Investment Opportunities

Here at Moody we are working with people who are headed to various places overseas, former students who are paying off debt and gaining experience before heading out as well as current students. One family has just finished their technical evaluation with NTMA and plans to begin training with NTM in August. Two families are headed to Alaska to serve first nations people in a remote environment there. Another family plans to leave for JAARS this summer to begin serving with them. Yeah, God!

Apart from the ways we have opportunity to invest throughout the work day, we’ve enjoyed getting to know students and staff, having people over for meals or coffee.  One young engaged couple has been at our house a few times and has asked to spend an evening talking specifically about serving overseas as a couple. Kaleb has been interacting with the neighborhood kids, and has opened doors for us to interact as a family, sharing love and living truth. In fact, several people have talked about Kaleb or us watching their houses while they’re gone, which speaks of the character they see in him as he interacts with their kids.

While we seek to invest, we are also enjoying networking, interacting with various people who have offered to help. One such gentleman is bringing his wife and coming to spend a couple days with Garry in the office, working on aviation manuals. We are looking forward to having dinner with them and hearing their God story. Mike and Gwen work as New Tribes Mission representatives in the area, and it’s been a privilege to spend some time with them and hear how God is calling people to bring His truth to remote groups all over the world. Another young guy is training with hopes of working in the inner city, and it's been a privilege to see his heart.

Family Update

I realized the other day that I've been doing a lot of rambling here, and not a lot of updating on us as a family. We are incredibly blessed to be on this journey together as a family. We love to work and play together, and though we are in different countries, we continue to invest together. It's a privilege we don't take lightly! So here's a quick update...

Garry is busy at work pursuing various aspects of safety. These days his focus is on SMS software choices, creating an integrated flight & maintenance manual structure, addressing a small incident that occurred a couple weeks ago, updating walk-through procedures & follow-through, and strategic planning. He's enjoyed some days working in the shop and is looking forward to a visit from Jim next week to work together on maintenance manuals.

I spend most of my days at home, keeping things clean and food on the table, homeschooling Kaleb, and preparing for the people who come by. I'm also enjoying doing secretarial work for Garry and being part of the strategic planning initiative with him. Our current task is to come up with specific criteria that define what makes a successful mission aviator as we seek to make the training here as effective as possible.

Kevin is in Manitoba, training for badminton and working. He enjoyed Canada Winter Games and is gearing up for Jr Nationals in just over a month. Lately he's had a lot of opportunities to coach, which has opened some neat doors for interaction and living truth. It has been neat to see him develop more friendships in Manitoba  and we've been blessed by the various people who are investing in what he feels God calling him to in the badminton world. He was recently approached about another opportunity which we are praying about and excited to see God unfold.

Kaleb is a busy figuring out life in a new world. He is almost ready to release an animation he's worked on for over a year and we are excited about the message it portrays. He's also the big brother to a lot of the neighbourhood kids, which they love and their parents appreciate. We love the way he is making use of this opportunity and are excited to see where it takes him. He continues to do well in school. study videography, build jumps, and dirt jump.

Family. What a gift!

Hold Your Ground

Life has a way of feeling like a war, a series of battles related to relationships, habits, productivity, and value. Whenever we drive by this little coffee shop it makes me smile, and the play on words is a good reminder. of the reality of life.  I've been thinking how important it is that in each battle we hold our ground, ground gained in former battles. Each day, week, and month we have the option to build on the foundations that have been built over time, to enjoy the ground we've gained or  to destroy the things we've built, to give ground away that we've already won, to shrink instead of grow. In theory it's an easy choice.

In reality, these days of settling in a new place it is easy to feel we have no ground, that we are fighting for the same things we had in former places-- routines, friendships, productivity, etc. However,  the reality is that the ground we gained before comes with us in many ways. The relationships we've invested in have grown us, good habits can be maintained even if they need changes in a new place, and the things we've learned are often applied in new ways. Holding ground is powerful and the realisation that God has given us ground is empowering as we face the daily battles of life, no matter where we are. 

We live in a land of His choice, a life ordered by Him. He has brought us on an incredible journey this far, and the changes that seem enormous and the trials we face will look "light and momentary" in retrospect. In many ways, we can choose to see them as light and momentary now, to continually call on God for His perspective on the circumstances of life. And His perspective is certainly easier to live in than our natural one!

Garry has had opportunity to work in  the shop a couple of days this week as well as his hours in the office. Several of the guys are doing some organising in one of the maintenance shops, which is a rewarding process. In the office Garry has been working on several fronts, focusing his energy on 5 areas of safety this week. Each has seen some progress, which is very rewarding.

While I spend much of my time schooling Kaleb and doing the normal routines of keeping house, I also enjoy the time I can invest in Moody Aviation. I do secretarial work for Garry as well as investing in mission aviation through various relationships with other women.

Kaleb has been enjoying the warmer weather and the opportunities it gives for more bike riding, basketball-playing outside, and just being outside.

Kevin is back in Manitoba after Canada Winter Games, working and training. His car was broken into this week, which has given him opportunity to learn a few things he didn't plan to learn just now. He also spent a couple days up north. coaching in Grand Rapids, MB with a friend of his.

As the daily battles continue may each of us hold the ground we've been given and expand into new opportunities and areas. May we find peace in the land God is enlarging us to possess!

Here and Now

It's Saturday afternoon and I expect Garry home in a while. He's spent the day at a maintenance seminar, learning things and connecting with people. In fact, we've all had a lot of fun meeting new people, catching up with old friends, and experiencing some new things this week. I think it's been a week of connecting, and that is always a good thing!

Garry was busy with seminars this week-- first an aviation safety seminar and now a maintenance inspector's seminar. The presentations have been really good, and the connections he's made have been amazing. God's timing, and it is always good!

I'll write more later, but for now I just wanted to say how incredible it is when God brings us into contact with others of His kids and those He wants as kids, to be a blessing and to bless!