The Tipping FamilyRedefining Normal

• amazing group of 19 from Midtown (would have been 20, allen we missed you).  I only knew a hand full of the group, so it was neat to get to know a lot of the others.
• bilingual worship is beautiful. The Sunday services we went to were in English and Spanish…both music and speaking…there was something very freeing about that.
• translating is fun! I loved getting to tell one of our folks what one of the kids were trying to communicate to them… like “are you coming back soon?”, “you have pretty eyes,” etc.
• We had never done this before really, but 4 people every night told their testimony/what God is doing in their lives, and wow, it was wonderful to be able to understand what people have been through.  Seeing God’s grace and love through all sorts of crazy things. We really bonded through this time.
• I broke as I talked with a mom of  3 in one of the villages who explained to me there was an extra little boy at her house that had been dropped off in the street the night before by his drunk father.  She didn’t know his name and he had no shoes on!  She asked if there was anything we could help get him, and we made plans immediately to bring some things back to her for him the next day. The shattering thing was the little boy never did anything to deserve this, and he was terrified. I wanted to bring him home.  But it was also amazing to watch a mom who could barely take care of her family, completely take this child in and love on him!
• I saw God’s perfect love over and over and over again.
• I saw God’s love through Delta, a 15 year old girl in Colonia Milagros, one of the villages, who I have gotten to know for 4 years now… I will share more about her soon…but we got to take her to Xel-ha on Saturday.  Xel-ha is an all natural water park that is beautiful, and I am pretty sure she has never experienced anything quite like that.

These are just a few things that stuck out, but I will be sharing more!

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 ¹ O LORD, you have searched me 
       and you know me.

 ² You know when I sit and when I rise; 
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 ³ You discern my going out and my lying down; 
       you are familiar with all my ways.

 ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue 
       you know it completely, O LORD.

 ⁵ You hem me in—behind and before; 
       you have laid your hand upon me.

 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
       too lofty for me to attain.

 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? 
       Where can I flee from your presence?

 ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 
       if I make my bed in the depths,you are there.

 ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 
       if I settle on the far side of the sea,

 ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, 
       your right hand will hold me fast.

 ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me 
       and the light become night around me,”

 ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; 
       the night will shine like the day, 
       for darkness is as light to you.

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being; 
       you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

 ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
       your works are wonderful, 
       I know that full well.

 ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you 
       when I was made in the secret place. 
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

 ¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body. 
       All the days ordained for me 
       were written in your book 
       before one of them came to be.

 ¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! 
       How vast is the sum of them!

 ¹⁸ Were I to count them, 
       they would outnumber the grains of sand. 
       When I awake, 
       I am still with you.

 ¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God! 
       Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

 ²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent; 
       your adversaries misuse your name.

 ²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, 
       and abhor those who rise up against you?

 ²² I have nothing but hatred for them; 
       I count them my enemies.

 ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
       test me and know my anxious thoughts.

 ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, 
       and lead me in the way everlasting.

This passage spoke volumes to me today, as I read it… God knows us perfectly…I hurt today, a little heavier than it has been lately…but God hurts that way for us non-stop…thank you Lord for your perfect love and perfect peace!

Why do I get impatient with where life is right now? Why can’t I be content? Why am I sad? Why am I so selfish? These are a honestly a few things I am fighting with…God is present.

Sorry it has been a little while since I have posted anything.  I have been trying to get some of my pictures ready from Mexico, and processing a little bit, I will post things in the next couple of days! Thanks for being patient!

A little sneak at some pics from this year in Mexico

So after I wrote the post last night, I went to get to get our passports from our fireproof little box, and just happened to look at the dates on them…and Allen’s expired in March.  We were completely in shock at first, not thinking this could really happen! We tried everything last night and this morning to see if we could work anything out.  Everything from trying to figure out if we could drive to Washington, DC to be there first thing this morning, to seeing if there was anyway else for him to be able to fly in the morning…but it isn’t going to work!!! I feel really bad leaving him here and really wish this could be different!!  We feel really stupid that we didn’t every check them before now!  Not fun, but sure good reason for all of it!

These are  some pics from last year in Mexico, and I am about to jump out of my skin to be there right now!!! We leave this Saturday though and I am so excited.  It is such a bitter sweet little blessing that we are getting to go, especially to think a couple of  months ago, there was no thought of being able to go with what we were preparing for!  This week I have gotten a few things to take to the kids, some little clothes, books, and toys which will be fun to share with them.  I can’t wait to see the folks we have formed special bonds with and just see God at work all week!  There are two girls in particular, Yeni and Delta who I have gotten to know over the last four years that I can’t wait to love on and talk with!

We will be going to the Yucatan Pennisula, which is right outside of Cancun.  Midtown has a special partnership with the missionary, Alfonso.  This will be the fourth trip down there.  Alfonso and his family have been missionaries there for over six years and really have a huge heart for the people there.  We will be going into two villages to do kids camps and help with construction in the communities throughout the day, and really helping with whatever we can to help them in our time there.  Please pray for our group, there are about twenty of us going, 14 girls and 6 boys!!! Girl power!

I will try to post a few things while there if I am able , and look forward to sharing when we get back!

In previous posts, I mentioned the Masche Family, prior to going out to visit them a few weeks ago, and then reflecting a little on my time out there.  But I wanted to blog a little bit on what a huge blessing they have been in my life.  There are many ways prior to ever meeting the family, during my time in Arizona, and since being back, that I see bits and pieces of God’s goodness.  These guys are super special and have a pretty intense challenge with their six two year olds, but yet have time to love on others.  I am very thankful that I am able to connect with  Jenny and her family.

Initially, someone had given me an article Jenny had written and I was able to contact her through email.  This was back in February, and she immediately emailed me and was giving me wisdom and encouragement from the start.  Jenny and I emailed several times before I went in the hospital, and she was really the only person I ever talked to that I closely related to during pregnancy.  It was very good to hear how things were for her being pregnant with sextuplets, and all of her experiences.

Then, we talked for the first time over the phone about 2 weeks after returning home from the hospital.  It was good for me; she is a Physician’s Assistant so she knew a lot of the medical things, she had experienced a lot of the similiar meds I had, she knew the risks, she had a near death experience after delivery of going into heart failure that gave her a different outlook on surviving and being able to mother her six babies, and our hearts are in the same place, she loves the Lord.  As we talked on the phone  before I went out to Arizona, I always felt comfortable to open up and be transparent about how I was dealing with stuff.

One thing that has meant the world to me is Jenny shares straight from her heart, hurts with me, but yet in all of it, pushes me by just assuring me of what is to come, almost helping me see more of what’s ahead, when the past and “here and now” seems ultra heavy!! Thanks Jenny!  It is also very encouraging to see Jenny’s passion to love on others, especially her family, I look up to that a lot!  My time out in Arizona also was such a great picture of Jesus.  It was wonderful to meet the whole family and get to bond with the kids, I especially loved our chats and getting to really know these guys on a deeper level.  Jenny and Bryan blessed my heart in many ways…to give me encouragement, love, and much more! Each one of the kids is so special, what a gift!  Thank you for your friendship, and so thankful God has put you guys in our lives.

Psalm 59
16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.

Those of you that read the blog a good bit, may get tired of me saying this, but most days when I get up, I am immediately thinking and praying that God would continue to be my Strength, and that I would trust and have faith in that constantly.  I really was looking at these verses and realizing that in these times when my heart is heavy and hurting, that I will praise our God.  His love is steadfast…unchanging…perfect…He is my refuge…He has got me in His hand.  Thank you Lord.

Today, I got out a basket of things that have kind of been tucked away in the closet with baby stuff.  I really started putting cards, pictures, and anything that was special to me during being pregnant, in the hospital, and the weeks after in the basket knowing it was all in one place and when ready I could go through some of it.  I had bought a book to start putting a lot of those things in, and started gluing some  of them in there today.  Everyone that came to the memorial service wrote a little note which I read in the hospital, but really hadn’t read them since, so it was good to go through them.  I am so so thankful for our loving family and friends around us! Thank you guys for all of your prayers.  It is also so encouraging to look back through cards from folks who  have gone through similar things  that we are able to relate to.  I have really been putting off doing this, and it is tough but good…I am not sure what all I am thinking right now, at least not enough to write down…I will share more later!

Renie and Dustin had their baby on Wednesday night, Jack is here! He weighed a little over 6 lbs.  Renie has been so calm during the whole thing.  It has been neat to watch her learning new stuff constantly and seeing her and Dustin jumping right in to being parents.  I wouldn’t have missed being at the hospital on Wednesday for anything.  Renie and Dustin are two of our best friends here in Columbia who we share life with.  Hopefully, they are getting home today and settled in a little bit.  Love you guys!

Exciting…got my bag back!  For those of you read the last post on trip to Arizona, my bag got stolen in Vegas, and somehow it made its way to Charlotte, and it got FedEXed to me on Wednesday!!!  Yeah, crazy story, the Chief Security Officer in Charlotte found me on Facebook, and sent a message to me on Sunday, asking if I had lost a bag? I immediately wrote back, yes, yes, I did! He told me it had been turned into security in Charlotte.  They are guessing the person that took it was probably on the plane with me all the way to Charlotte, and then turned it in there, my bag also had my itinerary in it too??? All I know is I got it back, and everything was still there, PRAISE GOD!!  

Camp-Go Camp this week… this is a camp Midtown has done for the past 4 years with youth from different churches.  There were close to 200 folks total involved in the week.  The youth stay out at CIU, and then go into the city to serve on a daily basis.  I helped out with one of our kid’s camp sites, which was a lot of fun.  I do wish we would have had more children, but it is always a neat thing to see the youth loving on the kids and building relationships.  I also confess I didn’t come in to the week with full energy, and probably didn’t give it 100%!  Overall, think the week went well  and hopefully our hearts are more and more transformed to serve.  

Allen is amazing! Just wanted to comment briefly that I have been blessed with an incredible husband, who never stops loving.  He was pretty busy this week with things with Go Camp, but really did awesome.  I am very thankful that I get to serve alongside of him. Thanks for loving me, Allen.

Persevere, I keep thinking about this! I feel like I need to do a lot of that right now…not dealing with things the best right now, just pretty blah…but I still trust!

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July Weekend!  By the way, know this way of blogging was a little cheesy, just wanted to do something a little differently!!

My friend, Melanie sent me this song and it really spoke great truth to my heart, and I wanted to share it with you. You can also listen to it at, www.myspace.com/aaronkeyesmusic. Aaron Keyes is an amazing musician from the Greenville, SC area and he wrote the song.

Psalm 62
My soul finds rest in God alone, My Rock and my salvation,
A fortress strong against my foes, And I will not be shaken.
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse, And lies like arrows pierce me,
I’ll fix my heart on righteousness, I’ll look to Him who hears me.

CHORUS
O praise Him, hallelujah, My Delight and my Reward;
Everlasting, never failing, My Redeemer, my God.

Find rest, my soul, in God alone
Amid the world’s temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I’ll cling to my salvation.
Though riches come and riches go,
Don’t set your heart upon them;
The fields of hope in which I sow
Are harvested in heaven. (TO CHORUS)

I’ll set my gaze on God alone,
And trust in Him completely;
With every day pour out my soul,
And He will prove His mercy.
Though life is but a fleeting breath,
A sigh too brief to measure,
My King has crushed the curse of death
And I am His forever. (TO CHORUS 2X)

BRIDGE
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah! hallelujah!

This truely is my prayer, when I feel down and discouraged, I want to set my gaze on God alone!  I will praise Him no matter what, For he alone is God!