Monday, June 25, 2007

WE HAVE SOLD OUR HOUSE!! Yippee!! Our house is now officially sold, praise the Lord. Other events are that we have finished our week of VBS at our church. We also spoke at church that Sunday. It was a great experience, even though I am not one to want to speak in front of large groups. PAtty even did a fun skit on the "Letting God out of the Box." So we have a few large events left before we leave. We have training in Michigan on July 7th-14th and we are hoping to have a big 4th of July get together at our house. We will be closing on the house on July 20th so we are busy moving things out and giving furniture away. It has been a great experience of seeing God provide in many ways and we are hoping to have lots of get-togethers with friends and family before we leave. Hope this posting finds you well!!

Friday, June 01, 2007

We are getting down to the last days of school. This sounds like it should be a happy thing, as it is, but it has also been rather hard. It has been hard especially for Patty as she is cleaning out the classroom she has taught in for the last three years. It is hard to look at all of the things we will be leaving, things we will have to give up, and people we must leave for a time. It is truly hard and will possibly get harder as the time of our departure gets closer. The challenge is to look forward to what God has presented to us, without forgetting where we have been and what has helped grow us to the point we are at today. This will be a truly humbling experience.

There is excitement in the midst of all of this though. This weekend, we will be going to the Cities to see our new niece, Maddy (Betsy and Chris's new addition). We are so pumped to finally she her and to get a chance to get together with Patty's family again. We are also celebrating a 93rd birthday for her great-grandma. Oh, to live that many years and see so many things.

An update on the house and stuff, we have it sold, but it is contingent on the other family selling their house. We thought that would go very quickly, but have found out that their house needs lots of work. It appears that each step will indeed need lots of prayer and a reliance not on our own strength but upon the One who has called us to make this step of faith. We haven't found out too much more about teaching in China, but we have started our fundraising and we have been incredibly blessed. It is amazing to see and we thank God.