Over the sea and back again

Matt and I returned from our two week long trip to Australia last week. I say two week long trip, but we were really only in Australia seven days. You heard me right...seven short days. It was a crazy, busy, exciting, exhausting, convicting trip! We met some fantastic people, got some good ideas, learned a lot, and experienced quite a few adventures! Those stories can be shared another time, or you can ask me about some adventures.

We got into Dallas Thursday afternoon, where Matt's dad was. Keep in mind that Matt's dad actually lives in Australia; we stayed in his house while we were there. However, David was in Dallas seeing his new grand baby. It was strange not seeing David in Australia, and instead seeing him in Texas! Matt and I got back to Abilene 12:30am Saturday morning, and have been running ever since. David came to Abilene to see us yesterday and today, and we had a great time showing him around good ol' West Texas. This place is different than any other!

Matt and I would love to slow down, but this weekend will not be any better. For no other reason than the fact that we won't have anymore weekends until well into November, we will be painting the exterior of our house Saturday. That will be quite a chore, but it needs to be done and will really help the house look better. We will also be finalizing some of the details of FSFA. What is FSFA, you ask? Well, I'm glad you did!

FSFA is Fifth Sunday for Australia; it is the fund raiser Matt and I will be hosting on October 31. What we have found in our almost three years of fund raising (yep, three years) is that people are unable to give to long term mission work in Australia...for whatever reason. However, plenty of people are able to give a small, one time donation to our work. We're inviting churches and individuals around the country to participate with us on October 31, and give a one time donation to the work we'll be doing in Australia. We're talking change collected over the course of a month, eating out money saved from the weekend, whatever people have. It's that simple! Give on your own, or get together with your family, friends, and church to combine your gifts to send to us. Checks will be made out to our sponsoring congregation to ensure that gifts are tax deductible.

Join with others around the country as we are a testimony to the world that many members form one body in Jesus Christ. Please visit our website for all the details regarding how to give on FSFA. There you will find specifics on how to make out your check and where to send it. You can also email us to find out more about FSFA, or more about our team in general. We would love to hear from you. Visit our website, www.teamipswichaustralia.com, or email us at info@teamipswichaustralia.com

Words in Action

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks! We can see evidence that our move is nearer and nearer. Conversations, gifts from neighbors, endurance, growth, and frustration revolving around our move have all been strong and constant. We are grateful for this journey with all its ups and downs.

Matt and I were working out last night, and something funny happened. The trainer on the video said, "I know you're doing good right now". Matt said, "Shawn T., how do you know I'm doing good right now? I could be sitting on the couch!" Yes, we address the trainer as though we are old friends. Anyway, I chuckled as Matt said that because I thought, how ridiculous would that be? Seriously, to sit on a couch, watch a workout video, and think it is going to get you into shape is just stupid. However, in our culture I'd almost believe that someone might do that! We buy things or read things, thinking that just watching them happen will change our lives. It's ignorance in the grandest form.

After reflecting on that for a few minutes I thought about James. Not my one friend named James, but the James who wrote part of the Bible. In the first chapter of the book of James he said, "don't just listen to the word and so deceive yourself, but do what it says". Why did he write that? Because that's the lifestyle Christians were living. They were reading about abundant life but not practicing or enjoying it. Well you know what, not much has changed. I read words of life from God's word and don't live them out. It's like I'm sitting on the couch watching a video on how God can transform my life and wants me to share that transformation story with others, and then just turning off the DVD player and not doing anything about it. I have to get up and exercise this faith!

I've been learning and thinking a lot about how living as Christ in this world does not have to be so hard. Sure, being a Christian means I have to make tough decisions about the person I'm going to be to those I'm building a relationship with, but the actual first step of loving people in the name of Jesus does not have to be so hard. After all, the God I follow IS LOVE. He's not like love, He is love! The problem is that I'm an analytical introvert. I've got two things going against me; I over think things way too much, and half the time I'd rather be alone than surrounded by people! I'm working through those, and am trying to just relax when it comes to pursuing relationships with people.

So what are you sitting on the couch about, instead of getting up and exercising abundant life?

Thinking

Where have you been? Oh wait, where have I been? I have no good excuse for not writing in almost a month, but boy do I have some good stories! I think my last post was August 18. On August 21 my nephew Riley was born in Plano. Riley is the first little baby born to Matt's sister and brother in law. On August 29 my nephew Avery was born. Avery is the third little baby boy born to my sister and brother in law. Avery was born in Bastrop. Needless to say, those were two very busy--and amazing--weeks!

Okay, so that's two weeks knocked out of the way. What about the rest of my life up to this point? That's a good question, and if you figure it out please let me know. As I've told many people, it's like I just couldn't get a grip on life last week! Doing a million things, late to bed every night, not putting on eyeliner....That last bit might sound strange, but it's actually a very good way to gage if I'm totally running behind in life or not. If I don't have time to put on eyeliner in the morning, then it means I'll be behind all day. It's true.

One other thing I could not get a grip on last week was my time spent with God. On Sunday my husband and I got together over a meal with some people like we do every Sunday, and one of the topics of discussion around the table was what everyone was doing to stay in tune with Jesus. Everyone had great things to say about practical, meaningful ways in which they were staying in tune with Jesus throughout the week. Needless to say, I felt pretty useless. I didn't have any good stories to share about the fantastic things I'm doing to stay close to Jesus. Sitting there in silence, wanting to climb under the table, I realized that I didn't have to have a fantastic story. I just had to have an honest story. I put a constant burden on myself to be a strong, "has it all together" leader type, but that's not a burden that Jesus has given me. I am in a relationship with Jesus and his other followers, and that means that I don't always have to be strong and have it all together. What it does mean is that I always have to be honest. ALWAYS. Well folks, just like it's hard to say, "I'm sorry" or "I was wrong" to your spouse (and you're kidding yourself if you say that's never happened), it's hard to say "I struggled in my relationship with my Lord this week". However, I piped up and shared how every one's stories were really nice, but mine was not so exciting. I shared how I didn't give my relationship with Jesus much time, energy, or respect. And you know what? No one threw rotten tomatoes at me. No one called me a sinner and ran me out of the house. People listened and nodded. Do you know why they nodded? Because they've been in the same exact spot before.

I don't really know the point of this post, my fingers just started to fly. Maybe it's meant to be an encourager. If you're an all out follower of Jesus, don't be afraid to admit when you're struggling in your relationship with him. Confession is good. If you don't quite know what to think about Jesus and the commitment it takes to be a Christian, then don't be afraid to talk to someone who does. Questions are good. And with that...good night.

Peace

This will be a very short blog post, but I think it is one worth sharing. I have experienced something interesting tonight that I think we all need to experience. I heard the same, very specific statement made in two very different settings this evening. The words were, "Peace be with you".
The first time someone spoke these words to me tonight was, of all places, at the end of kickboxing. The guy who led our class, Mitchell, usually says something like, "Peace out" or whatever cool phrase kids use these days. I don't know if he got his tongue tied or what, but what came out was, "Peace be with you". I remember thinking to myself, "Jesus said that!"
About an hour later I was talking on the phone with a wonderful woman whose family has really blessed Matt and me in many ways. Her daughter got engaged a few months ago, and they just took their engagement pictures. She suggested that I check out the site, because the same amazing woman who took pictures of Matt and me took them. I went to the site and really enjoyed looking at the beautiful pictures. What caught my eye on the one and only picture with writing on it were the words, "Peace be with you".
Seriously?!? I am a firm believer that God repeats himself over and over so that we can be sure to catch the point he is trying to make. Apparently he wants me to be at peace! I had not thought of myself as extremely stressed or nervous at this time, but like always I'm super busy doing one thing or another. Jesus is the prince of peace, and no matter how hard we try we really can't experience real peace without him. I think God is telling me to slow and accept the peace that Jesus gives out of the essence of who he is. I invite you to accept it as well.
Has God been bringing something to your attention constantly that you think you should take notice of? I'd love to hear about it; leave a comment and share!

If you'd like to see some of those awesome pictures, check out Tammy's site: http://marcelainphotography.blogspot.com/

Telling the Truth

This weekend my dad and stepmom came to visit us in Abilene. We had a great time! Saturday afternoon we ate with Matt's family, and then drove to Comanche after lunch. Matt and I have been to a winery in Comanche that is very quiet, relaxing, charming, and has good wine. We thought that sitting down to share a glass of wine with my parents would be a great way to spend the afternoon.

We arrived at the winery and walked into the tasting room to try a few samples. As we sat down we started the small talk of, "Where are you from, why the visit?", etc. My dad mentioned that they came to visit because Matt and I will be moving soon. Naturally they asked where we will be moving to, and we said Australia. Of course everyone always asks why we're moving somewhere like Australia...which is where things get fun! I said, "We are going there to start churches", and you could have heard a pin drop. When we say things like that, it's like the air is sucked out of the room from people gasping. It's rather amusing at times! However, what happened next was quite amazing. After a few moments of silence the other gentleman in the room, who was there with his wife, asked, "If you don't mind my asking, what church are you with?" I told him that our background is with the Church of Christ, and he raised his eyebrows. He said that he and his wife are part of the Disciples of Christ group, which used to be connected to the Church of Christ. (Really we still are, when you consider the fact that we're all following Jesus) Somehow through the next few sentences of conversation I said, "and I'm sure you're surprised to see us in here!" Ah, how the walls fell down! The ladies serving the wine samples seemed to breathe for the first time, and one of them said, "That's what I was thinking!" We all laughed and shared a little more chit chat. The ladies asked when we'll be leaving and we shared the fact that we still need half of the required funds to be able to move.

We all talked a little more, enjoyed getting to know one another, and then my parents, Matt, and I moved into one of the other rooms to share conversation and time together. Before we went into the other room I stepped out to use the restroom. On my way back in to meet the family, I saw Matt handing the gentleman who asked what our church background was a piece of paper. As we all sat down together, I asked Matt why he gave the gentleman our information. He handed me $40 and said, "He gave us this money for our trip. I gave him our contact info so he can keep up with us". Shocked, amazed, and grateful, I put the money away in a safe place until we got home.

I realize that some people might have stopped at, "we went to a winery". I really contemplated how or even if I was going to write about this story, but I think it would be a real shame if I did not write it just because I was nervous about what "Christian folk" might say. I am confident in the decisions I have made regarding drinking alcohol. When I read the words that God has placed in the Bible, I am convinced that he has no problem with his people drinking. However, I am a firm believer that God despises the act of getting drunk. It makes sense that the one who created me and loves me more than anyone else ever could would not stand for it. A few reasons that spring to mind are the fact that when someone's heart and mind are taken over by alcohol, they cannot focus on God. People also do really hurtful and stupid things when they're drunk. God doesn't want us to do things that we will regret the next morning or that will harm others. We manage to do stupid and hurtful things without the aid of alcohol...so why make it worse?!? For those and a few other reasons I have never been, and never will be, drunk.

What I really want to share out of this story are two huge points. One is that when we tell the truth, God breaks down stereotypes about who he is and who his people are. Our family was really honest about who we are in Christ when we were in that winery, and I think it really blew the owners away. My impression of their reaction was that they have not met too many honest Christians, which is a real shame! I think they were blessed by our conversation, which I think in turn honored God. The second thing that stands out to me about our day at the winery is that God's timing is so perfect! We went to Comanche that day to enjoy some time together, but God had different plans for us. The couple we met who gave us the money is from OKLAHOMA, and they were just passing through on their way to far west Texas. God brought us together in that little bitty town so that we could bless them with the story of what we'll be doing in Australia, and so that they could bless us tremendously through the financial gift of a stranger. God works in awesome ways!

FPU

Some of you know what those three little letters mean without me even spelling out the words...Financial Peace University. More on that later.
A little over a month ago I started attending a class for women on Wednesday nights at church. There are a lot of reasons why I joined the group; three being that I invited a friend and couldn't invite someone to something I'm not a part of, I thought I could learn a lot about community from a group of women who have gotten really close, and honestly the third is that I couldn't really find my niche at our big church. I needed conversation and to hear people's perspectives on God's word, so I joined the group. I have to say that they've been very welcoming. I hate to admit it, but often times Christian clicks are really hard to get into...and I'm a Christian! It's a sad truth that we seriously need to work on.
Anyway, last week we started the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University video series. I will admit that I think Matt and I have a pretty good handle on our finances for our age. We give to those in need (which you can do no matter how old you are or how much money you make. Don't try to give me excuses on this one), we pay all our bills on time, we are paying down student loans faster than they are due, and we save. However, what I'm learning from these videos is that we can be doing so much better! There are things that Matt and I will definitely put into practice after watching the video series.
There's one more thing that I am really loving about doing this video series with these women...they are brutally honest! No two women in that room share quite the same life situation, and none of them share mine. However, they will say how much the have or don't have, know or don't know. What's even better than that, they are excited! They've had enough of not having enough, and they are ready to make some changes for the better. I have not seen so much excitement about something so difficult in a long time, and that's refreshing. Encouragement is just hovering around us, waiting to be soaked in, if we'll only open our eyes and learn from the lives and hearts of others.

Us too!

Yesterday Matt and I had a great day. We ate breakfast (very late!) and then got ready to go to our friends W and E's house. Matt, as usual when we have plans to do something, got called to a vehicle accident and had to leave for that. I finished getting ready and went to their house. W and E are moving to Chile early next year, and were having a garage sale to get rid of many of the things they will not be taking with them. They, along with another person they are moving with, were at their house Friday and Saturday hosting a garage sale.
W and E have always had a really comfy home. Matt and I loved to go to their house and just hang out, it's the kind of place you can just sit around in for hours. That being said, when I went over to their place yesterday it was totally desolate! The transformation that took place within a few short days was astounding. They had a very successful garage sale, and continued to sell items as I hung out for the last hour of the sale. Matt made it over just as the sale was ending, and we helped them clean up a little and then took the tables they used back to the people they borrowed them from.
Some interesting things happened after that which I would like to share. Matt and I ran a few errands, and then got home and went crazy working around the house! Matt washed every dirty item of clothing we own (which are now slowly being folded and are in a huge pile on the love seat). We also needed to work out, which requires us to vacuum since we have the biggest shedding dog in the world. I was ready to vacuum the floor like normal, but Matt moved all the furniture around so we could vacuum in places that are not often reached. He also cleaned the window and window sill. After working out and eating dinner, we worked on our fund raising packet until the wee hours of the morning. We wanted it done! Here's what I think happened: we saw our friends taking some big steps forward toward moving, and we thought, "Us too! We want to move too, we're ready!" There's something about seeing people on the same journey with you, who experience a step in the right direction, that excites you and makes you want to do the same. I think yesterday we got a little boost of energy to take care of things that seem ho hum, because we know that when we sell our house they will be things that need to be done.
I have to admit, however, that we really wanted to get our fund raising packet done for another reason. We have been trying to contact a church in Tennessee since February. I emailed them in February...no reply. I emailed them in April...no reply. Some might give up, but not Tish! I'll thoroughly bother someone until they tell me to stop, and as far as I was concerned no one had given me a good reason to stop trying to contact this church yet! I emailed them again in July, and I got a response! In their defense, apparently there was a switchover in the person we were supposed to contact, and the previous emails were not passed on by mistake. Anyway, the person I ended up making contact with was so encouraging! He sent us a great email, and wanted us to talk to him over the phone and send him our fund raising packet. I had a great conversation with him over the phone, and we wanted to get our fund raising packet updated to reflect the changes in our team and off to him as soon as possible. I guess W and E are not the only ones who have a step in the right direction to celebrate!