Today

This morning went really smoothly- there were a lot of tears, but no mass chaos, which is amazing. We already greatly miss C but are trusting our perfect Father with her. Pray for brokeness rather than bitterness and hardness as her life is turned upside down again. It is wierd to think how hard it is to see one of the Littles go after only a couple months. I can't imagine what it will be like at the end of this year. This place is always changing.... C is gone and K2 has arrived and is in her old room and life moves on. I think one neat opportunity in this is it makes all the girls aware of how unstable their lives really are and just causes them to think about life and what matters and is lasting- pray God would enter into those thoughts.

Today we finished planning our Narrow Roads retreat that we are leaving for next Monday. We'll spend Monday through Wednesday afternoon at a retreat center in Estes Park with our whole LeadTime class and 12 Littles. I'm very excited for this time. This afternoon we invited the Littles we wanted to be a part of it to go . There are a few who are still unsure if this is something they want to do- pray that God would bring the perfect ones ready to meet with him next week.

This morning began something new for the girl bigs- after breakfast when the kids go off to school each morning we are going to eat and clean up together and spend time in prayer together before class starts. I am so excited about this. Pray that we would really be faithful to do this as I know it will be opposed.

Guess what? Tonight I finally had good time with M! Praise God! After talking to her Friday and just trying to be more intentional in loving and pursuing her since then, she finally let down the wall and interacted with me tonight, so I capitalized on the opportunity and spent time with her in her room after beds. It was good- AND out of nowhere (although she said she'd wanted to ask me for a long time?) she asked me if I wanted to read through "The Purpose Driven Life" with her! Wow- wahooo! I know the walls may all be up again tomorrow, but I am hoping and praying for more and am excited at what could be ahead.

The Morrocco Team arrived home safely and will be sharing with us this week. We are praying for all that they have to sort through as they return, and that one of them will want to be our new night duty person. Speaking of which, Liana, our old night duty person just found out that on top of all the other drama in her life, she has a hereditary brain and muscle degenerative disease that is goign to kill her. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

Sickness

There seems to be a virus spreading around the girls house. A few of the girls have it already, and it is not fun - especially since they don't have mommies here to care for them. Please pray for quick healing and for us to be sympathetic and able to care for and comfort the girls.

A Full Saturday

This morning we took the girls to help with a yard work day the Senior Center was hosting. This means we raked lots of leaves for 4 hours at homes in an elderly community. The girls had to get up early and this was a lot of work, but they did great. i was really proud of their attitudes and the work they did. After we got back from work project and had lunch I went to the insanely busy Walmart with one of the Littles to pick up all the Walmart requests for the week and then we got to go work in the preschool at our church. Then a stop to buy pumpkins and back to property to set up for house night where we carved pumpkins, made caramel apples, popcorn balls, and apple cider. It was a lot of fun. But I am worn out.

The Morroco missions team (from the last LeadTime class) was supposed to arrive back in Denver tonight but because of some French airline flight is stuck. Hopefully they'll make it back tomorrow. Please pray for them as they re-enter life here and get over sickness and just weariness. They will be sharing with us in class next week.

The lady who was doing our overnight duty got fired. This means we've been taking turns sleeping in the front room of the house. Pray for a quick replacement- we're hoping one of the old Bigs returning from Morroco might be interested.

I talked to M last night. she wasn't responsive, but it was good for me just to tell her where I am at and communicate again my desire for relationship with her. Pray that I would love fully and not hold back.

C leaves Monday morning- here mom as well as an escort service are coming to get her and take her to the state program she is moving into. Please pray for her last day here tomorrow, for the chaos of Monday morning, and for C as she transitions. Its hard to see her go- She's been here a year and is known and is loved here - its hard to imagine moving being good for her (especially since she's been moved around her whole life) but we trust God has the perfect place prepared for her to draw her to himself more... anyways this is oging to be a rough day/week, so please pray.

In search of a friend?

I think I've shared several times what an awesome community I have here. I wouldn't trade it for anything. But there's something I miss- having "my friend". Someone I can do anything and nothing with, that I know and knows me and I share everything with, the one person I always go to....A community of people is awesome, but I would really like to have that one-person. Jesus had the tweleve but also something special with Peter James and John. Please pray that my heart and motives would be pure in this and not seeking to fill personal lonliness with a person rather than the Lord. And pray for my patience and willing to offer myself to others while waiting for his provision.

First snow in Westminster

I am currently at Caribou- my favorite coffee shop (loved for its free Wi-Fi and proximity to property)and this is the view outside the window. Its snowing! What a fun way to end parent's weekend- the weather has been beautiful the last 2 days and now we get snow. This has been a really special weekend. To see the nervousness and excitement- some blowouts but people moving past them, to get deeper insight into what these kids are coming from. One of my highlights of the weekend was getting to take a few older sisters (college/post college) out to coffee. Just to hear a little of their stories/hearts -I had never really considered how much they were affected by their siblings. Other things I've done this weekend - I went to lunch with M's parents. I was expecting it to be really awkward after eating dinner at their table on Friday night, but it ended up being really good. He is a doctor and she is a nurse and they are both pretty serious and well-put-together, but I really enjoyed spending time with them and getting to know more about them. I survived entertainment night on Saturday night, which I was kind of in charge of. I had my doubts, but it turned out pretty well. I spent a lot of time cooking and cleaning up- we fed 180 people some gourmet meals. This morning we have an on property worship service and family share time. I'm excited to hear ways the Lord has moved in families this weekend. It's been great getting a bigger picture of this ministry, all that it impacts, and what it is really about.

Psalm 118

Let those who fear the Lord say, "His lovingkindness is everlasting."
From my distress I called upon the Lord.
The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
The Lord is for me, I will not fear;
What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
You pushed me violently so that I was falling,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
And he has become my salvation.
I shall not die, but live, and tell the works of the Lord.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Upcoming Events

So, parents/family weekend is coming quickly around the corner. It will take place Oct 18-21st and is a time for parents to visit their children here, get to know staff, attend helpful training and seminars, do family counseling, etc. This is a really big deal and many of the Littles are already both excited and apprehensive. I've been told (and have already started to notice) that as it approaches the Littles get heightened and nervous and as a result daily life is a little more stressful and they do more stupid things. I'm looking forward just to meeting families and getting more insight into where the Littles come from. Please be in prayer for healing and reconciliation as this weekend approaches as well as all the planning and preparation that remains.

Also, today we started praying about and planning a "spiritual retreat" that we will take 10 Littles on the first week of November. We want to keep it very simple, n ot high energy and flashy, but just basic- taking a look at who is God really, how can I know him? Maybe stemming from Psalm 46 the theme of "Be still and know that I am God". We hope to spend time in small groups so that we can share personal testimony of who God has been in our lives and help the Littles spend time alone seeking after him. Anyways, please pray as we plan this and choose which Littles will go - It's going to be an awesome focused opportunity to see God move.

Estes Park Birthday Extravaganza

After class Friday morning, Mary and I packed up and headed 1 & 1/2 hours West to camp in Estes Park. The drive was beautiful as was Estes Park on arrival. We pitched a tent at a KAO camp ground and then spent the afternoon walking around the downtown shops. We had dinner at a pizza place along the river walk, bought some necessary camping items (S'more ingredients and firewood) and then watched Bourne Ultimatum at a local theatre before returning to camp for fire time. It was really cold Friday night, so sleep was a bit limited, but that's what happens when you go camping in Colorado. Thankfully I had my new snow boots and silk thermals from my parents to sleep in. :o) We spent Saturday hiking and driving in Rocky Mountain National Park (it just happened to be "free day") . We saw lots of elk and even got snowed on. Saturday afternoon we drove back to Boulder and spent the evening downtown there. Downtown Boulder is probably one of the most interesting places to people watch ever - there are people from all walks of life and lots of street performers. Sunday morning we had a picnic outside of Starbucks, went to church, had lunch and chilled at the park until time to go to the airport. However we underestimated security and Mary didn't make her flight. So we had dinner with Ashley and then Mary stayed the Clark's before going back to the airport to catch an early flight out the next morning. When I went back to property Sunday night for our girl Bigs meeting, they had made a cake and had balloons and some fun little gifts for me. So I busted out my "party in a box" from the Murrays, complete with party hats, candy, party blowers, etc. It was great. "M" had even got me a little birthday present.
Yay for birthday weekends and time off and friends and the beautiful mountains!

A few Pictures

Jodi, Ashley, Pam, Becky


My LeadTime Class at Corn Maze on Doulos Day


Girl Bigs and House Staff on "Red Day" of Color Week