"summer"saulting into fall

Good morning. It's so hard to believe that the summer is quickly drawing to a close. We are already experiencing fall-like weather and its a rather nice change. I love having the windows open, hearing the sounds of the outdoors and enjoy a breeze catching the curtains sending them billowing softly; its perfect weather for hanging clothes and sheets on the line, which I LOVE!

We haven't started school yet, thankfully. Our children don't return until September 8th and honestly none of us are anxious for the crazy schedule and the hours spent away from home. The younger two kids received their teacher assignments yesterday, (we are rejoicing over the choices the administration made for each of them) as well as their "supply" list. It's amazing the amount of "stuff" they need to begin the school year, not just in new clothing/shoes but supplies. Already my two kids have been scouring the Sunday ads looking for the best deals! gotta love 'em for that! I guess some of "me" has worn off on them that way.

It's surprising how much the kids grow over the summer and how little you notice it until you drag out their jeans from the previous year. I can't help but laugh when I see them on their bodies, too short, too tight and unable to zip! and then I'm saddened, too, that my babies are growing, as well they should!

Along with fall brings another son leaving for college, again the roller coaster ride of emotions! I'm so excited and thrilled for him yet he leaves behind a huge hole in our family. Thankfully he will only be but a few hours away (no long drives to PA, no 12 hours of crying through PA/NY/Canada either), but I know this mom will still shed tears!!! We will move him in on Labor Day. Last weekend we cleaned out his bedroom, his closets, everything, got all of his clothing organized, some things packed-up and made a "to buy" list for college (I LOVE lists), and yesterday he was able to purchase a laptop (with his graduation $$)! We are sure gonna miss our "Geek squad", "Nerd Herd" son! He has an amazing gift with technology!

So.......we begin the final countdown to school, to craziness, to chaos, to running the roads, to homework, to weariness, to "I'm so gonna miss these kids, and my day is going to be so l-o-n-g, and the house so eerily quiet........................."

A week, in reflection

This past week our church hosted VBS for kids in the inner-city of Flint, at a school in their neighborhood. We chose not to do the "bus thing' but to go to them directly, where they live. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've never participated in this type of VBS before. What an eye-opening experience. We met at a neighborhood elementary school playground. Den and I were in charge of telling the Bible Story and memory verse each night for 4-6th graders. On Monday evening most of the kids were workers, with a few from the neighborhood. Many kids watched without participating from around the fenced-in area, just checking us out; some wanted to particpate, but didn't because their "gang" didn't want too. The second night we doubled our size and by day three the kids knew our names and we were getting to know each one as well. They were so hungry, not just for food as we later found out that night, but for attention, touches, hugs, etc. Most of these kids just hang-out at the school everyday, all day (this area, in Flint, is the worst area for crime, drive-bys and gangs). Of course all the kids loved Den and his stories but one guy, in particular, took a fancy to him right away and would follow him everywhere. During story time this guy was laying in the grass with him arms around one of Den's legs. It didn't phase Den in the least (with 12 kids what would) he just went right on telling the story and as he moved around on the grass, so did this boy. It was just too cute and I wish I had thought to bring my camera to capture some of these precious moments.

Later after we were home and I was tucking the kids into bed I mentioned to Colson that we should bring some Bibles from home to give to the kids who don't have one. Of course he quickly agreed as did Jacqueline. I think we took 8 of them with us the next day.

The next night, after storytime, we asked if anyone would like a Bible and each one was quickly taken with many wanting more (we so take for granted our Living Word). I told the kids that night we were planting tiny seeds that others would come along and help grow. It was such a thrill to see the excitment and to hear the kids recite their verses and listen attentively each night, my own kids were excited to go as well. What amazes me is the previous week my kids had attended a VBS that had all the 'bells and whistles" and bussed in all the "inner city kids". Never once did they compare the two, they didn't miss all the "fluff stuff" either.

Jacqueline found her niche in helping with crafts and song-time. My little girl blossomed into a little lady right before my eyes! We had two college-aged girls come with us each night too. They are from a very small town outside of Flint and had never been expossed to the realities of inner-city life. They were nervous and apprehensive; yet after the first night they could hardly wait to return. We had such fun with these girls, riding to and from Flint, watching them love on the kids, encourage them and befriend them.

One night, during craft time the kids were to make a cross and decorate them with various items, including seeds. Instead of decorating the cross with the seeds they ate everyone and asked for more. This sight totally rocked everyone's world. Even my own college-aged boys were touched. It was heartbreaking and it left us all wondering if they ate at all each day, and we were so thankful that the next night we were providing a meal for them, wishing we had done so each night previous. By the time Thursday night arrived the yard was full of kids waiting to sign-in, even the kids that were watching from the side-lines all week came and participated. We had so much left-over food that we were able to send each child home the extras and they were thrilled to take home food to their families.

I wish I could share each and every touching moment with you, there were so many. As I sit and reflect, I've realized that we don't need to leave our cities or our country to be missionaries, we have a huge mission field right out our doors. What a culture shock to see how life is, only 20 minutes from our "precious perfect suburbia." How vastly different our worlds are, how much we take for granted, and how life was put into perspective for me, my kids, our family last week. Many days we whine and boo-hoo over not going on "the latest, greatest vacations" or that we don't have the "trendy" clothes, or the "perfect suburban homes" yet in the grand picture of it all, do those things really matter? is having or doing those things push us closer to Christ, cause us to serve Him more fully? or does the "stuff" or wanting the "stuff" get in the way of our walk with Him, cloud our vision? My heart breaks at all we have, all we want, all we think we need, yet we are overloaded with "things", many of which we take for granted, many we could live without. My kids get hot meals everyday, they have clean clothes to wear, many times not having to wear the same things twice in one week, they have shoes on their feet, and a clean bed to sleep in, two parents that love them and are still together.........many of the kids we met this past week have none of that! I hate the fact that we were there and are now gone, and will wait and do it again in a year......thats so wrong to me, these kids need someone, need us regularly, not for just a week out of the summer. Pray for us as we continue to process all we saw, learned and experienced and that God will open doors for us to touch their lives through-out the year.....but by the Grace of God..................

1 Man

1 Woman

18 moves

16 jobs

12 children

3 daugher-in-laws

2 grandsons

31 years of marriage

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PRICELESS

UPDATE: I got myself a nice "BLACK" waterproof cast on yesterday morning. Will have to wear it for 5 weeks, clean break! no point in posting a new pic black is black! Den just laughed when I walked in with it.....what can I say I LOVE black!

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Guess what I got yesterday..................
go ahead try and guess......

I was walking into the bathroom, my toe caught in a tear in my pajama pants and I fell into the bathtub catching myself with my left wrist. Yup.....I broke it. Just call me "grace"!

Nothing but SMILES! I think its the shirts and the amazing pizza party they attended last night (compliments of Grandma and Grandpa Lutz). You should have seen the excitement and joy on these two kids faces when we stopped at the wagon full of tee shirts at VBS; once purchased they could hardly wait to wear them! then as Colson headed into the gym, he stopped gave me a big hug and said, "doesn't that pizza just smell so GOOD?" you'd think he had never had it before, yet he was so thankful and excited to eat and participate!
I am so full of thankfulness, this morning, at how God takes care of us, even in the small things.

It's hard to believe that we are into August already. Seems like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting the end of the school year and now we are yet facing another new year in a few short weeks. I am not ready nor do I want to give my kids back to the public school system. I love having them home, I love the noise, the chaos, the constant cleaning-up of the kitchen and running the dishwasher, at least, 3 times a day, and the smaller amounts of laundry because "it's summer, it's shorts-time and the piles are smaller!

This week has been such fun for the kids. They are attending an evening VBS sponsored by an area fundamental church. They missed the first evening, thanks to my lapse in memory, but haven't missed another night since. They are loving it and count the hours until it starts each night, fearing I will forget or won't have dinner over with! I know how much they are enjoying this so I work at getting everything done so we can walk out the door and get their on-time!

Its been fun listening to Brennan share about his evening, once we get home, even sharing into the next day and anxiously awaiting to return. Jacqueline and Colson are loving every minute of it too, working hard on their memory verses and enjoying the carnival each night, the snow cones, the story time, craft time and games. I have loved listening to each of them recite their memory verses at registration and especially love the encouragement the listeners give once they are finished!

The downside to this week of VBS fun has been two-fold, 1) the "green camp tee shirts." The church had hundreds of shirts made-up for the week, all shapes and sizes, and they are selling them. Of course their little wagon full of tee's are strategically placed right where you enter the facility. Each day I hear my two kids say, "those are such sweet shirts, I wish we had money to buy one.......". Oh man! knife to my heart! why didn't they just limit the shirts to staff and helpers only? I know several buses packed with kids that come from low-income areas are there. Downside 2) tomorrow night is pizza night. What kid doesn't like pizza? what kid doesn't look forward to a huge pizza party? well to participate, each child has to bring $2.75 to cover the cost. Seriously? I know that this church has put on "the dog" and it does cost a pretty penny to pull it off, but honestly......I wonder how many kids are agonizing over whether they go and watch everyone eat pizza or they forgo the fun and stay home. It really bothers my "mom" heart.

I continue to pray that God never, ever lets me forget the lessons I'm learning right now. I'm constantly telling the kids that we can never touch someones life if we, first, aren't willing to walk through "the stuff." Pray for us as we continue to use these moments as great teaching tools for our kids, hard as it may be.

I've had a few thoughts swirling around in my head and have hesitated penning them. Sometimes fear is my greatest downfall, yet I have to share a little story that happened yesterday as it totally blessed my heart.

There are many people without jobs these days, my husband included. With that said we have, (its here I fear for my life, yet I have to share this part so you can understand the sweetest blessing I received yesterday) no income whatsoever. I'm not looking for sympathy just sharing a simple fact that is occurring in our lives right now; and yesterday we were planning on taking Victoria to a little friend's birthday party (my they start them young!) I fret and stewed all week over what we were going to take this little guy and yesterday morning finally resolved that we were just going to attend without any gift. How could we justify spending money (which we don't have any of) on a gift. Of course our friends know our situation and they would not have been offended in the least but......its very humbling walking into a party without anything in hand. My son, Brennan, asked me what I had bought for the gift and I told him that I didn't buy anything. We just didn't have the money to purchase anything and he said, "how can you go to a party and not take a gift?" and walked away. Honestly its gets really old constantly telling the kids, "sorry we just don't have the money for that, or we can do that, no money........." and at that point I chose not to answer him either.

A short time later Brennan walks into the kitchen with a bill in his hand, all folded (mind you I had no clue he even had any cash stashed away) and handed it to me and said, (which was stinkin' cute) "here, give this to the kid!" I looked in my hand at the folded up paper and it was a $2 bill. I almost cried right there on the spot. What a perfect gift! You see the little guy whose party we were attending turned 2 yesterday. I was never more touched than by the sacrifice my son made for his sister and to this little guy. I was more than happy to attend without a gift, yet God through His generous love provided a very special one.

It's definitely been the hardest summer of our lives and I am wondering if God still hears our cries and pleas and realize its when we let go He chooses to bless and answer, of course not in the way we think He should but in the way that will benefit us the very most.

**I honestly think Satan was trying his hardest to sabatoge this post because the font is all goofed up and everytime I try and fix it, it only gets worse so I've just left it. Crazy....weird!