Time Apart

Heard the sad news today that Rob isn't coming home till Saturday. Ugh, this has been a long month without him. I think the hardest part is that we didn't anticipate being apart so long. I only packed a week's worth of clothes for Rob as he ran out the door to make it to the airport on time.

Time apart has its blessings. You come to appreciate your time together so much more. I haven't wanted to cook a meal in forever and right now the thought of sitting down to a home cooked favorite sounds like bliss! The nights I head off to bed and could be enjoying a romantic comedy with my hubby...

This past month has been challenging for several reasons. There is a lot of uncertainty right now in our lives and processing this emotion while physically distant is tugging at our hearts. Feeling some what alone and isolated is to be expected and yet I find my days filled with activities. Knowing that once Rob gets home, he has a month's worth of work waiting for him here, is hard. I will be back off to San Diego for school and we will have more time apart.

I think the most challenging part of life right now is not seeing the outcome of our work. Rob always says, "the work is up to us, the outcome is up to God". So true, yet it requires humility and faith. Please pray for us.

So on the flip side...how excited am I that I get to see my best friend and partner in a week? You can't see it right now but I am smiling ear to ear!

Finally!

Finally! It looks as if Rob will be home next week. He has been gone for almost a month in Miami. It has been the longest we have ever been apart. It has not been easy for either one of us. We have an incredible support system though.

My mother and father- in- law have been helping to taking care of the dogs and me. This past Monday I enjoyed a wonderful evening with them. It helped ease the lonliness. I am blessed that I married into such an incredible family. They also have been so generous as to allow me use their car while mine sits in the garage waiting to be fixed.

My mother has been doing what she can take care of Rob while he works his long hours. But with Robby there really is no use in trying to convince him to do something he doesn't want to. When he gets a working there is not stopping him!

Please pray this month for health, both physically and emotionally. Also, give thanks for family and friends that have come alongside us.

Update

Hello dear family and friends! It has been way to long. My apologies. Life had taken it's toll lately. No excuses just a brief apology.

Rob has been working hard on providing crucial technical support to LAM. Often in missions we forget about the "behind the scenes" work it takes to run an organization as large as LAM. There are countless people behind a desk that don't receive the recognition of serving in a foreign country, tilling land, or working with the men and women fresh off the street. But the work is no less important. They send out the support letters, they process the funds, they make sure our missionaries receive their monthly checks.

So what does this have to do with Robby? Well, Robby has stepped in to handle some very technically challenging tasks. While it is not Robby's passion per say- serving the mission is. So for the past two weeks he has been away in Miami doing behind the scenes work- and for some reason it feels even more challenging than the work he does in Latin America.

There are times we are called to use our gifts even if they seem trivial or we don't have the passion. Because it is not what we do but the heart we do it with.

So Robby has been working long days and nights to make sure our missionaries get paid. Trivial? Maybe unless you are a missionary waiting for your check.

How can you pray? Pray for perseverance, strength, health and most of all passion for the details. A prayer of gratitude.

Because of the need at LAM we have decided to begin raising full time support for Robby. We have no idea where to begin to raise this support. It is total step of faith. We know the path will present itself.

Pray for the hearts of those that will come alongside us in prayer and financial support.

Honduras

Rob is in Honduras this week. It was a last moment trip and we were totally unprepaired but alas that feels like our life most of the time. He is participating in a conference for Latin American pastors. While he is there he will be finishing up the lastest edition of the Evangelist. I have watched as blank pages turn into life with pictures and stories of missionaries from Brazil and Costa Rica. Husband's take note of the following insight I had as you wife may be watching...No deed is ever menial when done from a place of love, passion and calling. I am inspired by Robby's gift to create and tell the stories of other's passionatly. The long hours on the computer editing pictures and writing articles is his way of being of service to others. He takes every task no matter how small as an opportunity to love on God and others. If only all of us took every task before us and viewed it as an opportunity to love. Robby loves me by being of service to others.

Music

Music is such a powerful tool that we know oh so well in our life! Music is an avenue for healing in our home. It also is a form of communication with God and others. It tells a story and crosses the boundries of language and culture. Some of my most cherished moments with my husband has been listening to him write, record and play his music. It allows me into his world and spurs in me a level of compassion for his pain and suffering that could only come from an intimate moment of unbridled hontesty via his music.

I am inspired by the pictures and stories of how his music is shared in the mission field. This picture was taken at aconvelescent home with the elderly. They shared in an unexpected and joyful time of worship. Another musical moment...Rob playing the guitar with a pimp on the streets of Costa Rica. When no words could have built a level of openess and trust with this huring man music did.

If you have ever questioned the power of music just usk us how it has moved in our lives.

Joyful Times

Our home has never been filled with more love and laughter than of late. Of course this does not mean that our circumstances have changed. Just in the past two weeks we have enjoyed an outrageously Divine dinner with another couple; late walks dreaming of our future; days spent at the studio picking citrus making fresh lemonade and orange juice; date night listening to live music and oh the joy of the Olympics....And this is just the short list!

When in Pain

I am blessed to be able to work with women who share a common affliction. The medication is simple. First give up, second believe in God and then reach out to others. The reach out to others is often missed because we are so caught up in our pain that we simply don't think we have anything left to give. But alas, praying only for the ability to be of service to others is what brings relief, healing, peace and joy.

This simple truth is what has led us into missions. Not because we have it all figured out (actually far from) or even that we have been relieved of our suffering but instead it is in being in community with others, being service to others, where we find peace, joy and serenity in this crazy life.