A main component of our lives for the past year has been Josh's masters work. Our entire marriage he's been taking classes, even through the summers. But, last Sunday, Josh submitted his final project for his final course! He didn't quite know what to do with himself, having been in college for seven years, bachelors and masters. We haven't really celebrated yet, last week was a bit crazy at work. But, I'll have to plan something, if he ever decides what he wants to do
As for my perspective, I reclaim all Sunday afternoons! No more being banished to our bedroom so Josh can work in silence at the dining room table. Or being left at home with laundry and netflix while he works from his office. (I don't mind the netflix, just the housework.)
His degree is a Master of Arts in Church Planting and Evangelism. Quite applicable to the full time church planting we're embarking on 12 months from now.
YAY for the hubby being done with school!!!!!!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Halfway There....
I started this blog about a year ago. It started as, and I hope it will continue to be, my story towards full time overseas missions. I knew it'd be a journey, that could would use the months as preparation for my time overseas. When I started writing I had 24 months until our target date. Now I have 12.5. That seems incredible.
I started this blog because I wanted to document all the things that took me from who I was then, to the person who would step foot overseas as a missionary.
But in the past 12 months I've left out a very big piece of that story. Lately I've been thinking about it, and about the fact that I haven't been writing. God uses everything. Every trial we face here prepares us for future ministry. Every struggle we have at home is magnified 100x on the field. My story, what I've shared on this blog, isn't complete.
I struggled with infertility for 15 months. I may have mentioned it briefly every now and then. Or talked about it in vague terms at other times. (I am sorry for the emails I didn't return. Sometimes I just didn't know what to say. And I'm SO thankful for all the supportive emails that I received, especially from people who didn't know what was going on, but were praying anyways.)
We're moving to Rome next year. I want this to be the whole story of how God gets me there. So, I'm going to start writing again. And I sometimes I'll write about the things God is teaching me through infertility and any progress he blesses us with. (If you're uncomfortable reading about that, I won't be writing about it all the time.)
I've missed this. I've missed you. And cute comments that make me laugh. T-minus 56 weeks.
Meg
I started this blog because I wanted to document all the things that took me from who I was then, to the person who would step foot overseas as a missionary.
But in the past 12 months I've left out a very big piece of that story. Lately I've been thinking about it, and about the fact that I haven't been writing. God uses everything. Every trial we face here prepares us for future ministry. Every struggle we have at home is magnified 100x on the field. My story, what I've shared on this blog, isn't complete.
I struggled with infertility for 15 months. I may have mentioned it briefly every now and then. Or talked about it in vague terms at other times. (I am sorry for the emails I didn't return. Sometimes I just didn't know what to say. And I'm SO thankful for all the supportive emails that I received, especially from people who didn't know what was going on, but were praying anyways.)
We're moving to Rome next year. I want this to be the whole story of how God gets me there. So, I'm going to start writing again. And I sometimes I'll write about the things God is teaching me through infertility and any progress he blesses us with. (If you're uncomfortable reading about that, I won't be writing about it all the time.)
I've missed this. I've missed you. And cute comments that make me laugh. T-minus 56 weeks.
Meg
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Virginia In My Mind
Dakota, Josie, Jodie, Max, Ella:
All the little people that get cuter every time I see them.
(Carson and Spencer were MIA. Sad day.)
We just got back from yet another trip to Virginia. It was such a good trip, our busiest yet I think, evidenced by the fact that we were exhausted before the drive home. (Sometimes trips to Virginia are very vacation-like, if in fact you were fundraising on vacation.) Previous trips have included much more sleep and down time.
As far as support raising goes, we had one individual meeting and a new supporter! We met with a small group and shared our ministry. And we visited several other supporters. We were also able to meet up with teammate Emily in Harrisonburg, which was so fun! We visited her church, spoke with her pastor briefly, and got to meet her sweet parents (for amazing ginger snap cookies!). Next time we'll have to stay longer; this trip our schedules were jam packed. Plus we ate at Five Guys, which was quite possibly amazing. I had a double cheeseburger (I order a double without realizing it) and fries - and ate it ALL.
And now on to the cuteness. We played countless games with Dakota who is quite possibly the most beautiful child on earth. Josh is now a master at Polly Pockets. She also taught me how to properly 'throw the stick so it makes noise.' I'm not very good. We spent the VCU v. Butler game trying to decide who was cuter: Jodie or Josie. In sweet, 15 month old voice, Jodie said "Thank You" to Josh for an apple straw and I think his heart may have melted right there. On another night I spent the better part of an evening watching Max slide into the kitchen saying "Hello" louder and louder to demand attention. That's when I melted. If he was my kid he'd get whatever he wanted. Ella was entertaining simply by stealing chips all night - no matter where we hid them. That is, after she put stickers on the TV and apparently used lipstick on the couch.
I'm a little jealous that I don't know when my next trip to Virginia will be. I'll take a one way flight to D.C. Because that's where Spencer and Carson are.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Two Hours Time
Its unnerving how much can happen in 30 minutes to wreak havoc on one's day. Today is a day like that. And there's still hours to come!
Morning = Great! Out of the house, nothing urgent at work, easy, calm, nice day.
Lunch = Double Great! Business meeting that involved great food, an update on life, and a little homework for next time.
Afternoon = Crummy. Between two phone calls I've had a guilt trip, excuses, and am left feeling voiceless.
We all have days like this and they are just a part of life. Dealing with things we didn't ask for, dealing with people who are just as human as me. (And boy, am I human.) I do find it very difficult to differentiate things and put situations into boxes. I can separate work from life, but anything that is life related, I think of pretty holistically. And I appreciate that about myself. The thing that I find crummy though, is when life happens at work. Ugh. It just crimps my plans! And my days. So now, my life is all in the way of work, and I'm sitting here all huffy and puffy.
I have to say though, I did go play with Jon's new ipod in an attempt to distract myself. It didn't work. Maybe I'll just have to go buy one. :)
Morning = Great! Out of the house, nothing urgent at work, easy, calm, nice day.
Lunch = Double Great! Business meeting that involved great food, an update on life, and a little homework for next time.
Afternoon = Crummy. Between two phone calls I've had a guilt trip, excuses, and am left feeling voiceless.
We all have days like this and they are just a part of life. Dealing with things we didn't ask for, dealing with people who are just as human as me. (And boy, am I human.) I do find it very difficult to differentiate things and put situations into boxes. I can separate work from life, but anything that is life related, I think of pretty holistically. And I appreciate that about myself. The thing that I find crummy though, is when life happens at work. Ugh. It just crimps my plans! And my days. So now, my life is all in the way of work, and I'm sitting here all huffy and puffy.
I have to say though, I did go play with Jon's new ipod in an attempt to distract myself. It didn't work. Maybe I'll just have to go buy one. :)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
My 'Happy'
Several weeks ago my prayer was simply, I need some happy. I didn't really care in what form that it came in, in what area of our life. Whether it be support raising, starting a family, work, ministry, I just needed something to happen that was good, exciting, and didn't end in tragic disappointment. (add dramatic flair)
Well, we got our happy. Three weeks ago we received an offer on some of our real estate. We closed Friday. This was something we'd been praying over and waiting on for 18 months! This was an aspect of our lives that we were completely trusting God with - because we needed it to sell, both financially, mentally, and emotionally, in order to move overseas as missionaries. We were confident that God knew this, and was taking care of it as His pace. With everything else going on in our lives, it was easy to trust God with this - at least most of the time. :) But He came through! It is such a relief to have this burden off our shoulders. We're now completely debt free (well - I still have to write one last check, but whatever)! The stress and responsibility of owning investment property is gone and we can relax a bit. It was a weight, a nagging that was ever present in the back of our minds. Today, its replaced my freedom!
God really showed up with this. We felt his hand through the whole process, and worried very little throughout the process. Despite the fact that the past three weeks have been incredibly trying in other areas of our life (more details coming), the sale of the property was the happy we needed. I'm so thankful for it, because the provision it symbolized gave me strength through everything else.
If I could have had my choice of 'happy' I probably would have chosen differently. But all this has worked out so perfectly that I'm so content to wait on God's timing for things, his plans for the timeline of events in my life. Because I know He's orchestrated it perfectly. Whatever plans I might have may be better/easier/more exciting in the moment, but His plan will always win the oscar.
Well, we got our happy. Three weeks ago we received an offer on some of our real estate. We closed Friday. This was something we'd been praying over and waiting on for 18 months! This was an aspect of our lives that we were completely trusting God with - because we needed it to sell, both financially, mentally, and emotionally, in order to move overseas as missionaries. We were confident that God knew this, and was taking care of it as His pace. With everything else going on in our lives, it was easy to trust God with this - at least most of the time. :) But He came through! It is such a relief to have this burden off our shoulders. We're now completely debt free (well - I still have to write one last check, but whatever)! The stress and responsibility of owning investment property is gone and we can relax a bit. It was a weight, a nagging that was ever present in the back of our minds. Today, its replaced my freedom!
God really showed up with this. We felt his hand through the whole process, and worried very little throughout the process. Despite the fact that the past three weeks have been incredibly trying in other areas of our life (more details coming), the sale of the property was the happy we needed. I'm so thankful for it, because the provision it symbolized gave me strength through everything else.
If I could have had my choice of 'happy' I probably would have chosen differently. But all this has worked out so perfectly that I'm so content to wait on God's timing for things, his plans for the timeline of events in my life. Because I know He's orchestrated it perfectly. Whatever plans I might have may be better/easier/more exciting in the moment, but His plan will always win the oscar.
Monday, March 21, 2011
A Month Gone By
Its hard to believe that I haven't posted in five weeks. Mostly because it feels like its been even longer than that. Nothing to overly exciting has happened, except for the past few days. But this wasn't the real reason I wasn't writing. (If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, than you know I can write a post about the most random things.) The stuff I wanted to talk about, I couldn't talk about, for the longest time. Writing about all the thoughts in my head was hard, made them real, and was more vulnerable than I was willing to be over the world wide web. The only thing I wanted to write about, I couldn't. So, no writing.
But, I'm back! I've had the most amazing week, though dealing with some very hard things, it was still amazing. God's hand was so evident, and His provision so perfect that we couldn't help but be in awe. A few weeks ago my prayer was simply: I need some 'happy'. Something good, encouraging to happen. And it did! In other areas the hits kept coming, and though if I could have chosen my 'happy' I would have picked differently. Yet God's ways are so much greater than ours. And His plan so perfect! I am beyond excited to see how He chooses to answer our prayers. What great things does He have in store??
In the next few days I hope to fill in the gaps from the past month, from IF, to work and ministry changes, to huge answers to prayer, and the path we're on in complete trust in Him. He has wrapped his arms around us, specifically me, and held me when I cried. This is all part of the story, tiny steps to Rome, that I want to share. Its a great story, I can't wait for the ending.
But, I'm back! I've had the most amazing week, though dealing with some very hard things, it was still amazing. God's hand was so evident, and His provision so perfect that we couldn't help but be in awe. A few weeks ago my prayer was simply: I need some 'happy'. Something good, encouraging to happen. And it did! In other areas the hits kept coming, and though if I could have chosen my 'happy' I would have picked differently. Yet God's ways are so much greater than ours. And His plan so perfect! I am beyond excited to see how He chooses to answer our prayers. What great things does He have in store??
In the next few days I hope to fill in the gaps from the past month, from IF, to work and ministry changes, to huge answers to prayer, and the path we're on in complete trust in Him. He has wrapped his arms around us, specifically me, and held me when I cried. This is all part of the story, tiny steps to Rome, that I want to share. Its a great story, I can't wait for the ending.
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