This is for Uncle Perry, Auntie Dawna, Derek and Shawn

Well we didn't end up moving out in your directions, but I thought that you might like this shot of Ben and Mike with their t-shirts they would have worn almost every time we came to visit you. Oh how I love Value Village you find the most wonderful things. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Go Lions Go!!!!!!!!!!!

Are we not Comanded to Love one Another?

I heard a story today about a few people that I know that made me wonder about the love that Christians are suppose to show to one another. My first reactions was to be cruel and ridicule back, but that is not how I should respond. I too was hurt by the actions of another in this story that I heard, but I need to move beyond that and I truly struggle with becoming bitter and angry. The tongue is a true and mighty sword that can hurt deeper and longer then any surface wound.

I was also watching a movie just the other day (Mean Girls, I know it is totally cheesy) and the story that I had heard was about women talking bad about other women, so this made me wonder....... Why do women have such a cycle of bitterness and anger towards each other? I'm sure that men are not immune to this sort of behavior but it seems to be more prominent with women of all ages. I even saw a documentary recently on TV that was about young girls being violent towards other young girls. This seems to be a small theme in the things that I see and hear in my life right now. Why are we this way? Can I be different? How could a teach a daughter of mine to be different, if I had one? Is this a problem from one generation to the next or is it a cultural thing? Or could it be the alternate battle of nature vs. nurture?

Well, instead of becoming bitter and angry this one time I thought I would put my thoughts out there for people to hear and think about. Also to calm my heart so I would reflect on my mind was taking me places that even I didn't want to go.

Our News Advetures as a Family

Here is a little update of our family and what is going on with us this fall. Mike is already back to school and he has started his pastoral internship @ Olivet Church as the middle school youth worker. These are both great things for Mike but they both come with struggles. Of course with Mike in school that means that we have less of an income. My parents are gracious enough to let us live @ there house for a fraction of what it would cost us to live anywhere else. This is truly a great help, but we still struggle with everything that has to do with finances. We are still learning what is important to spend our money one and how to save together. Mike in school also creates a little tension so we really truly need prayer for patience with each other and the journey that God has set us on. We need prayer to be humble through this experience and also that we are able to create a balance between work, school, church and family.

Soon I will be starting a new job of being a nanny for my niece in Port Moody for four days of the week. I am filled with anticipation for this new beginning and a little nervousness too. Talking to my sister in-law Jana has gotten me even more exited and nervous about this. I love working with children because you can be a part of shaping who they will be but that is the same reason that I am nervous, I am going to be part of who this girl will be one day.

Over the last week or so I have been thinking of things that I would write about in an update for my blog and right now I seem to have forgotten most of them.

I just ask for prayer for our little family as we embark on so many new adventures this fall. Prayer that we raise Ben as God intended and that when we do make mistakes that he is protected from them. To keep us safe physically and emotionally in our jobs and that we can learn to live and laugh through all of the struggles that life will throw @ us.