catch up, plan ahead, ship out!

After a busy weekend of trying to get caught up, and then get a week ahead, we are going a little crazy today trying to get ready to head out tomorrow.  

A few months ago, OMS contacted us asking us to share at a presidential gathering being held in Florida, March 7-10.  We've spent countless hours since working on our portion of the speaking, slideshows and movies, but it didn't really hit us until Saturday that that is THIS weekend.  

As you know, it required 5 times the work to have someone ELSE do your work than it would have if YOU had just been there and done it yourself! After lots of planning, Sarah has graciously agreed to cover all my classes, Matt has Fanfan and Lucner filling in for him, all the money anyone could possibly need has been dolled out, our nanny "team" is looking forward to a few days off, and Lily is very excited about a few days off school.

Matt and I will be representing Theological Education as one of the four-fold focuses in the world of OMS, and also just learned we'll be representing field missionaries as the only current field missionaries present.  We'll be presenting some, and are also looking forward to meeting lots of new people and catching up with a few "old friends".

My father had already planned on attending the event and was quite surprised to find out that Matt and I were going to be speaking, so I can't wait to have some time with him...I hope.

And then, upon realizing the girls were either going to be orphaned or be constantly shushed in the back corner over coloring books for four days, my sister agreed to come and do nothing but love on the girls, freeing us up to work and providing a blissful setting for them.  

Please be praying for us, will you? 

Of course, this doesn't feel like a good time to be cutting out for a week.  Frankly, I'm not sure where we're going to find the energy to pour into high-energy ministry like this right now smack in the middle of our semester here.  Half of Matt and I are also very stressed about speaking.  The same half really prefers just to write and never hold a microphone.  Ever.  

I did agree several weeks ago, in some kind of a withdrawal induced funk, that I would do anything necessary short of hosting a donor karaoke night if ice cream would be provided, so I'm trying to remember that.  

We'll fly to Fort Pierce tomorrow, drive to St. Augustine, be there for prep day Wednesday, for the conference Thursday-Sunday, drive back to Fort Pierce on Monday and return to Haiti Tuesday.

He's reminding me this morning that He DOES know where everything we need these next days will come from.  Reminding me that ministry outside of my comfort zone and outside of what we normally do is still ministry.  Reminding me that if it's all about relationships, then this is a precious opportunity to invest in just that.  

I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for your prayers!