Prayer,Friends,Basketball and Ziplock Bags

What a great day! I got goobs done at work and my time is counting down. I received a wonderful email today from a dear friend who recently moved away that just blessed me. She send me a paragraph of truth that met me right where I was today and God spoke to me through it.

"It is good to begin a new year with Jesus!
It is good to sail into the uncharted waters of ’07, because He is your Captain and the anchor of your soul. It is good to walk upon unexplored trails because He is your Guide and the Guardian of your way; It is good to face the unknown because He is your wisdom and the One who knows the beginning and the end.It is good to have your hands empty, for He will fill them; It is good to have your heart open, for He will cause it to overflow; It is good to have your eyes focused, for in His light things will be made clear. It is good to have your ears listening, for His voice will be the sweetest sound you hear; It is good to have your feet grounded, for He is your Rock and the foundation upon which you stand. It is good to trust Him because He makes no mistakes! It is good to serve Him, for He does all things well; It is good to honor Him because He has no equal! It is good to obey Him, for His plans always include what is best. It is good to rest in Him for He is the Lord of the easy yoke; It is good to depend upon Him for He takes care of you daily. It is good to delight in Him, for He is your great reward!!! May the Lord fill your year with GOOD things! "Author, Roy Lessin

What a delight tonight was. Our dear friends came to our home tonight to have pizza, pop, a laugh and an opportunity to pray for us before we left. How blessed we are to have such wonderful men, women and children who love and care for us. I have said this over and over and I count my blessings everyday that we have such incredible, wonderful, Godly, friends and family who care. We spent some time in prayer and I feel cloaked in their prayers and it is an incredible feeling and it will enable us to travel knowing that we are covered!

Everyone went to watch our youngest tonight play basketball. That is so positive for his self esteem to have other adults that support him during this time that is difficult for him to transition to high school basketball. We love that you care!

Finally my zip lock bag addiction is out "of the bag". Hee Hee. I read and heard that people zip locked clothing when packing and you could fit more. Actually I already knew this. So 7 boxes of large, 4 boxes of medium one box of small and a box of snack later we are almost packed. My lips are a wee bit sore from sucking all the air out of them and heaven help me if customs makes me open them all. I did get somewhat carried away as I was teased about tonight let's just say if I can fit a flat screen T.V. in one from China and bring it home for Jim (you know who you are) oh I would so try. Great night and we are going to miss you all but can't wait to go so we can get back. I started a website tonight. I just need to get the address right and I will email tomorrow. That is where our pictures will be posted. I'll probably still post to this and there is a link on the website that will take you directly to this so not to worry but we have password protected the website so that we can keep the pictures somewhat controlled to family and friends. Watch for the email tomorrow. Well back to my ziplocks.....

To Pack or Not to Pack That is the Question!

Well this is sort of what I am feeling like right now. How do I decide what to take and leave behind. The packing lists are humongous and I've been shopping for a week to get everything. I can't believe I'm going to say this but if I have to go shopping again before I leave I'm going to scream! The men in my life say hey two pairs of underwear, jeans and a t-shirt they're good for at least a week. I had a bit of an anxiety attack the last few days. It is really hitting me the awesome responsibility that God has given us to raise this wee one for Him. I am so afraid that I will mess up some how. A dear friend of mine today told me that the two I have are just fine and that it's better to be humble about it than thinking we have it all figured out. Here's what I know without God I am nothing; can do nothing and I take credit for nothing. My poor DH I'm sure just wants to get there he is so excited to try the different foods and all you out there who know him and have travelled with him I doubt he will even sleep. I think about the time we went to Florida and at 4:3o a.m I awoke to find him dressed on the side of the bed saying "are up getting up now"! This is Beijing, heaven help us. We had our final meeting today and got to see everyone. We have been asked by Global to do a story on our trip and will do our first interview on Tuesday night and they will go to the airport with us and be there when we come back hopefully with some of y'all. It will be a permanent record of our journey and we would love to have our friends in it. Well back to my packing and sorting and deciding that no Jules you can't take "everything" with you because we need room to bring stuff back - Yahoo! Please remember us in your prayers this week. I went to get a refill prescription of happy pills for the flight my doctor said is 5 enough...I say how about 30. Let's just say I'm well stocked. Pray for a safe and smooth flight. There is a bad outbreak of the flu in Beijing right now please pray for our health and the health of the families travelling. I'd ask you to pray for patience but I don't need that stress so close to our trip...hee hee. Pray instead that I take it one day at a time and that I fully rely on God. Pray also for Emily and her transition to us. Pray for our trip to the orphanage that it will be a positive experience. Pray for overall safety. Please also pray for our flights that none get cancelled and that the points we booked on don't cause any flights to get messed up please. Last but not least there is another Christian couple travelling with us from B.C. please pray for them and their two children who will also be travelling with our group. We'll miss you all but can't wait to get back and show off our new addition. I can't password protect this blog so if I have time I will be starting a web page that can be password protected but not to worry I'll make sure you have the password. If you don't hear from me though it is this blog I will use. Until my next post.

A Fresh Start

Well it's a New Year and a new day and time for a fresh start. That's what I love about a new year it's a time when I always reflect and it literally is a fresh beginning. Time to start moving! Time to start making a difference. I'm truly looking forward to this year and what God has planned for us. I realise there are no guarantees about what may or may not happen good, bad or otherwise. However, I am prayerfully awaiting what God has in store for us this year. It will be a year of firsts for us. Son#1 is off to University in September, Lord willing. We will have a year of firsts for everything involving Emily. We will travel to China for the first time and hopefully not the last! I'm praying that this will be the year that our group puts out our first CD. Laurie if you're reading this....couldn't resist! So here it is my shortlist of what I want to focus on this year. I want to pray more. I've quickly come to realise the more I pray the more in God's will I am and the more in God's will I am, the better I feel and the better things go (dah go figure). I am going to study as opposed to reading my Bible more. I have a Greek and Hebrew dictionary and love love love it! I am going to be a better Mom and wife this year and I'm really looking forward to caring for my family in more practical ways that I haven't been able to. I will not be working full time at my job for a couple of months and I can't wait to just care for my men and my baby girl! Now I might be screaming in 8 weeks I need work but I hope not I really hope not. Some days I wish I was a "normal" Mom but Son #2 tells me he likes having a "looney" Mom and wouldn't have it any other way. So I guess I can't change now. Pray for Emily...hee hee. One of the things I am most proud of myself for in 2006 is I said I would write more and I did. Goobs more than the year before. I wrote every single day not missing one. What a treat to look back over the year and actually have a written record of the ups and downs of the year. It's a habit I intend to keep. This year I intend to take it one step further and actually finish one of the books I've been working on. I have part of a kids book done, I have part of a business book finished, I have part of a bible study done that has blessed me big time and I have a collection of four or five short stories completed. Blame it on my ADHD but as things whirled around in my head all year I put them down. Now here is what I am praying for 2007 and it would surely help if I had a bit of prayer help from all of you as well. I have always wanted to write a book. Sounds crazy but ever since I was a little girl I said I would. It has been on every goal list that I've written for as long as I can remember. It's high up in my To Do Before I Die List and I've let Satan push my buttons and tell me that I'm not good enough but not anymore. I truly believe that God wants me to do this because ever second of the day it's there. Here is my dilemma. I've written all of the things that I've wanted to write but what does God want me to write? I have all of this started and I wonder which one does He want me to finish first? I attended a study that Beth Moore conducted and I was mesmerized by her and her ability to take God's Word and make it so practical and a big part of me when I was watching her kept saying "Wow that's what I would love to do"! That's what juices me up teaching and learning and writing and spending time with other women. That was a big learning for me last year. Ok back on track here is what I need you to pray. Please pray that as I start the year and as I walk every day that each day I would be open to God's plan for my life. As I start down this path that I would have my eyes and ears open to Him and His desires and that as I pursue this dream that He would affirm it or not affirm it so that I can move on. Pray that as I write I write what He directs me to. I will always write I can't help it. How awesome to be able to use it to make a difference in His Kingdom! So there it is the list is done. I'm off this morning to move more and go for a long walk to reflect, rejoice, relax and rejuvenate my Spirit. Happy New Year to you all. I am truly blessed with family, friends and work peers that I truly love and are always there for me. I couldn't do what I do without each of you. Love you all!