Scotty's coming home!

Chalking up the tree in the front yard.

I just talked with Scotty in the Toledo airport and am pumped that his road trip has come to a close.  It's been an incredible 2 1/2 weeks for him- reuniting with old friends, supporters and family members.  The Desiring God pastor's conference was a great time of encouragement and personal challenge for him and a special time of sharing this world with our good friend and Bolivian pastor, Edgar.  I know Scotty got a kick out of showing him some of his favorite Minneapolis haunts, as well as introducing him to special people that have been praying for our ministry and for Edgar and his family for years.  I wish I could have been there to see Edgar piling up his Target cart with all sorts of stuff that is nicer quality and cheaper here in the U.S.- I kind of have this mental image of that old game show "Supermarket Sweep" (I might be the only nerd that really liked that show) where people are racing around the aisles of the grocery store trying to buy as much expensive stuff as possible in order to win.  Anyway, I just keep thinking how gracious God continues to be in every aspect of this time in the states and how smoothly things lined up for him as he hopped around 4 states and back.

While he was away, he got some positive feedback about the blog that he shared with me.  I've been especially aware since our experience with Zion that there are people out there (you know who you are) who read and even follow the blog that I have never met or spoken with.  I suppose everyone likes a peek into the private world of another person who has dealt with struggles very much like their own.  Part of why I write this blog is because of a strong conviction that Christians need to be real and transparent with one another- and the world at large.  I firmly believe that God can handle our occasional doubts, questions, fears, irrationalities and general quirks.  I think He receives a lot of glory from those things being worked out as He sheds light into the dark places where we sometimes walk.  I hope that's what's happening here from time to time.  Maybe I've mentioned it before- but it gives me pause to realize that there is an audience larger than what I once realized before me.  I've been thankful to know that God has used the blog to encourage others who are struggling, but freak out just a little on the inside to think that maybe I'm supposed to be writing this deep and completely interesting material or people will wander away.  Lots of times, the blog is just a simple "here's what I've been up to" for those who really know me and care.  So, I suppose I'm just thinking aloud again (however loud the world wide web is) about this thing called Scotty and Lisa's big fat blog (can you tell we put a lot of thought into the name when we first started?) and what its purpose is.  Take from it what you will.

I'm 5 weeks from J-day- Jubilee's birthday.  5 weeks!  Did this pregnancy go by already?  Thinking back over the last 34 weeks sets off an explosion of thoughts in my mind like little pieces of confetti that have words on them and are laying around on the floor waiting to put into some comprehensible order.  Does that make sense at all?  My mind often tries to compare the thoughts I had at the beginning of the pregnancy of what it might look like with thoughts on this end of what actually happened and it all becomes a crazy mess of thoughts and emotions.  What continues to be outstanding is God's amazing grace through it all.  It sounds trite to say it- but I can't deny that it's true.  I didn't dare to even think or dream that things could have worked out as well as they have.  And even now, as I get big and round and sore with the growing baby in my womb, I still struggle to think it's all going to work out just right.  Every tightening of the belly brings a slight twinge of worry.  Am I going into premature labor again?  Should I be timing this?  Has this been happening a lot today without me noticing?  Would it be bad if it did?  Women are champion worriers.  God tells us real clearly not to do this.  I'm trying real hard to change this innate tendency and rest in His goodness.  And, I'm also trying to get myself motivated to get things in order before out daughter comes.  I need to borrow some clothes and baby equipment, wash little outfits and fill out hospital paperwork.  I probably should go ahead and order the cloth diapers we're going to use, even though it might be a few months after she's born before we launch into them.  I'm getting quite excited to meet our little girl- I already feel like she's part of the family!