Changes

Well today Rob composed a letter to the Elders of our church in order to inform them we will be moving on.  This has been a difficult decision to come to.  As Rob gave his life to the Lord in that church back in 1991.  They were also our sending church for all the years we were on the field.  We were prayed for and nurtured through many of our relationships with other members while we were in Asia.  Since returning from China and knowing that this is a permanent move we have looked at all things differently.  We wondered if this where we should live, is this the house?  Is this the church we should go to?  What relationships should we try to rekindle?  Our perspective is so different now than before.  As we spent our 7 years being missionaries our sending church changed and leadership is almost completely different from 7 years ago.  We could only guess as to how these changes had affected the overall feel of the church as we were so far away.  Upon arrival back it seemed clear that the church had changed into something that just did not fit our family.  I fear sharing all this might make some think that we are bitter or upset at something the church did or that we think the church is bad.  This is not the case at all.  There remains many people there that we love.  And how they have changed is not bad just different than what we would choose as we are looking at settling in one place.

The whole idea of even having the option to change churches once a month if we wanted is a little disturbing to me.  I guess I say that since from being overseas many times the believers do not have that choice.  They meet with the other believers around them and that is that.

Rob and I were a part of a house church while in China and we loved that style.  We feel drawn to be a part of a house church again.  At this time we really do not know where God is going to lead us but if you think of it you can be praying for us.

sorry still no pictures - we don't have our computer all the way set up since getting it back and so no new pictures have been added.

Computer is saved!!!

Our computer's hard drive died recently and we thought we were going to have to buy an entire new computer.  However, they were able to replace the HD and now we are back up and running.  I am so relieved.  We had all of our info backed up on an external HD so now I need to bring the info to the computers HD.  So I don't have any pictures for you this time since I just got the computer back today and there are no pictures on it yet!

Basketball Kid

Abraham is playing 'Upward Basketball' and he is really liking it.  Upward is a nation wide organization that teaches kids sports but they also teach Christlike character.  So they will pray before the game and give the kids Bible verses to memorize.  The focus of the games is to have fun but also learn how to play the sport.  He is actually a bit too young to play but we did not realize this until we had already signed him up.  His first game he was so confused that he began to cry and ran to the sideline to be with Rob and I.  Todays game went much better.  He was smiling the whole time and you could tell he had a better understanding of the game.  It was fun to see him interacting with the other kids and making friends.

It's fun to see him in this stage of his childhood.  Learning to be independent yet needing Mommy and Daddy when he falls and gets hurt!  We are so thankful for our little guy.  With trying to get pregnant for so many years before him and now after him, I realize what a miracle he is over and over again.

Back in IN.

I'm back home in Indiana.  My poor husband has been working everyday since I left 11 days ago.  We are very grateful for his job especially since the economy is the way it is, but it's been difficult to see him be so tired and worn out.  The company policy is after you work 14 days you then get one day off.  However, once Rob asked his supervisor about that they said "well, we try to do that, but it doesn't always happen."  We were told before he took this job that they do not treat their people good, I only half believed that.  Now I can see it's true!

Here he is in his work uniform!

It was hard to say goodbye to my sister when I know she is still going through something so hard with her daughter being in the hospital still.  I told her I wished I could wrap something around her and Todd so they would not have to experience the emotional pain that is ahead as they watch Ashlyn go through rehab.  I guess that is how Jesus is - he wants to protect us but then there are things in life we just need to walk through and it hurts him when we have to experience pain.

I took this picture below of Ashlyn the day before I left.  She is now off all sedation drugs so we can see how she was affected by the injury in her brain.  It was heart breaking to see her unable to take a stick with a sponge at the end and put it in her mouth.  I know the nurses and everyone say that at rehab she can learn all that she has lost.  but watching her be at this stage is really difficult.

My Time in NY

I am currently in NY with my family. As many of you know my niece is in the hospital again. She had a brain hemorhage about a week ago. She almost lost her life. We are all so thankful that God has brought her through. She truly is a miracle. I have been helping to care for my sisters other 3 children. Maybe this is one of the reasons Abraham was not supposed to be in school this year. I would not be able to be here if he was. If you want to follow the progress of my niece please go to http://www.fabulousfinns.blogspot.com/

This picture is of my sister Liz and Ashlyn. When I look at it it almost does not seem real, even though I took the picture. How can Ashlyn be enduring yet another difficult situation? How can my sister and her husband be enduring this? Then to see her lay there with no hair and knowing that when she wakes she has a long road of rehab ahead of her. It almost feels like I am watching a movie. Through all this I see the Lord sustaining Liz and Todd and the rest of their children. I see friends and family come along side of them to support them and I am again amazed.

Trying Out a New Blog

I thought I would try out this new way of doing a blog. Our current blog is fine but the address is too hard to remember and I don't like the options for the layout, so I am going to try this and see how things go.