Everything is on the Up 'n Up (Even in Downs you Look Up!)

So much has been going on in our lives! Just a few months time and we are looking at quite a difference. In the last update I mentioned that we had found a home that we moved into. We moved once more since then to a nice complex of quad-plexes. The rent is better and the location and maintenance is better. The space is about the same. We have two bedrooms and a nice open yard area right outside our door which is really nice with the boys.

Boys playing in out new yard!

J prepping for his MRE

My little J is still battling medical issues. He was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease this spring. He recently had an MRE to check for hidden inflammation and they found no more areas than the one we knew about in his colon. But they found inflamed lymph-nodes which more than likely is no reason for concern but it meant a follow-up ultrasound in hopes that we could avoid a CT to check them out. We had the ultrasound and are now waiting on results. A CT would mean that he would need put under and since he was just under for the MRE it is more dangerous to put him under that again too quickly unless it is absolutely necessary. He is also showing slightly elevated liver enzymes that we are needing to have monitored. It has been a balancing act since the diagnosis. Fatigue gets him some days and sometimes it is the constant urgency to get to the bathroom. Thankfully there has only been a handful of times where he actually complained of tummy pain. I am blessed by that. To be honest I have several concerns (read: fears) for his future. But I also have so much to be thankful for in all of this. There is much worse that could be. And even in the worst I would have only one option: Cling to God and His perfect plan and perfect time and perfect peace. Everything is out of my control. Even what I think I can control I can't.




My husband also accepted a part-time youth pastor position with a local church. What was nice about the position is that we did not have to move again, nor did we have to give up our jobs that we had found. I (for obvious reasons) was hesitant to jump back into a new position with a new church and new pastor. Shane had come to me one evening and mentioned there was a local church looking for a youth pastor. All I could think of was "No! I am not ready to fail again!" But instead the words "Whatever you feel God is telling you to do is okay with me." And S sent his application and resume and said we would just wait and see what happened. If the door opened it would open and if not than we were fine where we were. Then the call came. I was not really expecting it to come and if you could have seen my heart and mind you would have seen this THICK and HARD layer of protection (Also known as: FEAR and DOUBT). BUT when we visited the church and ate a meal with the pastor and his wife at their home; when I attended Ladies Bible Study and heard the women speak; when I saw the boys interact with the children's teachers and the children's pastor I felt so much PEACE. It was just like the covering of doubt just began to drop off of me one giant chunk at a time. I told Shane after one of our visits to the church that I thought it was somewhere I would love to go even if they were not offering us a position. The amount of young families and the ministry opportunities was exciting.  The leadership and how MANY people were leading and organizing the ministries was inspiring. I loved how the youth were involved in many of the ministries and not just solely focused on their class and the youth activities. It was a church that got involved together.
One of my big pushes was how the youth were already used to being servants for other areas in the church. Also notable to me was the focus on growth and accountability of the leadership in the church (INCLUDING the WIVES of the leaders and WOMEN in leadership positions). I believe strongly that to grow leaders and ministers you need to begin by teaching young people what it means to serve and to do outreach. And wives need encouragement and accountability and a time they can fellowship with other women.

S and the boys

Since joining the church I have begun building some relationships. It is beginning over with relationships and that part is hard. Being open without being overly open to the point I am overwhelming is a balancing act that I have not perfected AT all. I always tend to be stand-offish or "shy" almost when really I am just not sure how to approach someone without opening up all my cans of worms at once! From reading some articles my mom has shared I believe it is (at least partially) to blame on my being a missionary kid. But hopefully I can learn that just because someone says "Hey, how are you?" It does not mean to delve into my ENTIRE life story and talk their ears off...
Obviously this is a journey that goes on and on. It is filled with ups and downs. Right now we feel like we are on an up, and it is very nice to feel that way. Some days I dread that down that could be right around the corner and I try to guess at which direction it may come to us. But in doing that I know I fail to hold to God's hand and just simply trust Him with all that is next. He has more than abundantly shown us what mighty perfection he has in the ups and downs of this journey.