Miracles

Wow. Once again the verse at the top of this blog is a reality. Since God placed Craig so unexpectedly into the Discipleship Training School (DTS), the $5500 needed to pay for it wasn't readily available. We have been sending some money every month, and some family and friends have generously shared as well. Craig emailed me last week to pray that God would provide the $3800 still needed. Here's the email I got from him this afternoon.

"Hi momma. I just wanted to tell you that God is incredible and all my money has been provided. So if anybody over there doesn't believe in miracles then well I think you should tell them what's going on. We had a giving night and I received relief from my debt and a guitar, as well as a bottle of cologne! Well anyway I love you. Hope you have a blessed day. Once again I love you. Pray for Jack, he accepted Jesus. I messaged Pastor James about discipling him. Please pray fervently for Jack's protection. I love you. Bye"

He called me shortly after sending the email and we had a great talk. He is very excited about God providing! He said yesterday God was impressing on him to fast and pray for two good friends, Jack and Brad, who he has been emailing about Jesus. Last night he got an email from Jack telling him he just gave his life to Jesus and wanting information about how he could get into a DTS.

Craig says to tell everyone he loves them and thanks for their prayers.

Life with Jesus is never dull! I cannot thank him enough.

Spring Break at Mt. Hood Village

The new pickup not only met but exceeded Will's expectations on its maiden voyage pulling our trailer. The gas mileage was good enough to make his co-worker green with envy, so all is well. We got off to a shaky start when I broke the handle on the refrigerator door as I was loading groceries the night before we left. After a couple of cross words, a trip to town for Super Glue, and an apology, Will called Nick and I out to the trailer to train us in the new method of opening the fridge door, which involved using a rubber strap and a kitchen knife. Nick and I tried to restrain our giggles and the words "trailer trash", but they both escaped us. The Super Glue held for two days, until Nick told an untrained guest to go ahead and get some milk out of the fridge. So the handle is loose but the knife still works.

The guys had to watch some important basketball game and found a way to do it outdoors.
We had a lot of rain and a little sunshine. We enjoyed some good walks when it was dry. We camped with three other families, including my brother Doug. I wanted to get a picture of Nick and Logan together wearing their "I love you" sweatshirts but never managed it. Doesn't this boy look sweet and loving?

An Exciting Game

After losing all four of their games so far, last night Nick's team came from behind (1-7) to lead 8-7. Last inning, the other team is batting. There are two outs and the bases are loaded. Nick is catching. If one wild pitch gets past the catcher, we lose again. Fortunately, the batter eventually hit a fly ball that our team caught. A mother feels a little stress in situations like this.

As Will and I were sitting there, I pointed out a girl that just arrived and told Will that she and Nick have become good friends. Will said, "You mean she's not here just because she likes baseball?" I'm sure she likes baseball just as much as all the other girls in the row!

He says there should be a test people have to take before they let them in to watch a baseball game, and mentioned several things they ought to know. I told him they should also know the official signs the umpires are supposed to make so they can be suitable annoyed when they do it wrong. It took Will half the game to quit shaking his head and muttering about the odd way the umpire called strikes and a few other things! But it didn't bother me at all! Hopefully they will continue to let just anybody in to these games because I sure don't want to have to pass any test!

Happy Birthday, Big Brother

Our family was privileged to share my oldest brother Galen's birthday celebration with his children and grandchildren last Sunday, a March day so balmy the children ate outside. These cute cousins were determined to eat their dinner while protecting themselves from each other's hitting arm. It's a difficult skill, but they seem to have mastered it. It got easier when Eric switched places with one of them.

After dinner, we saw the children playing in the back of Will's pickup and sent Eric out to supervise. The children got out and he returned to the house, saying he told them to be careful not to get caught in there by the owner of the pickup, Will, the child-eating man. They got to enjoy it later under the adult's watchful eyes. Will says pickup beds were designed for standing around and visiting. The birthday man was too busy pushing a grandchild on the swings to loiter around with the guys.

With great delight, Brendan observed the gift opening. "Open this one Grandpa, it might be a car!" No such luck - for some strange reason, no one bought this fifty-something man any new cars to play with!

In addition to being a loving, wonderful brother, father, grandfather, etc., Galen is a godly man of great integrity and kindness. I have the utmost love and respect for him. I am so fortunate to be blessed with six incredible brothers, and Galen has been an inspiring example to all of us.

"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.... Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." (Philemon 1:4, 7)

First Bulldog Baseball Game

In spite of bringing my blanket, heavy coat and gloves, I was chilled to the bone before it was over, but at least it was dry! Every baseball game that doesn't include raindrops is a blessing.
As the catcher, it's pretty hard to get any pictures of Nick that don't show his backside, but I managed to get a few. The little guy getting ready to bat was the other team's catcher!

The plate umpire was a short female, and she talked to Nick a lot. I was so curious what she could possibly have to say. Nick said she talked a lot about her kids, how her back was so sore she was barely able to get out of bed that day, and confessed every time she realized she called something wrong. "My bad, that should have been a strike." He was looking at her when I took this picture - it would have been a great picture if I would have got her on it. I don't know what she had just called, but apparently Nick found it somewhat incredible!

One long-time fellow baseball parent was also heard to say it was as much fun to sit near Will and ask him questions when he's keeping score as it is to watch the game.

Yep, we love baseball!

Not Another Sweatshirt!

Nick's sweatshirt troubles continue. I had eventually bought a new clearance sweatshirt to replace the previously detroyed one, and he lost that about a month ago. He has been making do with a couple of shabby old ones because this mother was just plain done buying sweatshirts for this kid.

Now I have to admit my parenting inconsistency. I can't believe I allowed myself to be manipulated into buying a new one last Wednesday. I think he might have conspired with our youth pastor to figure out the one way to get me to shell out the money for another sweatshirt. How could a mother resist buying a sweatshirt that says "I love you" across the front? Especially when most of the other kids in the youth group are buying them?

So, he's had this sweatshirt one week. One week to enjoy wearing a pristine nice new unripped, unstained, unbleached sweatshirt. It's possible that a boy wearing a sweatshirt that says "I love you" may receive more hugs from girls than boys not wearing such a shirt. Of course, they may also have to manfully deal with a few derisive comments from guys who are not cool and confident enough to wear such a sweatshirt.

Today Nick, along with over 200 of his classmates, rode one of the rooter bus to Portland to support the girls basketball team in the state playoffs. Imagine my sense of inevibility after he returned home and showed me his sweatshirt, which has a large glop of the remants of gum that "someone" stuck onto it. How do these things happen?

The gummy sweatshirt is in the freezer hardening and will be there until he and I find the time and the patience to deal with it. It may be there a very long time. If anybody has any good ground-in gum removing hints, let me know.

(I was waiting to post this til I had a picture of it but we weren't home much this weekend and I don't have it yet!)

Happy 21st Birthday, Craig!

I just looked at my blog post from Craig's 20th birthday and was thankfully amazed again at how God answers prayer far beyond my wildest imagination. Here's a quote from one year ago:

"I pray that as a 20 year old young man, the coming year will be one of maturing, experiencing the love of God in his life, and seeking after Him."

Now here are some quotes from some emails we received from him this week:

"Our God's love and faithfulness stretches so far past our feeble perception of such that it is impossible for me alone to find the words to describe it."

"I have traded a life of rebellion against myself and our God, for a life of service and love through our mighty and able God which is and always will be true joy. I tell you now that it is a miracle that I am still sane, not to mention alive. Our God saved my life and mind for a reason… He wasn’t done with me. I now owe him my entire being and know that my calling is to share this joy with nations. I’ve known for many years that this was my calling and I hid. I ran away in selfish fear. I rejoice in the continual renewing of my mind as I submit my will, body and mind to the work God has called me to do for so long. As publicly as I can announce this from halfway across the world, I hereby dedicate myself, to preach the gospel, working in love and following in that wisdom and love, the leading of our awesome Holy Spirit. "

"I love you guys so much and thank God quite often for you. I pray that God's earthly blessing is poured out on you guys abundantly. Anyways just a general update, I am currently taking on a Spanish fluency (with a chance of working in South America full time on the distant horizon), as well as continuing my studies of the fatherland’s mother tongue(That’s deutsche as well as the ancient language of the angels)."

We all got to talk to him on the phone today. He had two birthday cakes today and will have another one tomorrow, so I guess somebody must care about him. His DTS group is going to Switzerland for a week-long outreach with a church there next week.

He continues to desire our prayers and also asked us to pray for two friends of his here who have contacted him on My Space, wanting to change their bad lifestyle and expressing interest in Jesus.

Words cannot express my gratitude to God for his compassion, mercy and saving grace.

Baseball Season!

For three hours a day after school the past two weeks, Nick has been going to baseball tryouts. Wednesday they were running the track in rain, hail, and snow. He comes home tired and starving. Wow can that boy eat!

Today was the big day when they announced who was getting cut. Nick texted me during his lunch, "I made it". Now the real work begins. Practice is at 8:00 tomorrow morning. The first game is only nine days away. He is going to play his favorite position, catcher. We did a little shopping on the way home. He hasn't played baseball for two years and he's about twice as big as he was then. Let the money flow out.....

But we love baseball in this house!