Less than two weeks until we go home...and many random thoughts

We've been in Tacoma for more than three weeks now and away from Dan for most of that time.  It's been a good trip but a hard one too.  The VBS at KUPC just got over with with a great turn out.  I really love the kids here and their heart for Jesus.  One more intense week to go.  Vancouver...what does the Lord want to do this year in Vancouver?  Oh Lord, let your will be done.  Let the children know you and fall deeper in love with you. 

I realized all over again that morning prayer is my spiritual lifeline.  If we move back to this area next year I have to have a plan for prayer.  I've got to plan my life around my time of prayer.  Obviously I need a plan for this year too...

I'd rather have a youth group of five kids who really want to go for Jesus than one with 500 kids who want to settle for a half-hearted Christian life.  There's such a desire in me for more. 

So much Korean food here.  Starbucks everyday and no cooking everyday.  What a life.  I don't have room in my mind to cook.  Life is not normal right now.  I know my kids are feeling it too.  They miss their dad and want to go back to "Kirtsville."  But I think we can do this.  God's given us grace so far and this should be the last year that we'll have to be separated this long.  I'm sooooo thankful for my family.  I love and miss you Dan.  You are more than I could have ever asked God for and the father that our kids will flourish under. 

Oh, everyone here has been so good about taking care of Joel.  Joel is everyone's baby.  I'm very thankful.

I had to add this...I hope Matthew doesn't mind that I cut and pasted the following from his xanga entry from a while back:

Yes... I am ALIVE!

I am a son of Righteousness. i am called to live, and live to the fullest. who could tell me different?

I love that. 

Wow!  There has been so much going on in my life in the last couple of months that I can't keep up with the updating.  As some of you know we were in GA again just last week (although it seems a long time ago) and it was a really wonderful experience.  It's hard to express everything that is in my heart concerning GA except that I'm so grateful that God is at work in this world and that I get to be a part of His work of salvation.  This trip has helped me to see life in the light of eternity more than ever before and I hope I can live the rest of my life with that perspective. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing young people get close to Jesus.  There is nothing better than seeing little ones touched by God's love and embrace His purposes for their lives.  I can't ever forget what a little boy said last year, "Before this VBS God was not that important to me, but now He is really really important."  I'm also seeing His plan for my life more and more clearly.  And more than ever before I just want to be near Him.  I don't want to just serve Him.  I want to be with Jesus.  It's more important to me to have a relationship with Jesus than to preach to many people or to have an impact in this world.  I can't help loving Him.  Can I tell you how awesome that is?  I love Him.  I love Him.  I love Him.  I used to pray, "God help me to love you.  Help me to love to love you."  What I realize now is how He answered this prayer by showing me how very deeply He loves me.  He's always telling me He loves me and that He is with me and that He is for me and that He will help me.  And you know what?!  He loves you that way too, whether you realize it or not!  I definitely realize this love more and more as I age (and I am aging as I realize my body cannot keep up with these trips as well as the other team members).  But aging is good b/c it means I am that much closer to being with Him. 

I'm going to rave about the people that went to GA with me on another post as they certainly deserve it and as I'm running out of time right now.  More to come later...

Sushi in Kirksville!

So tonight Dan and I got to do something we thought we'd never do in the 'ville - have an all you can eat sushi feast!  It was held at the Salamander Grill where a couple of sushi chefs (what are they called?) came up from the Osaka Restaurant in Columbia.  We thought it started at 5 and got there at 5:30 to find out that we were the first ones there - first dibs on the grub (It actually started around 6:30).  The reason for this special event was that the urologist in town, a Korean Dr. Lee, was giving a talk and wanted to have sushi.  The drug reps were glad to oblige so medical students and doctors were invited to come.  Dr. Lee told Dan that wives were going to be allowed also so I got to tag along.  Dan had to hold the baby all night long but boy, was it worth it.  The fact that it was all free was nice too.  Interestingly enough the event was sponsored by Pfizer (I think that's the name), which is the drug company that manufactures Viagra.  Unbeknownst to me, Dr. Lee's lecture was on ED - anyone have a guess as to what that stands for?  It has to do with males and their manly dysfunction.  Well, I learned some interesting facts about that and know some ways to treat it now too.  I'm glad Dan's not a urologist, although urologists definitely perform a very needed function in the medical world (and I don't just mean treating ED). 

In other news, I just want to say how thankful I am for the friends we have here in Kirksville and around the world.  Last week, during Life Church School spring break, I had a different babysitter each morning for my kids so I can run errands and just do other things.  It was a refreshing time for me.  Then we had some friends over throughout the weekend and it was good fellowship.  Now that I think about it, I used to say how I treasured my time in Bellingham (where I went to college) b/c of the close friendships we formed there despite it being a small city.  Now we're in an even smaller city and that's what we find ourselves enjoying.  I love to travel and do fun things but ultimately it's the friends and the quality time in Christ we share with them that matter the most.  I'm determined to make that a priority wherever we are.  And it is my heart's desire to have godly fellowship with people around me.  I think God is teaching us that more and more here in Kirksville.  Thank you Lord.  You are reason for anything and everything we desire to do in this life.  May that not only be the prayer from our lips but the life that we live everyday.

...With Thanksgiving...

I'm sincerely thankful for my church family in Kirksville.  I can't imagine a better group of amazingly faithful, steadfastly persevering, and totally in love with God to the very end type of people.  I mean, I realize we all have faults, but I know with all of my heart that the majority of people at Life Church are in it for the long haul.  They want God and they want to serve and please God more than anything.  No flaky Christians here.  It's almost hard for some people to stick when they come b/c we do go for it - meaning nothing less than a truly passionate and pure lifestyle is acceptable.  People don't shun anyone but it's hard to be with a group of people who want to be radical for Christ when your heart is still chasing after the things in the world, be it wealth, success, entertainment, and/or other pleasures.  What I loved and still love about my Life Church family is this...the passion that I had for Jesus when I first realized His love for me (I'd say during my high school years) is the same passion that is the norm here.  Passion for Jesus must increase as we age, NOT diminish with our knowledge and experience of the world.  I so appreciate Pastor Tom and the other leaders at our church b/c they are very humble people and they're the type of people who can't compromise even if they wanted to - so great is their love for Him.   

Happy Birthday to my favorite little girl in the whole universe!  Kaitlyn had a wonderful birthday.  All of us got up very early this Sunday morning and had pancakes for breakfast (K8 had two whole pancakes!).  Then I dressed Kaitlyn up into the flower girl dress she never did get to wear in public (she chickened out just before HyoSun's wedding a couple of years ago).  When Peter saw his sister, he said, "Noona, you're Cinderella!"  Then he wanted to hold her hand all morning long.  We went to church early and got to have doughnuts (kids love it when we get there early).  After church our family went to Columbia and after the usual carousel ride at the mall they got to play in the play area for a while.  Peter picked out another pretty girl (6 year old) and wanted to hold her hand while they were in the play area.  She tried to run away from him after a while.  How has an almost three year old already developed his idea of beauty and how does he know that he wants to be near it?  He asks about Kelly Emo and Natalie all the time too!  I told Kevin (my brother) that Peter takes after him and Kevin denied any influence whatsoever and blamed it on Dan.  Anyways, we ate dinner at the Macaroni Grill (quite kid-friendly for a nice restaurant) and K8 got their famous chocolate cake drizzled w/ choc. syrup.  No opera singer tonight though.  She commented on our way home that she had a great birthday.  Thank you Kelly Emo for the Hello Kitty stereo - she loves it!  Thank you Jesus for a lovely and sweet, sweet daughter.  I would love to have several Kaitlyns under my care.

Please see http://www.xanga.com/loveitcloudy for recents pics of our little ones.