Missionary Monday

Dear J.D.,

Well, today was missionary Monday. I have been such a lousy writer lately, I'm sorry that I neglected (again) to send you an email before you opened it. Regardless, I will send this to you late...just so you know that I have been thinking about you--just so you know that I love you. You are still ever-so-much a part of our lives. We think and talk about you most every day. For some reason, whenever I think of you in Texas, I imagine you in your missionary get-up, plus your huge leather belt and buckle. They don't allow you to wear that going door to door, do they? I can't wait to see it in person.

The past twenty four hours were fabulous. I feel so happy and rejuvenated for some odd reason. My worries feel a little lighter lately, which is wonderful. The husband's residency applications in. We've done all that we can on our end to try to secure him a great spot in a great program. Now we're just praying that God will guide us through the rest. And I know taht He will. The husband will be interviewing for spots in residency programs all over the country (hopefully) in the next few months. As I look forward to the next year I'm excited about all of the unknowns in store. Wherever we go, I just hope it's somewhere I can feel safe pushing the boys in the double jogger around our neighborhood. That, or exploring on a bike while pulling the boys in a trailer behind. I borrowed Bambie's bike-trailer hook up today and rode around Spork for an hour and a half. There's something about knowing the back roads to a city that makes it feel like home.

Bambie, Allerina, Jdog, Diva and I had a sleepover last night while the boys went fishing at Raspberry reservoir. I love my sisters. Allerina and I practiced her lines for "Cinerella" while Diva contently combed through my hair for an hour. Honestly, an hour. Perhaps I should teach Atrain how to brush my hair. Allerina is so adorable. She's so dramatic--and not just while she's rehearsing her lines (as you know). I'm so proud of her already. I can't wait to witness her first kiss (that doesn't count) on stage.

I got a call from Atrain early in the AM telling me that he had caught his first fish on Grandpa's boat. I guess Atrain was the first one of the crew to rise this morning, bright and early at 4am. So, he was the lucky grandson to be the first on the lake. And, the early bird catches the fish. He was so proud of himself. The husband is such a good daddy. He forgot to bring extra clothing layers, and shivered through the chill of the crisp fall air just to help his son be a happy camper. Atrain and the husband are a good pair. When they came home, Atrain just kept saying, "I just want to tell you all about it, mom!" And, new information continues to surface every hour. Seems like it was an awesome trip.

So, my dear brother, I'm so glad you found a few new people to teach last week. I'm glad you have had great success with the language. God gives us so many things. I have been so blessed, and I hope to use all that He gives to glorify Him. This Sunday we read the most beautiful passage of scripture. As my eyes read over the words, they wrote themselves on my mind. It is 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, v6-10. "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted but not forsaken; cast down ,but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

I treasure the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Life is hard. It downright stinks sometimes, and I feel troubled and cast down and perplexed often. But, I'm not distressed. I am not in despair. And, I know that I will never be forsaken. I pray that I can give all that I have and all that I am back to Him. It's not easy, and I'm such a sinner, and so imperfect. But I'm going to keep trying--because that is when I remember and feel deep in my heart what this life is really all about.

I sure love you. Happy missionary Monday.

Love, MJ