Wow! Where does the time go?? I could have sworn I'd just updated this a few weeks ago, but when I got in to check the news (Yes, I go to the blog to get news on Kenya!) I see August 31st! Very sorry!
Well, let's see....Homeschooling is working into a routine of sorts. We're still bumping along. The COVA curriculum is pretty intense and our days are typically 6-7 hours of actual "classroom" time. Ashley seems to be increasing in knowledge. That is the point, right? And, we've had a wonderful chance to get to know each other better. She seems to be much more engaged and can actually tell Dad what she's done at the end of each day.
Unfortunately, that hasn't left a lot of extra time to do those things I need to do to get us to Africa faster. However, I have to give a huge THANK YOU to friends who have come over to help me organize, sort and clean. Invariably, they say, "Is that all? That wasn't much." But to me, it's enormous. My hardest part is getting started. So, I'll stare at a project for a week, but get overwhelmed by the enormity of it. Then someone comes over to help and the next thing you know, the project is either well under way or completed. In addition, I've had the chance to connect with and talk to friends I haven't seen in a while, or otherwise wouldn't have gotten to spend time with. We are so blessed! There's still much to do, though and I'm getting daunted by the office work piling up. So...if you are so inclined...call me! :) I'll even feed you!!
While Ashley and I are schooling, cleaning, cooking and moving, Jeff is working his tail off. He's lost 20 lbs already on his Schwan's job! That's the good part. The bad part is that he only sees Ashley for about 15 minutes each morning right when she wakes up. She's in bed by the time he gets back in the evening. Considering the close bond between those two, that is making it incredibly hard for him to stay motivated. Please keep him in your prayers.
Our house has been on the market for nearly 3 months. We've had about 6 showings. Now we're at the point of having to decide if we should keep it on the market or take it off and refinance in the event we need to rent it out instead of selling it. Please pray for us to make a decision based not on our desires, but on God's. And, if God's will is that we rent, please pray that we can refinance at a good rate in this market. We've got till the 23rd to decide.
So now, about Kenya: I've got to be honest. It's been really frustrating waiting on God's timing for our move. We saw an amazing outpouring of support at the end of July, but since then, it's been sort of trickling in. Granted, we haven't had much time to put into getting our story out. Our prayer warrior base has steadily grown. That's encouraging! I think my biggest fear is that those who have been contributing to our Kenya support will get frustrated and think we're never leaving and withdraw their support or maybe our field office will get tired of waiting for us. We got to talk to our SIM Kenya director a couple nights ago. He's in the States attending a conference. It was good to hear that he's comfortable with waiting on God's timing. Still, our hearts are yearning to be in Kenya. As he said, we've got a sort of cabin fever setting in. Please pray for God to open doors for us to share our calling with everyone He's got in mind to be on our team.
Ashley and I have been going through a devotional book called "His Princess" by Sheri Rose Shepherd. Today we read on Proverbs 16:3 "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Let me share that with you:
I know you have an idea in your head on how everything should unfold in your life. Even today you have an agenda. Because I love you, I need you to give Me back all your plans for today and for all your tomorrows. If you let Me have your day, I can then intervene with something special. My intervention will give you more joy in your journey than your good intentions. I know all that your heart longs for, and I want to do more for you than you could ever do for yourself. So give Me a chance to change your agenda from ordinary to extraordinary, because that's the kind of life I've destined you to live, My beloved.
Interesting how the Lord knows just what we need to hear, just when we need to hear it and finds a way to tell us! Oh Lord, let me always remember that you are both here and in Africa, in the preparation and the completion and everything in between. Strengthen me to wait on your time with a peaceful and joyful heart.
