why I love MI and good friends

The past couple of days have been filled with:

^Worship on the Waterfront

^Good friends

^Beautiful sunsets

^Pier walking

^"Look! It's a lake!"

^the musical fountain

^Kayaking, thanks to Chelsea's strong muscles we loaded them all by ourselves

^on Spring Lake

^Looking for adventure

^Does life get any better?

^this is one of the reasons I love MI

^Blueberry picking

^Pick one, eat one. Pick one, eat one. As it should be.

^a pretty good "harvest"

^our scrumptious fresh blueberry pie, so good!

^Rosy Mound for a walk to the lake

^Beautiful, why yes.

^the perfect end to the last few days.

the making of some wonderful memories

Wow. What an incredibly full couple of weeks I have had. To say that I have been blessed would be an understatement. This time has been pre-ordained by God. No amount of planning on my part could have allowed me to even imagine it. The last 7 months since the end of tour have been full of much waiting. I have sought God's will and timing about what the next step is and His response so far has been "REST". After the last couple of weeks I feel so blessed. God planned this part of my story. My Father is writing my story.

Some pictures of the last couple of weeks...

^Mat Kearney concert with my sister

^Family vacation

^Discovered poems and God's fireworks

^Choir 37 was hosted by my church!!!

^Fun at the beach

^Time spent with the Choir, Eron and Sonia

^Road trip to New York, with a pit stop at the Falls

^Time spent in NY with lovely friends

^Reunion with (some of) my Choir 35 family

^Mel this is for you...Chelsea wasn't quite ready...oops!

^A jaunt through Hoffmaster to the Lake

^Dune rides, oh so much fun (request Weasie if you go)

^We climbed a lighthouse

^M22 drive

^Conquering Sleeping Bear Dunes, well close enough :)

^Traverse City

^Nothing is better than a Michigan sunset

And the adventure continues...

if we really believed

If we really believed that eternity waited for us on the other side of this brief life...

We would fear less and risk more
We would live our lives more like pilgrims and less like packrats
We would be more concerned with being a friend than being without friends
We would be more comfortable with weakness and less trusting of control
We would pray more and process less
We would be more concerned with souls and less impatient with personalities
We would expend more energy worshiping and less worrying
The world would see God more, and we would see ourselves less

*from a devotional from Alicia Britt Chole

mat kearney concert!

Tonight I get to see Mat Kearney in concert. I. am. so. excited!

^love this new song :)

Surprise! Choir 37!

(written yesterday, but posted today...)

After weeks of keeping a secret, today finally came. I surprised Auntie Chelsea, Uncle Vic, and Choir 37. It was a lovely day. And before these chocolate covered espresso beans wear off I'm going to attempt to lay out some of my thoughts.

1) I love the Choir.

2) Choir 37 is a lighthearted and wonderful team. (Thanks for letting me tag along today.)

3) I realized today that I don't think there is a definite end to this whole "debrief" thing for me. I am changed because of tour. Things will always remind me of my kids and team, I will always be missing them. I am learning that I should use those reminders to lift them up in prayer and to be thankful for the time that I had with them.

4) I should have run more with the kids on tour :)

5) It's incredible how I walked into the church with my ACC shirt on and felt right back on tour. Someone asked me about a cd and my explanation that I had probably said hundreds of time (but haven't said in the last six months) came pouring out.

6) God likes to redeem things. Not always in ways that we understand.

7) I can't wait for them to make it to my church in just a couple of weeks. That's right, I get to be a DP.

8) I miss my kids. I realize though that they are were they are supposed to be. As am I.

9) Looking at Bob reminded me of Rogers the whole day.

10) I love watching and hearing the audience respond to the concert, so much encouragement in the room. I especially loved the lady at the concert who went and threw money on the stage.

11) Attitude changes everything. This is linked to perspective I think, or what we choose to perceive sometimes.

12) Surprises are great.

13) Being on tour changes you. God can use the setting and experiences to grow and nurture such good things in your life if you are willing.

14) I miss the community that tour brings.

15) I miss unloading/setting up/tear-down. (Weird I know)

16) God's plan is better than mine.

A few pictures from the day...

^on my way!

^morning concert in Hudsonville (aren't they beautiful)

^they LOVE to dance

^oH HapPy dAy

^together again :) complete with freezie drinks from Bigby

^Rogers' (from my choir) cousin Bob, they look so much alike

^this reminds me of Auntie Mel a.k.a. expert shaker like the girls

^love this dance!

So thankful for my time with 37.

Blessings.

A couple of weeks ago I was so blessed to be able to skype with my kids from Kenya! As I was chatting and laughing with them I could see how well they are each doing. Some of them have matured so much in the last 6 months. Some of them have grown taller. A common thread though is that they have all returned home.

This was a hard thing for me to grasp and honestly it has taken me this many months to realize it. Tour was an incredible experience for them and me. We learned and grew together. They heard truth and received love. We bonded through living life together. Tour was a part of their journey and a part of mine.

But now they are home. They are living the next part of their journey. These children are exactly where they are supposed to be, in Africa, receiving an incredible education, growing closer to their families, and seeing the world through a different set of eyes. I believe that what these children learned and experienced on tour will give them the courage to take steps of faith.

I will never lose the bond that I have with them. The way that I show my love and care isn't from the next seat over on the bus, it is from across an ocean. Before when I could show love through simple words or action, now it is through prayers and letters.

I pray that I will be able to see them again, that I will be able to wrap my arms around them and say "I love you" in person. Until that day though, I will love them through prayers and letters (and the occasional skype call).

^this one is a bit dark, but it is Deborah and her friend Mary (from 34)

^Charity, Priscillah, Naomi, and Esther

^Charity :)

^Charity and Priscillah

^Ivy and Benson

Thank you Uncle Tony for letting all these Choir 35 chaperones talk and see the kiddos. You rock.

Thank you Lord for watching over each of these children and ordaining their steps. You have such good plans for them.