Updating my life

It's been a while since I posted to the blog. It's been a hard and exciting time since I last posted. I am grieving the loss of my friend Kim. The reality of life without her is hard. I have lots of memories that come that fill me with joy. I have met two ladies in her new small group from the new church she had been attending before she died. She was becoming a leader in that group. It's been nice to talk with the members about Kim. They all loved her, too, and looked up to her because of where God had taken her (out of drug addiction to freedom in Christ).

One of Kim's druggie friends who we had known before (he would come to ask us for money lots of times) came over a few weeks ago to ask me to pray for him. He didn't ask for money at all! He was coming clean and wanted me to stand with him in praying that he would be able to break free. I was amazed that he never asked for money and knew that something was changing in him. That is exciting!

Kim's twin sister lives in Tennessee. We had never met her but knew about her. We met her at the funeral home. There was an instant connection. She is so much like Kim. She is more petite and talks with a southern accent but it still feels like I'm talking to Kim. I told her on the phone yesterday that it's like I know her and yet she's a stranger to me. I feel I've known her all my life and yet I really don't know her. She came up this week and I spent Monday with her helping their mom organize her house and go through lots of clothing that people had donated for the surviving kids.

I had a dream that evening that I met her 1/2 way between our two houses and we spent a weekend together. I asked God to open the door for me to ask her to do this. Yesterday as I was talking with her, I knew the door was opened and I asked her. This summer we're going to meet somewhere in Kentucky and spend the weekend together praying and talking. She needs freedom. You can pray for me to be able to do whatever God asks me to in helping her find that freedom in Christ. It's exciting to be able to minister to the people Kim had prayed for all those years! I feel humbled and yet excited that God is using me to minister to those people that Kim cared so much about.

Bob and I have been taking my niece and nephew to church with us every Sunday. We pick them up at my brother's house and then drop them off afterward. The kids love to be at church and the people at church are falling in love with them. Anthony (4) is so into numbers. He tells us what time it is and when Blue's Clues and other shows are on TV. One Sunday our leader asked if anyone had anything to share with the congregation. Lindsey (6) held up her hand. Doreen asked her to come to the mic. The next thing I know, Anthony is right there with her! Lindsey asked for prayer for her cat, Peanut. Then Anthony takes the mic and says, "Fourteen years ago (I'm thinking what's he going to say?) my mom slipped on my blanket and almost died!" He was so passionate when he said that! Doreen prayed for Peanut and that God's purposes would be accomplished in their lives and that God would help Anthony with the things that concern him.

His preschool teacher said that all morning in his class he kept talking about his mom almost dying. We have no idea what he's talking about. Ben and Tami didn't either. On the way home I told him that he wasn't born 14 years ago. He said that it was 2 years ago.

Next on the agenda is getting our senior (Jezra) graduated and hosting an open house for him. He's enrolled at Purdue. He's thinking of doing premed although they don't have a premed undergraduate program so he'll have to decide on what he wants to get a degree in before med school. He's in the undergraduate studies program that will help him find the degree that fits best with his goal of med school.

Kyle is talking about school next fall. Amber's trying to talk him into Ball State. He is still unsure what he wants to study. It could be in 2 years when Breanna graduates and goes to college that we will have a complete empty nest. That is scary and exciting all in one! What in the world will Bob and I do? We could all go back to school and get lots of financial aid that way. Who knows. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up yet.

That's an update. Come and see us this summer!