Apr 25, 2013

Quirky Amarillo


So you know we're in the States until the 4th of June and we're on the road visiting churches. While in Amarillo visiting churches we decided to check out all the quirky stuff in Amarillo and honestly Amarillo is quite quirky. I super-loved it!
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We went to the Cadillac Ranch just West of Amarillo on I-40. I've seen this image all over but I had no idea that it was in Texas. Just another awesome thing about Texas.

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Then we headed out to check out the huge Helium sculpture at the Don Harrington Discovery Center north of I-40.
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The sculpture celebrates the fact that there is so much Helium in the Panhandle.
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Then we headed to Palo Duro Canyon to do some hiking. We took the Lighthouse trail for a six mile hike to the Lighthouse, seen below. The hike was wonderful and pretty kid friendly except for maybe the last 1/2 mile and then it could still be done with older kids.





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The views were amazing not to mention the colors.
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It's amazing that the world gives evolution the credit for this place when it's so easy to see God's fingerprint all over it.

We then went to see the big muffler man also on I-40. He's not actually made of mufflers but for some reason that's what he's called.
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Btw, that's me down there in front of him. ;0)

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Okay and then the strangest thing was the big legs stuck out in a cow pasture. I'm confused as to wether it's a real live awesome thing from the early 1800s or a silly hoax. The story seems a little iffy and I'm wondering how someone poured that base back in 1816. The plaque is below, you be the judge.

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Also there's a mile of the historic Route 66 between Western and Georgia. There are little shops and stuff along the way. I will say the neighborhood wasn't great.

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We also went by to see the only national monument in Texas at the Alibates Flint Quarry just south if Fritch, Texas. There's a cool movie that tells about the Indians of the region and then there's a hike up to the quarry.



So I think we've seen most of the fun things in the area. Oh yea and we made it to the zoo today that was free when we arrived at 1:30. I will say while it was free and that's cool it was worth about that. It was very small and we saw everything in 15 minutes. There was a cool long horn but she he be in a zoo in Texas, nah,

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Oh yea and one more cool thing in Canyon, Texas; we say this 10 Commandments mural painted on a wall on Main St. just across from the courthouse. Canyon is super-cool!

Okay so this is my run down from Amarillo. We had a great time with all our supporting churches and a wonderful time just being alone. 

BTW, did I tell you how cool it is to be a missionary? Super-cool!



siggy

Apr 18, 2013

Amarillo, church & mucinex

We arrived in Amarillo on Friday and spent a wonderful weekend with the good folks of Central Baptist Church. We love Pastor Chadwick and his sweet and very funny wife Arlene. We had a great Sunday and saw two saved in the Morning service.

Johnny then decided to get sick and has been in bed with a fever for two days. Praise The Lord it looks like he's on the mend. We all know that when it comes to sickness men are surely the weaker  gender. ;0)

We are looking forward to our meeting tonight with Arden Road Baptist Church and then on to some other small towns here in the Panhandle.

If Johnny ever gets better we'll probably really enjoy this trip since its only Johnny and I. Josh and Hannah are staying with family and caring for their Grandma who just had surgery. So it's just us, yeah!

We gonna go see the sights here in Amarillo as soon as my sweetie is better and I'll be sharing lots of photos. Guess what's here,

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 The Cadillac ranch, you know the place where they buried a whole lot of Cadillacs. Really, I'm not kidding. You'll see.
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Apr 10, 2013

I'm in control...


...and that's the way I like it. Really, I don't have to be the boss but I do need to feel like I have control of my situation. Call it rebellion or stubbornness but I've always been the sort of person that likes to be in charge of my situation. I seldom would put my safety into the hands of another growing up and even today I tend to be a bit of a control freak when it comes to me. There are certain people I totally trust with "me". The Lord has never let me down nor will he and my heart safety trusts in Johnny. In these two I relax but in the rest I'm always bracing myself just in case. 

Through the last 15 years of being a missionary things have always been exactly how they should be. We knew where, when and how. There have been some pot holes in the lanes of our lives but for the most part they have been tree covered and smooth. The Lord has always showed us exactly where He wanted us and how we were to conduct business. Still we know, ministry wise exactly what His will for our lives is but in personal life it's a different story altogether. Lately I feel very out of control. It seems like so many facets of our lives are our of sorts. Things just aren't like they should be. 

We have one son half way through Bible college and another about to start, that is if we can find a college for him to go to. We have had the hardest time finding God's will in this matter. It's vitally important that Josh attend the college God has for him. College is the tool God uses to direct a young preacher and we want Josh to be pointed down the old paths and get a start in the right direction. With everyone theoretically swimming downstream with the rest of the fishes we want Josh to spend his life swimming up stream. We want him to fight against the landslide of compromise and apathy that is all about us today and the choice we make about his college will determine which way our little fishy swims.  

Turning 40 has been an adjustment and with it has come some realities. Along with our aging we are facing the reality that our parents are aging. We both have parents that are in bad health and mobility is beginning to be a very big problem. Johnny's parents are still doing okay even though they are making more and more trips to the hospital these days. My mother however is alone and has no one to take care of her. I struggle with knowing that I can't be with her and worrying about her well being. The fact that missionaries are so far from home makes dealing with aging parents very difficult especially when those parents aren't prepared for retirement and live financially week to week and sometime day to day. It's difficult to know what to do for them and still keep the will of God first place in our lives. We're dedicated to finishing His will in our lives but along with that comes sacrifices and they're not easy. 

A midst all the problems in America we have a people who love us and need us in Croatia. We have a trust that God has put us over that we can not neglect come what may here in the United States. We stood and said out little goodbyes to our church folks and some of them cried for reiteration that we were going to return. We have a people 5000 mines away that God gave us and they are our ministry, our call in life and we will not neglect them. We will continue to life up the name of Jesus in Croatia until God tells us point blank that we are finished. 

Until I have the answers or until these situations work themselves out I'll just have to trust the Lord. I'm just gonna have to stop and wait for Him to work things out, for Him to show the solutions to these problems  

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

Nahum 1:7 says: The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 

I'm just gonna have to trust that He sees far in advance and is working this story out for His glory. I'm just gonna have to wait and trust and trust and obey. 

**btw, I've heard preachers say many times as they began to preach that their sermons were more for them than the congregation, well that's the case with this blog post; it's more for me than it is for you. 



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Apr 6, 2013

Reverse Culture Shock

Well as most of you know, we made it! We arrived in Texas Tuesday night at 10:00 and we were in bed by midnight. The next day we got up and drove three hours East to a meeting on Wednesday night and drove back home that night finally getting to bed about 12:30 am. Needless to say, we were pooped! We had a wonderful meeting with a supporting church in East Texas that started our little 2 month furlough off on a great foot.

Btw, when I met the Pastor's wife at Faith Baptist Church in Kilgore I was so surprised when she referenced my furniture revamping. It took me sec. to realize that she reads my blog! For real! Christy, the sweet, bubbly pastor's wife (that I knew I liked the moment she smiled at me) reads my blog. Wow, that was too cool. 

We have learned after some years just how to beat jet lag. There is a tried and true way to make it through the lag and instantly get on schedule. As soon as we leave for the States or visa-versa we sleep on the plane as much as possible. When we arrive we automatically get on the schedule of the location. If we arrive at noon and to our bodies it's bed time we stay awake until the locals go to bed. We only sleep when they sleep and we walk when they wake. If you do this and done nap when your not suppose to you can get on schedule within two days. Today's our 3rd day here and were all regulated as far as sleeping goes and so we are functioning on 100%. It totally works for us and if you travel a lot you don't want to lose a week getting on schedule.

It's a strange thing to experience culture shock when returning to our homeland. As much as things are normal here, they're not! Two days after being here I was ready to go home. Life in America has changed so much over the years that this United States isn't the United Dtates I remember 13 years ago. Life is ridiculously fast. It's almost like people here think they're not living if they're not running here and there. When do you poeple have time to just sit and enjoy each other?

Oh and the choices you people have! I went to Walmart and wandered in the make-up section trying to find some blush. Josh was with me and he was like, "Mom, just pick one!".  Are you kidding me, there were at least 10 different makers and each maker has at least 4 types of blush. You get that that's more than 40 blushes to choose from. It took me forever for the blush not counting the base, mascara and eye shadow. Oh and the cereal isle, don't even get me started. Theres something to be said for choice but this was crazy!
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Oh and can we talk about NOISE. This place is crazy loud. We're staying with Johnny's parents and while I love them and their comfy house there just isn't a place in this house to find peace. There's always someone coming in and out or a TV on or kids screaming and running through the house or something stealing my peace. We I was younger I loved this sorta life but after living in Croatia is and pining for peace.

Beyond the normal day to day differences between Croatia and America the spiritual temperature of Christians  seems to have changed a lot over just the last two years. The things that IFB churches chose not to participate in has changed. The average Christian seems to be so entangled with the things of this world that its hard to see a contrast between the church and the world. I know that it's not possible to make a comparison between Croatia that has only two IFB churches in all of the country and America who has been sending missionaries around the world for hundreds of years but I can compare America of 1990 with the America or today. Something is right folks! There a strange apathy here and I'm sure that this and the next generations will pay for our lack of fervency.

I know in my own heart I have grown a bit apathetic about souls and the urgency of our mission. I'm praying that the Lord sends true revival in my heart and that I return to Croatia a different kinds of Christian. Honestly my soul-winning effort hasn't been the same for a long while in Croatia. While I still do the work and pass out John and Romans, tracts and sometimes hold Gospel signs my heart hasn't been in it.

It's alway interesting to me how I never feel at home here anymore. I'm sure the Lord does that and changes our hearts so that furlough is easier and in not feeling comfortable here were not tempted to stay. As much as I love our family and country it's just not home anymore. I find my self missing the smells of Croatia, the people, singing in Croatian  and even my washing machine.  ;0)

I know I'm totally rambling in this post but that's about how my brain feels right about now. There are too many things occupying my mind and it just feels jumbled. Reverse culture shock is real and pretty uncomfy too. I don't like it at all but it is a fact of life.

Thank you guys, all of you who read my blog and take an interest in out lives here in Croatia. You've all made my little ring of friends so much richer.

siggy

Apr 1, 2013

WOW oh wow-ee!

Can you believe that it's already time to fly to the States? I'm in shock that it's already here. We have been so busy trying to take care of business here with the works and home that I'm pooped and we don't actually leave until tomorrow.

My house is spotless acceptable and we are almost all packed. We have packed all that Josh wants to take to the States and cleaned out his room. It's a really yucky feeling to be packing your kid to go off and live life without your watchful care but alas it has to happen, I'm told. It's crazy to think that from Joshua's 13 years in Croatia he only has two suitcases of belongings.

[[[stopping to interject....It's snowing!!!]]]

Okay so back to Josh. We had his going away service last night at church. He's been here since he was 4 so these people are family and it was hard to see people cry and say how much he'll be missed. We took a ton of photos.





The church in Čakovec gave him a beautiful wood carving of the castle in our town and they had a verse and the name at the church carved at the bottom. Great gift. 

It's crazy to see so many of our "kids" all grown up now, or at least they're big!

Anyhow, we've officially wished Josh well from the church here and then next step is teaching him to live in the USA. His big brother Cody is there so help so I think it'll be easier for him than it was for Cody. 
I will say I almost cried this morning when I realized I was walking him up in his room for the last time. Wow, time is precious, wish I had known just how precious it was to wake him up each morning, I would have savored it a bit more. 



 Okay so it's time! It's time to come clean about my weight loss goals and how I did. As of last week I had lost 25 lbs. of the 30 I wanted to loss. I was super excited while being a bit bummed too. I didn't make it to my goal but I made it close. Well today's weigh-in is as follows.
YUCK! I totally got derailed this week with the stress of Josh leaving and getting life here in order before we return to the States. So my weigh-in this week is...+5 lbs. No, I'm not kidding. It's the honest, ugly truth. I ate what I wanted for the most part and now I'm paying the price. So now instead of being 5 lbs from goal I'm 10. Oh well, I have to deal with it, count my losses gains and move on.



So we are driving to the capital today and staying over night. With the snow and having to drive through the mountains to make it to the capital we decided it'd be much safer to just drive there today and take a shuttle in the morning. We fly out at 7:30am and we'll arrive int he great state of   Texas at 9:30pm. Considering the hour time difference it's gonna be like a 20 hour trip. Then the next morning we have to get up and drive three hours to a meeting that night. What we were thinking?  Anyhow, I'm gonna do my best to blog regularly and continue my weigh loss blogging. 

Just be prepared....multitudes of photos to follow!!!

[[[BTW...it's still snowing!]]]


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