life altars

I've got three different posts in the works right now, but today I'm just going to share a little life...

This is a picture of Matt (theologian) and Mark (economist) replacing a something on Mark's broken truck.  At night.  With an iphone flashlight and a cement block and scraps of stacked wood holding up the truck.  And definite times that Matt was holding up the truck while Mark was crawling around under it.  Mechanics at its finest.  BUT, they fixed it after lots of "COMMON!" and "YEEESSSS!!", and we're all thankful, once again, for community.  And for trucks.

Mark and Sarah's parents, Jim and Sue (or Sim and Jew, as I accidentally called them more than once), were also here for a week this past week, and we were so grateful to get to know them a little and to "share" some family.  What an awesome couple and a walking testimony of the joy of the Lord and generous love.  

Meanwhile, the new part for our washing machine finally came, and Sam got that baby working!  SO excited to have a washing machine again.  Not having something for a month makes you extra thankful for it, and our machine has gotten more than a few hugs the last 24 hours.

All the parts coming meant a ginormous cardboard box for the kids, which of course, proved to be the best toy ever.  First it was an airplane, then a bus, then an animal hospital, and then a boat.  Gideon quickly decided that there were way too many girls with this treasure, and found his own one-man airplane/bus/hospital/boat.  Poor Gid.  Having 7 sisters can't always be fun.

But the seven sisters rather enjoy it.

In other news, our current group of Visiting Professors are truly a special group of men.  They have had great times in the classroom, great times with each other, and even great times of laughter and conversation packed in a car with balloons, candy and roadblocks (we're always trying to make things fun :)  

Matt, especially, has really enjoyed having other pastors and teachers here to grow/learn/share/listen/talk/tell terrible jokes with, and seeing these four men really invest in our students with abandonment has been sacred.  

They are on their way out Saturday-Monday, and three returning VP's head in on Saturday.  One VP who was planning to come has had to cancel, and if you know Jerry P., please be praying for all of the medical complications that have made this trip impossible once again.

The Cindy half of our good friends, Bud and Cindy, made it back into Haiti this week, but dear Bud is suffering with some pretty major back issues that are keeping him home-bound in Oregon.  I know they appreciate your prayers.

So, Cindy is just in for a week, and I didn't realize how much I have missed them and how sad I am that they aren't here until I finally got to see and catch up with Cindy a bit last night.  Man, we miss this couple!  (They've been out since the end of November.)  

Rick, Carol, Stacey, Matt, Bud, Cindy

Their friendship and their walks with the Lord and with each other have been a great encouragement and joy to Matt and I, and to our girls.  This missionary life of always making and leaving friends just never gets any easier.

Our continued study on Genesis 12 last night reminded me from Abram's life to be building altars in my life where God has met me...Not just to acknowledge His voice and presence, but also to set up permanent reminders in my heart and mind of His working and faithfulness for dark days in the future.  

As I find myself this week in the midst of one of those heavier times, and meditate on my altars, even these photos are reminders of His grace and faithfulness--to provide community, to provide friends for my children and for myself, to fix things broken, to bring people into our lives to meet us and love us right where we're at and of how active and at work in our lives He is and continues to be.  

As soon as I start remembering all that, this morning I feel nothing but blessed.