Summer's Shaping Up

Summer in Spokane is lovely! Some days are quite warm (some might think it's really hot) and many days are cool. Everything is green. People are enjoying the outdoors, and walking around the neighborhood has become an relationship-building experience. Lots of friends are camping, and we are looking forward to doing some of that later this summer also. We are also planning a quick trip to Manitoba to visit family and friends next month. Yes, summer is shaping up beautifully.

We are finding a different rhythm working at an aviation school, a rhythm that is mostly energizing and constantly on the move in a somewhat repetitive manner. With the complexity of maintenance and flight training, summer is just two weeks without students. One week is prep for the coming semester and the other week is instructors'  vacation week. This week one of Garry's main goals is to prepare a training session for in-service, training staff to use the new SMS software we have! While his presentation will not be long, it is challenging to know what is most important to share first and how to implement a complex program in the simplest possible way.

Since my last post we have been busy with end-of-year events and gatherings. Somehow I had forgotten how many events there were. And this year there are extra things going on as we celebrate (and cry over) Cec's retirement as the head of Moody Aviation. Plus, we know more people, some of whom have kids graduating and some of Kaleb's friends have planned special things for the end of the year. All in all, it has been an event-laden few weeks, and we have a few more to attend. Each event has provided good opportunities to celebrate, invest, enjoy, and learn. And now, I am ready for the part of summer that includes BBQs in the back yard, bike rides, iced tea with friends, and picking what I hope will grow in the small garden we planted.

I am also looking forward to getting caught up on office work, particularly with some of the things I help Garry with at Moody. Garry is enjoying setting up the software for the most part, and that process is opening many great conversations with staff and students. As we look to the future, we are excited about the potential this software has to help mission aviators be safer and more effective in what God is calling them to. 

Soon I should be able to blog a bit more... there is lots going on for Kevin and Kaleb, but I'll share that in another post. 

Grad 2016

It's that time again-- graduation! Here at Moody Aviation, students still have several weeks of class left, but graduation is combined with Biblical Studies, so events happened last weekend. It's amazing, really, to think what these graduates have accomplished over the past years and how many people have been a part of their journey. And their journey is only beginning, there are places and people and challenges and joys that God has uniquely prepared for them. What fun it has been to celebrate with them!

As this school year comes to a close, summer begins. Kaleb has been enjoying his internship with the studio and is almost done with school for the year. His bike track continues to grow as does the number of neighborhood kids involved. He is also growing as he closes in on 6 feet tall.

Kevin is home for summer and working construction with a  local company. He also has opportunity to run a badminton camp for Parks and Recreation, which he is looking forward to. Training continues to be a major investment as he makes plans to compete at the international level. Writing is his other pursuit.

Garry has had some super busy weeks lately. Currently he is busy with paperwork for some software, preparing for his visa interview, travel plans, and meetings. There are so many things going on, but I find once again that so many of "our stories" are not really ours to tell-- they belong to other people with whom we live them and we do not have the right to share them. Yet we are both blessed and challenged by them, privileged to be a part of so many amazing stories. May your story be amazing today!

Sunday

It's Sunday afternoon, a quiet break in the busyness. A gift, really. So much of life is filled with things we love, and some with things we don't like so much. But a moment of quiet is a rare treat. And I love that I have this time to sit and reflect a little on the week just passed and the one that's coming.

Last week Garry spent a few hours in meetings and a many in his office. He also helped in the maintenance lab a bit. After work one day he was able to go flying with a friend and that is also opening some doors in various ways. Things are moving and changing and happening. Not always quickly, but in God's time. Last week a new family joined Moody staff for an interim position, and we are thankful for the help this will be.

Last week was Spring Break for Kaleb and we enjoyed doing some biking together. He also took a friend to a nearby biking track and they spent many hours on their track close to home. He is also busy scripting for his next animation and getting shots for his biking video.

I had a pretty normal week, apart from going to a short staff Moody women's retreat. We prayed and planned as we asked God for direction for how to be a team that can effectively minister to students and their wives. We are excited about what God is going to do.

And at the end of the week is is good to pause, to take a Sabbath, and to worship and celebrate all God has done and what He is doing. The rhythm of work and rest began just 6 days after creation, and yet it still has a powerful impact. It changes our focus and changes us. It gives God opportunity to speak in a different way. It gives our bodies time to repair and ready for a new week.

A new week, a new opportunity. Chances to grow and trust and be challenges. Opportunities to invest and care and respond. This coming week my parents are arriving for a visit, and we are super excited about what that time will hold. It's also back to school. And Garry has the normal routines of work as well as some unique things coming up this week.

April already?!

April has begun without my permission. I was going through the motions of March, waiting for Spring, engaged in the daily tasks of living. And suddenly, we are nearly a week into April. Plus, Spring Break is nearly half over, which may be as disappointing to me as a homeschool mom as it is to my son. It has also just come to my attention that we have been in Spokane nearly a year and a half. Time moves on.

These daily tasks of living are important, in the long run they are the things that create traction in our relationships and endeavors. The daily doings of life are the things that grow into the fruit of our lives. And for the most part, I am thankful for the daily doings that God has led us to.

Garry is at the hangars at Moody Aviation every day, and is growing relationships with both students and staff. The small investments he's made over time are maturing into deeper opportunities to share truth, to get involved, to do life together and grow in relationship with God together.

Garry has also been investing in Aviation Safety issues, and over the past weeks we've seen some traction building in that arena also. Reporting is happening, students have shared how the safety seminar we hosted has changed the way they do things, and staff is resolving safety-related things that have been brought up.


Kaleb has made friends in the neighborhood, and we see things happening with those relationships. Last week after youth there was some discussion about the message in the car on the way home. This is huge when we're talking young teenage guys and the real things of life. In many ways, what is happening in his life is reflected in the property beside us. It's empty space, and soon after we arrived, Kaleb built a small jump there. One jumped turned into two, and now there is a pretty sizable track on the property and several guys who are very invested in it.

Every day, doing our best to simply trust and obey. It is paying off in various ways that we can see and maybe some we can't. And most of all, it pays off in the relationship we grow with God who loves and leads us.

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!