Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A BIT MORE BIRTHDAY

As though last Thursday's family celebration and Saturday night's big party weren't enough, David got a bit more birthday celebrating on Sunday, too. Each week, after the Sunday afternoon worship service, all the birthday folks are called up front and sang to. Sometimes there's even cupcakes or some other dessert 
involved.  
Singing Happy Birthday to this week's "babies". #lifeatwewillgo #happybirthday #davidsbirthdayweek #amylancaster  4-28-13

Then, if they're one of the missionaries or one of the regular volunteers who attends our Sunday night meetings, they get another birthday celebration. Just another reason why living at We Will Go is such a blessing! 

We Will Go team birthday celebration for missionaries Jamie Rasberry and our son David. #davidsbirthdayweek #happybirthday #birthdaycake #lifeatwewillgo #missionarys 

 'Cause after all, we're all about celebrating life around here!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Sunday, April 28, 2013

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT...

...seeing a big, strong man holding a sweet little baby, isn't there? Love this man and loved getting to spend a little time with the precious one and her parents at We Will Go today. 

Jim gets some snuggle time in with Roxanne and Landrum Fairchild's baby girl. #lifeatwewillgo 

Roxanne and Landrum used to live at We Will Go as missionaries. Today, they brought back their first born and dedicated her to The Lord. 

Dedicating Roxanne and Landrum's baby to The Lord. #wewillgo #babydedication #blessing 

 What a blessing to be part of this special day.


Children are an inheritance from the LORD. They are a reward from him.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

A VERY SPECIAL SATURDAY

Saturday was full with two milestone events. Betsie graduated from high school with the Florence-Richland Homeschool Group and David had his 16th birthday party.

Here are some photos from the day:



















Friday, April 26, 2013

WORKING FOR THE MISSION

Friday and Saturday, a fundraising rummage sale is being held at Restoration Church to raise money for Nick Hodge (another youth at our church) and our Patrick's mission trip to Swaziland. We are very thankful for all the folks who have worked hard to make this happen.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

A LOT HAS CHANGED

April 25 is the day that our oldest son turns 16. A lot has changed since David's Baby Beluga days including our love and pride...both just keep growing and getting stronger. Jim and I are so blessed with the amazing young man he is becoming as he lets God work in his life in so many different ways.


We love you, son, as do all your siblings! Happy Birthday!


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

WHAT WOULD BREAD RAINING FROM HEAVEN...


...look like in the 21st Century?

My daughter Betsie writes about that in this blog post:

While one of the interns here at We Will Go ministries was reading Exodus 16, she asked God what bread raining from heaven would look like now.

That's when her phone rang. It was an associate pastor from a big church a city over. He was calling to ask if we wanted any chicken? Because he had been at a lunch board meeting and they had fifty pieces of fried chicken leftover plus cases of coleslaw, potato salad, marshmallow fruit salad, pork 'n' beans, and garlic bread. Ashley, our intern, said come on.

A few hours later while he was unloading the fifty pieces of fried chicken and sides, Ashley shared my family's story with him. She told him about how there are nine of us and I'm graduating from high school in two days and my younger brother David has his 16th birthday party this Saturday and this food will really bless them because they only have a little over a hundred dollars to stretch and pull for the rest of the month.

The associate pastor listened quietly while Ashley spoke, and when she finished, he said, "I found this on a drain pipe this morning," and pulled out a hundred dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to her. "Give this to that family."
We were pretty much broke and not knowing how we were going to buy food for out-of-town guests, David's present and bday food, things we needed for Betsie's graduation, etc. when Ashley --- a fellow missionary at WWG --- informed us that God had provided


That's what bread raining down from heaven looks like in the 21st century. It looks like the daughters and sons of God living like princesses and princes in inner-city Jackson, Mississippi. We bought decorations for David's party, supplies for my graduation display, and groceries with that manna and feasted on fried chicken, garlic bread, salad, coleslaw, marshmallow fruit salad, pork 'n' beans, and potato salad that night with a visiting ten-member missionary family.

"In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, 'It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: "Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'" And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat." -Exodus 16:13-18

When it was written that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, they were writing truth. He overcame death and the God of daily provision and meat for dinner and bread for breakfast lives today. Sometimes we make Him so super-spiritual; and He is super spiritual, but He is also extremely practical. In the same moment of time, He was sitting on His heavenly throne, robed in glory, while an army of angels bowed before and walking through a field on Sabbath with his homeless friends, dressed in dusty rags, breaking off heads of wheat because they're absolutely famished. Why don't we let Him be both? Because He is both people: a mighty king, and a carpenter working to provide food for his mother and brothers and sisters.

I've just never ate the quail and manna before because I never allowed Him to be the God who provided my daily bread for me before. He has always been that God and will always be that God, I've just not always been on this level with Him. After all, He is a lover, not a rapist. He will never force Himself or His gifts on you. He is a gentleman and will wait on you forever. The manna and quail will never be given until we extend our empty plates and empty hands and say, "Please, Sir, can I have some more?" And He will give more every single time. He will give immeasurably more than all we could ever ask for or imagine.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END

This week is super busy --- Homecoming, freshmen orientation, ballet classes, swim lessons, David's birthday, a fundraiser rummage sale for Patrick, out-of-town guests, Betsie's first graduation, a party for David,  and all the regular plus irregular things that go on at We Will Go.

 Like a stressed out kid learning to swim in the deep end, I have felt in over my head and really overwhelmed with all that is going on but thankful for a biological family and a ministry family willing to pitch in and help as needed. I'm also thankful for a God who is willing to provide and keep me sane.

And speaking of learning to swim, I'm also very thankful for one of our We Will Go friends who is giving our kids swimming lessons, which in this case, means putting up with a lot of drama.  Aye-yi-yi.

Madel, you are a true saint!

Monday, April 22, 2013

BACK TO THE W

I drove home with Janet Sunday afternoon and served at We Will Go's service then after some much needed sleep, we woke up early to head back to Mississippi University for Women, affectionately nicknamed The W. This time, it wasn't me and college chums, it was Jim and me taking Betsie up for her freshman orientation. Winnie Clegg, another girl from the Jackson area, and her mom rode up with us.

We sat through various seminars, spent time with Betsie's future roommate (whose parents attended MUW with me), ate in the campus cafeteria, did lots and lots of talking, got Betsie registered for classes, hung out at an afternoon cook-out, and visited with our niece Emily who is a student at The W. It was fun to be back on campus but this time to be focused on Betsie's MUW experience.
















Sunday, April 21, 2013

HOMECOMING SUNDAY

Most Homecomings, I am already home by Sunday morning. This year, since I was spending most of it with my sweet friends Karen and Janet, and because it is my last one for who knows how many years, we decided to stay in Columbus over night on Saturday.

After a morning of dressing and primping that took us straight back to dorm days, we attended the Pinelake Starkville worship service. Despite the fact that I've been friends with these women for 28 years, this was the very first time we'd all gone to church together. How fitting that communion was held that day, not something that happens weekly at Southern Baptist churches. We all three were greatly touched by the Holy Spirit and I was so overwhelmingly thankful for Janet, Karen, and my Lord during that time. Not only am I blessed to have them as friends, I am blessed to have them as sisters in the faith.

I was also blessed to meet some sweet college girls before a delicious brunch at Old Venice compliments of Karen where I got to see her daughter who I used to babysit.

And when lunch was done, it was time to head back home with a very full heart.

What a gift this Homecoming was to me.





Saturday, April 20, 2013

HOMECOMING SATURDAY

This is always the biggest day of Homecoming at MUW. For me, this year, it meant lunch at the Baptist Student Union, Class of 1988 photos, Convocation and lots of singing, meeting Food Network Star contestant and fellow Africa-lover Linkie Marais, Troubadour Social Club party (complete with a surprise recognition honoring my upcoming move to Swaziland), the class reunion banquet, hanging out at the silent auction fundraiser, and dessert at Chili's.
































Friday, April 19, 2013

FRIDAY at MUW's HOMECOMING

The next few days are going to be so busy that they will be mostly photos with some brief descriptions.

Today was filled with time spent with a Columbus pal, seeing lots of friends at MUW, making new ones, supper in the cafe (dancing and singing included), settling into the Holiday Inn with besties Karen and Janet, and a late night run to Kroger for Homecoming eats.