We are another day closer to Mexico and the reality of leaving in just a few days is hitting me. In one way, 3 weeks doesn't seem like very long, but in another way, it will be a good length.
As I talked to my teens, I realized that they are quite realistic about what to expect. The biggest challenge my girls anticipate is the language barrier, especially with the children. They realize how quickly the trip will fly by, and how different it will be returning home.
Nathan's most unsure about adjusting back to life here. I agree. We will just finish building a home the size of our living room, only to come back to the most commercialized and potentially selfish time of year--Christmas. This could be the worst time to go . . . or is it?
For years we've tried to shift our Christmas focus from getting to giving. However, with a very generous extended family, this has proven to be quite challenging.
It was 2 years ago that we finally felt a distinct shift. Most of the family had the opportunity to serve Christmas dinner to those who wouldn't have celebrated if it hasn't been for this special meal. Meals were served, gifts given, dishes washed, all with the focus on others. The family came home and enjoyed a late meal. It wasn't until much later that the gifts under the tree were even considered.
Last year, we again tried to focus on giving instead of getting and had our eyes opened to the fact that Christmas doesn't always hold warm memories for each person.
This year, we are hoping for an even more distinct shift. We are endeavouring to find ourself in a place of contentment with less (so challenging when living in a land of excess). This shift needs to take place first in our hearts, before it can be demonstrated outwardly, and Mexico may be the best jolt of reality our family will experience at this time.
Whatever the lessons are that God brings to our family, we know that there is a reason we are to go and that in this journey we will not come back unchanged.
an ordinary family who just wants to do what God wants
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Never Too Young to Serve
5 days and counting. Each room has the suitcases that are starting to be filled, and while the "to do" list seems to be growing, the "sleeps left" are rapidly slipping away.
It was last night that the meltdown came from our youngest. I have to admit that while I was trying to soothe my distraught 3 year old, the thoughts of "what if this happens in Mexico?" were running through my head and for a split second I wondered if taking him was for the best. Just as fast as the question went through my mind, it was replaced by a peace that we were to do this as an entire family.
Years ago, while in Ensenada (that one day mission trip), I remember the leader of the mission talking about how a little 2 year old was able to make a huge impact on the people around her, just by being there. Who am I to say that my 3 year old can't minister the love of God just as effectively as my 15 year old?
Ethan (3) has been ready for Mexico for a long time. He asked where Mexico was and I pointed south. Now, every time I drive south towards Costco, he's convinced we are going to Mexico! He's figured out that we will go through the United States, see the ocean and drive lots. After watching the video of what we will be doing, he's excited to play with kids and pray (have I mentioned he is our little prayer warrior? When he prays for meals, the food gets cold). Ethan has his bag with his stuffy packed and set by the door, so he's ready.
Joel (6) is a bit more practical. He knows it will be a long drive--he vaguely remembers the drive to Vancouver island. He has been faithfully practicing with his puppet so he can entertain the kids at the daycare. When asked who he will see, he says that he will see lots of kids and lots of different people. I asked him what he will do and he said, "I will help them, of course." I know that he will.
Kids have an amazing way of connecting with other kids, regardless of language, nationality and social status. My youngest boys will most likely connect faster and easier then I will:) They will not be hindered by fear, uncertainty, or even worry about the language, they will just get into the action and join the fun.
While I wish we had learned more Spanish, had more stuff to bring, or just felt more sure of ourselves, I am reminded of what Gloria (mom of the family who has been down countless times) said--smiles are multilingual!
It was last night that the meltdown came from our youngest. I have to admit that while I was trying to soothe my distraught 3 year old, the thoughts of "what if this happens in Mexico?" were running through my head and for a split second I wondered if taking him was for the best. Just as fast as the question went through my mind, it was replaced by a peace that we were to do this as an entire family.
Years ago, while in Ensenada (that one day mission trip), I remember the leader of the mission talking about how a little 2 year old was able to make a huge impact on the people around her, just by being there. Who am I to say that my 3 year old can't minister the love of God just as effectively as my 15 year old?
Ethan (3) has been ready for Mexico for a long time. He asked where Mexico was and I pointed south. Now, every time I drive south towards Costco, he's convinced we are going to Mexico! He's figured out that we will go through the United States, see the ocean and drive lots. After watching the video of what we will be doing, he's excited to play with kids and pray (have I mentioned he is our little prayer warrior? When he prays for meals, the food gets cold). Ethan has his bag with his stuffy packed and set by the door, so he's ready.
Joel (6) is a bit more practical. He knows it will be a long drive--he vaguely remembers the drive to Vancouver island. He has been faithfully practicing with his puppet so he can entertain the kids at the daycare. When asked who he will see, he says that he will see lots of kids and lots of different people. I asked him what he will do and he said, "I will help them, of course." I know that he will.
Kids have an amazing way of connecting with other kids, regardless of language, nationality and social status. My youngest boys will most likely connect faster and easier then I will:) They will not be hindered by fear, uncertainty, or even worry about the language, they will just get into the action and join the fun.
While I wish we had learned more Spanish, had more stuff to bring, or just felt more sure of ourselves, I am reminded of what Gloria (mom of the family who has been down countless times) said--smiles are multilingual!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Not yours, Not mine, OURS
The saga of the bottles has continued throughout this week. As of this afternoon, the value of the bottles has been returned ten-fold! I went to the bank today to exchange the money for US and teller said she had never heard of such generosity (praise God!)
For my teens, especially, they were in awe of how God provided. Nathan put it very well when he commented how he's heard and read of provision like this, but never seen it--this will not be forgotten!
Perhaps what is not understood is that this isn't just "our" mission trip. Mission trips don't just happen because of one person or family. Missions are built on the group effort of many. Anyone who has supported is, encouraged us, prayed for us, given us money, pop bottles or things to take--all are part of this mission. We happen to be the carriers or stewards of these gifts, but you all have contributed.
The Bible is very clear that while we are all one body, each with a vital part to contribute. No one person (aside from Jesus) can make a huge impact on the world, but each of us, contributing what we can, have the power to reach many.
As we enter this final week before departure, thank for being apart of this mission trip. We have already seen God move in amazing ways and we aren't even there yet!
For my teens, especially, they were in awe of how God provided. Nathan put it very well when he commented how he's heard and read of provision like this, but never seen it--this will not be forgotten!
Perhaps what is not understood is that this isn't just "our" mission trip. Mission trips don't just happen because of one person or family. Missions are built on the group effort of many. Anyone who has supported is, encouraged us, prayed for us, given us money, pop bottles or things to take--all are part of this mission. We happen to be the carriers or stewards of these gifts, but you all have contributed.
The Bible is very clear that while we are all one body, each with a vital part to contribute. No one person (aside from Jesus) can make a huge impact on the world, but each of us, contributing what we can, have the power to reach many.
As we enter this final week before departure, thank for being apart of this mission trip. We have already seen God move in amazing ways and we aren't even there yet!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Details and God's Details (The Bottle Story)
It seemed like a God-inspired idea--collect pop bottles to help fund the "extras" for the people and organizations we come in contact with in Mexico. The response was overwhelming. Before we knew it, we had a huge collection of bottles in our back yard. Between the first 2 trips, $150 came in for Mexico! I was overwhelmed by what God was doing.. Just when I thought the bottles were slowing down, more came. Then we woke up this morning . . .
Looking outside, we noticed our side gate was propped open with a pylon from our yard and our collection of bottles missing! Now, it wasn't opened at 9:30, when we arrived home last night, nor at midnight, when our dog needed to answer nature's call, so sometime between midnight and morning, our--no, God's--bottles took a trip.
I have to be honest, I was crushed, people had donated these to help those in need in Mexico. The money was going to those "little extras" to be blessing to those around us. You know what I mean, money for the extra little details that can creep in and add up. Now, approximately $100 worth of bottles were gone.
After the initial shock, I realized that someone had been in our backyard in the middle if the night (was our door locked? Was anything else missing? Oh how unnerving). That left me feeling a little insecure.
This happened minutes before going to church, and as we drove, I couldn't help but think of the verse in Joel where God restores what the locusts have stolen. Time and time again, scripture is filled with reminders of how God restores, provides and takes care of everything we need. Who was I to worry? The situation proved to be sad and disheartening, but not devastating. God is still in control.
I was reminded of the story Otto Konning tells of his pineapples in New Guinea. For years, he cared for and tended the pineapples, only to have them stolen by the natives before he could enjoy them. this caused serious contention, until he finally surrendered his pineapples to God. After that, he had more than he knew what to do with!
I realized that these pop bottles were already given to God. I have no ownership, I am just the in between person. So, if they already were dedicated to God's work, so who's to say that the person who took these didn't need them more? This sounds more like God's details, doesn't it? My prayer is that whoever took them and whatever money is gained will be used to bring glory to God, because it already belongs to Him.
In the meantime, we go back to collecting bottles (this time stored in our garage) and trusting that God will bring in all that needed to take care of the needs that God presents us in Mexico.
Looking outside, we noticed our side gate was propped open with a pylon from our yard and our collection of bottles missing! Now, it wasn't opened at 9:30, when we arrived home last night, nor at midnight, when our dog needed to answer nature's call, so sometime between midnight and morning, our--no, God's--bottles took a trip.
I have to be honest, I was crushed, people had donated these to help those in need in Mexico. The money was going to those "little extras" to be blessing to those around us. You know what I mean, money for the extra little details that can creep in and add up. Now, approximately $100 worth of bottles were gone.
After the initial shock, I realized that someone had been in our backyard in the middle if the night (was our door locked? Was anything else missing? Oh how unnerving). That left me feeling a little insecure.
This happened minutes before going to church, and as we drove, I couldn't help but think of the verse in Joel where God restores what the locusts have stolen. Time and time again, scripture is filled with reminders of how God restores, provides and takes care of everything we need. Who was I to worry? The situation proved to be sad and disheartening, but not devastating. God is still in control.
I was reminded of the story Otto Konning tells of his pineapples in New Guinea. For years, he cared for and tended the pineapples, only to have them stolen by the natives before he could enjoy them. this caused serious contention, until he finally surrendered his pineapples to God. After that, he had more than he knew what to do with!
I realized that these pop bottles were already given to God. I have no ownership, I am just the in between person. So, if they already were dedicated to God's work, so who's to say that the person who took these didn't need them more? This sounds more like God's details, doesn't it? My prayer is that whoever took them and whatever money is gained will be used to bring glory to God, because it already belongs to Him.
In the meantime, we go back to collecting bottles (this time stored in our garage) and trusting that God will bring in all that needed to take care of the needs that God presents us in Mexico.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Just an ordinary family
What has struck me as we have been preparing for this trip has been people's reactions to us going. To begin with, we have not had one negative comment, instead, it's been quite the opposite. The support and encouragement our family has been incredible--much more than we ever anticipated (to be honest, a bit overwhelming).
I am humbled by the outpouring of support, and reminded of God's provision.
Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord directs our steps."
We can have the best laid plans ever, but it is up to God to bring them to pass. Yes, our family had dreams and plans for a mission trip, but the coming together of the details have truly been the work of the Lord.
The fact is, you don't need to go to another country to be on a "mission trip", missions (for everyone) starts in your own back yard. Just because someone goes overseas to spread the Gospel, they are no less a "Christian" then the one who is home, looking after their children and taking a meal to the new neighbour across the street. Our actions and attitudes wherever we are are all part of spreading God's love. This is not hinged on going somewhere new.
In saying this, I don't want to minimize the impact that going to Mexico (or any country where poverty is present) will have on our family--especially our teens. It's just that we are not claiming or pretending to be any more "spiritual" than the next guy, we just happen to be following through with something God has laid on our family's heart. We are just an ordinary family.
I am humbled by the outpouring of support, and reminded of God's provision.
Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord directs our steps."
We can have the best laid plans ever, but it is up to God to bring them to pass. Yes, our family had dreams and plans for a mission trip, but the coming together of the details have truly been the work of the Lord.
The fact is, you don't need to go to another country to be on a "mission trip", missions (for everyone) starts in your own back yard. Just because someone goes overseas to spread the Gospel, they are no less a "Christian" then the one who is home, looking after their children and taking a meal to the new neighbour across the street. Our actions and attitudes wherever we are are all part of spreading God's love. This is not hinged on going somewhere new.
In saying this, I don't want to minimize the impact that going to Mexico (or any country where poverty is present) will have on our family--especially our teens. It's just that we are not claiming or pretending to be any more "spiritual" than the next guy, we just happen to be following through with something God has laid on our family's heart. We are just an ordinary family.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Ready Set GO!
So, you may wonder how we got to this point-- taking our family of 7 to another country. . . I guess you could say it all started as seeds.
Years ago, when I spent 4 months in India, my heart was softened towards missions (though I alway said I'd never bring my kids overseas). Years later, when Kim was able to spend time in Mexico on a mission trip, his heart was drawn towards missions as well. However, any hopes of going anywhere were quickly put on the back burner as we focused on caring for our growing family.
A few years ago our family was asked to consider moving to Uganda and work in a babies home. While it ultimately wasn't what God had at the time, something shifted in our family's heart. After countless hours of prayer and consideration, we knew that God was drawing us to missions as a family. We really didn't know how that would look, but knew it was happening. I guess you could say that God put us "in gear" for missions.
A couple more years passed and Kim and I went on our cruise and tied in a mini mission trip along the way (which was the highlight of our entire trip). We knew then that we would be back to Mexico somehow with our entire family (now this was speaking in faith, as our family income for 7 is under $40,000 a year).
Within a month of returning home, our family had a part time "job" that has essentially funded our trip to Mexico. For 3 years we worked every Saturday or Sunday setting up chairs and watched our "missions fund" slowly grow. I had a number in my head of what we would need to go on a missions trip, and this summer, we reached it, as the door opened for us to go on this adventure.
I have to say that it's one of the most exciting (and scariest) moments of my life. It's one thing to step out unfaithful for yourself, but it's a completely different story to step out with your while family--we are taking our faith to a whole new level! It's now under a month till we leave and we are continuing to trust God for every need. Our prayer is that our whole family will be drawn to what God's heart it for our family and each individual in our family. We appreciate your prayers as we embark on this adventure!
Years ago, when I spent 4 months in India, my heart was softened towards missions (though I alway said I'd never bring my kids overseas). Years later, when Kim was able to spend time in Mexico on a mission trip, his heart was drawn towards missions as well. However, any hopes of going anywhere were quickly put on the back burner as we focused on caring for our growing family.
A few years ago our family was asked to consider moving to Uganda and work in a babies home. While it ultimately wasn't what God had at the time, something shifted in our family's heart. After countless hours of prayer and consideration, we knew that God was drawing us to missions as a family. We really didn't know how that would look, but knew it was happening. I guess you could say that God put us "in gear" for missions.
A couple more years passed and Kim and I went on our cruise and tied in a mini mission trip along the way (which was the highlight of our entire trip). We knew then that we would be back to Mexico somehow with our entire family (now this was speaking in faith, as our family income for 7 is under $40,000 a year).
Within a month of returning home, our family had a part time "job" that has essentially funded our trip to Mexico. For 3 years we worked every Saturday or Sunday setting up chairs and watched our "missions fund" slowly grow. I had a number in my head of what we would need to go on a missions trip, and this summer, we reached it, as the door opened for us to go on this adventure.
I have to say that it's one of the most exciting (and scariest) moments of my life. It's one thing to step out unfaithful for yourself, but it's a completely different story to step out with your while family--we are taking our faith to a whole new level! It's now under a month till we leave and we are continuing to trust God for every need. Our prayer is that our whole family will be drawn to what God's heart it for our family and each individual in our family. We appreciate your prayers as we embark on this adventure!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)