Monday Musings

Well, if you're interested in what we've been up to, grab a cup of coffee and settle in. I feel like I haven't really blogged any "updates" in awhile...

We had a wonderful week last week. Just wonderful. At the end of it I realized it had been one of the busiest we've had in a long time, but it was just so great... it fed my soul in so many ways it just didn't "feel" busy. Have you ever had weeks like that?

Monday my daughter and I went to our weekly Bible study with some other mothers and daughters. We are enjoying the study greatly, and especially spending time with my fun mother-in-law and sister-in-law who are attending it, too. And this is the second week in a row my sweet mil has brought us Starbucks! I'm starting to get spoiled! The next morning, speaking of Starbucks, I met with a wonderful, godly, precious young woman who, along with her husband and another couple, head up our church's college ministry. We met for the first time in China when our team joined up with their team over there. I felt drawn to her from the moment I met her, and she asked me about the possibity of mentoring some of the college girls she works with. She is clearly walking with the Lord and has such a heart for Him and for these precious girls. I have been praying about getting involved in that ministry somehow, so she and I met for coffee and prayer and had a wonderful meeting. That night I went to the college ministry (along with my daughter, who already knows some of the people, as she traveled with them for the past two summers... they asked me to please bring her, and she was excited to go!) and it was such a worshipful, rich time of praise and scriptural teaching. I really felt energized! (And... I felt forty. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Otherwise there wouldn't be that whole Titus-2-older-woman-younger-woman thing going on...)

The next evening we had dinner with some fun friends. We first met them when they were church planters in France. I am always so inspired by them and enjoy our time together, usually laughing my head off! They asked us to bring over pictures from Ghana because they are praying about going as a family as well, so after a delicious London Broil, we relived some of our Africa experiences. Oh, how I loved it! After being out for three evenings, we enjoyed some cozy time at home as a family Thursday and Friday evenings, then spent the day Saturday volunteering at an adoption conference. All I can say is, "wow." God is doing something great through this miracle of adoption. I was blessed just to be in the same room as some of those precious families and the speakers! Their stories are amazing. I am convinced that if you walk closely enough with the Lord, eventually you find yourself with orphans. They are so near to His heart. It was a precious day for our family.

And I can't even describe Saturday evening to you. I don't know how. Luke and I were privileged to be invited to a banquet/dinner for some of the candidates for the presidential election in Ghana. It was such fun! Some of the party candidates were there, we heard presentations about the political "goings on" in Ghana, we met some of the most interesting people and just had a wonderful time soaking up some Ghanaian culture, which we've missed so much. In a huge ballroom full of people, we were the only white faces in the crowd and I felt right at home! Oh, and the people and their clothing were so beautiful. They always are. (I'm keeping my eye on Ghanaweb.com for the pictures, I'll link it if they post some!) Sometimes when I'm in certain places I wonder how or why God ordains that we have certain experiences...and I thank Him for it. Wow!

Oh, and last night! It was "missionary visitor" night at our Awana club, and our precious friends who are "m's" in China (stateside until January) came and spoke to our high schoolers, Sparkies, and T&T'ers. It was so wonderful! The kids loved it and they gave each of them some chopsticks that said "Pray for China." Our time with them is always so limited on the other side of the Pacific, so having them here just thrills me. I'm soaking them up while I can until they leave. It was so precious to listen to them tell those little eager faces all about China and inspire them to come over to China themselves and tell others about Jesus. I have no doubt that some of those kids will do just that!

Like I said, a busy week! And very, very interesting. God is up to some fun things in our family, for sure... In the midst of it, we had a great week of school, which I posted about over on my homeschool blog. We're having a bit of a relaxed morning at our house while I "regroup," and then, it's another fun week ahead. I've got to get our house straightened up today, as we have a realtor friend coming over in the morning to discuss going forward with selling our house. (That's one of those aforementioned "fun things" we've got going on, LOL.)

I hope yours is wonderful as well, and that God is up to some great things in your family too. I just know He is!