Celebrating Easter

Easter weekend is a celebration of the fulfillment of an Old Testament Jewish feast. Traditional passover was actually an 8-day celebration that begins with commemorating the 10th plague and ends with a celebration of God opening the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass through. Easter commemorates the beginning of passover, which was fulfilled in Christ's death and resurrection.

What struck me this morning is that God ordained feasts for celebration and remembrance. Celebration. I often lose sight of this fact in either trying to accomplish things or trying to prepare for the celebration. The whole point of a celebration is... a celebration. Joy and thankfulness and exuberance. And God loves it when we remember Him and what He has done. Sometimes it is simply a choice of thankfulness, and other times there is much emotion as we remember what He has done. Either way, this weekend is a chance to celebrate God's faithfulness and His love!

And celebrations require effort and expense. They require planning and gathering. They usually involve inviting and preparing. We often celebrate with gifts and special food. We save special things for celebrations and put effort into making things for the person we are trying to honor. Each of these things is (or should be) done out of love for the one we are celebrating, a joyful sacrifice to honor another.

And these thoughts have brought me back to Easter and the ways I will choose to choose to celebrate this weekend. I want to do things that help me remember what we are celebrating. I want to remember with those closest to me. I want to make a party and enjoy it, whatever that looks like for us right now!

Our church is having a big party this weekend that includes carnival games for the younger kids. Kaleb is planning to help with one of the booths. A few of his friends are coming. And the way he invests with them is one of the things God has done.

Garry has been busy with safety projects, and in the process God has given him some great opportunities to invest with people. Relationships are growing and opportunities to see people come to new freedom are emerging. It's one of the things God has done.

Kevin is busy studying this weekend, processing life and preparing for the next steps. He is investing and learning, taking in and giving out to those around him.  His time at Redeemer has been a great thing God has done.

Blessings

This morning I am overwhelmed with blessings... this time several large tangible things. It's not that the material things are the most important, but they are important. And bigger than the things are the people and love behind a few incredible gifts we've received.

Someone gave us an upright mini grand piano! Wow, God. It is incredible! I love playing the piano, but I haven't often had the opportunity to do so. When I graduated from high school I spent a large portion of my education money on a very nice keyboard with weighted keys, the closest I could get to a piano. The piano was my sanity in high school, and I thought it would always be. Then we moved and the piano stayed. I didn't think I would ever get back to that stage, that blessing. Then God... a series of unexpected events landed a beautiful instrument in our house this week! 

The other thing is a front-loading washer & dryer set. When we moved to Spokane someone amazingly gave us an apartment-sized washer and dryer. We loved them! With a teenager and sports, we were looking for something larger. I had my heart set on a front loading set until I actually compared prices and realized it was going to be a traditional set in the end. But we haven't been able to do it yet. Then we got wind of a used front-loading set for sale. Another series of unexpected events, and the set was given to us this week... and it is perfect for us and of commercial quality. Plus, we get to pass on ours to a young couple who really need them, a couple who is heading toward mission aviation. Wow, God!

These things have reminded me the opportunity we have to invest in what God is doing not only through our time and talents, but also with our material blessings. And that puts a smile on my face, not only for us as we seek to invest but also for the many of you who have invested your resources in our lives. 

Last week we sent out a letter about how the Word is getting out and the milestones some of our friends are reaching, milestones in reaching unreached people... if you haven't seen it and would like to, check it out HERE.

And enjoy your week while you "send it on ahead"!

Normal life

This week we've been catching up on things that got left undone in the busyness of the trip and the safety seminar when we got back.  We've also had a bit of company, which is always good. Some of our very cool company was a family from the Philippines who are in transition: sometimes I think we are simply too familiar with transition. Regardless, it was good to catch up with them and share an evening and memories and truth. 

Garry has had a lot of opportunity this week to think about the next steps for the Safety Department and what mission aviation really needs in terms of safety. Things are getting more clear, and Garry is doing his best to focus his efforts where they are most likely to move the process forward. There are a lot of things involved in a safety management system, and it is neat to see various threads being combined into larger strands. 

Kaleb and some of his friends are busy building a pump track. They're working hard moving dirt and enjoying just hanging out together. It will be even more fun when Kaleb gets his bike back, which should hopefully happen this week. When he's not riding he's taking drivers ed classes (a long process in Washington), making a video edit, or doing school.                                                                      

I have had some good times with ladies in the past few weeks, and started a Bible study this week. I am excited about what God has in mind for this time together and this study. I am also getting more involved in a few things that Garry is working on, and that is very rewarding. And apart from these opportunities, I am looking forward to a little quiet to invest in writing and reflection.

I hope your week has been as amazing as ours has been. I hope you have noticed the sacred along the way and felt the unending grace that surrounds each of us.

The week & the trip

This week has been good: Garry has been busy with a safety seminar here at Moody Aviation, picking people up from the airport, meeting with presenters, and taking care of the normal things of life. We are excited about the ways Aviation Safety can help and encourage people, whether it is students, local operators, or the larger mission aviation community. This week has been full of "God-conversations" for Garry as he has interacted with a lot of people.

Kaleb and I have been busy getting back into a school routine and catching up with things at home that got behind while we were gone. We've also been trying to figure out about Kaleb's bicycle, since his second bike frame broke just before we left for the funeral. And a little company, reaching out to neighbors, and normal routines have filled our days quite nicely.

I promised a little more update on our trip, and thought I'd do some of that now. One of the blessings of a funeral is the opportunity to be together as a family, strange as that may seem. For my family who is spread across the USA and in Venezuela, these times are rare. Yet, for the second time in less than a year, we were almost all together (last time Garry and Kevin were missing, and this time my nephew Justin couldn't come). My family has spent most of the last 25 years separated as some of us have mostly raised our families and others are just beginning, and yet there is a deep connection. I'm amazed how similarly we have raised our kids, given our different lifestyles. I'm humbled by the way the next generation is rising up to love God in new ways. I'm blessed to be part of this family.

Another blessing of the trip was MANY hours of the road. We actually love driving, love the opportunity to talk and simply focus on being together while the miles roll by. We enjoyed some great messages, good music, and amazing conversations. We also found a Tim Horton's on our trip, and pulled over for a taste of home. We were reminded again and again that God is here and He is up to something. And beyond that, we get to a part of it! And you are a part of it to!

Living and Dying

Nearly 3 weeks ago, my grandma passed into eternity. It was a peaceful passing, a gift to her as well as to us as her family. Somewhat miraculously, my parents were able to make it Pennsylvania the following day. Over the next few days her grandkids and most of the great grandkids trickled in to celebrate her life and to be together after her passing.

My gram had down-sized til her worldly goods consisted of a chair and a few bags of belongings. The process had not always been easy, but it made her passing easier for us as her family. Her struggles wondered all of us, and yet in the end, I was pleasantly surprised to notice her legacy. In the midst of her pain and wondering and struggle, she had somehow raised a woman who became an effective missionary and three grandkids who love God deeply. She wanted more children, but she was given only one who survived infancy. She ached for all she had missed, and yet she somehow left behind a room full of people who have been able to enjoy so many things she could not.

In the end, it was grace. For all of us, it boils down to grace and always will. Our choices matter, our hearts are important, and yet God wants to do so much more than we can imagine. And I think if we look around, we will notice that He is already doing it. The buds of miracles are there, the beginnings of new growth and legacy are appearing. And maybe that realization is a gem that my grandmother's struggle gave to me.

There was a lot of laughter during the family viewing, a lot of joy in being together. It seemed a little strange, and yet fitting, that in the face of death we should celebrate life because dying really is a part of living. And my gram is more alive now that she has ever been.

I have a lot more to say about our time in Pennsylvania and our drive across the country, but I think I'll close for now.

Living with Abandon as a Norm

Last week we got a letter from friends in the Philippines who were planning to share the Gospel for the first time in the small village where they serve. This week we got a letter from Venezuela about how many people it takes to reach a group of people, about how believers from one group are helping in Bible translation and sharing their testimony in national churches. This Sunday in church we were encouraged to bring neighbors and friends to church, to start conversations about God and the Gospel. Yesterday we attended a prayer meeting with Moody students, faculty, and staff.

These things reminded me how different it is to serve in your own culture-- how relatively simple it is to share the Gospel with native English speakers in America that live across the street: and yet that can still be challenging!

How much investment does it take to reach a monolingual group of people in a remote area? How amazing is it really that my boys grew up surrounded by people who were willing to move to foreign countries to share the Gospel with people they'd never met, living in often uncomfortable places and doing things they'd never even dreamed of doing. And yet, within that context, it seemed the most normal thing in the world.

Which challenged me to do my best every day to make total surrender to God seem like the most normal thing in the world, to live consistently with the kind of abandon that makes it seem normal. To make the choices in each environment to live in obedience to the Father who is desperately seeking to save the lost, to redeem the world.

I think these choices to do become normal as we repeat them day after day. Obedience changes us and the Spirit enables us. And we stand in awe of what God is doing. We had those moments this week, hearing testimony of what God has done, meeting a young man from Venezuela who is pursing his pilot & mechanic license, chatting with friends, attending a prayer meeting where God was so evident, and reaching out to neighbors.

Sometimes I think our lives are so ordinary I have no clue what to say, then I realize that our lives are ALWAYS ordinary, but God is NEVER ordinary. He goes beyond our wildest dreams and amazes us. It is our privilege to know Him as Father, King, and Lord. And His story is ALWAYS worth telling.

A week

A week is a really short amount of time. An amount of time that seems to shrink with each passing year. Remember grade school when a week was an "eternity" and weekends lasted "forever"? Funny how our perceptions change as life fills up with responsibilities and activities, when what was once new becomes mundane, and when we rush through life? Over the past couple of years I've been trying to be more intentional with time and focus, seeking to live in the moment God has given me and not borrow tomorrow's trouble or joy. I haven't always been successful, and I'm not sure it's a lesson I've really learned yet. But this weekend has brought me back to that.

Maybe it was downhill skiing for the second time or an online writing workshop I joined or the school plans I've been working on. Whatever the reason, I have a new sense of moments this weekend. I want to savor them and invest them.  I want to do what only I can do and leave the rest for others that can do it better. I want to love God above all else and serve those around me well. I want to live and love and laugh.

And quite honestly, we've already been doing that often. Garry has had some great opportunities this week as he's worked as a lab assistant, helping students work through questions that come up on starter and alternator projects. Kaleb is learning to drive, and that is a super fun process. I have had some great interactions with ladies lately. Each of these are small things, but added together they are the relationships we're building, the community we're investing in, the road to where we will be. And along the way, there are plenty of beautiful sunsets and flowers to smell.

Update on us and ours...

Christmas break was amazing, and now life is settling into a more normal routine again. A lot has happened with us over the past weeks, so here's a quick update:

Garry is busy at work, making a few small changes while still moving ahead on the Safety Management system he is working on. Students will be back to class next week, but these first couple of weeks have been a great time to catch up with staff, get organized for a new semester, and catch up on office stuff that has piled up over the Christmas break. We are also working on paperwork to allow us to stay here, which has been time-consuming but which we pray will simplify things in time.

I am settling back into normal routine, trying to get organized after a busy Christmas break, catching up on some cleaning and laundry. It's good to be back to school with Kaleb, moving ahead on new material and starting some new studies as we begin the second semester. I've met a couple of ladies recently and continue to invest in a few relationships. I am so thankful for the women God has put in my life in this season!

Kevin started school at Redeemer College University in Ancaster, ON two weeks ago. It's been a whirlwind start as he has learned the ropes of a new place, started classes, and joined the badminton team. He is loving his classes, making friends, and training hard. God is good, always. In this venture, we can already see so many good things for him, though we miss having him around here in Spokane. This weekend he played his first university badminton tournament, which was a good experience. 

Kaleb continues to study hard during his school hours and fills his days with bike riding, friends, and animation. He has recently visited a local studio and is looking forward to spending some time with their crew on a shoot and learning more of the industry. The other day he spent the afternoon learning about editing, a great opportunity to see a new level of professionalism in film. He has been inviting some of his neighborhood friends to church, and one of the guys mentioned on the way that the only other time he'd been to church was at a funeral: what an opportunity! He also had a chance to try snowboarding for the first time over Christmas break, and loves this new-to-him sport. We are so thankful for a group that organizes homeschool ski days that allow him to afford snowboarding!

As we walk ahead in this new year, we're excited about what God is doing here and all over the world. He is writing an epic story in which He offers each of us a part, a part that demands faith and growth and hard work. A part that He uniquely suits us for, and which demands that we daily trust Him for the grace and strength to move ahead.