We travel 6-8 hours a day for 3 days to get to the coast of Kenya.  After about a week there we travel about 6 hours a day for 2 days to Dar where we’ll get Asher’s MMR vaccination.  From there we’ll have one 8 hour day then a 4 hour day back to Mbeya. 

I pray Asher does well traveling because I know it’ll be hard for him.  He doesn’t much like to sit still for long at a time.  I have entertainment planned for him (mainly in the form of toys, singing, and the occassional games of peek-a-boo and this-little-piggy).  I’ll resort to videos and snacks when I have to as well.  And of course nursing him is always welcome!

So one more sleep and we’re on the road.  We’ll post when we can.  Look for twitter updates (over there to the right).  We’ll be posting from our phones.  If there is an abrupt stop in our communication blame it on cell and internet service.  I really don’t know what to expect.

Bye for now!

But this isn’t the real kicker. 

Not only is Paul real.  Jesus is too.  He was really, really here on earth.  And He really rose from being dead.  He really lives right now.  And when I pray He really hears me.  When I think of how He really, really exists it makes me want to interact with Him more. 

Sometimes Jesus can become a religion in and of itself.  I can get to where the stories of the Bible seem like just that:  stories.  And then praying can get to be a duty.  In fact everything I do in terms of Christianity can become routine instead of relationship.

But He is real and alive.  If I let that sink in I get excited about the Bible and prayer and - well - Jesus Himself.

This picture represents two things. 

One, this is me playing around with our new camera (the replacement for our stolen video camera).  It has proven to be quite the challenge for me.  (And it’s a point and shoot for crying out loud!) 

Two, this is one of our first sights of yellow squash in our garden!!  We planted the seeds not too long ago and the plants are growing wonderfully!  We probably have about 10 squash growing but none are ready to be picked yet.  Oh I can’t wait!  I can’t wait!  Yum!

And now I tag Angela, Laura, Kim, Jonathan, and Traveler2.

1) Pick the sixth photo from the sixth album or folder in your photo collection.

2) Post it to your blog and tell the story behind the photo.

3) Tag some other blog friends to do the same.

Go!

Proverbs 22:4 (NIV), “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.”

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV), “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

The first two I am starting with are:

Colossians 3:17:

And whatever you do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Ephesians 5:21:

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

(When I first looked at Ephesians 5:21 as a possibility my reaction was, “Ewww.  Submission.  Not that one.”  And that is precisely why I chose it!)

1.  I can survive without sweets, sugar, and refined flour.

2.  I turn to sweets, sugar, and refined flour when I have a bad day.

3.  I do enjoy whole grains, fruit, and veggies.

4.  I can cook very good tasting meals even without sweets, sugar, and refined flour!

5.  I have less cravings and more energy when I eat healthy.

So now I’ll start re-entering the world full of food choices.  Right now I’m planning, planning, planning.  I don’t want to just start eating like I used to.  The goal is to make a lot of these changes permanent.  So at first I’ll continue as if I’m still detoxing and just barely adjust what I’m doing on a daily basis.  Probably the biggest difference will be what I occassionally allow myself. 

I’ve read about people who eat NO sweets and will NEVER eat ANY again.  And to that I say, “WOW.”  That’s not for me.  Not right now.  I’d have to have some real medical concerns to go that far. 

I realize that part of my food issues are really matters of the heart.  Why oh why do I feel I’m entitled to chocolate on a bad day?  Why do I think that will comfort me more than running to Jesus?  It’s me believing a lie (because you know after I pig out on chocolate I do NOT feel better.  I feel WORSE.  MUCH WORSE).  Lies, lies, lies.  Idolatry.  Those are the next steps in my journey - confronting the lies and idols that want to push into my life. 

This has been a very, very positive, rewarding experience for me.  It never felt oppressive or confining.  I actually feel more liberated and in control.  I can decide what to eat and what not to eat.  I can make choices that make me feel wonderful or icky.  And if I do make a bad decision it only takes one more good decision to put me right back on track.  I don’t want food to have so much power in my life.  I feel like I’ve taken that power back and now I get to decide what to allow back into my body and how often.

Oh and I’ve lost a couple pounds too.  I don’t really need to lose weight.  I’m already below my pre-pregnancy weight but any additional weight loss is fine with me since I’m of the thinking that there’s no such thing as “too skinny” but my main concern is to be healthy and not to set food up as an idol in my life.  Those are of much greater worth than a dress size or a number on a scale.

love

joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

self-control

Lord, please help me to live by the Spirit, not the flesh.

To my honey who is the best father Asher could have.  He’s loving, attentive, affectionate, caring, disciplining, and a whole lot of fun!

Happy Father’s Day to you and to all the other fathers out there!

I spent the day stuffing, stuffing, stuffing gift bags for ladies’ night.  And I’m only about a third of the way through them!  I’m excited!  They look great and the goodies inside are real treats.  I hope they really make the women at conference feel cared for.  (Thank you everyone for sending stuff!  Great stuff!  Lots and lots of stuff!!)

I also spent some time today making lists (oh you know how I love that).  I’ve got my “things to do before conference” list, “things to take” list, “things to buy in Kenya” list, and “things to buy in Dar” list.  Hopefully those will keep us straight until we return.  Oh and I’m making travel bingo cards for the trip.  They’re great.  Some of the items we’ll be looking for include termite mounds, Obama’s name, goats, and potholes.

Then we have to determine the best way to keep the house safe while we’re gone.  We plan to make a list for our house help and a list for our guard so they know what to do each day (such as turn on the security lights and turn off the stove).  They’ll also take care of the poochies.  (And yes there just may be a list for that too.  ;))

The main thing we’re trying to do is cut down on what we pack.  We are over-packers.  Always.  Always, always, always.  But boy do I want to take the stroller, and lots of toys, and things to play on the beach with, and the exercauser, and his big feeding chair, and lots of books, and DVDs, and the external hard drive, and plenty of food for the 3-day journey (in the big cooler of course).  And of course there are the essentials including Jonathan’s equipment that they use for conference meetings. 

We really need a bigger car…