Next Month...

We can say the words 'Next month...'   There are days those words give me a lump in my throat, and there are days where those words create a lot of joy and anticipation.  As we have learned over and over, it is a daily decision to surrender our plans for His.

We wanted to give a little update on what we have been up to these past few weeks, so here it goes:

• All types of packing is happening. (has been a good lessen on where our treasure really is)
• We are sending some of our family's supplies along with short-term mission teams who are headed to Haiti before we are.  This aleviates us from having to fit all of our supplies in our 10 suitcases when we fly out on August 9.
• Each week a few more boxes of our belongings get packed up to store while we are gone and brought to our storage unit a few miles away
• As all this packing is happening even more things in our house get donated or find their way to other 'homes'. (the house is looking empty)

• Fun events with family & friends are being added to our calendar. 
• The Mulder family took an extended weekend to spend time at Inspiration Hills.  It was a great little get-away full of wiffle-ball, kick-ball, ropes challenges, swimming, card games, way too much food, biking, hiking and great company around the fire every night.
• Visit from long-time Pella friends
• Garage sales & lemonade stands
• VBS at our home church
• A bake sale put on to assist us by our church family at Shalom CRC
• Not exactly fun, but I (Sara), made a quick trip out to CA as my Grandpa passed away a couple weeks ago.  It was wonderful to catch up with uncles and aunts whom I haven't seen in many years. This also allowed me to see my brother Steve, from Chicago, who I might not have seen hadn't the funeral happened.
• Little day-to-day activities like softball, picnics, bonfires, walks, and swimming done with generous friends who love and support our family.
• Mission Haiti put on a meal for all team members, board members, employees and all our families.  It was a night of sharing, getting to know each other and simply building community as a group of people brought together by a desire to serve.

• Final appointments & check-ups being scheduled.
• The girls all had to have a typhoid shot last week Tuesday and I am happy to say only one of them cried and it was only for a short time (bribery might have been involved).
• The whole family visited the dentist.  The parents have to return to have a cavity taken care of and Regan needs to visit an oral surgeon concerning a stubborn 2-yr molar that does not want to fully come in. Ugh!

• Closing on our house July 15.
• We were blessed to be able to close on our house early and then rent our house back from the buyers for another month.  This means we don't have to move twice before we get on the plane!  This also allows us to take care of details over a few more weeks rather than having someone else to handle it while we are gone.

As you can tell, so many things are falling into place and God's mercy and grace have been revealed in even the smallest of details.  I have commented to people at times, that we feel so fortunate to be able to be walking this road, getting a front row seat to the power of God.
Yet as I write about all that is going on, and as we begin to look at the next handful of weeks, my sinful humanness has shown up as well.  A couple weeks ago I felt fear and doubt enter into a lot of my thoughts and feelings.  I will spare you the details, but it affected me to the point that our girls even noticed that there was something going on with Mom.  I knew my armor had been penetrated and it took being encouraged by a friend from our SFC school community, to put the armor of God back on, to give back all control to Him.  Ephesians 6:10-18

I also came across a devotional which talked of having the faith of a child (Matthew 18:3-4).
Tim and I have been amazed how excited our girls have been about this adventure all along.  Now we also realize they do not fully know what is all in store, but we have also done our best to be honest with them about some of the tough things that we might encounter (like Haiti heat in August!).  Yet they continue to look forward and are so willing to step up to the task at hand.  So I took this lesson shown to me by our girls, and happened upon the same topic in a devotional, to find our strength in the Lord by having faith like a child:

"My pride, my strong desire to find my own way as an adult keeps me from bowing down at Your feet and asking for Your guidance and mercy.  Show me today how to give up control and accept the changes  -- blessings and trials -- that come with a humble, childlike faith.

So we ask that you continue to pray for us, and our extended family, as we head into the last weeks.  There are going to be a lot of exciting things happening that will also include having to say goodbye. I told our girls the other day that if they see Mom crying, it is okay : )  It just means that we have to be thankful for the people who love and care for all of us.
Please also be in prayer for the four other team members, Paul & Bethany, Mike and Pam, who have already moved to Haiti.  Pray too for the Haitian people who we will be living closely with, they too are experiencing much change.  Pray the love of God will blanket us all to build His kingdom.