A Quick Weekend and We're Off...

This weekend we drove to Waco Friday night for Doug's 20th high school reunion. We could only make the football game festivities because we had to leave for McKinney (north of Dallas) on Saturday morning.

In McKinney, we stayed with Doug's brother, Doak, his wife, Pam, and their 5 children. We had a great visit and it was very relaxing. Doak is the pastor of Lifepoint Fellowship Church in McKinney, and this morning, Doug had the opportunity to share a little about our journey in missions. Doak also delivered a word from God this morning reminding us how we are to embrace the sovereign plan of God. Taken out of II Samuel 10:12, the author says, "Let the Lord do what pleases Him (or what is good in His sight)."

I may make this journey to Africa sound semi-easy on my blog, but it has really been a process, and I still struggle some days with all the changes going on. I'm not NOT wanting challenges; I'm just taking each one as it comes and praying through it. It's definitely growing me, but it's good to hear that by embracing God's sovereign plan, it makes it that much easier. And who wouldn't want to not only embrace His plan but live in His embrace as He takes me through it?

Doug and I are headed to Rush, Colorado, tomorrow for 5 days to learn how to "live off the land." I don't know what all that means, but I'll let you know when we return. We were told to bring gloves and work clothes. A man who lives there is going to show us the "ins and outs" of solar power and I'm guessing, a whole lot more.

If you happen to look up Rush, Colorado, on a map, you will see that it may not be possible for me to use my computer all week, so I will post again when I can.

Thanks again for the prayers you are already offering up. They rise like sweet-smelling incense to the Lord, and He hears every one!

One down, everyone else to go

Well, I had my first official "Goodbye" yesterday. My sister and her three boys have been visiting here from Costa Rica for a couple of months, and we have been spending a lot of time in Yoakum together so the cousins could play together and the sisters could visit.

It was a lot of fun.

We went to NASA.



















We did the splash pad "thing."




















We even did the grandchildren picture for my parents. It was sad for my mom and for me that this is the last picture with all nine grandchildren for three more years.




















Of course, they don't always go as planned.





















Besides the fact that God blessed us tremendously at the garage sale, the only other thing I'm thankful for was that it made me so tired and ready to be home, that I didn't cry when leaving my sister...until I was 7 miles away. Kylie didn't see me tear up, but she started crying a few miles later over her cousins. This is hard. I'm not going to pretend it's not, but I feel confident knowing we are right where we are supposed to be with the Lord.

Even though I am in God's fold of sheep, there are yet others out in the pasture still in danger of being attacked by wolves or getting tangled in thorns and vines. I'm thankful that followers of Jesus get to be a part of gathering the lost sheep into His fold, where they can find love, security, and hope.

Both sets of sheep endure the elements and harsh conditions, but only one group can call on the Shepherd and know He is right beside them. Believe me. I'm calling on Him daily! We've got a few sheep of our own to shepherd.

Our junk on display

Well, I followed Doug back from Yoakum with some more of our stuff. I'm amazed at how closely this photo resembles the stock photo from my last post.













We had a late start and ended up working in our friend's garage until 1:30 in the morning (pretty normal for crazy people who embark on such adventures).













Our friends Cole and Erin(who hosted our African dinner) offered to let us use their garage because there is better traffic in their neighborhood and half of my garage is filled with empty boxes that have to be filled in the next couple of weeks to head back to Yoakum.

At 5am, our sweet, sacrificing friends, went to put out signs, while we pulled everything out of the garage and made sense of the madness we had created the night before. Erin made coffee and had purchased cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and various snacks for the day. I LOVE friendship! Friendship in Christ is even twice as nice!

God blessed our sale, and we only had one small truckload to bring home. I guess I should have done like our other missionary friends and had a multiple-day sale, but I'm not sure my body could have handled it. At the end of the day, I wanted to scream, "Back your truck up and take it all, please."














Even from the beginning, I knew I wasn't the person to be pricing all our stuff, because I would just give it away. I'm the person who never takes a receipt even when I donate to Goodwill. I just don't care. I want it GONE. "5 cents? Sure. No problem. That's probably a good price for my golf clubs." "25 cents? That ought to be fine. James Avery is really good stuff."

We were left with a twin mattress, box springs, and my golf clubs that I might can sell on craigslist. One of my friends says she wants our shelves. My brother wants the office chair. I'm hoping a church library would love a generous contribution of Doug's ministry books, and maybe my hometown library would like some more VHS tapes for their "checkout" section. The rest of the kids' toys and lagniappe can just go to Goodwill. THEN, I can check "Sell Stuff" officially off our list.

Purge and Simplify

Purge and simplify.

Sounds easy, doesn't it?

Not for someone like me.

I'm a collector. A sentimental collector. I keep it all.

I might need it someday. I might want to look at it someday. Someday...

Some of you are crawling in your skin right now. I am jealous of people like you, because your house is always neat, tidy, and simple. I always want to move in when I see a house like that. Oh well.

I got a new perspective on my "stuff" this weekend. Doug and I went through our storage shed where the half of our stuff we are not living with resides. We worked a total of 9 hours in some rather hot weather, and managed to throw away a lot and pull out to semi-decent stuff to sell.

This purging is one of the steps in the process of going overseas that I've been looking forward to...sort of.















I've been reading through Isaiah, and I'm astounded how much God repeats himself over and over in different ways to say, "You shall have no other gods before me." It took a lot of repetition to get the attention of the Israelites, and I'm not sure they ever understood.

God is adamant about it! Many of us, including myself, have heard about not worshiping idols ever since we learned about the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. I should know this stuff. But in all reality, I hardly ever live it. Israel never "got it." Will I?

In my mind, I think, "I've never bowed down to a little statue or prayed to a bobble head about my problems."

But, if I love ANYTHING more than God, then it's an idol for me. Yikes!

Isaiah was talking about my storage shed...

I'm holding tight to "stuff" that cannot satisfy any need I have.

I threw away my eighth grade basketball shoes. They still fit me, but really...what do I need those Nikes for? It sounds silly doesn't it? Keep laughing. Enjoy yourself. But it was hard for me.

I threw away most of my teaching materials. Worksheets, tests, binders full of work that represent hours of hard work. I only kept one subject that I know I will need help on when I teach my own children.

I threw away Bible study lessons I have taught and notes from conferences I have attended in the past 17 years since I became a Christian. Still hard for me.

I threw away clothes that no one but me would want, but that I loved at one time.

We got rid of decorations, picture frames, knick knacks, doo dads, Christmas decorations, cookbooks, books, TVs, rocking chair, shelves, etc, and it felt pretty good.

What I realized I'm not ready to let go of (and I won't ever be), not because they are idols, but because they are irreplaceable, are letters from family members and loved ones and photographs.

I've only tackled half the battle because I'm living with the other half of my junk back in Katy.

To Africa, we are taking bunk beds (no mattresses), dishes, cooking supplies, clothes, books, and three and a half years supply of some day-to-day things like vitamins, bug spray, and sun screen, but all in all, I've got some more purging to do.

In August, we will be having a garage sale, but I think my mom will have to keep the kids that weekend, because, you see, I have to purge their stuff, too...

An Amazing Goodbye

Well, I guess it wasn't really, "Goodbye," but more like, "See ya later."

Our awesome friends in Katy, Cole and Erin Wilkins, honored our family with a dinner to tell us how much they loved us and would miss us. It was quite an affair, and I felt very honored.

When we walked up to the door, there was a sign saying, "Welcome Taylor Family to your African Dinner." Tears started welling. My heart is not quite ready for all the "goodbyes" that are to come. Thankfully, Doug read the sign to the non-readers. I needed to catch my breath.


We walked in to a beautiful table setting with pictures of Uganda posted on the walls and on the credenza.




















At each place setting, there was a printed menu listing the evening's fare and which country it originated from.




















We could have stopped at the African Peanut Soup and had it for appetizer, main dish, and dessert. It was incredible! (I was so excited when she later offered us leftovers to take home).
















Next, came the main course, Boerewors Treat, which is one of Cole and Erin's favorite dishes. As a side note, Boerewors Treat is the only dish they had had before. The rest were discoveries off the internet. She even printed out all the recipes for me. I will add them to my collection. I'm going through my hand-made cookbook slowly, taking only the recipes that I know I can find the ingredients to in Africa (no Cream of Mushroom Soup, I'm sure). I'm guessing I can find Erin's recipe ingredients over there, but I'm still not sure about the availability of cottage cheese...
















On to dessert. These people know how to serve a meal. There were TWO desserts on the menu!
















Thankfully, we got to take some fried bananas home, too. Doug pan-fried them and blackened them the next day, and it was joy all over again!

The Wilkins' have such great toys for kids at their house (albeit, my children were fascinated with Douggie's toys - the dog's - not my husband's), that Doug and I were able to sit and enjoy good conversation while drinking refreshing Blueberry Tea. Here's proof.















But it's also proof that one of my children was playing with the camera.





Thank you Erin and Cole for all your hard work and planning, but most of all, for honoring us in such a sweet, unique way.

Create in me a clean heart

Hebrews 3:13 "but exhort one another daily, while it is still called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

My kids are constantly asking, "Why are they bad?" especially when referring to a movie or cartoon character. "What made them bad?" Interesting question. Besides just the simple and correct answer, "Sin."

In the past, I've talked of parenting, but I realize it's possible for godly parents to have ungodly children. Sin is the choice of the child. This verse in Hebrews is the verse I need to come back to.

We are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Period. Anyone is capable. O Lord, create in me a clean heart.

Family photo in a flash

Doug was looking for a photo of us to let the church use in a VBS slide show. He came up WAY short of anything decent, so within 30 minutes, we asked a friend if she could take our picture, we rushed to throw clothes on, and headed over to her house right before sundown.

It took about 15 pictures for Caleb to cooperate, and when he did, the girls were fidgeting, but I'll take this over anything that Doug had originally found. They were pretty scary, let me tell you! Thank you Russell and Celeste for your patience with us!

Lazy day - playing with Mom's camera

We've lost something

Today was a long day for Kylie (and the rest of us). At lunch, she bit into some bread, and when I rushed over to see what the screaming was about (yes, screaming), I saw that her tooth that had been loose, was completely twisted around backward.


Yes, that is the back side of her tooth you are looking at.

Well, she was traumatized because she likes her lose teeth just to "fall out" on their own. This hanging-thing stressed her out most of the day. She didn't want anyone touching it, and I can sympathize, because I was the same way.

She worked on it, albeit slowly, with her tongue all day, and tonight...

eating a cookie...

the tooth turned itself back around!

Crazy!

She finally said, with a red, tear-stained face, that I could pull it out. I reached in, and it practically fell into my hand. It was only held in there by suction (and spit, if you will).

She is a happy girl with swollen eyes
(and so are we..minus the swollen eyes).

Time in Yoakum

We've been hanging around Yoakum the past couple of weeks doing
a little of this


and a little of that



and some of this


and some of that
(back left - only Kylie took this class)


and not to mention, this
(with new haircuts)


I haven't updated because the annual Yoakum Tom-Tom parade, cheerleading camp (two different ones), backyard VBS, and a new kitten found that was dropped on the side of the road, aren't really that interesting to those who aren't involved.

I could, however, exaggerate, and make up some pretty good stories if you like, but for now, we'll stick with the above description of our recent past life.

We are back in Katy, getting ready to celebrate Father's Day, have a week of VBS, and then travel north of Waco to student camp for another week.

Last day of Pre-K and Mother's Day Out

Karis and Caleb had such a good year in their pre-school/Mother's Day Out program at our church. Bear Creek Baptist Church really does a fabulous job! Three cheers for Karen Crook and all her teachers.

I helped out with the last day, themed Splash Day.





















Here is Caleb with one of his teachers Mrs. Candace (Mrs. Emily wasn't there until the afternoon),





















and she invited Kylie and I to eat lunch with Caleb's class.













What a fun, sad, happy day.

First family camping trip

We went camping this weekend with three other families at Huntsville State Park. We figured we better try camping on this continent instead of tackling it fresh in Africa.

Soon after arriving, Caleb and I went down to the dock to look at the water. We got a surprise visitor after not too long.














He had his right eyeball missing, so I'm guessing he's quite a fighter. If you could see the dark part of his tail, you could see he's about 6 feet long. It was pretty cool except for when Caleb would crawl up on the railing to look over. I didn't like that too much.



After all the tents had been set up, Kylie said, "There is nothing to do," and I said, "I know. Isn't it wonderful?!" She got in the groove not long after that, and she and all the kids ended up having a lot of fun. Kylie was the oldest kid there. We had three five year olds, a three year old and three under two. It sounds chaotic, but the kids really did play well and enjoy running around.

We roasted hot dogs, had smores, and visited late into the night. Here, Kylie, Karis and Abigail are showing off their glow in the dark jewelry (thanks, Heather, for bringing so many).



In the morning, I woke to obnoxious bird noises, but it had been a cool night and not normal Texas humidity levels, so I can take a few birds squawking. Not to mention, this was the view from our campsite!


















A couple of the guys made scrambled eggs and deer sausage so we could have breakfast tacos. This was definitely not "roughing it" to me.

After cleaning up a little, we headed to the "beach area" of the lake to swim. Yes, this is the same lake I saw the alligator in, but I was hoping he might get full before he got to the beach front.

Anyway, the kids had a blast trying out their new swimming skills. Karis even put her face in the lake water. That's pretty big-time in my book! Just two weeks ago, she didn't like putting her face in bath water.

After getting good and tired, we headed back for sandwiches and final packing. It was a short trip, but we all needed to get back for church. It was a lot of fun, and I can't thank the Lord enough for the perfect weather, good friends, and for my mattress when I got home last night.