Our life has become a whirlwind.
Last weekend over a 24-hour period, I baked five recipes of banana muffins; made almost three loaves' worth of egg salad sandwiches; and created a iced Texas sheet cake from scratch.
Last weekend starting Thursday, Pedro and I hosted one birthday party (Owen's) and attended another (our neighbors' son) ... Pedro finalized details of his Thursday night devotional and led prayer meeting at church ... our entire family went on visitation Friday night, starting around 8 p.m. (the kids were troopers despite being so tired!) ... Saturday morning the kids stayed with a sitter while Mom & Dad attended a pastors' breakfast ... Saturday afternoon the kids stayed with a sitter while Mom & Dad led the first married couples' event of the year at church ... and Sunday was a full morning at church.
This weekend, the "labor day" holiday gave us something of a respite. We enjoyed an afternoon picnic at the beach as a family on Friday; afterwards, Pedro participated with the young people at church around 7 p.m. and led discipleship with our neighbors around 10 p.m. Saturday we were able to relax at home (if you can call working all day on Eva's school project relaxing, lol!) Sunday morning (today) Pedro and the girls headed off to a morning of worship at church.
Unfortunately, both Owen and I have been sick for most of the weekend. His is a hacking cough, very runny nose, and low-grade temp; mine is coughing/sneezing/on-off fever. Not fun.
Especially when last week I started a new ministry of teaching English to seven 1st-graders (that was a challenge best described in another post!) And when this week we start a new ministry of hosting an ESL ministry at our church on Monday and Wednesday nights (with Pedro and I as the teachers, at least for now.) But especially, when on Tuesday we have some super special guests arriving (yay for Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!) and with their help we'll be offering a special men's breakfast next Saturday morning; ladies' tea next Saturday night; and mini family conference next Sunday.
Basically there is only one night a week when we don't have responsibilities outside of the home, and on top of that we have two days a week set aside for Isabel's therapy; also, this week Eva has her first written project and her first oral presentation at school.
Now wouldn't you call that a whirlwind?? :)
(Sincerely, though, we appreciate your prayers for us as a family in ministry. Pedro and I have had some serious talks this week about our children, and about wanting to be careful and sensitive to their needs as the pace of life picks up for us here in Iquique. We both understand that one of the biggest dangers we face is giving our best to others and only the scraps of our patience and time to our own children. This cannot be. We need clarity to know when to say yes and when to say no; we need sensitivity to interpret the cues of our kids' attitudes and actions. We need wisdom to know how to appropriately involve them in ministry so they understand this is our family's calling and not just Daddy and Mommy's calling, and to teach them compassion and service to others. But we also need balance so that we are living out Deuteronomy 6:5-9 in our lives personally and as parents. Thank you for praying!)
Last weekend over a 24-hour period, I baked five recipes of banana muffins; made almost three loaves' worth of egg salad sandwiches; and created a iced Texas sheet cake from scratch.
Last weekend starting Thursday, Pedro and I hosted one birthday party (Owen's) and attended another (our neighbors' son) ... Pedro finalized details of his Thursday night devotional and led prayer meeting at church ... our entire family went on visitation Friday night, starting around 8 p.m. (the kids were troopers despite being so tired!) ... Saturday morning the kids stayed with a sitter while Mom & Dad attended a pastors' breakfast ... Saturday afternoon the kids stayed with a sitter while Mom & Dad led the first married couples' event of the year at church ... and Sunday was a full morning at church.
This weekend, the "labor day" holiday gave us something of a respite. We enjoyed an afternoon picnic at the beach as a family on Friday; afterwards, Pedro participated with the young people at church around 7 p.m. and led discipleship with our neighbors around 10 p.m. Saturday we were able to relax at home (if you can call working all day on Eva's school project relaxing, lol!) Sunday morning (today) Pedro and the girls headed off to a morning of worship at church.
Unfortunately, both Owen and I have been sick for most of the weekend. His is a hacking cough, very runny nose, and low-grade temp; mine is coughing/sneezing/on-off fever. Not fun.
Especially when last week I started a new ministry of teaching English to seven 1st-graders (that was a challenge best described in another post!) And when this week we start a new ministry of hosting an ESL ministry at our church on Monday and Wednesday nights (with Pedro and I as the teachers, at least for now.) But especially, when on Tuesday we have some super special guests arriving (yay for Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!) and with their help we'll be offering a special men's breakfast next Saturday morning; ladies' tea next Saturday night; and mini family conference next Sunday.
Basically there is only one night a week when we don't have responsibilities outside of the home, and on top of that we have two days a week set aside for Isabel's therapy; also, this week Eva has her first written project and her first oral presentation at school.
Now wouldn't you call that a whirlwind?? :)
(Sincerely, though, we appreciate your prayers for us as a family in ministry. Pedro and I have had some serious talks this week about our children, and about wanting to be careful and sensitive to their needs as the pace of life picks up for us here in Iquique. We both understand that one of the biggest dangers we face is giving our best to others and only the scraps of our patience and time to our own children. This cannot be. We need clarity to know when to say yes and when to say no; we need sensitivity to interpret the cues of our kids' attitudes and actions. We need wisdom to know how to appropriately involve them in ministry so they understand this is our family's calling and not just Daddy and Mommy's calling, and to teach them compassion and service to others. But we also need balance so that we are living out Deuteronomy 6:5-9 in our lives personally and as parents. Thank you for praying!)
5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. - Deuteronomy 6:5-9
4 comments:
You made me tired out just reading about your schedule. Are you sure you need visitors? Just kidding! What you are saying is very true so I give it a hearty AMEN! We'll have to talk about it this week! Love you and I will see you VERY SOON!
Great post, Steph...lots of wisdom there from years of experience as an MK. I heartily agree! Enjoy your visitors! ;)
Steph, I just read your post when I went on to read the next post on my google reader. I thought it was something you might be interested in too. We miss your family!
http://mkplanet.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/david-c-pollock-on-the-family-vs-ministry-debate/
We know how you feel. Sometimes, the best thing for everyone involved is to politely decline. God doesn't expect you to carry the whole ministry alone... just do your part and do it well. He will do the rest!
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