My two bottom teeth

I included the top photo because it's cute, but the others showcase the lone two teeth.

Missing My Mississippi

While I feel sure that most of you are dying to get out, those of us who once couldn't wait to leave find ourselves oddly drawn back. We love it here in Vienna, but every now and then we long for the unique beauty of Mississippi. I found this video the other day on youtube and I thought I'd share it with those of you "stuck" in good ol' MS. God has made every place beautiful in its own way, even Mississippi.

Austria vs. Germany

Whenever I really start to miss my friends and family back in the States, it seems that God gives me some really cool experience over here that I otherwise would never have had. Last Wednesday some good friends of ours, the Pachecos, invited me to go with them to see Austria & Germany play soccer in the national stadium here in Vienna. I personally didn't care much for seeing the Austrian team, but I was really excited about seeing Germany.

It was a great game with Germany coming up with a 3-0 win. All of the goals were scored at the end of the field directly in front of us. I know people in the states get really passionate about college football but the level of chanting and singing at a European soccer game really beats anything I've ever experienced at an American sporting event. Here are some videos of the Austrian and German national anthems (jeered and whistled by each set of opposing fans).

This video is of the German fans chanting while the Austrian team was being announced.

7 Things about ME

Ok, so apparently we've been tagged by another blog to answer the 7 things about me.

So here we go:

Mollie :

1. I love staying at home all day long. I don't even have to go outside! There are several days where I haven't made it outside at all!

2. I love doing the dishes!! I could wash dishes all day long and I'm quite a perfectionist at it.

3. My one dream job is to repaint and distress furniture to look antique. Of course, I would have an old barn as my entire workspace and this barn would be on a beautiful property in the country :) ( I currently paint when I can....but to be full time would be amazing!)

4. I married my high school sweetheart and I'm so in love with him. He is an amazing man and I love him more everyday as he promotes me and finds out how I can use my talents in the ministry here in Vienna.

5. My favorite thing to do is play the piano for hours at night with all the lights turned off in the house and only the piano lamp on. Doing this in an empty house is even better because I can play and sing my heart out without anyone hearing. This is when I feel God....

6. I find such enjoyment in organizing and cleaning out boxes or rooms. I love to help others do this and get so excited about completely changing the look of a room or closet. Organizing is healing for me and anytime you need some help.... call me! ( unless of course you're in the States, I won't make it there for awhile :)

7. I like to jump out and scare my kids... hee hee. I'll start hysterically laughing at them to get them to laugh and then make crazy faces at them. Thomas tells everyone this is why our kids are hyper and silly. He thinks it might damage them for life, but I just can't help it! It's so fun!!! :)

Ok that's all!

I tag Erica!

We're Back

Wow, it's been a long time since we've posted! Sorry about that. Here are some updates on the family.

Our boys continually amuse us and they always have something up their sleeves! Thad loves playing with Ian and they chase each other around the apartment for hours. Ian wants to do everything Thad does and can barely stand to eat or take his bottle if Thad is walking around playing.

Recently, I (mollie) started getting up before my children and enjoying some quiet time. This sunrise greeted me one morning and I couldn't resist capturing the moment. I love this alone time to think, read, & pray. It has been my life saver for getting through the day and accomplishing the tasks required. If you don't do this, I highly encourage you to try and wake up with the sun! Your kids will thank you!

Thomas and I are well and thinking through our plans for the year. We desire to come to MS to visit family and friends this summer. Would you pray with us as we make final decisions about plane tickets and such. We want to honor the Lord with the finances He's given us and at the same time honor our family's desires to be with us. Thank you for praying with us!

We'll post more about the students activities very soon. A lot has been going on and we look forward to sharing all of it with you.

Random pictures from the Holiday Season

Mom & Dad at their first castle

Thad deciding that he really doesn't like sledding

This picture speaks for itself

Thomas took me to Venice for my Christmas present

Shock & Awe

Last year we made the discovery that New Years Eve (Silvester) is kind of a big deal here in Vienna. Apparently everyone in the city that is old enough to use a lighter shoots fireworks. This is a city of 2.1 million people so that ends up being a whole bunch of explosions that being around 6:00pm and go for about 7 hours. Things obviously pick up at about 11:30 and are really consistant until 1:00am.

This footage was taken right around midnight. We also had some extra entertainment from some Austrian guys who were across the street in the Lidl parking lot. They had obviously partaken of a large quantity of fermented liquids. This definitely added to the joy of New Years as one or two fireworks managed to go off in the crowd of Austrian guys but thankfully no one was hurt. It sure was fun to watch.

The VCS Office

In lieu of the Writer's Guild strike, all of us here at VCS have been deprived of our favorite American TV show, The Office. This video was the idea of Salil and David, two of my soccer players. They are currently in a video editing class taught by my friend Matt and so this is the first of a series that we will be working on.

All of the "stars" of the episode happen to have a break during the video class block so it enables us to shoot all of the footage. You may not get some of it because it's VCS humor but I think there are enough Office parallels that you should enjoy things.

Christmas

Some more Christmas pictures!

Thad was beating his Dad up with his new sword!

Munchkin Pictures/Video

Here are some Pre-Christmas photos of the boys as well as a video shot by Thad without Mom and Dad knowing.

On the 23rd Mollie took Tom, Karen, and Thad down to the Christmas market at Schonbrunn Palace. I was left with Ian and a grocery list so we bundled up (it was like 25 degrees) and headed over to Merkur in our umbrella stroller. Ian loved it and he just looked so cute that I had to take a picture.
Christmas Eve our friends the Pachecos brought us a Christmas basket full of American goodies. It was an amazing gift that included things we don't usually get to enjoy like Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, Rice Crispy Treats and various other things. Before he left I made delivery boy Oscar take a picture with his buddy Thad.

Finally, we came across this video as we were loading Christmas pictures on to the computer. This is Thad's first major film production and it was accomplished all while no adults were present. We aren't sure how he got the camera in the first place much less how he got it to the video setting and actually took footage. However he did it, here is a small glimpse in the world of Thad. He starts off by looking at all of his Christmas presents, then moves to looking at his reflection in the TV, and finishes looking at Ian and telling everyone what he's doing although apparently no one was listening.

My Parents are COMING!!!!!!!!!!

They'll be here in 3 days!!! We are so very excited to share Christmas and Vienna with them. Also, my Dad will spend his 58th birthday here in Austria! That's pretty monumental and I'd say it's about time he made it to Europe :)

Thad can't wait to see Granddaddy & KK..... especially since his chocolate number 18 can be eaten that day! He has this advent calendar which has doors that hold chocolates. One for each day leading up to christmas and my parents come the 18th...which is the magic number and special chocolate we've been waiting for. :)

Also, Thomas finally shaved his head, which we are all thankful for. It will be funny though as it continues to grow out with blond tips!

So, we have been doing something every night this week! It is such fun going to parties, having cookie exchanges, entertaining students, Christmas concerts & of course the famous markets here during the holidays. It is beautiful here this time of year with decor on every window and chandeliers hung along the Graben downtown. We love it!

In all the excitement and fun, it may be awhile before any posting gets done. So, beware and hold out until January if necessary.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Blondes Have More Fun

...at least that's what I've been told and so I decided to try it out. What actually happened is that I decided to be a guinea pig for a marketing campaign put on by the Senior Class to help raise money for their Senior trip.

The theme was Coke vs. Pepsi, and Ad technique called "False Dilemma." You create a false competition that drives up sales of both products. Aren't VCS kids smart? Here are a few of their videos advertising the competition.

Myself and our Business manager Jeff became the face of the rival cola products with the loser (most drinks sold) having to bleach their hair. Going into the last day I (Coke) was ahead by something like 20 drinks. The Seniors alerted my Freshmen Geography students about this and they promptly pooled all of their money and purchased enough Pepsi to make me lose. The pictures at the top show the results.

The two guys who made the Coke/Pepsi vids were the ones who dyed my hair. They took lots of footage of the process and so when they compile their documentary I'll be sure to post it.

For those of you who are actually enjoying all of these videos you're in luck. In honor of the Writer's Guild strike in the states, and due to a lack of The Office episodes to watch, our VCS video class has decided to begin filming our own version. It will be called Der Office (the O will have the umlaut, two dots, over it). It should be great fun. Hopefully I'll have it up by Friday or Saturday.

It's been awhile!

Here are some pictures of the boys!

It snowed while Daddy was gone!

Well, suffice it to say while Thomas was gone for 2 weeks to the U.S., I stayed in survival mode and did not have a moment to post. Today as I was trying to do the dishes, I had a little T-rex attached to my leg pretending to bite me and slobbering all over me. It was then that I realized, "Oh yeah, that's why I accomplished nothing while Thomas was away!" :)

Spiritual Emphasis Week Videos

Here is a link to my buddy Matt Klein's website. He is the co-star if this sereies of videos with me. Just scroll down on his site until you get to the Spiritual Emphasis Week Videos. You could probabaly find them on Youtube as well.

This was a series that kind was a ton of fun. We kind of made it up as we went and filmed most the day that they had to be shown in Chapel so plot wasn't the main focus. Hopefully you'll find them as funny as we did.

Side Note: Video 3 was filmed the day after the VCS Boys beat the Staff in our annual Faculty/Student Soccer game.

http://www.kleinwelt.wordpress.com/

This Goes With The Post Below

Europe - The Final Countdown
Uploaded by hakim93200

The Final Countdown - The Longest Week EVER

DIRECTIONS: The way this post works is to hit play on the video in the above post and then read this post. Wow, our blog is so interactive.


Let me give you some advice born out of experience: Never book a trans-Atlantic flight the week after your VCS soccer season ends. This past week was insane. It began Monday with a trip to Budapest. We definately drove 2 1/2 hours to play soccer for 1 hour as our opponent had only rented the field from 4:00-5:00. That was just a bit frustrating. On top of that, we tried out a few new players and only managed a 2-2 draw against a team that we always beat.


That has kind of been the story of our season. We have had games cancelled, moved, teams not show up, and all kinds of other things that are about to drive my Athletic Director crazy. The poor guy has done an awesome job but just can't seem to catch a break. We have also only played 3 games with our full compliment of players as we have had a few key injuries and odd illnesses. We finished this portion of our year 4-4-1. Had we had all our players at our disposal I feel sure we would've had a much better record.




On Tuesday we had our second game of the week. The team came from Bratislava and didn't arrive until about 1:15 later than they were supposed to. Our field doesn't have "real" lights, only two large flood lights. Rather than cancel the game for darkness, our boys decided to play in the dark. It was hilarious for me to see our team play our best game of the year up to that point in the dark. We managed a 5-0 victory that gave us momentum going into our last game.


Friaday night we went back to Budapest to play the American International School of Budapest. It is the most beautiful high school I have ever seen. I you ever live in Budapest and have large amounts of money, I suggest you send your kids there.




The AIS schools are all 5-7 times larger than our school so anytime we can beat them is always great. We went into this game with our entire team and managed to completely outplay them. The final score of 2-0 did not reflect how well we played and how comprehensively we dominated them. Several of the parents from their school asked who we were and how big our school was. When we told them they were very suprised. It felt good to finally see my team play to their potential. We are really hoping to have a small spring season where we play some clubs and hopefully Black Forest Academy. It would be nice to add a large Christian school to our list of conquests.



Side Note: One of our players, Oscar, really likes to sing cheesy songs to get pumped up. This is where the Final Countdown comes in. Last year after our last game Oscar gave us his rendition of The Eye of the Tiger. This year it was the Final Countdown. If you've never heard the Final Countdown sung by a hispanic person I highly suggest it.


When not chasing his dream of becoming a Latino pop star, Oscar likes ot play soccer.

Thus ends the VCS Soccer season and now I can spend more time with my family.

God Provides!!!

Just wanted to post a quick update on how we're doing financially. We know so many of you are praying for us as we seek to stay at VCS longer by increasing our monthly support level. God has definitely begun answering our prayers! We not only have a new donor but some have also increased their giving. Please join with us in thanking our Father for watching over us and for giving us what we need! We are pumped and look forward to Thomas' time in MS as he fellowships with friends and family. I know it will be the encouragement we need!

T-Rex Attack

T-Rex attack is without a doubt the best title for what's happening lately in the world of Thad. Apparently the interests of children are genetic as my son appears to have the same fascination with dinosaurs that I had when I was a little boy. The interesting thing is finding materials that can help feed his interests without introducing world-view elements that we personally disagree with. Mollie has been looking on the Answers in Genesis website for some good dino videos for Thad. Maybe we are raising the future pioneer in the field of biblical paleontology. Until then we'll just have to deal with our little T-Rex ambushing us and eating us whenever he feels the need.

Funny Story: Thad "roars" when he does his T-Rex. Most people find this hilarious that a little boy comes up to them and growls and does his T-Rex hands. The kids at school all play along and run away from him, providing him with prey to chase. The unfortunate side effect of this has been that the T-Rex is now Thad's defense mechanism when he is embarrassed.

The other day I took Thad to Merkur (our local grocery store) to buy some things for Mollie. While we were in line checking out, a girl probably around my age or a bit younger got in line behind us. She of course noticed how cute That was (he is my son after all) and began to speak to him auf Deutsch (in German). As he didn't really understand her, he became embarrassed and T-Rex made his first "public" appearance. I guess I, forgetting she was Austrian, half expected her to be amused like everyone else is. I guess that T-Rex gets lost in translation some where because she seemed way more offended than amused. So we are now working on when and where T-Rex is ok and where he needs to stay locked inside our little boy's head. It may seem silly, but we want Thad to be himself but not offend people so please remember to pray for us as parents with this little guy.

Also, Mollie is having some real knee troubles. It has even gotten to the point that we are going to go to see a doctor. Please pray that this will not be serious and no surgery will be required. As you can imagine there is a real temptation to be anxious about this, especially with me leaving Mollie with the boys for 12 days.

Video Adventures

We're now even further into the 21st Century, thanks to my friends Matt Klein, Matt Richards, and John Housholder. That's right, we're digital now baby. Watch out technology world.

This is our first video of many that we hope will give you an idea of what life is like around here in Vienna. This one is just kind of a site seeing tour that we did a few weeks ago. Others will be random things that strike our fancy or other ideas that we come up with. Send us whatever feedback you have, just don't be too upset about the camera work. We're still learning after all.

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Dear Friends and Family....



We can say with confidence that God has always been faithful to us. Time and time again we can see His beautiful and good hand in all things. Whatever trial or triumph we've had to face, He has been our strength. We can say, "You are the One that we praise, You are the One we adore, You give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for..." He is truly a Wonderful, Merciful Savior.



We need your prayers as we need to make an important decision about our future here at VCS. It is our heart's desire to stay and minister and yet we lack the funds to stay.....we are really lacking the funds to stay here. God has been so good to let us be here for one year and to stay through this school year as well. Everyday we have the beautiful privilege of sharing our Wonderful, Merciful Savior with the students at VCS. AND............

Another student in our 10th grade class choose to believe Christ died for Her this past Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW, what a privilege to be here and see her face glow. That's two more kids in God's family in just a month's time. Hallelujah!!!!! Please pray for her as she begins to grow in Christ.

We want to stay and be a part of these miraculous moments when understanding comes into the hearts of these students. Pray with us as we seek the Lord's good will for our lives. Pray specifically for our financial situation.

Thomas is coming home to Jackson, MS to spend some time making contacts to raise more support for the ministry here in Vienna. Please pray that God would open doors for him and give him leads to find more supporters. If he could find 50 more people to give 25 dollars a month, we could have a substantial amount of our monthly support covered.

Sometimes, people feel uncomfortable asking for money..... it's a hard thing to do...especially when we all need it. We are simply telling you all this because this is the way God has chosen to further His gospel.

He has chosen PEOPLE....

To go

to send

to give

We look forward to seeing all that God will do.....

"Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great." Rev. 19:5

Our Growing Boys

Soccer & Spiritual Emphasis

The High School Boys with the Staff and some 8th GradersIan with one of the high school girls

While my good friend Aaron might argue that those things could never possibly fit together, somehow in God's sovereignty he made it happen. This past week was Spiritual Emphasis Week at VCS. A team from Texas came to spend the week sharing with the kids during our Chapel meetings and it was great.

of the guys, Joel Myer, played soccer all his life in Texas (so we were instantly friends). The Lord worked it out that one of our teams we were scheduled to play cancelled on us and so we worked in a game against Staff/Alumni/Friends. It was rather humiliating for us old guys. We dominated early on but soon youth took over and carried the day. The boys managed to beat us 4-0 but the game was much closer than the score.

We all had a great time and it was really awesome for the S.E.W. team to spend some quality time with the kids outside of the normal "school" setting. I really believe that God used this week to encourage many of our kids in their walk with Him. Please pray that the staff will have wisdom and discernment from the Lord about following up with our kids who responded to the S.E.W. team.

2V Emotion

This video is for Emotion Water (flavored carbonated water). Kind of odd I know.

These videos are the creation of the Seniors that are in my friend Matt Klein's Video Editing class. The kids are super creative and hilarious as well. Occasionally they hunt me down to be in a video or give them some ideas.

I get to make a guest appearence in this one.

Mountain Dew VCS

The VCS Senior Store. Very excited about selling Mountain Dew which they import since it is not available in Austria.

With a guest appearance from Mr. Gardner.

Student Profile #1

We're going to try to profile a new student each week to let you know more about our kids and how you can pray for their specific needs.

Nationality: Costa Rican

Speaks 2 Languages (English & Spanish) fluently and is decent in German.

Parents: Father works in International Relations and Mother works at VCS.

Christian's family are all believers. He has an older brother and sister as well as a younger sister.

Christian plays soccer and basketball and is in all Honors classes at VCS.

Prayer Requests:

-Christian's older brother is getting ready to graduate this year and possibly go to the States for school. They are very close and this will be hard on the family.

-Christian is in a position to be a real leader in his class. Pray that God will use people to affirm those leadership qualities and that Christian will show Christ to those in his grade.

-Pray that God will begin to show Christian how he wants to use him in the future. Christian is only a 10th grader but is beginning to think about what he will do for college and in his future.

September Class Party

Thomas showing the boys that even though he's old, he can still beat them at video games.

Also sporting his new hair do (or lack there of)

From Left: Kristen (USA), Paola (Mexico), Mariam (Pakistan), Cate (USA), Keziah (Kenya)

The guys piling on the trampoline.

Becca West, one of the other class sponsors, holding Ian and hanging out with Marcus (USA)

As most of you know we are sponsoring the Sophomore class here at VCS. One of the cool things we get to do is to have activities that promote class unity. We are really excited about this because we are attempting to do something a bit different then how things have been in the past.





Historically, VCS classes have raised money throughout their high school years for a Senior trip. Usually the classes have gone to beaches or into the mountains. We have decided to see if our kids would like to do a service trip. It would still be a relaxing time spent with friends, but would focus on serving others and much as enjoying things ourselves.



We have decided that we as the 10th Grade class will try and set a new standard for class unity and service and all of this starts with the community that we can create among each other.



Last night was the first of many gatherings that we will have. It was exclusively a fellowship time that involved among other things, the kids telling Mr. Gardner that his hamburgers were burning and other kids running as they were chased by Thad the little T-Rex. It was great to spend time with the kids outside of school and see how they interact with one another. The kids ate 23 burgers and 18 pieces of chicken. They like Thomas' cooking.

Staff Retreat Worship

One of the German songs we sang during our retreat!

Staff Retreat

This past weekend was our Staff Retreat at Lindabrunn, a sports facility outside Vienna. We had a wonderful time of fellowship, worship and time in the Word. It was great to be unified as a staff and to be reminded that we are here to work together. As we go through each day, it's hard to remember our purpose for being here, especially when things get tough. But this weekend was designed to affirm each of us in the gifts God has given us, challenge us to look for ways to let our staff know we love and care for them, and to stay unified as a team through Christ's strength. It is so easy to choose to be negative and allow ourselves to bring others down. When we are walking with the Lord though, evil cannot tear us down or use us to bring others down. Please pray for our staff and for Thomas and I as we are spiritually attacked on every side. There is a true spiritual battle within the walls of VCS and it affects everyone involved.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thess. 5:16-18

"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. Brethern, pray for us!"

1 Thess. 5:24-25

Although not pictured, Mollie was able to be on the team that lead the portion of worship time in music.

Challenge for Prayer

"Austria is a cultured nation famed for its music, art and beautiful scenery. Yet Austrians need a personal faith in Christ, and only a small minority have clearly heard how they may find one. Over 75% of the population is Christian in name, but with no meaningful link with any church, yet an estimated 80% have had dealings with the occult. The high suicide, abortion and alcoholism statistics indicate the spiritual need. Pray for this nation to be set free by the power of Jesus."

"The aggressive activities of New Age movements, Eastern cults, Jehovah's Witnesses ( more numerous than evangelicals) and Mormons have gained a considerable following among younger people. Pray both for the nullification of these efforts and for the release of those ensnared."

-from Operation World, section on Austria

HOT lunch and more...

10th grade class


Well, we've been doing so many things since school started we haven't even taken time to update the blog! ooops! So, here's a little wrap of what's been going on.....

Ready, set, GO!

First off, we had a wonderful start to school and seeing all the students was super fun. Some of them were taller and some looked sooo different and of course there were new students entering the 2007-2008 school year.

Thomas had his 27th birthday and we were able to go out to eat with some friends without the kiddos! He is feeling super blessed to spend another birthday here in Vienna doing what he loves to do....teaching and mentoring students.

Our first big event was HOT LUNCH. Each class gets to make the hot lunch for the day in the cafeteria at least once a month. This is a fund raiser for the class. OUR class we sponser is 10th grade. Thomas and I had such fun helping to make black eyed peas, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy in the kitchen. We call it country vittles! :) The students help out and then serve during their lunch time! It's a big job and we definitely have to clean up the industrial kitchen but we get to use the super dishwasher!.... so it's a pretty big job.

Next, Thomas had his first soccer game and the boys won 4-0 against ICSB.... they are the christian school from Budapest. ( i'm sure he'd post more... but you know...)

Mollie has taken over the middle school praise band this year and they lead the singing time during the worship hour on Fridays. This is called CHAPEL :) The students love it and she's had such fun singing and practicing with these middle schoolers to prepare for Fridays.

Also, this past Friday was back to school night and Thomas had the privilege of meeting several of the parents who were able to come. Some of the parents are such an encouragement to us as we are affirmed over and over that we need to be here so they can do the work God has called them to do. We are support missionaries to those who still pastor churches, work with refugees, work undercover in countries that don't allow missionaries, and those that serve in the international government offices. What a blessing to meet these incredible people who have given up so much to allow God to use them as He pleases.

Our home bible study has also started up again! We have been privileged to host a group of about 16 people in our home for an inductive study on the book of Mark. Last night was such a blessing as we discussed the first chapter. WOW! Jesus is incredible and the example He leaves us is so beautiful.....

Well, maybe that catches you up!

hopefully we will have shorter posts that don't take so much time to read!

This is a test :)

I'm trying to figure out this video thing. So this is a video taken before the summer. Of course Thad is bigger and Ian is here now! Enjoy, while I try to make more videos of our kids and the students at school!

Our Boys

We just wanted to share some photos of this summer in the States. The boys are getting bigger everyday and we love watching them grow!

Thomas was able to grill a lot while we were home and he really enjoyed the freedom of grilling in our own backyard! Of course, one of the fun things Thad did this summer was ride the golf cart and here he is sitting with Salil, the VCS student we brought home with us for a portion of the summer.

Ich bin ein Turfuhrer "I am a tour guide"

They asked me to give the new staff a tour of Vienna. So I pretended to be an expert for a few hours (they are all new and so if I said anything that was incorrect it's not like they'd know the difference anyway).





The above picture is the Rathaus. I know that doesn't sound like a place you'd want to hang out but auf deutsch (in German) it's city hall. It is without a doubt my favorite building in Vienna. When I look at it I see beauty...elegance...it literally puts me in awe. I realize that someone designed it and that many people spent time building it. Tour guides have to be very observant.

I'm reading a book right now called The Velvet Elvis by a guy named Rob Bell. You should all read this book. I don't agree with everything in it, but it has been a breath of fresh air in terms of "Christian" books. One of the things he talks about is the kavod of God. Kavod in Hebrew means glory but actually denotes weight or significance. Isaiah says, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty. The Earth is filled with His glory."

We can see the glory of the Lord all around us. David said, "The Earth is the Lord's and everything in it." And later he prayed, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence."

Rob Bell points out in his book that some people think missions is "taking God somewhere." While I somewhat see what people are saying, if we have truly understood the scriptures we realize that God is all around us. Not in some pantheistic way, but to quote Steven Curtis Chapman, the "fingerprints of God" are all around us. And not just for us believers, but unbelievers as well. The Earth is literally FILLED with His glory. Look for it.

Paul understood this. He brought the truth and the Word of God, but he also pointed out everyday things. He was a tour guide. If you read Acts 17, Paul observes that the Athenians had many gods they worshipped and thanked for all of the good things in their lives. Paul tells them that there is one God and He is the source of all of these things. He even goes on to quote one of their poets in sharing the truth with them. Paul meets the Athenians where they are and speaks to them in a way they can relate to. He infuses all of the life experience and practice of their reality with meaning by linking it to God, the most real thing.

I'm learning that I'm not taking God anywhere. He's really big and doesn't need a ride from me. He is already intimately involved in what is going on in the lives of my kids. In Colossians it says that in Christ all things hold together. In a sense, anything we do or experience involves God's active presence.

As Christians maybe we need to stop trying to "take" God and start to "observe" what God is already doing. In Romans it talks about all people having a knowledge of God from what has been made. Let's start relating to people from the good things God has placed in their lives. The things that surround them that they can't deny. Let's speak the truth to them in love and make ourselves available to God for His use in other people's lives.

So this weekend I was a tour guide. I think I'll keep trying to be one the rest of this year.

Gettin' Oriented

One of the parts of being a teacher that I have never enjoyed is Staff Orientation. I know that it is a fact of life that whatever job you have, at some point you have meetings about how to do the job you already know how to do. We all deal with it. I am not special.

I mention this to tell you that at VCS my experience with orientation is completely different. So far we have spent time dealing primarily with figuring out how best to integrate our English as a Second Language kids into our school in a better way. Because of the international student body makeup, teachers at VCS face many unique challenges. As a staff we are committed to helping these new kids integrate into VCS so that we can share God's love with them.

Please pray for our school as we integrate new staff and students into this little corner of the world where Christ is building his Church.

We're Back

You're probably wondering why you are seeing a Taco Bell logo on our blog.

Let me tell you a story.

We've been back in Vienna for over a week now but actually arrived a day later than scheduled because we missed our flight from Washington DC to Vienna thanks to a ground stop. After spending 3 1/2 hours waiting in line I found out that the airline wasn't going to put us in a hotel. This was slightly disheartening. Mollie, having spent the time taking care of two little boys, by this point was bordering on insane.

God took care of us through the aid of a stewardess who had noticed Mollie's plight and had been helping her with the kids. I let her know that the airline wasn't going to help us and she immediately made one of the United Reps give us hotel vouchers. It was awesome. Sometimes God uses the most random people to bless you.

We finally made it to the Dulles Holiday Inn and unloaded everything. All was well. Except for the fact that we hadn't eaten since around 3:00 and it was now 11:30 and of course the hotel restaurant was now closed.

Being the gracious provider that I am, I set out on foot in search of food for my starving family. Burger King and McDonald's were closed but just around the corner shining with a neon brilliance that would've rivaled the Las Vegas strip was a Taco Bell. Two Mexican Pizzas, 3 soft tacos, and 3 regular tacos later all were all stuffed and soon asleep.

Our flight to Vienna went off without a hitch and we arrived early on Sunday morning. It was 65 degrees when we landed for all of you in Mississippi. :-)