Busy Day Ahead

We had an awesome day in San Francisco. The kids were a little grumpy at first, well, the teenagers were. We went to the Japanese Tea Garden and Golden Gate Park where there is a huge, concrete slide built into a hill. The kids went down it on cardboard - Scott and I did too! Then we went to Mel's Drive-In, a fifties diner, for dinner, and put in quarters to hear our jukebox play some oldies music. Then we drove down Lombard street, the curviest road in the US. Then we walked around Pier 39. It was so much fun!

Today I'm watching my friend's kids, taking Elijah to basketball camp, teaching my piano students, going to the county fair, and helping out with Wacky Wednesdays at the church (it's lots of fun for the kids). Needless to say, I'll be busy. My parents have a lot of errands to run before they leave on Thursday. Everything is going good for them all leaving for Africa. Thanks for your prayers!

San Francisco and My Parents

Today we are heading to San Francisco for the day. I love that city! I have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge too many times to count, yet each time is so spectacular. I'm not sure what Scott has planned for us, but I hope it includes the Japanese Tea Gardens and the Hard Rock Cafe.

My parents are flying in from Hawai'i tonight. They will be here for about 2 days. Then we will take them and Jordan to the airport to leave for Africa. I'm excited for Jordan to go to Africa. I'm a little nervous too. She's only 14, and I hope she doesn't get into any dangerous situations. She will be rooming with a Christian college-age girl. I've basically told my parents to stay with her all the time. She gets to go to Victoria Falls, The Hide (a wild animal park), and Swaziland. In Swaziland there is an orphanage where she can work with the children. Overall, I think she will have a life-changing time. She wants to serve God in missions, so this is a good start for her. My Shona friend, Sylvia, who grew up in Zimbabwe, warned me that people fall in love with Africa. I'm wondering if that will be my daughter.

If you think of Jordan during the month of August, please pray for her. (For her mother too, for that matter). This is a good lesson for me not to worry, since worrying is one of my besetting sins. That's why I have the Matthew passage up on the top of my blog.

My Family

I have the privilege of going to a church in which I grew up. My father became the pastor of Sebastopol Christian Church when I was 9 years old. I left this church for about 3 years when I attended college (coming home in the summer) and for about 5 years when we lived in Oregon. I have been a part is this church for over 30 years. I love my church family. Sunday mornings are good when I can talk to my family, hug a child and hold a baby. My heart bursts with love for them all. This was a good Sunday filled with joy and love.

I even got to substitute teach the 1st and 2nd grade class. They were awesome!

Homemade Dishwasher Powder, Part 2

I made some more powder, and this time I added the 30 drops of essential oil - what a difference it makes! I bought some lemon oil, and I works great.

Finally Able To Breathe

Wow. Looking at my last post, I can't believe I haven't posted since we left Hawaii. When we got back from Hawaii we had car trouble, VBS, summer camp for the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, and many other miscellaneous things going on. I have been back from summer camp for a week now, and I feel like I can breathe and get on with things at home.

About our car trouble...Scott was picking us up from the airport and our "great white" stalled in the middle of San Francisco. We had it towed and got it fixed. Thank God He provided the funds to get the car fixed.

VBS was great. Exhausting, but great.

I love our summer junior camp. We had the best speaker for the kids. All of the girls in my cabin made a decision for the Lord. Two were baptized at camp, and yesterday Scott baptized one girl in the Russian River on her 11th birthday. What amazing things our God can do! I am so grateful and humbled to be working with Him on earth.

Yesterday our whole family worked at home. Scott took the day off (his first in I don't know how long), and we all worked, worked, worked. I reorganized the movies, toys and games with the boys' help. Scott rearranged the boys' room so that Samuel could have space to do his homeschool work back there in peace and quiet. Scott also worked on our shed in which we store all of our stuff, and he got the kids to help him in the yard - a major miracle! Now all I have left is my homeschool cabinets. Yeah! I have been looking forward to getting ready for the 2009-2010 school year for a long time.

I am a very organized person. I have to have everything just so or I can't really work. This is not a good quality. I wish I could work in chaos, but I can't. I have to say that FA has helped me become less of an "all or nothing" type of person. I used to be CONSUMED with getting all my things just so, but now I can do what I need to do without freaking out too much. God has brought me far. It is only by His grace that I can do anything with a peaceful attitude.

Last weekend I was able to attend an Above Rubies ladies retreat. I went for the first 2 days, but realized that I was exhausted from summer camp to go the third day. Nancy Campbell was inspiring and encouraging. She is the kind of speaker that makes you really think. I like that. It was a good retreat; I just wish I wasn't so exhausted from camp.

Now I'm off for another good day of work. Jordan is busily preparing for Africa. She will leave on July 30 and be gone for one month. My parents are taking her to Zimbabwe and Swaziland. I know that God will do marvelous things in her heart during this trip. I get overwhelmed with His gracious love for our family when I think about all the opportunities He gives us to serve Him. I just pray that I can be a humble, kind-hearted servant to all who come my way.