Lessons Learned in Salem YWAM



Oregon coast huge dune hill

 Things hardly ever turn out the way you plan, learn to go with the flow and be content
Having, or not having finances, does not determine your value or worth
God is not limited by our mistakes, even our willful, repetetive ones...Our Messiah came from the lineage of a prostitute (Rahab)
Man will try to put you in bondage, even well versed Biblical men/women, resist
It IS possible for 7 girls to share a bathroom and still really like each other!
How to go from enough stuff for a one bedroom house with storage to sharing a small closet among 4 girls
It's a good idea to listen to the tips of people around you, sometimes they have a heads up on things like parenting. 
Naps are supremely important and the choice of the parent to enforce, not the childs; however naps cannot always happen, go with the flow again
It's highly unlikely to know someone by first few conversations, but if intentional, you CAN "know" someone quite well in 3 months
Get in the habit of sharing and you will find yourself less inclined to be offended :-)
Crawdads can be caught by a hotdog on a stick but DO NOT eat!
Selah can hock around with boys in the creek and wrestle and the next minute put on "makeup" and a princess dress :-)
Worship does not necessarily involve God or truth (compliments Fred Allen)

Being a missionary in YWAM doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger :-) Someone "got saved" while in DTS the 2nd week I was there. 
Hold all material things loosely
Be willing to risk and amazing things happen in and around you!
God communicates with us in more ways than we can calculate, trying to narrow down "hearing" God is kind of silly
I can learn Hebrew even at my old age!
Selah is very sensitive to others feelings and healing power of G-d.  

There is no more shame and blame in my being, halleluyah!

It IS possible for 35 people to share 2 1/2 fridges and 1 1/2 freezer!!

One can be overflowing with food and money and yet still think they have nothing leftover to share and another can have visibly little and always have enough for others with a smile to compliment

It's a good idea to let go of needing people to understand where you are coming from, your journey is your own...

If I, or anyone, want to make a lasting and memorable connection with another human being, or a people group, or a culture, we need to be more tolerant.  I recognized that I had been intolerant of Christians. 

When you make a judgment, you lose the right to be heard

Ah yes, it is a good idea to USE YOUR BRAIN if you chose to engage G-d, as you understand "Him"

 I learned there are good men out there who do not rely on lust as a means to medicate pain.
I learned that some men really are willing to go to my defense

....more to come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=
silly songs the children learned.  Silly and funny!

This Amazing Journey is coming to a close

Hello all!

Sad to say but for now, our journey to Salem is done.  Our team leaves tomorrow morning darkthirty.  There is one other family who is not going so we will not be all alone.  We leave Friday but the plan is to come back and re-do the Crossroads next June.   It isn't condusive to the team mentality to just show up for any outreach, that would be weird.  We have made some incredible friends at a new congregation and will definitely need to visit and do Hebrew school next summer. 

In the meantime, we will travel and try to support raise.  It will be weird to be back in the Christian churches but good I think.  I will be working part-time in places where family and friends live so I won't have to put Selah back in daycare, we will be homeschooling yay! 

I have an opportunity to do a medical missions trip tp Nepal, someplace I have wanted to go since I was 24 and medical missions is just what I want to be a part of.  I have to work out the details in the next few days. 

I am pretty sad and disappointed that we couldn't go to the Philippines, I have had a lot of tears.  But, boy Selah sure hasn't.  She has said over and over "I don't want to go the Philippines mommy!"  Anywhere else she says :-).  That's a relief.  She misses her grams, papa and uncle B and even her daddy is coming to visit!  God knows what is next and best.  I trust Him more now than ever. 

I feel like I have changed alot since being here too, so has Selah.  Her gifts have shone bright here, eeryone calls her the Broadway girl for all her singing and dancing.  They all talk about what a great prayer person she is and how the kids have had little aches and pains healed.  She has been the joy of the camp and she doesn't ever really get sad, it's pretty cool.  I feel more blessed than ever to have her.  I am less reactive than before, more tolerant and more gracious (hopefully).  And, I have made some incredible life-long friends. 

Some prayer needs:

For safe travels for the team, long flights and long bus rides with small children

Health

Divine appointments for the team in Philippines

Humility and harmony for the team too

For us:

Safe travels back to California and into Arizona

That God would lay down the foundation for people to give to our missions endeavor

Continued health

Transition for Selah & I

Thank you!  We love you :-)