear are 32x34, tall and skinny and at home, anything is better than blue jeans though, right? But we managed to get ready and were 15 minutes early to church YAY! Those of you with children may understand the sense of relief of getting to your destination ON TIME!
Both services went well and we enjoyed meeting the people, sort of. I get shy or at least feel shy and feel so intimidated. But I watched a beautiful thing happen, our children melted hearts and broke the ice for me, even helped me to relax. I thanked God for this! We joined everyone for lunch in the fellowship building and once again I nursed the baby, which by now I realized was a lifesaver, I was able to relax, catch my breath and pray in the quite. After we ate, we met with the board and then we were able to see the parsonage. It was BEAUTIFUL! I told Jonathan Friday night (here at home) that I would really like to just be "wowed" by the parsonage, although as the words came out of my mouth they sounded selfish and crazy, but true ; ) All the children gleefully ran through all the rooms and giggled and jumped. Karagen kept asking the church people if they would like to come see the new house, it was so cute.
Sunday night was even better, Jonathan was more relaxed, so was I since we knew a little more of what to expect. I sang a special and he preached, then we visited with the people some more. I really sensed that we clicked with them better that night than we had in the morning. Jonathan and I were so glad we stayed for the evening service, it really helped us to "see" the people a little more.
Although we are not officially announcing our decision, I am free to say we were impressed and glad we went. The church will be voting this coming weekend and we are waiting to hear what the result is.
Before I go I want to list off the things about the parsonage to show you why I was "wowed". They are not listed in matter of importance so just keep that in mind.
It was built in 2001, central air, a master bedroom with a full bath, one 1/2 bath (no more waiting in line to go) and another full bath. 4 bedrooms, a study, a 2 car garage, living room, dining room, laundry room, a full screened in back porch, a BIG, SPACIOUS kitchen, a dishwasher, nice kitchen flooring. Plenty of yard for gardening, playing, dog raising.... all kinds of things. Really a place I have only dreamed of living in.
I will not be posting much this week or weekend. My husband and our family will be traveling to Henderson Maryland so we can visit a church there to see if we are a fit to be their pastor. My husband is a pastor and we are earnestly looking to return to the ministry.
We will be leaving Saturday morning and traveling there, then we will be staying with the District Superintendant and his wife. I am nervous and wish we could skip this part and just know where God wants us and go there. So unrealistic I know : )
Sunday we will be seeing the church and we are supposed to sing a special and Jonathan will be preaching twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. One thing I am pleased with is the church has a wonderful pianist, since I do not play this is wonderful news.
This church has a 4 bedroom parsonage, 5 acres and a fellowship hall. It is located in a beatuiful section of the country near the Chesapeak Bay. There are numerous parks and State parks around it as well. It is very close to Deleware, just a few miles from the border and is surrounded by other tiny towns, from what I have gathered it is a true country church.
I am focusing this week on helping Jonathan with his messages and spending time with the children.
Please keep us in your prayers. I hope to take pictures and will share them when we return. I really appreciate each of you and count you as friends, your support means so much to me!
Just HAD to add this picture of Jachin: ) He is helping me unpack!
