On The Road Again

What a wonderful time we have had during our two months in Alberta. Greg and I have had a great time of fellowship with friends and family and sharing about the work of MAF. Most of these past months God has been stretching and molding us for the work he has called us to. As we have been learning new roles and living out of suitcases since we left home on the 23rd of August. What a blessing Greg's parents have been these past months as we have been living with them! I'm sure that they will enjoy having a quit house once our three children leave! On Thursday we will be heading to our next destination on this adventure and arriving at Waldheim, SK for about 10 days. Greg's aunt and uncle are willing to open their home to us as we have two churches in the area to speak at. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we will not have to much snow to travel in as we slowly make are way back home. However, much to the children's excitement we actually have snow here at Greg's parents house at he moment. The children have been doing great and enjoying life as we travel to different peoples homes and to new Churches. However, our little Isaac (who has a hard time dealing with change) has started to show signs of being overwhelmed with our new life. So please pray for Isaac as he is starting to really miss home and is starting to act out and is feel really down! Our van has actually rolled over the 11,000 km mark since we have left home and Greg has had to replace all the bearings in the van this past week. It was a dirty job, but little Isaac was a big help working right along side Greg through the whole job. Franklin has been enjoying the work shop and creating new projects out of scrap pieces of wood. And Jaclynn has greatly enjoyed the last couple of homes we have visited in as there has been more girls then boys to play with. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us, supporting us, and opening their homes for meals and great times of fellowship. We have had a wonderful time here in Alberta and have met some wonderful people and made many new friends over these past two months here. Sorry to those we were unable to meet with during our stay. We are thinking about heading this way again in the spring to pickup where we left off and hopefully see those that we were unable to catch up with.

God Bless

Julie

Thanksgiving

Wow what a great week. God has been doing some great things, this week I look back over it with excitement and thanksgiving. During the course of the week we had some wonderful times of fellowship as usual. This week we were able visit a couple families that have either been on the field and going back or had a Son on the field with MAF. Which was very helpful at getting a prescriptive on what it will be like which was very encouraging. We also got what seems to be a pretty good indication of our future placement as well (Indonesia).

A few facts that we have found while researching Indonesia: 4 largest Population, largest Muslim Population, Countries made up of 17508 islands. More facts to come as we study our future home.

Spending Time With The Dole's

Life on the road is sure full of adventure, surprises, and long hours spent in the van. Lucky for us there are lots of tractors still in the field that the kids can look at as we are traveling. And these last few weeks here have actually felt like spring instead of fall. That means the children have been outside either playing in the sandbox, working on their fort in the woods, trying to drag either Greg or I to take them fishing, or trying to get Greg to start up the motorbikes for them. I have even starting to enjoy fishing more and a couple of days ago caught three fish and even had the privilege of taking the hook out by myself. However, I have not even come close to catching as many fish as Isaac has caught. Franklin and I have finally figured a good system for home school were he can be done with school around lunch time. This is allowing lots of time to work in his fort or for riding the motorbike. I love teaching him and watching his face as he learns a new concept! Greg and I have found that from Wednesday to Sunday are evenings are normally spent with friends enjoying food and good fellowship. This part of the mission work Greg and I have been greatly enjoying as we love been able to visit with different people and share what we are doing. We have around three weeks left here in Alberta and we find ourselves very busy and tired. It seems that Greg and I have hit the "I'm homesick" stage both at the same time this week which has made it a little harder these last few days. Greg and I have been so blessed to be near Greg's parents for these past many weeks and for all the help they have provided. Once we leave here we will be in SK for about a week and a half as we are sharing at two different Churches there. So please pray for us that the weather will not turn into winter to fast before we return home. Even though Isaac has been praying for snow I am hoping that God will wait and not send it until we are returned to MB. Life is defiantly not boring when you leave your lives in the hand of God and follow were He is leading.

With Blessing

Julie

The Story of a Son

While visiting my Grandmother the other evening she shared this story with us. The story seem worthy of repeating and sharing with others, enjoy and have some tissue handy if you are prone to tears on a touching story like me.

The Story of a Son
author unknown

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.

The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.

The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted, "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice shouted angrily, "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids! "But still the auctioneer continued, "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel, "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave his Son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?" Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

More Travel Photos

Kids enjoying the outdoors and a friends trampoline in SK on our way to BC

Life on the road

Fanklin showing off his stuff on our stop in Calgary at the Park nearby

Pictures of the same park as the skate boared Picture

The kids hang out with their new friends the Ninja and Pirate

Found a rock that looked lonely so the kids decided to keep it company for a couple moments

Roses do have Thorns

Well week 6 on the road has started to take its toll it has been a roller coaster of emotions. It started with me feeling down and out thinking we are never going to get through this part of our journey. Then a day later God provide some encouragement and readjusted my thinking to think that maybe this is possible after all. It continued with a couple of great visits with some family and friends we hadn't seen in a couple years. And yep then back into discouragement row as I asked a question I may regret as I wasn't ready or expecting the answer I got. So now I wrestle with the answer trying to decide if I need the change of heart or do I pray that the answer to my question changes which is possible as well? God is in the business of changing lives and we look forward with excitement and fear and trembling at times to what God has in store for us. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease" When it boils down it's really all about Christ not us or what we want but about His work on the cross and it is our duty to share that work with others so that they may know the grace and love of our God in heaven. I'm writing these last couple lines for me to remind myself what it's really all about.

On the lighter side of life our travels have been good the kids have adjusted to living in a holiday trailer which doubles as a classroom for Franklin & Isaac most days. As I type this blog we are driving to visit with some family in Red Deer and our trip odometer which I haven't reset since we left Steinbach on the 23 of August is reading 7944kms and increasing.

Franklin is doing well in school and has only had one minor motorbike crash into some bushes. Isaac lost his first tooth eating corn during one of our wonderful visits with family. Jaclynn is terrorising the farm cats that seem to hang around if I was a cat I would be hiding the moment I heard her voice J

Julie and I are making the adjustment of working together, which has been like a bed of Roses not all pedals but a few thorns as well. They say what doesn't break you makes you stronger I would agree. Yes we have had to make adjustments which have been for the better even thou some have been difficult. I can't imagine doing this without my wonderful wife even with the thorns.

On behalf of my family Thank you for all your prayers and support as we venture forward to the unknown will of God

Greg