HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER MICHELE!

Happy Birthday Michele! The Lord's priceless treasure to our family. I love you so much. Praying that you are overwhelmed by God's great goodness in your life today. I miss you and can't wait to hug you soon.

SO THREE WEEKS AND THEN...

Hopefully hitting the road and heading back to Missouri. Need to have our car looked at. Been having some problems with the transmission.

Gonna start packing and getting ready to leave this place. Getting rid of stuff we don't need. Trying to find owners for some pieces of art. Start gathering together some tupperware bins and getting what we need to take with us in a pile.

Dylan has back to back homework, finals coming up, and plenty to keep him busy until the day we leave. 

GOD'S TIME

I've always been thankful for change. Even if in some way I am unsure or not really knowing what to think...eventually I see things differently and have an increasing hope and great expectation. God's time is perfect. It is a divine interruption of our plans and agendas. It is an opportunity to grasp and take hold of a love that we have never known before.

This month is full of change. No longer working the cleaning job I was. Now I get to clean my own house and do my dishes, and do what needs to get done. I'm going to aim for some more letter writing and getting in touch with those that I have not been so good at keeping in touch with. Hopefully going to make some calls and speak to some people I've been missing...

Hoping to be working from home, or finding a temporary office job, or sell more art --- to keep busy and be saving for summer travels back home.

We're expecting God's time and personal promise to hold us in a season of change and new decision making and it is for sure finding us depending on His strength like we never imagined possible. 

PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

I guess my prayer would be that I would be slow to speak, slow to get upset, and quick to listen, really listen. That my heart would be so earnestly seeking the Lord that my words and my actions would be reflecting salty light. That my prayer life would more than barely exist, but be richly cultivated and nourished and be lifting others up. The other things that I would ask for would gradually either disappear or come into place, as I cling to the Word of God.

WRITING AND WRITING SOME MORE

I am writing an END OF YEAR update as I do every year. Should be posting it very soon. Thanks for checking back for new updates. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

(It is posted on my other blog www.marciemayo.blogspot.com)

ON MY WAY

Tis the season...for traveling, for hugging, for celebrating life and the ones we love. I'm packing and heading out to florida/Alabama/Georgia tonight after midnight. Looking forward to each day and the day I will be hugging my husband when I return. FAMILY here I come!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! See you in the way...

TIME IS FLYING

Time is flying by, ask anybody. A month has passed since I last updated this blog, and I have been thinking about you all. Wondering how everybody out there is doing. Wondering where we are all at with the latest non-changes in politics. I am still trusting the God who made us...keeping my eyes on the goal... even when I feel overwhelmed and scattered and sometimes speechless. It is best not to let circumstances gauge your attitude, but instead set your mind on things above. Keep eternal perspective. Don't be so easily discouraged.

Been seeing some answers to prayers. Once I have all the solid facts I'll be updating specifics soon. Just really thankful for a sense of determination as far as seeking the Lord and having right priorities. Letting things fall away that don't mean anything. Asking the Lord to help me take responsibility for the time He has given me on this earth and the hearts He has entrusted me with...

Hope to be more faithful in letter writing and updating friends with where I am in life. I appreciate that most of you have been ok with hearing from me just whenever... thanks for giving me time and space and praying that I would heal and keep going forward. I was laying in bed last night thinking.... in a few more months it will be 2 years since my Mom has been with Jesus...which will also mean, two years since Dylan and I have been married. Time flies doesn't it. It goes quicker than we ever imagined it would. Because of that I think we should all have a sense of urgency and a desire to be found faithful in the little things.

Prayer is the best way to stay calm and cast your cares on the Lord. I'm going to stay prayerful. Especially praying for Israel...the peace of Jerusalem. I'm going to pray that each of you would be praying and living love as much as it is up to you. Happy Thanksgiving Every day!

PACK IT OUT PACK IT IN

3 day backpack Summit Trip (between Squamish and Whistler) with 23 Pacific Academy Campers. I was privileged to be a part as an Assist/female guide.  Instructor Mat Milec lead the trip along with his Lead Guide, Victor Boulos. The emphasis on the trip seemed to mostly be about GOD CALLING US, GOD PREPARING US...   TO GO. To go AT ONCE and be HIS DISCIPLE, and what does that look like to us? Sure appreciated Mat incorporating JAM time (Jesus and Me time) each day and allowing each of them time for journaling and prayer. He gave some good illustrations and creatively delivered the message like story-time by the fire. I was greatly encouraged to remember the importance of taking time to listen and be still myself and stop the busyness that tries to steal me away from my devotion to the Lord. The Lord is speaking whether or not we will take the time to listen or not. 

The PA Campers were great! You can tell that each of their hearts are hungry for challenges and willing to go an extra mile to find what they are looking for. They are willing to listen and wanting to learn. The guys have what it takes to rise above the mediocrity and laziness that comes to most people their age, and they are blessed to have instructors like Mr Milec and Victor around to learn from. The girls were amazing in their thankfulness and never complaining and wanting to work together to get things done. I want those girls on my team! Truly a wonderful trip all the way around.

Victor, also encouraged me by his example of kindness and sharing and generosity. He was very real in sharing his heart and compassion for his family. Very much a proud father and loving husband. The kind of Guide you hope you run into on every trip. And I'm not just saying that because of his ability to prepare gourmet meals in the back country.