As you know, Daddy is fighting a battle with cancer. It is challenging being away from him while this is happening. I wish I could be there to help.
Also, we are taking a month long course called ICC. I mentioned this in our e-mail update that went out a little while ago. We have had 7 classes so far! We have 14 more to go. It is an excellent class that is preparing us as we serve now and as we will serve overseas.
It is preparing us: for serving cross-culturally and all that entails, for new language acquisition, to be spiritually hardy, to be emotionally honest & mature, and other things, too! Some days we only have class in the mornings up til lunch time. Other times we have afternoon sessions as well. Outside of class we have a lot of reading & written homework assignments. On the weekends, we have additional activities we must do like attending an ethnic church.
We are THOROUGHLY enjoying the class, being challenged, and learning a lot. However, we are exhausted and we've just finished the first week... we are just beginning the second week... and we have two more after that!
This is a completely different routine for our family. All seven of us need to be out the door by 7:45 a.m. in order to drop the kids off & make it to class on time. Thankfully, they are flexible with me since I'm still nursing Virginia. However, this is VERY hard emotionally for me to be dropping off my baby each morning. They do an excellent job taking care of her & the other kids. The kids are having a blast. It is just an adjustment for me, and I am thankful that it is temporary. =0)
Sundays are challenging. We are enjoying the experience of our ethnic church, but that doesn't make it less challenging. Basically we leave around 10 a.m. for the 11 a.m. service that doesn't get out til around 2 p.m. During that 3+ hours, we have all 5 children with us in the service. This is new to us. They do pretty good... as good as everyone else's kids! When we leave church, we then stop to eat a LATE lunch then travel the rest of the journey home. Yesterday we got home from the MORNING service at 5:08 p.m.!! Our round trip to & from church is about 85 miles!
Trying to get homework done in addition to the "normal" responsibilities of our home & family is very challenging. I should be doing some right now, but I decided I needed to take the time to ask you to pray for us to strengthen us. We are standing in the need of prayer! I also wanted to explain why you may not hear from me/us til sometime in September! Please still feel free to e-mail or comment here or write on my facebook wall... just forgive me if I forget to respond. =0)
I hope you don't see this as complaining. I'm not! I am so thankful for our class. I'm so thankful that my siblings are in TN & able to help with Daddy (who has been doing great until this weekend). I'm so thankful for Dano who certainly does more than his share to help with the kids. Mostly I'm thankful for the Grace of our Lord! I'm thankful to be in a place of service to Him. I am thankful for you & your prayers and support in many ways! Thank you for standing with us in service!
So, as you pray for us, please pray for our stamina, our discipline, our encouragement, my Daddy, God's provision for our needs, and whatever else the Lord leads you to pray!
Blessings,
Melinda & family =0)
1 comment:
Oh Wow! I'm tired just reading your post :) We'll be praying for you over these next few weeks as you continue to faithfully follow the Lord's path for your family. Although it's lots of transition, studying, and tiring days, I know that the blessings are overflowing. May the Lord's sufficient grace sustain you each day and may His mercies be bright and new to you every morning!
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