Landing Gear Down

We are home.  I guess after my last post that remark needs some clarification.  :)   We are home to Bean's Corner.  It has been quite an eventful two weeks.  I know it was supposed to be vacation and I did take a real break from church & camp, but now I need to rest up from vacation!

We had a great time at the lake but it was less than we had planned since I traveled either alone or with the family six days out of the just over two weeks that we were up there.  It was strange to travel up north and then commute to Augusta.  Oh well, life surprises you sometimes.  Although it was tough to be away from our church family as we wrestled with two big developments in our biological family, it was good to be at the Lake which is my biggest connection to my family history.    For those of you unaware, my aunt had open heart surgery last week and is making a slow recovery.  Her brother, my dad, has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.  There are many tumors and at this point he is receiving hospice care to keep him comfortable.  Mom is doing well but the regular travel to the hospital is tiring her out.

Camp went well and now I have the end of season wrap up work to do as well as working toward next summer.  I was greatly encouraged by this summer and find I have a new optimism going forward.  There is much to do and I will need help, but I see God working in other people's hearts concerning Camp and He has reminded me that it is His camp.

Now is also the time to get geared up for the fall at church.  I am excited about Brian joining us an an intern this fall as well as some others joining us from UMF.  God continues to bring people to the church.  I believe it is because we are following His mission for us: Making Disciples.

Here at home we are getting ready for another season of homeschooling.  I can't believe how fast the kids are growing but it is so neat to sit and teach them things.  They are so eager to learn.  This late summer we learned about how hurricane's form as we "enjoyed" being without power thanks to Irene.  Homeschool Coop will be beginning right away too as well as swimming lessons.  Vacation is definately over!

I am really looking forward to the next sermon series that we will be beginning next week.  It will be focused on Peace.  God has been teaching me a lot about this from this spring through this fall.  It is a deeply personal series for me and I am looking forward to the study; what I will learn and what we will share together as a church.  I sense God moving us forward.

It is good to be back among my church family.  I cried on the phone with Mac this morning and just was so thankful to have others to lean on and to be surrounded by so much love.  It is so encouraging to be in a church that is doing what God called it to do.  With the marriage weekend coming up as well as the start of youth group and Sunday School, it is going to be an exciting fall.

Now if the Red Sox could get their act together, we'd be all set!  :)