3 Partners

We have been issued a new faith goal- to be at 100% of our monthly budget by December 1st.  Honestly, I'd like to go into the Thanksgiving holiday at 100%.

There is only ONE way we will achieve that goal- through our almighty God, who is our provider.  Please join with us in praying that we will reach the goal.  We know that prayer is the number one tool we have in life. 

After prayer, we have made this ambitious faith goal.  We have broken it down into smaller pieces.  To reach our goal, we are hoping for at least 3 new monthly financial partners per week.  Will you be one of them?  

We are incredibly humbled and grateful for the many people that already partner with us- those that pray, encourage, share about us, and give.  Some can't partner with us financially, or are one of our financial partners, but everyone can pray!

Will you join us in prayer? 

Would you host a home meeting or have us speak in your small group or church service?

Would you join us by financially partnering with us on a monthly basis? 

To receive our newsletters, prayer/praise, and/or updates, please sign up here.

August in Review

I can't believe how quickly August flew by!  We had a great time learning many lessons at our Intercultural Communications Course at JAARS.  We wanted to share some of the pictures and memories we made while gone this past month.

Andrew & many of the other boys formed their own "tribe" while we were staying at JAARS.  They had their own language, that of course needed to be translated and written down, and even had their own tribal war paint.  This is his "war face".  Fortunately it was washable marker and came off fairly easy.  

Every day the kids would come home for lunch, do school as quick as possible and go outside.  We wouldn't see them again until it was time for dinner, or one was looking for food, bringing friends inside to play (usually this was Rebekah) or going to someone else's house for food!

They spent much of their time down at the "creek", which was really a drainage ditch that ran behind the apartments.  This is a "bridge" they built to cross the "creek".  It was good practice as they prepare for some of the equally dangerous bridges in Papua New Guinea.

 MK's (Missionary Kids) learn to entertain themselves with whatever they find.  The boys found one of those Cozy Coupe cars at the dumpster.  Obviously it was there for a reason.  The kids found uses for all the pieces, though.  In this picture Andrew is sliding down the side of the 'creek' on the top of the car.

See that small speck way up in the tree- toward the right?  (Notice the bottom half of the cozy coupe next to the picnic table...)

Yep, this is that little speck.  When I couldn't find Andrew on the ground, I knew I needed to look up in the tree for the monkey. Hey, NO broken bones!!!!  That in and of itself is a miracle!
 

Here are the boys gathered around the picnic table.  They had a going away party the last day everyone was there.  There is the bread shop located just across the street.  The boys learned when the truck came and went to get snacks for their 'club'.  They scored an apple pie from Costco the day before, so that was their party treat!

Bekah loved the freedom of being able to ride her bike anywhere!  She spent lots of time on her bike!  Tim, on the other hand, didn't bring his bike, so he had to find an alternate mode of transportation.  Didn't know I had such a talented husband!

What do MKs do when it rains while the parents are playing cards?  Why, they go outside and play in it, of course.  I'm still trying to figure out why our soaking wet daughter decided to open the umbrella she got from the car, especially since they were on the porch at this time!

We enjoyed a picnic at a local park one gorgeous Saturday evening.  The kids discovered some sort of freshwater clams in the lake.  They collected tons of them.  The boys decided they were going to sell them.  Then we found these tiny black things swimming around in them.  Back all of them went in the water.

Rebekah turned 7 while we were there.  We had a big party with her friend Isabella who turned 5 the day before.  They had no trouble picking out a chocolate princess cake!  Next year we'll celebrate their birthdays together in Papua New Guinea!

For her birthday, we took Rebekah to get her ears pierced.  She had been asking for quite a while.  Here she is doing a silly pose showing off her new earrings!

 Each family was assigned an ethnic church to attend while at ICC.  We attended Open Church of Charlotte, a Korean Church located in Matthews.  It was a new experience for all of us.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time.  An important lesson we learned was that Andrew does NOT like Korean food.  We didn't think there was anything he didn't like...

Obviously someone did not seek permission for the chocolate lollipop and chocolate covered doughnut.  I guess he was making up for not eating the Korean food.

The last week we were there, we had a talent show that was for everyone.  This is Rebekah and her friend Nikki waiting for the talent show to begin. One of the hardest things for MKs is making and leaving new friends.  They really hit it off and bonded.  Unfortunately Nikki is leaving for Tanzania this weekend.

 

This was my favorite part of the talent show.  They asked for two strong, competitive men.  Of course, I volunteered my husband!  They had to sit in front of the room and begin by taking their shoes and socks off.  Then they were blindfolded.  The "purpose" of the game (at least what they were told) was they had to use their sense of touch to figure out different food items.  The very first one was using the sense of touch in their feet.  That didn't work so well, so they let them use their hands and sense of smell.  Well, as you can see, unbeknownst to them, they were receiving a pedicure.  Poor Tim didn't even realize it until he was about to put his socks back on.  The boys thought this was horrible while the girls loved every minute.  In fact Rebekah wanted to do it again and paint her Daddy's toe nails!

 As part of the talent show, each table group had to perform a skit describing ICC.  I had to play the part of a person with a high "D" personality (dominant, demanding, etc).  In this picture I had just taken the microphone away from the "announcer" to tell him how it was.  It was hard, really, it was...

This is a group shot of all the people headed to the Pacific.  With the exception of one family, we will all be serving in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea.  Many of us are hoping to be at the Pacific Orientation Course in January!

This is Tim's table group.  Don't let the sweet innocent smiles fool you!  

We ended the course with "Stones of Remembrance".  Everyone shared what God had been teaching them during the month.  It was so encouraging to see how God used the same material to teach each person something that they needed in their lives!  

A New Home

We are getting settled into our "new" home away from home.  We are in North Carolina at the JAARS center for the next month doing training.  While we are here, we have a 3 bedroom apartment that we call home.  It's not fancy, but it is so comfortable and homey.  I took a few pictures for you to see what it is like...

Our living room/office, yes, Tim is actually studying!

Our eating area.  This is what you see when you enter into the apartment.  It's actually larger than our table at home, so we feel quite spoiled! 

Our galley style kitchen.  Lots of cabinets, but still trying to figure out where everything is.  Andrew noticed one thing was missing the first day- a dishwasher.  We told him that is why we brought him along! 

Guess who's room this is with the K'Nex spread all over the floor?  I'll give you a hint, it isn't the one that pitched a fit because she didn't get the room with the bunk beds! 

This is the princess' room.  Not quite sure why the blanket is draped from the dresser to the beds....

Our room.  There is a balcony off of our room, so we can enjoy the nice, humid weather of August in North Carolina! 

 That's about it.  It's not much, but it is perfect for us.  The kids are able to play outside with their new friends and ride bikes.  We are located right next the playground and there is plenty of space for Andrew & Bekah to ride their bikes.  We do have the opportunity to go to the pool, too.  The kids get to swim most days, which they thoroughly enjoy! 

We can receive mail and packages while here.  Actually, we would love to get mail while we are here because we know it won't be bills!  =)  Our mailing address is:

Tim & Tara Ellis, ICC

c/o JAARS

Box 248

Waxhaw, NC 28173-0248

If you want to send us packages of goodies (hint, hint), they can be shipped to:

Tim & Tara Ellis, ICC

JAARS

7601 Radin Rd.

Waxhaw, NC 28173

If you send something to one of the kids, please make sure that you also put our name on it, so it gets routed to the right person.  We promise we will give it to them!  

I'll try to keep everyone posted on how things are going.  We visit our new church tomorrow morning.  We will be attending The Open Church, which is a Korean Baptist Church in Matthews, NC.  Pray for us while we are there.  Bekah says she wants to attend the children's worship and Andrew wants to go into service with us.  It's going to be a great experience for all of us.  We'll be attending every Sunday while we are here!

July/August Newsletter

We have finished our latest newsletter. Enjoy!

July/August Ellis Newsletter.

Update

OK, I promised way back at the beginning that I would update the blog about once a year.  Lately, that has been a very ambitious goal with the craziness going on in our lives!  I wanted to share some INCREDIBLE work God has been doing in our lives over the last couple of months.

In June we had a goal to have our monthly support at 50% by the end of the month.  On the morning of June 30th, our support was at 42%.  By that evening, we were at 52%!  Right now, we are at 61%!  God continues to bring new partners to join us!


When we reached our 50% monthly support, we were given the go-ahead to register for the Intercultural Communication Course that we need to complete.  We leave for Waxhaw, North Carolina on August 3rd.  This will be a time of intense preparation for us. 

We've started packing for our first shipment to PNG.  That is a HUGE task.  Imagine going through your home and deciding what you can live without for the next 3-4 months, but that is important enough to be shipped 8,000 miles away to be there, hopefully, when you get there.  Not an easy task.  Add to that the challenge of buying enough clothes (including underwear, socks, shoes), linens, and anything "special" you may need for the next 4 years, especially with two growing kids.  We have our bonus room sorted into sections.  We have four major sections- Garage Sale/Donate, Ship to PNG, POC (or the stuff that we need to pack and take on the airplane with us), and Storage Unit.  It is really organized chaos right now.  I'm going room by room through the house and making decisions.  Some things are pretty obvious.  Like the kids' school stuff for this year, we know it will need to go on the plane with us.  Somethings are more difficult.  What pictures do I want to pack and take to put up?  I can't take all of our pictures because of mold & mildew issues in PNG.  The ones I don't take will go into storage.  Yes, our house is slowly transforming. 

That's pretty much everything in a nutshell.  Maybe I'll get more time to write later.  I do get these great blogs in my head as I'm dozing off to sleep at night.  Unfortunately I haven't learned to type while sleeping. 

Thank you for continuing to pray for us! 

We wanted to share a brief update, a challenge, and an exciting story about the importance of IT workers in Bible Translation. 

Update

• We have had a very busy month with VBS, work, finishing school, and now visiting with family in Florida.  Tara and the kids are enjoying some time in Florida with her family. 
• Tim’s work permit application has been sent to Papua New Guinea!  We cannot begin applying for our visas until his work permit is approved.
• We at 35% of our monthly support.  In order to reach our goal of 50% by the end of June, we need an additional $730 in monthly support. 

Challenge

• We are looking for advocates.  What are advocates?  Advocates are people that will share with their friends/co-workers/family, etc about us and the need for Bible Translation.  They might host a home meeting and invite their friends over, so we can share with them.  An advocate could arrange for us to speak at his/her church or small group or put us in contact with a pastor, missions minister, or teacher.  Could you help?  Please email us back and let us know how you can be an advocate.  Tara is in Florida until Thursday the 24^th and can schedule a time to share or meet with you to discuss about being an advocate.
• Will you commit to pray once a week for us?  Would you choose one day a week to commit to pray for the work and needs of Bible translation, the people of Papua New Guinea, and for our family?  Let us know what day you will be praying for us.  We want to pray for you on that day.
• Has God laid on your hear to be part of His Great Commission by sending us to Papua New Guinea?  If so, please click here and complete the online form. 

Why is computer work an important part of Bible Translation? 

Board a plane in Dallas, Texas. Travel for four days on 15 flights far into Southeast Asia. Now climb into a truck and journey up into lush green mountains on a deeply rutted, often muddy road. Hike over slippery landslides if necessary. Eventually you’ll come to a little village nestled into a mountain valley, where the local language is Yawa, but where the people have traditionally worshipped in the national language.

Sefnat

 

As you walk through the village, stop and talk to church leaders. Ask if anyone preaches from the Yawa Scripture portions published over the last 20 years. “Elder Sefnat does all the time,” they’ll say. Sefnat will show you two small worn books protected by brown paper covers—Yawa translations of John’s writings, Acts, and nine epistles. Tucked into the pages are little slips of paper with dated sermon notes, references to Scripture passages in those two little books, and unpublished verses that mother tongue translator Andowa has handwritten for him.

Grandpa Bertasar

Stop by a thatched-roof home and ask if anyone there reads from the Scriptures in Yawa. Everyone will point to a bearded old man called Grandfather Bertasar. “He read to us this morning,” they’ll say. “He told us how to apply it to our lives, too.”

Walk on and you’ll come to the village church. Take a deep breath because you’re about to encounter an amazing scene!  In this very remote village, where there is neither electricity nor phone service, translator Andowa sits at a laptop computer. A dozen people cluster closely around him, listening as he reads aloud a Bible passage in Yawa. The volunteer reviewers enthusiastically discuss it, looking for ways to improve awkward or unclear sentences. When they‘re satisfied with the way it sounds, Andowa revises it on his computer. Then, since his specially-designed software has a send/receive function, he logs onto the internet and “syncs” his draft.

Andowa learns to use satellite equipment

Halfway around the world in Arlington, Texas, Wycliffe translator Linda Jones will get up tomorrow morning, sync up her computer, and read the draft that Andowa has revised. She’ll check to make sure the meaning hasn’t been altered and send back suggestions for the next round of discussion.

 This is how the final revisions are being made to the Yawa New Testament. It’s all possible because a new geostationary satellite began circling the equator in early 2009. Just two weeks after it went into service, IT specialists from Wycliffe’s Seed Company brought a computer and a small satellite device to the village, showed Andowa how to connect to the satellite, and taught him to use OurWord—the special software for mother tongue translators created by Wycliffe member John Wimbish.

Andowa & friend going to the church

Andowa and Linda have been working together long-distance for 17 years now, ever since Linda and her husband, Larry, had to move away so Larry could take on various leadership roles in Bible translation. Scripture drafts went back and forth by mail and in hand-carried packets. Linda and Larry made trips to the village. Andowa made trips out of the village. Always God helped them find a way forward, but they thought they had reached the end of the road when it came to the final revision process. “We did not see how we could finish the final revisions without greater community involvement,” says Linda. “It just looked impossible. I could not go there for any length of time, and they could not come here.” And then came the satellite—and IT specialists who knew how to take advantage of the satellite! 

 There have, of course, been a few maintenance problems with the equipment and satellite connection, but IT personnel have repaired most of them remotely. Only once did a faulty part have to be hand-carried to the city and back. That led to two and a half months without communication, but eventually the connection was repaired and revisions moved forward!

Soon the final draft of the New Testament will be sent to the printers, and the Yawa people will begin preparing for the dedication, set for June 2011. Elder Sefnat, Grandfather Bertasar, and translator Andowa are waiting. Dozens of reviewers and their relatives are waiting. The Scriptures are reaching yet another group of people, isolated, but not forgotten by the God who loves them all. He has conquered space and distance.

Honestly, I’m not sure what Tim is more excited about- using his existing IT skills to support Bible Translation or acquiring all the new skills and technology to support Bible Translation.  I do know that God has worked to hone his IT and trouble-shooting skills the last 11 years to be used for His glory.  It is exciting to see how  God is going to work to bring Wycliffe to its goal of having a translation project begun in each of the nearly 2,000 remaining languages by 2025.  WE (including you!) are going to get to be a part.  We look forward to sharing our first New Testament dedication with you!  Thank you for partnering with us!

Family

So, this blog post started out being just an update on what is going on in the life of the Ellis family.  It turned into a reflection of family. 

The cousins after our night swim.

Right now I'm sitting on the couch at my mom and dad's house in Florida enjoying the quiet.  I don't get that very much, which might explain the lack of postings...either that or the brain overload.  Anyway, Andrew, Bekah, and I are down in Florida for a couple of weeks visiting with my family and friends.  Originally it was only going to be a week, but we managed to work it out so we could attend our family reunion last weekend.  It was so much fun.  I have to say the best part was seeing my kids getting to know cousins they didn't know.  Every day we are asked when we are going to see them again.  They have not had the advantage I had growing up seeing my cousins on a regular (even if it was just annually) basis.  Even after all of these years, we still love each other and remember the fun we used to have.  I'm disappointed we haven't made it more of a priority over the years to attend with the kids.  I always used to think "maybe next year".  Well, this year I knew I wouldn't be saying "maybe next year" since it would be at least 4 more years.  Now Andrew is asking if Kansas is next to Georgia, so he can visit his cousins.  (Apparently all the geography and mapping lessons didn't exactly stick...)  I LOVE it! 

We celebrated Father's Day before we left for Florida.

I've really approached this summer and even this school year with a different focus.  Too many times I have said "no" to various activities because I didn't want to spend the money or it would throw a kink into my schedule.  This year I've been determined to say "yes" more if it involves making lasting memories with those we love.  The biggest memory maker of all is still to come, and the kids are totally oblivious.  I, on the other hand, am bursting at the seams and counting down the days!  On Monday, my parents are taking us to Disney!!!  OK, so I've been to Disney more times that I care to count, BUT my kids have never been.  I remember hearing Mrs. Barbara tell us in a Mom's Bible Study to keep the special things special- don't let them become ordinary.  I remember going to Disney as a child with my parents for the first time.  I was about Bekah's age.  It was so incredible.  I still remember begging my dad to go on Space Mountain with me.  At least this time, I have two little ones that will. Granted I will need to make sure that Bekah wears her tennis shoes that give her that little bit of height.  I'm so excited about sharing this experience with my parents and the kids.  There is only one thing that would make it out of this world- Daddy (aka Tim).  I'm praying he'll get the chance to come with us on Monday.  It would mean taking off of work, but I so want him to be part of the memories.  I want our kids to remember begging their dad to go on the rides and him saying "no".  I want them to have memories with all of us there.  Of course I don't know what would be the biggest thrill to them- having Daddy here for the weekend or Disney.  It would definitely be a toss up! 

The older cousin throwing the younger ones in the pool.

I guess tonight I'm reflecting on family because I know that our family dynamics are changing.  They are nothing like how I grew up- grandparents down the street and related to half the town.  We live about 2 hours away from our closest relatives Tim's aunt & uncle, who we see about once every 3 years.  The kids have never known what it is to have grandparents able to come to each and every event they are in.  Living in a transition city like Atlanta means many of our friends are in the same boat.  Little did we know that our move almost 11 years ago would ultimately prepare us for a family dynamic we never imagined in Papua New Guinea.  No one will ever replace our earthly family.  But, I'm so grateful for the people God places in our lives to be our surrogate family and to be the surrogate family our earthly families (both our parents & our kids) need.  I would be foolish and very naive to believe that our decision to follow God's call only affects the four of us.  It affects so many around us.  I wish they didn't have to feel the pain of a loss.  I know it will be much harder for them because they must carry on with their daily routines while we experience new adventures and have a surrogate family awaiting our arrival.  I thank God for the people He has given to encourage our family, especially my mom.  If you are one of those- THANK YOU!!!!  You are a partner with us and God is using you in ways that you will never imagine.  Thank you for being willing to step up, so we can follow God's call. 

Bekah jumping into the pool and her brother is right behind her jumping to make sure she is ok.  

 

OK, enough sentimental stuff.  I must decide what we can do tomorrow to keep my kids from killing each other while Nini is at work.  Yeah, we still have work to do on the whole family thing with the two of them!

The Challenge

I shared with our prayer partners last week that we have been issued a challenge.  We need to have 50% of our monthly support by the end of June.  OK, this usually accompanied by questions and maybe some confusion.  I'm going to attempt to clear this up, or at least make it as clear as mud.  =) 

How do you decide your monthly support needs?
We have a budget that Wycliffe gave us based upon our needs and the cost of living in Papua New Guinea.  It is the amount that we need to cover our expenses while living in Papua New Guinea.  Costs for the kids' education, insurance, housing, food (yes even enough for our growing boy), medical care (well typical, so as long as Andrew doesn't break anything major...), taxes (social security, medicare), even costs for our return flight home for furlough are all included in this amount. 

Doesn't Wycliffe give you a paycheck?
Yes, as employees of Wycliffe, we get a paycheck.  That paycheck is based upon the gifts of the people that partner with us.  We get paid from the money that is sent in on our behalf to Wycliffe. 

Why do you need monthly support?  Isn't this just a mission trip?
In the past Tim has gone on mission trips to various countries.  Those times we just needed a one time contribution to get him there and home. His job here in the State provided income and vacation time that he used. This is not just a trip, but a new life for us.  We will be living and working in Papua New Guinea.  His job here in the States will not continue to pay him because he will no longer be employed by them.

Why 50%?
Before we can register or attend our Intercultural Communications Course (ICC) in North Carolina in August, we must be at 50% of our regular support.  This course is only offered twice a year- August & January.  If we are unable to attend in August, we will not be able to leave in January for Papua New Guinea because we'll have to attend ICC in January.  We have to complete this month-long course before going to Papua New Guinea.

How much until you reach 50%? 
We need $800/month to be at 50%.  We are currently at 34%. 

When do you need to be at 100%?  
We need to be at 100% by the beginning of December to be released to leave for Papua New Guinea in January.  Until we reach 100%, we cannot leave for Papua New Guinea.  Our first assignment will be to complete the Pacific Orientation Course (POC).  This is the 15 week course that will prepare us for about anything we will encounter.  It is only offered in January and August, so if we are unable to have our support at 100%, we will have to wait until August 2012 to do the training. 

Can I give a special or one-time gift?
YES!  We still have to raise the money for our plane tickets, training, travel, and moving expenses to get us to Papua New Guinea.  We are estimating those costs at $25,000-$30,000. Airfare alone is about $6,000 for the 4 of us to get to PNG- without extra luggage or costs associated with layovers.  That's just the beginning.  We've received about half of the $13,000 at this time.  

Do I have to start giving today?
We understand some people need to finish other commitments or want to begin giving when we actually leave for Papua New Guinea.  That is fine!  All we need to know now is what God is leading you to give monthly (or quarterly, annually, etc) and when you plan on beginning to start giving.  This way we can update our records.

How can I give or pledge to give?
We make it simple.  Click on our Invitation to Partnership (ITP)  and complete the form under "Click to Pray or Give".  This will give you options of how to give and send us a notification of your commitment.  It is really easy.  You can choose to do EFT, mail in a check, or even send it monthly through your online banking.

Right now I can't give financially, what can I do?

• The MOST important thing we need is PRAYER!  Please pray that God will enable us to meet this challenge.  Pray for the ones He has touched to give financially.  
• We need advocates-people willing to share on our behalf, or host a home meeting, or invite us to share with a small group or church.  Email us through our ITP  if you'd like to be added to our prayer list or advocate on our behalf.  
• We need encouragers.  Things get tough and stressful and sometimes just an email letting us know that you are thinking about us and praying for us means more than you'll ever know!  If God lays us on your heart, please lift us up in prayer.  
• Share your prayer concerns with us.  We consider it an honor and privilege to partner with you in prayer.  Please email us on how we can pray for you.  God has shown us that when we focus on the needs of others and lift them up, He blesses us tremendously.  It is a reminder that He is on the throne and is sovereign.  

I'm sure there are more questions that I haven't answered.  Please feel free to ask.  Post a comment, and I'll try to respond! 

The Blessings Continue

That's our Jeep with the boxes and packages on top.  This is what Tim found when he walked out to our car Sunday morning after we finished speaking.  Those packages are a gift from God.  They are boxes and packing material we need to begin the next step in our adventure- packing away our stuff to ship to PNG.  We have no idea who blessed us, but we pray that God blesses them immensely! It pretty much made our day to find this.  My big job this summer is to get everything packed to be shipped.  It makes it a lot easier when you have the material you need!  THANK YOU!!!!

Now, who wants to have a packing party at my house...after VBS????

By the way, we have started a wishlist on Amazon of items that we need to get.  That is where these items came from.  You can check it out at http://amzn.com/w/4O8X567G797E.  We are adding items several times a week. 

May/June Newsletter

We've just posted our May/June Newsletter.  Click here to go and read it.  If you would like to be added to our email or mailing list, please send us an email through the "Partner With Us" link. 

Busyness and Margin

OK, so I haven't been too busy lately updating everyone on the blog.  Every time I would get this great idea, life would happen and before I knew it, another day had begun.  I apologize.  I keep thinking, well, once I get "A" done, then I'll have time.  It hasn't happened.

Right now I'm reading a book about putting margin in your life.  What is margin?  Well, that is what I'm struggling with right now.  Think of a document and all of that space around it.  That is margin.  Well, how do I get margin in my life, especially as we prepare for Papua New Guinea, and try to do all that we can while we are here?  First, I have to say "no" to the good things.  There is nothing wrong with them, but they are not where God needs us to be.  We have to only say "yes" to those things that will glorify God.  Sounds so easy, but it is so not easy.  I am still learning how to truly listen to my husband when it comes to activities.  Shhh, don't tell him my secret, but he really does have a clue about what is expected and what I can handle.  God is also showing me that just because I could do it in the past does NOT mean I can or should do it now.  I forget how much I need to do. 

God is the One that created margin- a day of rest.  If God needed a day of rest, then how much more do I?  Between serving, speaking, and kids activities, that day of rest seems very elusive.  I'm trying to make a cognitive decision to have at least a time of rest.  This week Tim & I made an agreement that when the kids went to bed, we would not continue to do our work in different rooms, but we would spend the time together.  It's been an extremely relaxing end to some very crazy, busy days. 

As summer approaches, I usually look forward to lazy days at the pool and just enjoying a slower pace.  This summer will be different as I try to cram as much in for the kids as possible in the two months that we have.  In addition to packing and preparing for our Intercultural Communication Class that is the month of August in North Carolina.  Pray that we remember to add margin and rest to our lives.  I pray each of you can find some white space in your lives!

$17.63

What is $17.63 to you?  For some it is just a little bit of change.  For some it may mean the chance to go to pick up a couple of pizzas for dinner.  This week, this $17.63 was a gift from God for us! We have been experiencing some discouragement, frustration, and lots of stress.  Tim's truck had died for the second time in two days.  It was very frustrating because I (Tara) knew that it would mean another day without a car and of course possibly additional car repair bills. As I took the kids to class while having my own private pity party, I was presented with a gift.  It didn't look like much, but it contained a gift I will not soon forget.  It was two simple styrofoam bowls stapled together with a slit cut in the top.  It had a few remaining decorative macaroni left on it and had "We Give Cheerfully" glued on the side.  Inside contained a treasure.  It had $17.63.  It was from a young girl- a child in Kindergarten who had been saving her money to give to us as we prepare for Papua New Guinea.  This time $17.63 represented all the savings of a little girl.  It was just the boost and encouragement we needed.  Yet, again, God reminded us that He is well aware of what is going on in our lives.  He will provide- not just monetary, but encouragement- ALL that we need!  

We are very thankful for that sweet reminder.  Sometimes we get caught up in our own problems and circumstances that we neglect what is truly important- our relationship with Jesus Christ.  We don't come to Him "in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, [and] present your requests." (Phil 4:6). 

 

The money given to us on Wednesday will contribute to the continuation of the translation of the Bible in Papua New Guinea.  I pray God will multiply her gift to even further Bible translation in Papua New Guinea.  This is one child who is already learning at a young age about giving sacrificially to God! 

What difference can you make today?

Bekah's Insights

We were doing our devotion this morning and somehow ended up on the topic of Jesus returning and what it means for those of us that are Christians.  It will be no fight, it will be a complete victory for Jesus!  WOOHOO!  Bekah said she had this picture in her mind of a stairway that led to heaven.  The first step was out of reach, but there was Jesus lifting us up to put us on that first step.  Then we climbed up to heaven. 

Wow- from the mouth of a 6-year-old!  We talked about how as sinners we cannot get to God.  It is only through Jesus that we are able to be with God.  He is the only One that can place us on that first step.  I was just in awe at how God was speaking through my little girl.  Listen to the kids.  They will say stuff that will blow you away!

Lessons from Laundry

Last night I began my least favorite chore of all- laundry.  I try to do it as little as possible, which means that usually there isn't just a mountain of laundry to be accomplished but an entire mountain range.  As any good Type A personality does, I sort my laundry into about 10 different piles that are not only done by color but also clothing type and whether or not they have to be hung up after they dry.  OK, so it is no wonder that Tim doesn't want to help sort laundry.  I have my own system!  Anyway, I just bought a new package of white socks.  They have yet to be blemished by our wonderful Georgia clay and my floors that aren't clean 24/7.  So pretty and white.  I threw in another pair of socks into the basket that I thought were still pretty white.  Boy did they look dingy compared to those new pretty white pair.  I never realized how dingy they really were.  Now, you can imagine how bad the ones that my kids have that anyone with half an eye can tell aren't white anymore! 

This got me to thinking.  I look at me and think "I'm pretty clean.  I certainly am not 'dirty and dingy' like that person."  Therein lies my problem.  I'm comparing myself to another person, not to the One that is truly "clean"- Jesus Christ.  I compare myself to the Holy One, and it is quickly and painfully obvious that I am "sin-infected, sin-contaminated. (My) best efforts are grease-stained rags." (Isaiah 64:6, The Message).  Wow, so even my best efforts are worse than the dingy, clay stained socks of my kids.  That is very humbling!  Praise the Lord that he promised "'Come now, let’s settle this,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'"  No amount of bleach can make my kids socks white, again.  Praise God that He makes me white and clean and pure through His Son Jesus Christ!  I guess you could Jesus is the ultimate bleach- he doesn't even weaken the fabric when He cleans but makes it stronger!