My Brother Matt

I love my brother Matt! He is a wonderful brother and he always has been. He and I have always been good friends. When I was a teenager, we used to go places together and just hang out. He was never embarrassed to have me hanging around with his friends. He was just the best kind of brother to have.

One time, when I was in probably junior high school, I walked into my bedroom and Matt was talking on the phone. As he talked, I played dress up with him. He talked and I adorned him with ribbons, bows, necklaces, and anything else I could find. We took pictures of it, but I think that my mom has them. Matt never told me to leave him alone. He just talked and let me play dress-up with him. It was hilarious.

All of my friends love my brother Matt. It's because he is so cool! He always talked to my friends when they came to the house. He made them laugh. Matt is very funny! My kids love Uncle Matt. He is their favorite. He plays with them and makes up songs for them and gives them nicknames. He makes up crazy stories to put them to bed by. He's nutty and crazy and fun.

It is really hard not to find Matt charming and likable. About a year and a half ago, he started dating an outstanding lady who also found him charming and likable. They both found each other so charming and likable, in fact, that they've decided to get married!

Matt and Lisa, we couldn't be happier that you two are getting married. We love you both so much. We're thrilled that Lisa will be joining our family.

Change of Plans, and I'm Delighted

After a conversation on Saturday with D/S McNary, it was decided that our mission trip to the Czech Republic would be postponed. It will take place in 2009 (probably summer), instead of July or August of 2008.

It is amazing how God works. That sounds cliche, even trite; people say it a lot. But it is amazing.

Psalm 37:4 says this: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

For most of the years that I've walked with God, when I read that verse, I read that God would give me the desires of my heart. It's taken me this long to look also at the first part of the verse, to understand what it meant to delight myself in the Lord.

Even as Paul struggled, he had this to say in Romans 7:22: "For in my inner being I delight in God's law;"

Delighting in, loving the law of God is not always easy. But when I delight myself in the Lord, things happen. Relationships are reconciled, wisdom comes, opportunities to tell my friends about Christ, peace is restored, real joy comes into my life. Other things happen too - I discover God's will for me, and am delighted by God's gift of a husband and children. I find out where God is working, and am honored to join Him. I dream dreams that seem so big and far away, and God shows me that not only can they become real, but that He has dreamed something even bigger.

On Saturday, Shane told me that that the dates we had originally planned for summer of '08 weren't going to work. The dates that did work for that particular ministy, for summer of '08, coincided with plans that we already had. Even so, as Shane left that place and anticipated talking to BW and I about it, he had a peace. An ocean away, BW and I were talking about something else, and we also had a peace. God was telling us all that next summer wasn't the right time for us, and that His timing is best, and that all is well. So when we talked, not much really had to be said. We rejoiced in what God was doing.

Something else happened: I began sharing some ministry ideas for the future. A local (American) church partnering with a ministry abroad. I have been dreaming for several years now that God would lead BW and I to such a ministry, that we might be involved in some sort of a "home base" kind of ministry, that helps with a church or ministry internationally (ie., the projects that Shane and his ministry works with), which will send out mission trips a couple of times a year, send materials or money, etc., but something with which we can really be invested and really know.

This was just an idea, a dream I've been having and mulling over in my heart and mind. Shane surprised me by telling me that this is actually becoming a movement among international missions.

Wow. God is amazing.

Here's something else:

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20

I'm excited. I'm delighted. I'm asking and imagining lots and lots of things. May they all honor Him, that He might grant me the desires of my heart.

I can't wait, ya'll!