A Month in Review

Where did March go? Every week I would say to myself, "E! You have to update the blog." And then the next week would slide by before I knew it. So what have C and I been up to this past month? Lots! The highlights would include: C's new mountain bike; E's new computer desk--no more sitting at a bedside table!; fellowship with men from a work camp; becoming closer to another expat family through faith stretching times; and of course celebrating our 10 months of marriage!

A quick note before I forget. Winter left and summer has slammed us with early waves of unwelcome heat. Before logging onto the blog, I checked the weather forecast. Looks as though we will be in the low-mid 90's for the next 10 days. It's only April FIRST! What will July 1st feel like? My face will probably melt off just walking out of our apartment in July. Oh well, no need for make-up if it's just going to sweat off in less than 10 minutes.

A closer look at Mr. Man:
Mid-terms were administered this week and C has been pleased with the majority of his students progress. Of course there is always the one student who shows up for the exam who has not attended a single class this semester. Do teachers in the US have this problem? Looking at the academic calendar, C will complete final exams June 12th. Unfortunately, he will have to continue working for another month! Teacher schedules are not quite as luxurious over here as some might believe. This academy allows only 6 weeks of break each summer for the teachers to recoup and recharge for the upcoming academic year.

While not in the classroom, C has spent more time in personal study and reaching out to new friends. Last week, he treated two of the like minded students to meal after fellowship. It's beautiful to watch him invest into these teenage boys. They are quiet guys, but have the joy of our Father living within them.

A closer look at E:
An 8 week study on marriage comes to a close tomorrow. Studying alongside women who have been married anywhere from 5-30 years has strengthened my resolve to love Mr. Man more deeply. The only way I can do this is by clinging to the Father's love and soaking in His word on a daily basis. It's a daily choice to either be the 'worldly wife' or the 'live-by-the-Word wife". Do I hear "AMEN'S!" ringing through the time zones?

Holly* and I continue to meet on a weekly basis. We missed 2 weeks due to her travels and her kid's spring break, but we are supposed to meet up for coffee this weekend. She continues to reveal more of her heart and of her goals in life. Holly has also stepped things up a notch by trying to teach my friend and me ARABIC! Whew! So glad I learned a bit of vocabulary a couple of summers ago while teaching English in the MidEast. She is teaching us the local Arabic dialect, which means that many phrases and words are different from what I originally learned.

This next month I'll be preparing for a women's retreat for our fellowship. A friend was supposed to lead worship, but due to an untimely broken leg, she has asked me to fill in. YEAH! I've also been asked to do a few skits....hmmmm this should be fun! Maybe I'll pull some oldie, but goodies out of my skit bag. Those of you from Alabama might recognize a few.

Ways we worked together:
This has got to be the first Easter in my life that I did not attend a Sunday morning service. It was business as usual in our land. C taught school, but got off early so we could join 2 other families in providing a meal for 8 US service men and women. How humbling it was to serve up a meal for those who are serving us daily in ways we don't even know. We loved hearing their stories and looking at pictures of their families. The majority of them were on leave from not so pleasant surroundings and would be returning to their stations within 48 hours after leaving us. It was a moving evening to say the least.

C and I were invited, along with a handful of others, to join a fellowship at a local men's work camp. We experienced the fullness of His joy, love, and healing on that evening. All of the men are from the same country and meet regularly for encouragement, teaching, and thanksgiving. Working strenuous manual labor jobs six days per week, these men spend their only evening free in fellowship with one another. Many of them had physical ailments and asked for us to beseech the Healer for His personal touch within their bodies. When we ask for His glory to be known and revealed to the nations, He responds in such a loving way. Our hearts were humbled and faith strengthened as men were delivered from pain and affliction before our very eyes.

What's coming up:
C has just completed making FOUR batches of his homemade tortillas...and I only snuck one hot one! We are firing up fajitas and all the trimmings for a family this week. It's a joy to cook our favorite meal for people of another culture. We are thankful for unique ways to reach out to families. When we are not looking for ways to fill people up, we are concentrating on our daily tasks. C does not have a Spring Break and will charge ahead in the classroom. While he's at work, I'm sure I'll continue meeting ladies at the local women's gym and spending time in study with friends.

It's time for the summer return countdown to begin. Weeks will fly by as our calendar days fill up with special engagements and the normal life stuff. At this point, we will be back in the US for 4 weeks from mid-July to mid-August. It will be a joy for us to hear about your life changes and to share with you some of ours as well.

Thank you for lifting us up. Your thoughts truly make a difference for us. We hope to share more with you this summer just how your words have encouraged us in our first year within our new land. Many blessings to each of you!