Camping at the Pinery on the shores of Lake Huron

So we had an amazing time camping last weekend. The weather was incredible. Sunny, blue skies, warm...everything you could want! I had no idea what to expect...but Lake Huron is soooo cool! It looks like an ocean! We went with 10 other people. So here are some of the pictures from our trip!

So we went to see KT Tunstall perform last weekend in Ann Arbor with friends. It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. She is an incredible singer and guitar player!!! So if any of you ever get a chance to see her.... you must go! Here's an acoustic mix of one of her songs...although when she's with her whole band it is quite incredible too.

a thought about material possessions

So it's garage sale season in Michigan, and I have been wondering around looking for baby things. I don't usually buy much (for a variety of reasons), but I enjoy looking and talking to the sellers.
It's also a season of giving. Many are cleaning out their homes and giving things away to the various charities or to whoever wants it.
So a friend was cleaning out his place and has some extra tv's, clothes, and other stuff. And he told us he is giving it away to the poor. A nice thing to do of course...don't get me wrong.

So as I was getting ready I started thinking.... why do we have this mentality that the poor want our trash? We think we are doing them a favor. And in some ways we are. I love getting used stuff. But it's not about me getting a rich person's trash. It's really about the way we think about it. Sometimes we give things away because we know someone needs it, and sometimes we give it away because we don't want it. And the poor people must be able to use it, right?

So then I started thinking. What if everything I bought, I bought two of. I buy a nice shirt...and another one. I buy a car...and another one. And the second I give away to someone in need.

I guess the idea is that I am not more deserving of something because I can afford it. And also it would eliminate impulse and ridiculous purchases. I wouldn't think about how I have worked so hard and deserve a BMW.... because I would have to buy two...and unfortunately I might think, "Well, I shouldn't buy two because that person doesn't need a BMW, they just need a car." Well, I really only need a car too.
It's like I think that people who have little money should not only buy what they can afford (obviously), but they don't even deserve the luxurious stuff because they can't afford it....they chose that job, or lack there of...they just need the basics because they are well..fill in the blank. Or what are they going to do with a Gucci purse.

Well, the same applies for me. I am just wondering....if they don't need it or "deserve" it, why do I?
Jesus didn't say, buy what you want and help people in need and live how you want.
He was more of a help people kind of guy. Put others above yourself. Humble yourself. Sell everything you own and follow me.

So yeah.... I am not saying this is what I will be doing.
I am just putting it out there for discussion. And it might be something God continues to pound on my heart... in which case, I will have some surrendering to do.

May all our hearts be convicted by the massive amount of stuff we own and the great need of people around us...both of material things and of emotional things.

So where do you put that stuff anyway?

So I had a pretty intense weekend. It didn't look like it would be intense before it started, but I sometimes you get hit hard when you least expect it. We had one of those missionary dinners again. The family was amazing. They live in Uzbekistan and they have been there for 10 years. One of their latest side ministries (you have to have a reason to be in country...beyond, "yeah, we're missionaries". The Islamic government doesn't usually go for that....) is working at an orphanage for kids with disabilities... children with cleft lip, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, physical deformities and many other disabilities. The orphanage homes about 100 kids up to the age of 7. Then they go to a less than satisfactory place until they are 18. At 18 they either are let on the street or sent to a place of worse condition. The life expectancy at that point is less than 2 years. Mostly they die from starvation. Children are brought in for so many reasons....cleft lip children because they can't nurse and parents can't afford formula. DIsabilities that require surgery because they can't afford the surgeries, and of course some because of the negative stigma associated with disabilities in the community. The ideology is that the state will take care of the kids, so you don't have to. Hmmm. And the adoption system is really corrupt. You have to get all these papers signed, but to get the signature can be impossible...you might have to pay massive amounts of money, or wait until the guy stops being mad at the guy who previously signed the papers....etc... So these kids are just there. Currently they are trying to get some OT, PT and ST to come and live there to help the development of the children, but there aren't many willing to do that....obviously since they still don't have anyone. The biggest project for the upcoming year is a plan to get the kids more protein to help their development too. It sounds like they currently eat formula and a few supplements until their 7. So what the missionaries want to do is get the kids eggs, bananas, bread, and milk a few days a week. This would help boost their development soooo much. The cost of such a project is estimated at $30,000 for a year for 100 children. They would have to monitor it closely to make sure that workers don't walk out with eggs and milk after their shift as their pockets are pretty empty too.
So of course I asked a million questions and I want to hear about orphanages, but it really messes me up later. I guess pain this intense needs a place to go. My longing to help these programs is so much deeper than my pockets and my ability to help. So I have to leave it to God in prayer.... but until He lifts the burden I just kind of go numb for a day or two.
And not only did I have this experience with the missionaries, but I rented the Kite Runner to watch while David studied last night. That is one of the most intense movies I have seen in a long time. It's not like Hotel Rwanda in the brutality of losing a million people to machetes in 100 days, but it's got so many layers of pain. From the incapability of a child to stand up for his friend on so many levels and the guilt that follows that, the reaction of rejection his very best friend because of his guilt, the loss of life when the Soviet invades Afghanistan, the loss of loved ones, unreconciled pain, and the list goes on and on and on. I read the book, but I think when I read an intense book the pain comes in doses because I don't read books cover to cover in a sitting. But a movie just hits you again and again without any breaks for processing. So yeah, by the time I got into bed I was pretty torn up. I couldn't really fall asleep. And I look around and I think of the selfish things I lust after and then across the globe are these people who are really starving and live in awful communities where Islamic law rules and there's no room for anything else.
Louise always told me I have a tender heart... and I like that I feel for people, but the intensity of what I actually feel and process can be so overwhelming. I think it's definitely a way God uses something he has given me to connect with him. Because honestly if I couldn't depend on him to take away what I feel and connect with Him about the brokenness He feels, I would be well, I know what I would do because I was there 4 years ago...stuffing pain without Christ and it makes for a pretty miserable person.
So yeah, this might be the longest post ever, but sometimes I have to process before I start my day.
Hopefully I didn't depress the rest of you. :)
So today, pray for this orphanage in Uzbekistan and the desire to bring food to the kids would be met.

wedding and weekend pics

So on Saturday Luke and Katherine were married. It was great! David's family came into town and we hosted his 4 siblings...in our tiny condo with one bathroom! It was soo much fun! I am exhausted from all the events and anxiety of BIG weekends. Anyway...so I don't have much to say, but here are some pics:


Jennifer, Adrienne, and Julie


The three cousin preggos part two: December, September, August


Elijah- Jenny and Todd's 9 month old son (Jenny is pictured in the second pic...due with baby 2 in December with the dark hair!!!)


Our dear friends Frank and Jennifer who just moved to Canada.


Luke and Katherine in driving off to the reception in their Porsche!!! (well it's not always theirs!)


David and Elijah dancing!


The happily married couple and us!


The Crawford family (Adrienne, David, Steven, Mark, Jane, Dad, Mom, Caroline....oh and yes the squiggly bean in my belly!) We're almost a family of 9!!!!