A FAST WEEK IT'S BEEN IN CA....

And tomorrow we head home, although I'll be coming back in less than a week as Dana has some traveling to do.

This has been a good time though; Sue once again saw Dr.Harris, a Lyme specialist who's beginning treatment with her. First with de-toxing her body after such a long period of aggressive antibiotics, then in conjunction with a Naturopath here in A. G.to do some alternative treatment with supplements etc. So the months ahead we trust will show some positive change for Sue though we don't, of course, know exactly what the progress will be. PLEASE PRAY that God will work mightily here!

Meanwhile, Millie is in Rehab in Wake Forest and we're hoping she'll be strong enough to come home soon.

Through it all God has been so faithful to everyone here with both big and little things. It's been fun having Gene here this time; he finished off a few big projects that I couldn't begin to do. ... like hanging some beautiful intricately carved framed mirrors as well as some smaller jobs. This morning he and Sue's dad had breakfast together...they're good buds and have a great time the rare opportunities they have. In fact Roger is 84 today and we are going over to celebrate with Mud Pie...I strongly suspect I won't want to get near a scale for at least 2 weeks...out here everyone wants to get together and often around food.

Had a chance to meet with the Women's Bible Study I am connected with (and attend about once every 6 weeks)...it's sweet to have fellowship wherever I go; they are currently studying Matthew.

I'll see all you N.C. folks soon. Hope it's cooler when we get there!

Maxine

CALIFORNIA....

Here we are in CA (6am here, 9am EST)...Nick and I are just leaving for the beach, he to surf an hour before school, me to walk...it's not light yet.

PLEASE PRAY for Sue's appointment at 3:30 today with Dr. Harris, that I'll ask the right questions and get the right info down to take home...AN ADDED BLESSING WOULD BE IF SUE'S VOICE WAS THERE SO SHE TOO COULD COMMUNICATE.

I remember Eph....God is able to do over and above all that we think or ask.


Flights yesterday were great...school is in session and what a difference it made.

Maxine

Good Morning!

FALL MUST BE HERE BECAUSE...the calendar says September, I'm thinking about my Christmas List plus NFL football has started which will pre-empt many tv shows which I don't watch anyway but Grandma does...SO WHY DOESN'T THE WEATHER KNOW IT? We continue with 90+ degree heat.

Once again, my weekly blog is making its monthly appearance; but I'm keeping that thought...that eventually it will be weekly..whether it's read that often or not, I want the discipline of it and 'I like to share'.

It's been a good week, especially the weekend when Kent was up to join Mark for the Nebraska game in Wake Forest...got to gather family around in bits and pieces with the busy schedules everyone has. However the biggest football highlight was not Nebraska beating Wake Forest but Logan intercepting a pass in his game at home. We're looking forward to spending some time in Marietta next month and catching one of his games.

And next week we're off to CA to catch up on family there; check in on Nick and Karis' adventures in public high school and plan a visit to Sue's new Lyme Dr. We're so enjoying new friendships there as we (especially me) are there more often and get blessed with their church family as well as our own and friends from when we were AG residents. This will be a special visit because we both get to go as Gene's sister will stay with Grandma... PLUS we'll reconnect with a friend who began his career at the same time and with Gene many years ago.

"Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place, I can feel His mighty power and His grace, I can hear the brush of angel's wings I see glory on each face; surely the presence of the Lord is in this place."

Has anyone heard this old praise chorus before? As I strummed it on my guitar this morning I was so grateful that any 'place' I am, His presence is right there too. I don't have to be in a church setting, or a Christian concert (I think that's the thought of the song) to know God is listening; or as in former days when God's presence was in the ark and traveled with the Israelites but they could not personally approach Him.

Have a great week and stay cool if you're in the southeast with us!

Maxine

August 8, 2007

MEXICO TEAM: 17 college students, 4 families (2 with small kids)

What a great adventure we had. Sue did very well most days; she did have a few harder days when, towards the end of the week the weather got hot. Until then we were blessed with low 80's most days as a high. (Coolest part of the week was when I got a bucket of cold water dumped on me the last day!) Sue's very presence, had she done nothing else but be there, was such a rich blessing to the rest of us, especially the college women.

However, Sue contributed much more than her presence; her deep thinking and great heart for Missions spurred messages for Dana to deliver to the kids who came for Missions Camp (approx 65 kids ranging from 5-15...and they spent the night with us!!!!!!) as well as to the team itself. We had one large room that was decorated to display different religions: Hindu, Muslim, Unreligious, Buddhist, Tribal. Sue's creativity helped us as we draped fabric, hung maps and posters etc for this primary display. One touching moment in this room was when one of our team members found one of the youngest boys standing in front of the Hindu Map with his hand placed on it; with tears in her eyes she said she felt the Holy Spirit might indeed be raising him up as a Missionary for these people.

Personally, from my point of view it was a great week seeing my kids as well as my grandkids deep in ministry. I got to mix in with it all too...first three days I spent mornings shoveling sand into a dump truck for delivery to the Obstacle Course we constructed...didn't give me great biceps but did keep my tan going...also got to help decorating the above mentioned room and there were always times of opportunity to help out in the kitchen, one day in particular when there were several great needs.

One of the very best parts was hanging with the college youth, especially the women. Gene and I were college sponsors for many years when our kids were in school and this was a reminder of how special these young adults are. Also the other adult team members were mostly new to me and they were so much fun...a great blessing to be there.

Thanks for listening...back to CA in four days...that will be good.

Maxine

California Update

Wow...I'm not sure where to start; because there's so much to pray for I'm going to begin by telling you how God has blessed my heart before I tell you how needy I feel today.

The other morning while walking on the beach at low tide God gave me a beautiful word picture. I'd walked my 3 miles on the glistening, hard packed sand and was then walking the 1/2 block of deep, dry sand (maybe wallowing in it is a better description) to get to my car and thinking what a difference in the two.

And right then, God reminded me how alike the above was to walking in the Spirit..I don't tire, it's joyful, I feel like I could keep going forever, I'm not thinking of what's coming next;...versus walking in the flesh, without faith in Your provision for my day and for those I love...it's like walking in that deep sand...I tire easily, I'm more likely to stumble, I'm not too happy with what I'm doing.

And yes, I wrestle with the next thing...leaving it with Him. It's sorta' like Mesquite, our dog, who walks up to me with her ball to play...she wants to have it thrown so she can chase it, but she loves it so much she holds on to it and has a hard time letting it go long enough for me to toss it..Isn't it cool how God gives us such everyday things to relate to about Him and his watchcare over us.

Here are some things I'd love to have you pray for:

• Sue has been very weak...increased energy
  
• Karis and Nick have to finish off summer school work and begin work for next year at AG High (they're both taking AP classes that start them working a month before school starts)
• Appointment with Dr Harris on Thursday, one of the very best Lyme's docs
• Sue and I need to create a medical history since she got sick for that appt and the thought of it shuts her down because of all the emotional pain it brings to mind
• I think I'm struggling more with the emotional aspects here than the physical ones (mounds of laundry are much more welcome than seeing Sue so weak)
• Sue is feeling the weight of the kids needs for school (have I done enough for them)

I was so glad to be reminded in Psalms 121 and 124 this am that the Lord is on our side and our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth..that He will guard our going out and coming in and will protect us from all evil.

Thanks for listening,
Maxine

Good Morning!

I've been out picking raspberries with only a few scratches to show for when I had to reach deeply into the bush to make sure I got all those red, scrumptious berries. It took more time than I'd planned because when I first looked there didn't seem to be that much of a harvest. Instead of stopping after my first round of picking I decided to get down on my knees and see if there were more there, and, sure enough, there were. But I still didn't quit because as I picked I, of course, sampled and decided the effort was definitely worth it. Finally, as a final thought, I spotted a long , stout stick laying nearby (no doubt a left over from our recent grandkids visit) and picking it up, I started parting the bush using the stick to protect from the thorns and voila!...more berries.My perservering yielded me approximately 4 times the amount of berries that I had found on my first foray.

How like our adventures into God's Word. A quick glance through will surely give us something, however, some continued looking, re-reading, thinking through and looking again will give much deeper insights into what the Holy Spirit wants to teach our hearts. It does TAKE TIME, a commodity that seems in such short supply but the pay-off is so worth it.

Now an update on Sue. After a wonderful month's visit they're home again in CA. It was so good to have them here; Sue has wonderful connections with friends and family here and it encourages her greatly through the suffering she is walking through right now. And because she is walking though it God's way (no poor me or why me) she is a delight to be with, full of joy. She commented that one of the things God has taught her this year is you can live with great joy and great suffering at the same time. She's such a people person and her voice has taken a hit now too which makes communication difficult, yet she hangs in there because, as I told her, "relationship" not "Joan" is her middle name...and she does it so well.

She'll have a consultation with another Lymes doc July 19 in Redwood City so please pray for that and also, she would like to go with Dana and the kids to lead a Missions Team to Mexico. That will be difficult but she (and the entire family) have not let difficult change their lives.

Have a great week.

Maxine

TOPSAIL N.C.
Good Morning...as they say, it's a tough life but somebody's gotta' do it and so God is blessing our wonderful family, all 16 of us, with a wonderful week at the beach. The weather is great, a few showers here and there and even those accompanied by some gorgeous rainbows.

Yesterday's highlight was a Nertz Tournament organized by 8 year old Logan plus the annual Cousins's Birthday Party.

Also yesterday, Sue had an unusually hard day; it's good to have them here so everyone can be more tuned in than ever to her needs as we pray.

This morning I was reading in Ezra about the unity of the believers when they were ready to rebuild the temple and I was reminded of the unity of believers who have been praying for Sue and Dana and what a tremendous blessing that is.

Have a great week!

Maxine