Three Down, One to Go!

Mad recap of spring and transition to a new summer schedule:

After visiting, applying, and being accepted into Anderson, Huntington, and Taylor University, David has decided to attend Huntington University in the fall to pursue studies in Computer Science.  Glad that decision is made and we are at peace about it.  His graduation and open house were both on May 19th, and we enjoyed the full day celebrating with him. 

Thank you to everyone who came out and sent cards to celebrate with him.  God is gracious and upon the heels of graduating on May 19th, he began work today as a picker/packer/shipper for Coast Distribution, here in Elkhart.  It is warehouse type job for an RV company. So glad the RV business has picked up and praise God for summer employment!

Speaking of summer employment, Johnny is comfortably settled in his job at Kroger, which has been giving him overtime hours, as the president of the company is visiting the store some time this week.  Yikes!  I hope they're ready.  The store was in mass confusion the last week as it has been undergoing total reorganization.

Anina also graduated from eighth grade on May 19th, and we have settled on her course for the fall, her first year in high school.  She is an excellent student and gets done with her work very promptly (perhaps occasionally, too promptly). She has been always a cheerful helper and we appreciate her help with all that entails hosting interns and volunteers at our house.

Beginning today, we will have our summer intern through the middle of August. Hosting is usually a great time---just like having another kid at home, really.  So pray for our vehicle-challenged home---there are 4 people who need to get around to fulltime (or more) jobs and not enough vehicles to do so.  :) 

Elizabeth and Peter are doing well. Both are working hard and serving the Lord at Lansing Bible Church.  We see them more than we thought we would, despite the long drives.  It is rewarding to see your adult child doing well, being responsible, and serving the Lord.  It makes a parent feel full-hearted, indeed.

We are doing well.  John is busy.  [Jean will be chauffering... :)]

Where did all the time go?

As I sit here tonight, this is the 30th Valentine's Day that John and I have shared. So much has happened and yet I still feel like I am 29. Okay, not really, but I certainly don't feel old enough to have shared 30 Valentine's Days with my spouse already! But the facts add up:

• 25 years of marriage last June
• 4 children: one married this past November, one in college, one going off to college, and one starting high school in the fall. [Really--weren't they just all in diapers?]
• 3 editions of Saxon Algebra
• one son-in-law
• only one still on this earth from my nuclear family, as my dear sister, Sue, went to be with the Lord this past November.

It is a testimony to how God has worked in our lives:

• marriage still growing and striving to be honoring to Him (Amen!)
• 4 children who know the Lord: one married to a great guy, one studying hard to obtain a Biology degree, one praying about which college to attend, and one who serves the Lord with a good attitude. [So glad we are beyond diapers and have depth of relationship with each of them!]
• lived through 3 editions of Saxon Algebra -- praise the Lord!
• one son-in-law who knows and follows the Lord --hallelujah!
• missing one father, one mother, and one sister who are all present with the Lord (praise the Lord, again!)

So, thankful that God has guided all this. So thankful my loved ones are with Him. So thankful God is sovereign as He continues to lead us here in Elkhart.
 

Blessings Come in Different Shapes and Sizes

Missionaries all over the world are recipients of food gifts: a chicken, a couple of freshly killed guinea pigs, a box of fresh mangoes, limes, or whatever is in season. Old missionary cookbooks are filled with ideas of how to cook wild game (i.e. roasting fresh kill in coffee to remove the gamey taste) – often brought to bless and/or thank the missionaries.

I never really expected food blessings here in Elkhart, but we are not exempt here. Gifts come in the form of something that is plentiful, in bulk, and something not of our choosing. However, this is still a blessing! Some would have found the last year here burdensome, but we find each food blessing an adventure and are so grateful:

• We have been amply provided for by God, through others.
• We get to share.
• We've learned to try new things (once we've figured out what it was!) and haven't had to pay for it.
• We've learned (and continue to learn) to cook things given to us.
• We've learned that serving food to others with the blessings we've received is just fine.
• We've been trying to be good stewards and have tried to preserve and use all we've been given.
• We already have favorites...and sometimes hope for more of this.
• We've been able to experiment with things we could not afford to buy.

God is good, He is faithful. We praise God for how well He's provided for us.