READING ROCKS!

YEAH! It started today! It went so smoothly - mostly in part due to Carisa's great planning and Trish's organization skills! We had 35 out today! And it was only the first day! I am excited to see what happens this month. Please pray for the next five weeks as we work with the kids and get them excited about reading and learning more about Christ and His love for them.

Andy is busy as usual with various activities, but today he was busy with a 10 mile bike hike for the Extreme Team. The Extreme Team is part of the God Squad summer program where Andy challenges the teens to go to the extreme both physically and spiritually. Spiritually the teens are encouraged to complete various Bible studies Andy has developed and to also meet with a mentor throughout the summer to help them in their walk. Physically they do all kinds of crazy activities - like the 10 mile bike hike. This Sunday they are walking to NJ via the Ben Franklin Bridge. Pray for the teens and Andy's safety as they complete the various activities. Pray for Andy as well as his schedule is filled to the brim.

Sometimes.....

living and working here in Philadelphia just stinks. I see so many different things that bother me and I know break the heart of God our Father. Last night I witnessed a fear and sadness in a young girls eyes that broke my heart. A young girl that attends our Prayer Pals program came after missing a few weeks. "L" is only about 7 or 8 years old but her life has been wrought by pain and suffering no little one should experience. Last night she told us with a quivering lip that she, her mother and younger brother were living in a homeless shelter. I have heard stories of what the homeless shelters around here are like - not a pleasant experience. "L" also has an older sister "T" that has been a part of our Kids Club and Preteen program for years. She is currently living with an aunt that has a number of children and leaves in the care of "T". "L" is very concerned with her sisters situation and was almost in tears describing what "T" is going through. Please pray for "L" and her family. She is carrying a weight that only God himself can lift from her shoulders. They do have a house waiting for them but it needs a lot of work before they are able to move in. Please pray that the renovations for this house get done quickly so that "L" and her family can move OUT of the shelter and into a safe place of their own. Pray for God to comfort this young girl and to use this experience for good and that it would strengthen "L" and her family in their relationship with God.

Slacker!

Yes, I know. I have REALLY neglected this blog the past few weeks. Life has been incredibly busy - but it is looking as if it is going to slow down. What have I been doing? Basically sorting and going through things to get rid of. June 13th, Milford Park Bible Camp had their first ever Community Yard Sale. I was anxious to do it in an effort to get rid of stuff and make some money. I managed to make over $600! Most of that was from the sale of Longaberger Baskets. I used to be a consultant and had collected a number of them and realized I really needed to simplify my life by getting rid of some. I also sold a number of books and other odds and ends. The money I made is probably going toward several projects in the house. I was going to buy a camera that I have really wanted for a few years, but I think the projects need to come first.

The following weekend, June 19th-20th, was the annual SEARCH Conference. I love this conference because it has a huge used book sale and I needed to get rid of several boxes of books. I think I did fairly well with that sale as well. I went with nine boxes and came home with only three! So I was pleased. I won't find out how much I made for four weeks as they have to process all the tags and then write the checks and send them in the mail.

As a result of these sales, however, it has motivated me to keep going through things and put things in boxes to store away for a community yard sale held in Macungie then end of August. It is my goal to really clean out the house and simplify our lives. We have so much clutter. As we begin to put our house back together I would like it if it were clutter free and simple to keep up. With three kids, life is getting busy and I just don't have the time or energy to put into keeping it all together. Besides, it feels good to get rid of things and have more time to spend with the family, rather than cleaning all the time!

The kids are doing well. Last week, Matt turned 12 and Sarah turned 10! I really can't believe they are that old already! We didn't really get them presents as our trip to Disney was their gift, but we did have special dinners and went to see the movie "UP". They enjoyed that. I really enjoyed the fact that we concentrated on them rather than what we were giving them! I think I may adopt this "one small gift" policy and do an activity with them for their birthdays.

We have been on summer vacation for eight weeks and I am already itching to get back into a routine! I think the kids are getting a bit board as well! So, we are starting some math and English next week, July 1st! I can't wait! Matt is already fussing, but that is to be expected. He would fuss if we started next year! He will get used to it and I really think he is going to like his seventh grade year. I believe I have all his curriculum and will have to post what it is we are using later. Sarah is actually excited about doing math. She is board and wants to do something! She is really trying to have a positive attitude about this school year. I hope it sticks!

Thanks for praying for us! God is good - all the time! It has been eight weeks since we have seen a live bedbug. We are praying each day that we don't find one. We are taking it one day at a time. I actually put Blues Clues bedsheets on Daniel's bed (we have used white sheets for the past eight months) and he thought I went out and bought him new sheets! He was SO EXCITED! He thanked me and hugged me! He was so funny! I guess he really doesn't remember anything other than out bedbug epidemic since he was just three when it all started and will be four next month. Sad, I know. I hope he doesn't remember it forever. But God has taught us much and has demonstrated His faithfulness to us in unimaginable ways! Though I wish the lessons could have been learned in a much different way, I wouldn't trade what I have been taught for anything! Thanks, faithful prayer warriors. If it weren't for your faithful prayers, I would have gone stark raving mad and would have been committed! Thank you. You just don't know how much I appreciate them!

Where am I?

Well, life is slowly swinging back to "normal". Ministry started up again on Monday with God Squad and Family Night followed on Tuesday and Teen Club tonight. It looks like we are going to be very well staffed for the summer - thank you God! The winter months were a bit bleak in the volunteer department, but thanks to the folks at Crossroads Community Church and Fellowship Bible Church, we are going to have a banner summer! I am so thankful as the summer months can be crucial to keeping the kids out of trouble. So many are left to fend for themselves and do whatever they please. If we can just provide for them opportunities to be busy and learn about God and His love for them - it will be a much safer summer. It kills me to see so many kids Matt and Sarah's ages (almost 12 and 10) out on their own and being responsible for their younger siblings! It's just crazy. We are expecting a full summer and have several groups coming to do VBS's and other activities. Please pray for the lives of the young people here. Summer can be the most dangerous time for them.

One of the activities that will be going on this summer is Reading Rocks. I have a meeting today to discuss the details of things and plan. Please pray for this activity. It is a great program and really helps the kids both educationally and physically. Please pray for Carisa, Trish, Laurie and I as we hammer out who is doing what and figure out how to best minister to these kids.

I am starting to put the kids rooms back together. I am so tired of living out of XXL Ziploc bags! I have just decided enough is enough. It has been eight months since we began this journey and I am SO DONE! It's time to put cloths back in the rooms, beds where they belong (they are currently in the middle of the rooms!), and try to get back to life before bed bugs. If we encounter more we will deal with them, but I really need to just put things back. I am tired of living in a state of chaos! I think it will make us all feel better!

I will have to post pictures later, but our living room finally has WALLS and a CEILING! It is the most incredible feeling in the world! I didn't think it would really ever happen - I just thought we would live in a dark cave of nothingness until we either died or were called to heaven. We are hoping to have the entire downstairs finished by the end of August. That will require a lot of night work from Andy so we'll see if it happens. I think he is burnt out with the whole house project. I am praying that it will get done. Pray for Andy has he has an extremely full plate this summer. He loves working with the teens and has many activities planned to help them grow in their relationship with God and one another. Please pray for a safe and healthy summer.