It is such a roller coaster ride, this missions preparation stuff. Honestly, I am just feeling tired. Spent all weekend racing around taking care of details for the Ice Cream Fundraiser. Spent the day doing that on Sunday, a lot of hard work, with an earnings of several hundred dollars, leaving me both discouraged that I might not have enough support, and wondering if I would even get to Spain, since the deadline for the balance was Monday (yesterday) at noon. About mid afternoon yesterday, I got official word, that there is enough support in for all of us to go. Got up early yesterday, to meet Kathy to go up to SGT to count out our ice cream earnings with Anna in the church office, take care of outstanding account balances, and cash in the recycling (our team got the bottles and cans from the church picnic to cash in as an additional donation for the trip). Had team meeting last night to get some more practice in, but I think everyone is tired from the busy day we had on Sunday, and we mostly gabbed, and did very little practice.
The really good thing about Sunday was that we had an opportunity to work together as a team and it gave us an opportunity to serve the Body of Christ. We had some incredibly generous people give large donations, but we had many more who helped themselves without a donation, or with a very small donation that didn't cover our costs. Even still, God provided for our team. I so often find that to be God's math -- it doesn't always look like the money will be there, but when the dust settles, if it is something He has called you to do, it always ends up being there. And, you can't look to people to meet your needs. If you do, you get disappointed.
Another part of the roller coaster ride is that one of our team members, Luanne, who has been with us since the beginning of our Mission Bridge training, has had to withdraw at the last minute because of a serious family illness. We are days away from leaving, but there is still hope that God will work a miracle and she will be able to make it. (update: 7/12/12 -- all worked out so she can go with us)
Add to that, on Sunday, because of a family medical emergency, our team leader, Andy, had to leave the fundraiser early to run to the ER. We prayed together, and some hours later heard that this family member's condition, though extremely painful, was not going to require surgery, and that rest and pain medicine was being prescribed.
Then, this morning, off again I go to White Plains for the first of 3 visits to that town for my specialized Chiropractic treatment for the neck problems that have gotten so much worse in recent months. The treatment is helping, but making those trips to Westchester is tiring.
Busy, busy busy. I feel like Lazarus' sister Martha from the NT, and need to take some time to be like her sister Mary. Time for a break to slow the roller coaster down a bit and recharge the internal batteries.
7/12/12 -- Made Wednesday a genuine day of rest, and must admit that I feel a whole lot better. Was busy today, another trip to White Plains, rushing back to take care of errands, including picking up some Spanish tracts for our outreach, and communicating with the team through out the day through facebook, email, text, and voicemail. So much to do before we go, but amazed at how some things are falling into place easily (like getting tracts last minute) and those are encouraging things. God is faithful.
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