Sunlight

Today the sun is shining brightly, but it is so cold outside and a blustery wind is blowing. Today in my heart the sun tries to break through the blustery cold....

It is a week since my mom's beautiful funeral, if a funeral can be beautiful. I'm told the pain of grief will last, but ebb and flow within my heart as the tide. Yesterday was not a good day, but a very empty & painful one.

But in the midst of the pain, I do want to say that I'm so thankful.

I'm thankful for a friend, Garry, who was called 2 days before my mom died to pray for our family. He did not know why, but he began to pray obediently and has been praying for us since.

I'm thankful for an incredible God who spoke to my dad the morning of my mom's death and said, "today I'm taking your lovely wife to come home with me." Dad didn't want to lose her, but if God said it, he was willing to let her go.

I'm thankful for the many people from the churches around here where my siblings attend that showed their love by bringing breakfast, lunch and dinner to us for over a week. We didn't have to think about what to cook, but just needed to look in the fridge and pull out what was necessary.

I'm thankful for friends who have written such kind words of encouragement to us and who have just been there to talk and to listen when needed.

I'm thankful that my family could be here with me. That the girls were here to mourn their grandma and especially that Andy could be here to walk through this with me.

I'm thankful for my sister and brother-in-law who have given us a place to stay while we are here.

I'm thankful for the great trip I had with my mom and sister last summer and for the times my mom was able to come to Moldova.

But most of all, I'm thankful for 41 years and 2 months to know my mom. I'm thankful for the godly woman she was. I'm thankful that she taught me to pray and love Scripture. I'm thankful for her love and I'm thankful that she wasn't perfect (except in giving birthday parties!) I'm thankful for phone conversations, even when I was so many miles away and I'm thankful for rapid air travel.

Please continue to pray for us. The rough road is not over. The girls are doing well, but I know they will have moments of ebb and flow too. I know that Lauren's memories of her grandma will become distant and that will bother her. These things are normal.

Pray for Andy as he returns to Moldova on Sunday and then tries to figure out our situation with the living permit issues. This is still in the air and as we try to find out what to do, it is different from each person we talk to about it.

Pray for my family as a whole as we continue to go through my mom's things and deal with what to keep and what to save.

Thanks.

At the feet of Jesus

My mom went to be with Jesus Sunday evening. My best friend from High School said she thinks about that person now sitting at the feet of Jesus. It has been a hard day and we are still grieving her loss. But it is good to be with my family.

Andy and the girls will follow in a day or so. Please pray for our family and pray for all of those coming for the funeral. Many will be flying in over the next days.

I'm really jet lagged right now so I can't type any more.

Nancy

Sadness

I just had a call from my brother a short time ago. My mom had a very serious stroke this morning. She is breathing but not responsive at all.

As you can see from the former post from this morning, I am leaving already in the morning. But my heart is heavy and we are all mourning. The girls feel the great loss of their grandma. I feel the loss of the loss of my mother. She is an amazing woman.

Pray for Andy and the girls as they stay here.

Pray for my mom. Only a miracle will raise her up.

Pray for me as I travel that all goes without delays and I can get there tomorrow evening.

This and That

My titles are very compelling, I know. I always struggled in titling my stories in school. Guess nothing has changed.

Tomorrow (Monday) I'm leaving on jet plane. I'll be back in just under 2 weeks. I'm going to Minnesota to see my parents. So very glad that I have this opportunity. I sit this morning with the same feelings I had before going to India. I hate leaving the girls and Andy. They will be fine without me, but I'm fine.

Every friend we have here has asked how they can help when I am gone. I have told them to check with Andy. Why is it that when the mom leaves everyone asks the mom, but when the dad leaves, no one asks? I have complete confidence in Andy, but I will miss them all.

My emotions are so mixed because I'm glad I can see my dad again, glad I have time to visit with my mom. We'll celebrate my parents 54th anniversary as an entire family and have a few other fun family functions. I'm so glad I get to go and then I also hate leaving. Mixed emotions.

Our living permits are still in limbo. Please continue to pray for this. Andy has his permit, but Shauna, our teacher and I don't have ours yet. Andy and our lawyer meeting with the boss of immigration on Tuesday morning. Please pray for that meeting. This has been such a crazy thing, but we are hanging on through it all.

Thanks for your prayers.

Tuesday Update

Just a short update to say that I am feeling better today and the girls are all staying healthy.

Pastor Jeff was delayed in his arrival, but will be in this afternoon and Andy will leave to the conference after picking Jeff up from the airport.

Thanks for all your prayers for our family and our needs here.

We are back

I get back from a trip and have too much to do, thinking all the time that I need to get back and say how things went. So, now a week later, I'm finally there, ready to write!

The trip to India was good. I learned a lot and came away with a lot of ideas for implementing in Moldova. The girls did fine and so did Andy & I. We all missed one another and they were happy to have us arrive home. They'd made paper ringed streamers which were hung through the hallway and welcome home cards awaited also.

I know many of you have been reading and praying about our need for staff at the Home of Hope in Moldova. On Monday, when I returned, I had a call from a young lady who I'd been told about, but had not met. She is interested and God has moved her heart about the trafficking issue. We had a wonderful meeting together talking and sharing dreams and callings from God. I can see us moving together in this. She is incredibly sharp and willing to work wherever the need is, so I thank God for this connection.

This past Wednesday Shauna, our teacher, and I were called into immigration. Basically, they were going to deny our permits, but our lawyer convinced them to wait until the boss gets back from vacation this week. The boss has said that he will grant them to us. (Andy has his permit, but we are still waiting for our permit). So I ask you to pray for this in the coming week.

Monday evening Pastor Jeff Anderson from Rapid City, SD arrives for the week for the Molodva's Pentecostal Union pastor's conference. Please pray that this is a great week for Andy, Jeff and others to encourage the pastors and also to help them to grow in their vision and leadership. Pray also that Pastor Jeff and his staff member traveling with him have a safe and uneventful time in travel to Moldova.

And lastly if you will pray for our health. I feel like we've had a very healthy winter, but last week Andy had a bug and the same bug bit me today so right now I'm in bed feeling very tired, but unable to sleep. Pray that God keeps the girls healthy this week. I keep thinking that 2 years ago I ended up with a mattress on my floor for all 3 girls the week of the pastor's conference as they were all sick at the same time.

God is good through all that we do and he is keeping us in his hand. We thank him for his mercies that are new with each day. Blessings to you today.