I call her blessed

Sometimes I see just how much I take her for granted, and there is a part of me that just wants to sit and soak her in while I still can. It sounds weird, I know, but the truth is, I still want to be like her when I grow up.

She is gracious and compassionate; a nurturing spirit who wants others to know they are loved and cared for.

She is a quiet and gentle soul, and has often been passed over in favor of the ones who make a louder noise.

She has borne much in stillness, walking the lonely path of a pastor's wife.

She hears the moans and groans of another's heart and her heart takes up the refrain.

She has a memory like few others I know, and can tell some of the best stories.

She loves a good laugh, and has a ready wit. She cherishes her children and the children of others as easily as breathing. Babies love her, and the older ones, too. She loves to give as good as she gets. No wall flower, that one.

Her green thumb landed her three big gardens to tend while raising a family of seven. Sometimes I think she was super woman. Where did she find the time to get it all done? My childhood memories of my mom don't include ones of her hurrying around, but she had to have hurried sometimes! She loved to sew and bake and cook and garden and can. We were fed nutritious, organic meals before organic was "in".

We were prayed for and disciplined and carefully taught from a young age. One of my favorite snapshots tucked into a quiet corner of family photo album is of mom sitting at a sewing machine, obviously busy with a project, but on her lap is a contented looking little boy, deep in thought. And mom has paused from her activity to simply enjoy him. It is obvious by the smile on her face. That is the memory I have of my mom, and of her three sisters. We were enjoyed, even when there wasn't anything particularly special or maybe even enjoyable about us.

She is a beautiful example of godly femininity, of a soft heart, of meekness and quiet submission. She taught me more than words ever could have simply by being.

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and as usual, I get this happy little feeling that I have the best mother of them all. :) I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I do thank God over and over again for a mother like her. And this is me rising up from my corner and calling her blessed.

I love you mom! (pictured: seated right with her mom and siblings)

IGo Students 2012

:: For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth 

to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. ::

{2 Chronicles 16:9a}

:: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God ::

{Micah 6:8}

We are thankful to God for bringing another group of passionate, visionary young people together for a season here at IGo. Pray with us that God's will would be done and that the enemy would taste defeat in each life represented here! It's all about Jesus, and we want to lift Him high, no matter the cost. 

And yes, that is a ratio of 2 women to 1 man. :) 

... and that is actually a much better ratio than it was 2 months ago, when it was closer to 4:1. :)

Just Because

...because coffee doesn't happen every day, but when it does, mochaccinos from Wawee are worth it.

...because sometimes even the strongest among us can't take the heat. :)

...because sometimes it's ok to just lay down and let it roll over you!

{why does that remind me of Iva Hershberger?}

...because people come and people go but staff just stay forever.

well, almost.

...because goodbyes are not forever.

...because starting something is good, but finishing it is better.

...because sometimes I suspect the child in us all.

{those are the best of times!}

...because they are beautiful, and it is my privilege to know them.

...because sometimes there are no words. :)

{there you have it: events of the last three weeks highlighted in a few pictures. it wasn't necessarily comprehensive. :) 

To sum it up with words: it's been Very Warm and ABS was Very Good.}

when He says yes

not one. not two. three. 

three exceedingly abundant answers to prayers i and others have been praying. 

1). my friends are on their way to America after waiting for years. i have been praying with them in their refugee status for a relatively short 3 years, wondering with them, aching with them over false alarms and hopes dashed, and pleading, sometimes angrily, for God to DO SOMETHING. He did. He was doing something the whole time, un-buffeted by my barbed prayers.

2). someday maybe i can tell you about this one :), but for now all i can say is that it was a year until we knew the answer to this one, and the wait was not too long. rather, it makes the ending beginning to the story that much more beautiful.

3). we've been praying for more students to join us for 1st semester. God put a name on my heart to pray for, and when Rick told me they'd signed up, i almost fell out of my chair. oh ye of little faith.

somedays it feels like the prayers are being flung up blindly, most likely being prayed amiss. somedays it feels like they bounce off the ceiling and boing-oing-oing onto the floor. 

but in one week He opened the flood gates of heaven and poured out a tangible YES... wrote it big. 3 times. 

and now that i'm stopping to count, it's obvious. YES's are everywhere. i've listed three, but as i think about it, there are probably closer to seven. or twenty. or a hundred. even i forget some of the prayers prayed, but God never does. 

it makes me think. these prayers were being answered from the moment they were spoken, and i -with my grown up brain and small faith- didn't think He'd even heard. 

it makes me think. ALL my prayers are being answered from the moment they are spoken. and do i accept a gracious NO as eagerly as i jumped on these YES's? i wish i could say i do. 

the thing is, though: God is sovereign and is well capable of performing the best thing for everyone without my endless badgering. but the beauty is that He desires this connection with us through prayer, and the best thing isn't a YES or a NO but a heart turned toward Him and hands held open to the mercy of either one.

if i don't write it down i will forget, and remembering is the key to pretty much everything in this walk with God. forgetfulness and the sin of ungratefulness usually dwell together in this heart of mine.

and in this miracle of grace, sometimes i think that even the NO's are YES's. :)

a NO is an opportunity for a bigger and better YES.

Asian Bible School

I came back to Thailand a month earlier this year to take part in ABS.

Asian Bible School is a 3 week term that IGo offers to pastors and leaders from Asia.

It is geared toward those who have English as a second language.

Our students hail from 5 different countries, some from as far away as Egypt, and some from as close as Chiang Mai.  

 Here they are being subjected to Rick's Team Building Activities in park 7. :)

It was all I could do not to chuckle the whole time I was watching. 

We'll blame it on jet-lag. 

Or their great sense of humor and the way they've learned to deal with inter-culture differences.

 Brotherhood. :)

Out to Big C for ice cream.

Not sure how many actually ate ice cream. Too much to see. :)

The part I love the most is seeing them clustered into discussion groups at all hours of the day.

Their stories and experiences are as varied as you can get, and yet the common bond is Christ.

It is a small picture, I think, of what heaven will be like.