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Confession of a Home School Mom

Okay, I have a confession... even though I am a home school mom ....I am TERRIBLE at math!!! So, David ( who is AMAZING with numbers and life in general) is not here to calculate the percentages from our report to update you tonight! - I can tell you that we are only $6,000 away from our OUTBOUND budget. THIS IS A HUGE PRAISE!!!! Thank you Lord ! We are still needing our monthly support partners to grow. HOWEVER, we are thrilled to be up to about 49-50% . I will give you the official numbers soon. If you feel inclined , we would be grateful if you would join us in praying that this number grows from the many seeds that the Lord is scattering in regards to his love for the people of Guatemala and the Evans family in sending us overseas on our fathers behalf. We are humbled.

On a funny note.... I overheard two of my teenagers talking in the kitchen about the third one who had offended one of the two ( are you still with me?) I heard " Ah, you know you still love him? " .." HUmmm" .... "Ah, come on. Down deep inside you love him." ..... Yeah, okay ...maybe....way, way, way deep down inside."...... I couldn't help but giggle to myself and tell myself at least they didn't say NO. It's the SMALL words of love that are encouraging when you have 3 teenagers all three years apart.

melinda

Schools out for Christmas! I'm back to blogging

Wow! Is it really possible that the whole month of November and most of December have gone? That's what's on the calendar and we do have a Christmas tree up so... it must be true! Our family has been soo busy since I came back from China. What an amazing trip that was ! Truly, my most exciting adventure so far. We were able to be a part of 4 people beginning their walk with God and our friends have just emailed that 16 more have come to know the Lord! Plus they have held a translation class for villagers from many different areas of China! Gods' word is going out !!!! This is HUGE and we praise God with them for what they are witnessing there!

Here, at the Evans home, we have had a really different holiday season. Different in great ways. For Thanksgiving , our family(David , the children and I) shared Communion together. It was beautiful. We read the Communion passages from the Bible and went around the table sharing what we were thankful for. Precious. We were able to travel to Chattanooga, Tn and participate in the writting of the 30 year anniversary edition Bible for NIV. They are compiling every verse of the Bible in handwriting from individuals all over the country. This Bible will be available in the Fall of 2009. Grayson and I both wrote a verse. This was so exciting to me... We went from there to Build a Bear and our little guys and Grayson stuffed bears and rabbits, gave them hearts and little voices. Eli loves to make his bear growl right when he gets into bed. I was getting on to him for continuing to push the paw when he so sweetly looked at me and informed me that he was just saying "good night". Of course, why didn't I understand that ?

And all of the fun continues..... as of yesterday at 1:00 we are out for Christmas ! I think that I might be more excited than the children. I have a ton of plans... scrapbooking, reading, making a blanket with Grayson, making cookies...nothing that has to do with a text book for TWO weeks!!!

Things are growing by leaps and bounds with our ministry support! We receive our weekly reports on Monday so I will post where we're at Monday night ( since we have no school !!SMILE) . We also have heard that if we have our support at 100% by May 3rd then we can almost be sure that we will land in Guatemala JUNE of 2009!!!!!!!! It takes 30 days to process our visas, get tickets, pack our 16 Rubbermaid tubs (smile), to stop pinching ourselves, etc... this is a call from the Lord that has been working itself out in David and I for about 8-9 years now. We are Sooo ready to go! If you are a part of our team BLESS YOU ALL for jumping on board !!!! Thank you for allowing us to ALL be a part of what God is doing in Guatemala. If your not a part and desire to be WONDERFUL ! You can sign up and find out about us at www.fh.hcstafflist.org... just look for the Evans family. You can also google Food for the Hungry and read up on the wonderful things this amazing organization is doing to share the gospel of Christ in the hard places of the world in really unique and practical ways. In my words, they are changing hearts through changing lives.

Praise be to God from whom ALL blessings FLOW,

m

Bye .... for now !

Bye for now! I'm off to *hina! Due to my host and their opportunities I will not be posting from there but will try to load lots of photos... I'll have to wait until I come back to fill in the details ... so please check in and bye ....for now! * PS... The back pack is ALL of my stuff for 2 weeks in a foreign country!This is a FIRST for me. I'm usually the one with the trail of suitcases behind me just in case... this time...I'm practicing for Guatemala.

I love you all,

Melinda.....off to a foreign land to share a little of what everyone needs....the song "He's got the whole world in HIS hands" comes to mind. Catchy tune huh?

1)I will extol the *or* at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2)My soul will boast in the *or*; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3)Glorify the *ord with me; let us exalt his name together.

*salm 34:1-3

Love...It's a GOD Thing!

Whew! Where do the days go? Seriously. Where did last Monday go , much less yesterday? With life seemingly to be going by so quickly I can do, do, do until I've filled up my day and never get "done". HOWEVER, I can say that the things that I consume my days with are different than they have EVER been before. Oh, I have done some of my things before on occasions when they have been socially expected or when I just happened to have a few extra hours (rare with 6 children) but there is something so special about this season in our life that I never dreamed would be the most glorious of these days. What days? These days of wrapping up living here in the United States. No, we have no news on dates, no unannounced news but with the holidays on us we are keenly aware that this will be our last Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, home school year with a library accessible (sounds dumb but HUGE), last round of birthdays here, youth group, children's choir, our new SMALL group and Bible study groups......ahhhh.....honestly, it can take your breath. The ONLY thing that makes seeing the end of things coming is the hope that God WILL give us BEAUTIFUL and FULFILLING new "things". So, the thing that is so special about these days that we are living in is the unjaded love that we have for the SO MANY that we are blessed to be getting to know and those that we have known for years. Our friends stay so close to our hearts that you just make time to text and say I love you... you call and make a point to get lunch on the calendar, you drive in the car and think of the beauty that they add to your life and the richness that comes from the few minutes you're together. I , personally, am learning that true love for someone comes not from the time you share as much as the time that you've invested. The time spent in prayer for the other and the words of encouragement are much more valuable than the coffee at Starbucks or the soup at Duffy's(however, both are WONDERFUL). Our most beautiful friendships are the ones that are hundreds, thousands and tenths of a mile away. They are the people that PRAY for us, financially support us, hang out with us......God spoke to me so sweetly just the other day about a special person in my life. We are not together often at all HOWEVER she is on my heart regularly and I LOVE to watch Jesus being lived out in a very real fashion in her life. I feel like in these GREAT and ADVENTUROUS days that we are in I am FINALLY realizing what it is about LOVE that brings so many people into itself in our lives ....it's just GOD. His beautiful plan for community and a sense of family that ties us all together and will make worship what he has planned for us in heaven .... it's just God and his love working itself out in our lives and the lives of those around us EVERY day. Who do you love? Did you tell them today?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Love,
Melinda

Psalm 18 :28-36

28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect;the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

31For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.

Psalm 18:28-36

Yesterday a dear friend found out that her husband has cancer . I cannot say a word that has any value above the value of our Fathers word and so that is where I went this morning and found this great nugget of truth for my soul. My prayer is that it will encourage you and speak to your soul as well. When we feel like we can not do anything it is imperative to remember that God can do it all! Whatever HIS all is...........we just have to find a place of rest in that.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.

My deepest love goes out to those who are hurting today. Just remember vrs 29... with my God I can scale a wall...even if the wall is cancer.

Peace,

Melinda

This is an unusually quiet Sat. morning at my house. Having time to get on the computer while the sun is up is very odd. I had a wonderful time with the Lord this morning and found myself in awe of the salvation that has been extended to me. These days we are seeing the Lord grant us many miracles using many people. Our faith in God is ALIVE , ACTIVE and REAL. I have a very real sense of knowing that God is using this time of building up for the days that are to come when we travel and live in a foreign country. While the country of Guatemala is foreign to us , to our Lord, it is common. The faith that he is building up here is the same faith that we will call on in uncertain times that are bound to be ever present with this journey we are on. I don't know how you might have come across my little spot in cyber space but I have to tell you the TRUTH...

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body , I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
Galatians 2:20-21

So where are you at with that?...... Just something to think about. Who ever you are.... you are loved and worth great value. Grab a Bible and check it out! Have an awesome Saturday!

M

How Exciting!!!

How exciting!! Our support team is growing by leaps and bounds. Last night I actually laid my head down for sleep and caught a deep breath...wow! We're really going to Guatemala! I want to wait and share the exact numbers in our November newsletter so I am keeping it a secret for now but I can say that we are over our numbers from the last letter by more than 10% in our outbound budget and our monthly budget has raised at least 5% so far!!!!! HOW EXCITING!!!!

I found this quote from a missionary who is serving in Mexico. He had this on his newsletter:

regarding missions... "you are either called to go down into the well or you are called to hold the rope. If you can't go yourself, what you can do is send someone down who is called and willing to go." .... Blessings,

The Evans ..... willing to go down in the well.... will you hold the rope? If so... check us out at http://www.fh.stafflist.org/.

I Found 2 New LOVES Today....

Finding one new thing that you love in one day is awesome...Finding 2 new things that you love in one day is WONDERFULLY SPECIAL!

1. MOPS- I had the blessings of speaking to this beautiful group of women today ! Wow! Where was this when I had all of my guys as preschoolers. I was so encouraged to see these women really aspiring to be GREAT mothers! very encouraging...

2. Ru Sans has take out! (sushi)..... David and I saw FIREPROOF last Friday and it was AMAZING ! Also amazing but on a totally insignificant level (okay, it has value because it was food) anyway, sushi at Ru Sans! We had incredible company and great food after seeing a real heart moving movie...My mind drifts back to the movie even just typing it ..(focus)...anyway, I thought I would stop in to the restaurant and see if I could get a roll to go ...David thought not but ... I got it! I'm so addicted to this! I should say that we've only tried 3 things on the menu of 200+ possibilities but it's all good... I'm stretching and for anyone who knows me really well...stretching in the food department is, well, stretching! I'm a bit "just give me the same " kinda girl... when I find something that I like I don't venture to far from it ..not this time. I'm in .... yes, there is a place for sushi in my life.....now if only I could work in MOPS ...no preschoolers though ...at least, not today (smile)...

I hope that the Lord will put something new in your path these next few days to stretch you , encourage you and in general ... just give you the shout out that life is all about new. You get a new day, a new chance, a new life... The kinda stuff that the Lord will lead you to discover and love will never leave you feeling like you just ate raw fish.... instead, you'll just take your learners bite and probably go back for more... only next time,it'll be take out for the road.

Adios-
Heading for Guatemala one day soon ( We have a promise from the Lord),
Melinda

Adventure Racing

This past Saturday Cooper, Jacob and their youth leader were in an adventure race here in our town. They had to run about 4 miles, bike about 8 miles and canoe 3 miles. They WON the race!!! What an awesome accomplishment! We are so proud of them!

So, our boys were in this adventure race.... Once the race started they had to run to a designated area and scavenge to find their papers .Then they hopped onto their bikes, then changed into their running shoes and ran for a while , then bike again, then loaded their canoe and THEN ran to the finish line. In between all of this, they had points where they had to sprint up hills,etc and get a card punched. Then after they finished the race, they had to answer trivia questions about things they came across while on their "adventure". (whew! ) I couldn't help but relate it to this great adventure race that the Evans are on. We have received our call and have been shot out into the race much like a race horse ..or ..an adventure racer. We seem to always be turning, changing, adjusting, growing yet steadily, focused on the end ... which the obvious would be Guatemala. The largest difference may be that at the end of all of this support raising we may reach our goal of Guatemala and be the ones to ask all of the questions....like......why didn't we eat more Tex-mex before leaving, why didn't we grab that last thing at Wal-mart? why didn't we order that kitchen ware that we wanted (okay, that is... that I wanted because I have a weirdness about cooking in metals that I can't identify..weird, I know) ... Anyway, what an exciting turn everyday seems to present and yet God continues to follow us...not like poperatce (sp?)but like a father.... eternally concerned for the runner, the distractions, the endurance.... And the best part is that although the race is there to be run.... We've already won... God secured the victory through his son Jesus ! A crucifixion paid it all and resurrection that said it all ..we run...not in vain but in GLORY.... Glory that presents peace when all is exhausted ...Glory that will be with us forever .... AMEN

No T-shirt required ,

The Evans ...aka... Adventure Racers for Jesus

Go LIONS!!!!

You can't really take in the Fall season without a little football. Jacob is playing football with a local Christian school and LOVING it! We are quite the site ... the eight Evans all showing up with their Lions T-shirts and water bottles in hand. We had a man stop us at the last game and ask if we were a home school group. David and I laughed and told him ..no, just our family. The man had such a funny look on his face. Little did he realize that we have a few friends that could make our little clan look like a TINY group.... W's,A's and S's...SO, if you haven't felt the cooler air outside, you should take a few minutes and throw the ball around with your kids, friends or pet and celebrate this great American game! GOOOOOO UCS !

***update on support raising****

Things are moving along! We are excited to say that we are at about 52% of our outbound budget and a little over 30% of our monthly budget. We (David and I) have set a leave date of March 1, 2009. This is a target date set by David and I (not FH) just to help us as a family try to tie up ends with the holidays and our school year. It is hard to believe that the Lord may be willing for us to leave as early as 6 months from now . It's hard to believe that we are making the largest move of our lives and we are not in the smallest way in control of any of it. What an awesome place to be! I have cried at realizing the time is fleeing and David and I have rejoiced sweetly when we see the Lord bringing our support in. This adventure is a rollercoaster of emotions and I'm sure that we ain't seen nothin' yet! (smile).....What kind of faith would it take to just read a sign in the sky or live out life following a yellow brick road? .... As for me and my house we will serve the Lord....even when things aren't so clear.. we know God to be faithful!

Thank you for droppin' in on our blog. I have no idea where the southern sayin' came in ...but for tonight .... good night yall!

Melinda

Lord, grant me the endurance to be patient....

Why is it that we can so easily lose focus? How easy I can get off course and become so busy that I just "do" life. I do the whole check list thing....write out my schedule, check it off ,carry things over onto tomorrow's list that didn't get done......I forget WHO I'm doing this life for... my confusion becomes David and the children when my greatest task in life is to love the Lord with all my heart and draw others to him by making God look good...No! not through the list stuff....just in loving and allowing to be loved by those around me. I am so blessed ! I LOVE being a wife, mother and sojourner for the Lord!

Lord, grant me the endurance to be patient for what lies ahead. Give me arms to embrace what lies before me today and let me not forsake the giver of it all by being so busy "doing" that I forget to be "giving". May you be glorified in our lives TODAY .

Lord, you are enough! Amen

Rain...not just for the grass!

When life gets a little wild ...aka... home school is back on for the year....it is wonderful to bring in the rain! Literally, in our new little casa we don't have a table inside. Our only table is on the back porch. After 2 weeks of wild planning, multiple visits to the copy store, scheduling and finagling 2 calendars, Spanish lessons, football practice, gym for my older guys and working all of the bugs out of our curriculum for 2 high school students,one 7th grader and still being in the process of planning for the three little ones who will be starting kindergarten next week..(whew!)...God threw in a HUGE home school kinda blessin' ! I had a candlelight breakfast on the porch with all of the children, no shoes ...just listening to the rain and hangin' out for a while before starting the madness! Thank you Lord ! I don't know if it was such a monumental deal for my children but for me ....it was HEAVENLY!

Praising God for a few wet days that were DESPERATELY needed..not just for the grass either!
M

Sobering but to be Savored...the sweet GLORY of GOD!

In my last post I indicated that summer was gone or at least on a rapid swing out. However, we still try to be getting in the last of this or that. This season in our lives preparing to go on the mission field is wonderful....wonderfully difficult at times, wonderfully graceful at times and almost always never the same day twice. I must say that in August we had 2 birthdays, our
anniversary, another child go into braces, both of our boys now in "high school" at home, 3 children starting "kindergarten" at home, a lost tooth , a wedding for my nephew and 2 huge miracles occur in our immediate family. Realizing all that God is doing in a swift amount of time will cause someone who has a real sense of temporariness to "this place" to catch her breath. I find that I almost am to the point that when walking out the door I grab my car keys, purse and camera. I'm not sure if it's just the "nester" in me (being the mommy) but we're leaving.... we are really leaving. No..no...no...we don't have a date yet and there's no news that we are not sharing with everyone at this time.... but the Lord continues to unveil his truths to us in a peaceful sense of living to the fullest, capturing the moments and befriending the stranger because this is it for a while. Our address here is temporal. Why does it take a drastic change in our lives to REALLY hunger for sweet closure to the ends of the days? to find out where the person you met really is with the Lord spiritually.... David and I were in Walmart tonight ... there was a couple in front of us who were in the self check line...David leaned over to me and said that the man was high...what?! I said...how do you know that ?.... David began to point out several things that were going on and it became VERY obvious that although most people watching me use the self check register at Walmart would think that I was on drugs...this man CLEARLY was. The very sad thing was that his wife was not and taking in all of the irrational things her husband was doing was just about to take her to the edge ...her jaw bones were clinched . Yet, at the door , the employee who checks your receipt was able to have both of them walk out the door with their "we've got it together "smile on...everything is great with us...we've paid for our groceries and our lives at home are lovely...... I could not break my stare.... Where are we going as a world ?... time is fleeing and our days are wrapping up and even in the uproar of Walmart on a Thursday night I can't go and approach this couple because my feet are frozen to the floor! Where is the sense of urgency for this place where God has me TODAY! I am challenged by what I saw and encouraged by what I've seen this week. Another story quickly, this week David and I were able to have a meal out at a local restaurant with a couple who are now going to be a part of our monthly support team . David had on his Food For the Hungry shirt and the waiter asked him if he was in ministry. After some small talk the waiter , very comfortably and boldly stated that he was a "devout atheist" and did not understand how anyone could believe in a God who would cause "such terribly destruction to the world". Our guest just so happened to be, as God had ordained it to be, a radiologist and well versed in physical science. He was able to cover some of the issues with this great guy and minister to him in truth and in spirit. Our guest and his wife are lovely people and never appeared offended or troubled by this mans opinion regarding our Lord. They smiled and laughed at his quirkiness and welcomed his humor and were a beautiful picture of God walking through this mans life and using his people (the 4 of us that night ) to engage in a great feet for this mans soul that was waging. I was only able to interject that I loved him (our waiter friend) ... the level of education required in the conversation was WAY above mine. And God , my father , knew that David and I needed company. God knew that David had the shirt to get this mans attention and our guests had the lovely attitudes and welcoming spirits that were unintimidating for this man and the head knowledge to justify some legitimate questions this non believer had. So, tonight I am overwhelmed with the fleeting of the days, the fact the God doesn't need us and yet I need him (my God) so passionately that without my salvation I think that my soul would stop breathing..even if my feet were given another day to walk in this place.

Father God, we don't deserve the gifts that you give, the view of the movement of you in others lives that we are taken into by you, opportunities to speak on behalf of your movement and saving grace in our own lives is breath taking... Yet by your stripes we are healed...by your blood we live ...and by your spirit we pursue things of a higher power that we can't explain only to tell the stranger .."I don't know the answer but I know the God who has the answer... can I pray for you brother? ...can I pray for you sister?.... Lord , find my feet movable in Walmart, find me haven hidden your words in my heart for the stranger...that all may know you who have known me...if not as their personal savior that they would KNOW that you are MINE! May my life be different God in a world that is craving for different yet it all is dressed the same.

Sobering but to be savored... the sweet GLORY of our GOD!

good night!

Summer- Going...going....gone

Wow! Where does time go? Is it just me or does it seem like every summer begins with visions of laying by water, the children playing endlessly outside with no bedtimes, no laying out clothes for a busy next day, the family having ALL of our dinner meals together, great bar-b-que ...and then...summer is gone! Back to school, bedtimes, laundry is back at the TOP of the t"to do" list... but AHHH.... schedules return. There is something so comforting to me that occurs when I can PLAN for the next day and be pretty sure that we won't deviate toooo far from it. This summer has been a very FULL season for us. Just some of the things that have taken me away from blogging (and staying up late into the evening to blog):

*Our oldest boys went to Argentina. They came home VERY sick. Jacob was in the bed w/fever,etc 7 days and Cooper for 9! (scary)
*My nephew was married to a wonderful and beautiful young lady.
*Cooper has gotten braces
*Grayson is having a little minor outpatient surgery
*David built some swing sets and tire swings in our back yard (VERY FUN)
*Jacob started playing football
*Grayson has a Saturday job
*David and our older boys went on a rafting trip
*and planning for 6 children to be home schooled next year (two in high school) whew! It's really amazing that I got anything other than this done! but I'm grateful for the opportunity !

Life is good ! God is AMAZING ! I hope that you will look forward to scheduling, school supplies, birthday parties, football and cooler weather! I know that we are!

SOLD!!!

We've sold our van ! ...Let me say ...GOD sold our van! We honestly had nothing to do with it as goes most things with this great adventure. David parked our van on the side of the road last Monday night and it was sold by the next afternoon! We now own nothing other than the things that we are storing or taking with us (excluding things like TV, refrig, washer/dryer, beds,et that we are using currently to live .These kinds of things will be sold in our yard as we are buying tickets to head out to Guatemala sometime in '09.)

Our boys are in Argentina with FPC until next week. They have been gone a week already and are having a wonderful time. I spoke with Cooper today who told me that he was enjoying seeing the many ways that missionaries are used on the international field. I think that he is recieving great vision for his opportunities that he will have in Guatemala.

This is a to the point post tonight. I'm short on time and yet feel like these are great works of the Lord going on in our lives that might interest those that pray and love us. The sell of our van and unity for our family and especially our children having vision for the mission field has been a prayer concern for a while.So to report to you that our van has sold and that our boys are "doing" their own international trip and catching a vision for international missions independent of David and I ..well, we just praise God for answered prayers! He's so HUGE and REAL!

Good night friends,

Melinda

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom! Just think... you and Kit Kittredge are almost the same age! In girl doll talk....that's really cool!

By the way...that's Grayson behind the mask. Some people will do ANYTHING to not be photoed! Just kidding... she actually made this in order to have me take her photo! I LOVE her humor!

I've Been Tagged....

I've been tagged by a precious friend and have no idea what to do(smile) . I think that I'm suppose to answer these questions. If I'm wrong then you all have just learned some very random info about me...(heehee)
What was I doing 10 years ago?We were building our dream house that we thought we would be living in "forever" ... oops did we miss that one or what?
5 favorite snacks
1.chocolate (expensive, ridiculously priced chocolate)
2.pizza(for most people this would be a meal... I could eat it at midnight or morning...whenever....it's totally snacky food to me)
3.Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge ice cream....only found (usually ) in gas stations of all places.... hey, a girls gotta go where a girls gotta go ..the other ridiculous thing about this love is that it's pretty much the only (honestly) ice cream that I'll eat... other than my father in laws homemade ice cream....yum!
4. bananas with cashew butter and chocolate chips on top(devine)
5.plain choc. chips out of the bag straight out of the freezer ( I put them in the freezer so that I won't eat them as quickly...never works...)
To Do List
*well, this was on it for the last few days
*missions stuff..call churches, go to the po box
*scrap booking crop TONIGHT! yea!!!!
*pray hard for my boys while they are in Argentina and for Grayson who is the only one here to help me while they are gone
*haircut- but cleared this one off this morning..AND bought blush for the first time in (seriously) probably 8 years..why?..NO IDEA..actually, the sweet sweet girl who cuts my hair just gave it to me as a gift. I love it ..so fun! It's sort of glittery...

5 Jobs that I've had in the past
1.dental assistant
2.waitress
3.runner for a law firm
4.home school teacher
5.home school teacher....home school teacher...home school teacher
Places I've Been ( I love this question because I LOVE to travel)
Mexico
Guatemala
China -blessed to have been there twice
San FanSisco
Rosemary Beach****LOVE THIS PLACE****
Nicaragua
Colorado
Arizona- the MOST romantic thing we've EVER done...rented a convertible and drove from Phoenix, AZ to the Grand

Canyon...awesome....every married couple should experience the AWESOMENESS and HUGENESS of Gods handiwork through a top down, Arizona day.

New York(twice)
5 random things people might not know
1.I love unique jewelry and funky shoes (neither in the budget)
2.Every year I struggle to love home schooling but then when we've made it to the end of the year I always say...hey ... we DID make ... God you can use me ..even this far out of my comfort zone.
3.I have the BEST in laws in Rome, Ga. (I know this one is debatable by many )
4.I've always wanted to be as beautiful as my BROTHER..how weird is that ?....he's just gorgeous to me!
5.I love the thought of working out and being as fit as I was when I was 20 but now that I'm MID 30ish I'm starting to just be okay with thinking about it and reading someones blog instead .
CD's I would want if I were stranded on an island.
anything by David Crowder , my IPod is loaded with him..he is sooo passionate about our Jesus! And great preaching by Tony Evans...there is no way to explain his messages ..you truly just have to hear him speak about the Lord...he makes me shout for GLORY!
What would I do if I was a billionaire?..it's so far out of my sight that I had trouble even spelling it (smile)
BUT if I were....hum....I would head on out to Guatemala with our family in some funky shoes and great jewelry... listening to David Crowder with a little Tony Evans. I would fly to __ and see Stephanie and Travis bringing home some precious children with me....I would support missionaries left and right trusting that God would be glorified in the giving and receiving..then I would give the rest away because I can truly testify that having nothing much but all of Jesus is TRULY the ONLY wealth I will ever need. My deepest desires and craziest whims are met by the one who ownes it ALL!!!!
This was sooo much fun. I'm tagging Karen H. and Jennie W.Can't wait to hear your answers....

On a Lighter Note....

On a lighter note..... Stephanie had brought over her nephew Cooper to our home one afternoon. She was dropping off toys for the children and I took the opportunity to love on little Cooper for a minute. While I was holding Cooper, Tyler, who had not noticed the baby even coming out of the car during the excitement of toys being passed out, looked up at me and asked sooo innocently...Hey, where'd ya' buy that from? We laughed sooo hard!!! Do you think his perspective on new siblings is a bit wacky? What can I expect when all of his siblings have been "bought" and brought home? ....What a beautiful picture of our heritage as Christians. We have been "bought " and brought home through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus!
Love to you all brothers and sisters !
The Evans

Go With God and Serve Him Well...

Our dear friends the Hills have left for a foreign land today. To us it seems like they will be gone forever but only the Lord can define "forever". Who are we to declare that we would know how many days we have and who we will meet or not meet again?...In Ecclesiastes it is spoken of the times we will have ...the times that we have to today and the times that are to come. What a great joy it is to know that God had found favor on us to enjoy time with such a wonderful family. Stephanie and I quickly became dear friends. We stretched our good byes out almost over a week. We had a dinner party, slumber party, swim party, 4th of July party and then who can send anyone on a plane without great trail mix? So, of course we had one last good bye dropping off trail mix as they were preparing to head for the airport today.

Travis, Stephanie and family... Go with God and serve him well. What a joy it is to know that we will meet again.

You have made known to me the path of life;you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Just a little teary-eyed,
Melinda

Happy Birthday America!!

Happy Birthday America! I can't believe that it is already the 4th of July. We have already had such a full summer. We've had CATS, VBS, grilling, swimming, great Bible study groups, scrap booking ( I am getting hooked on this.. didn't think that I would) , and miracles happening with our efforts to getting closer to Guatemala, etc. Grayson casually mentioned to me this morning "Hey, did you realize that this may be our last 4th of July in America for 3 years?" Wow... all of the sudden I had this real "seize that day" attitude. Swimming, grilling, ice cream, fireworks.. a TRUE American Birthday party was called for! I hope that you had a wonderful day and that you were able to see the Lord do something worthy of celebrating in your life!
Happy red, white and blue day!
The Evans

At Last.... Pictures

Ahhh... finally! We can share with you the miraculous makeover with our new home! This has been the most drastic change for us during our process of getting to the field so far... . Needless to say, as with ALL of Gods' gifts, this home has become our favorite! We love the closeness, freedom of clutter, and the convenience is AWESOME!

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

To God Be the Glory ...Great Things He Hath Done!

....If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and you night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.Isaiah 58:9-11

I wish that you could see David and I at our PO BOX.We really are like two children. Right or wrong, we behave like we are waiting for that one special gift you asked for at Christmas. The gift that everyone is hiding until they've watched you sweat it out and graciously accept all the other things that you didn't ask for when the question "What do you want for Christmas ?" was proposed. We almost break into a run to get to the box.
To spare you the ugly details.. today was different. I was running this sacred PO BOX run solo. I had my worship music on to a hip-hop Jesus piece, it is Friday and the sun is out, windows are down. I even sprung out of my car with an enthusiasm that caught myself and a total stranger off guard. What would be in the box? Anything?....no, nothing!

I was really pathetic getting back into the car. The sun was still shinning, windows were still down.However, I changed the music to a little David Crowder Band (mellow with deep lyrics) and the tears came. Now, I want to stop here because I DONT want you to stop here. Please keep reading. The intention is to bring you into my car so that you can get a glimpse of what God did for us today. Anyway, I am leaving the post office and began a prayer basically like this. Lord, YOU alone cause the winds to blow. Lord, YOU alone cause the waves to rise. Lord, you alone have given me life and even bigger still....you have given me ETERNAL life. Lord, YOU alone have given me this day...not for Guatemala...but for here and the people you mesh us with TODAY. God forbid me not to miss the blessing of today by seeking so much of tomorrow that this is gone...the feeling of knowing our souls thirst for a land we do not yet know ...led and inspired by a God whom we DO know and trusting you to take us out each day and to be your hands and to be your feet. In your timing God ....all of it ...only in YOUR timing. ....Amen.

I'll wrap this up quickly. A beautiful time of worship led me to an incredible day of peace and contentment and opened me up for my family to be amazingly blessed....Summit Baptist Church held their VBS this week. They chose us for their mission project and called us this afternoon to say that they have raised 5,840.00 on our behalf....Was brokenness essential for worship today? It was at the Evans home. Deep brokenness was met with great GLORY.

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
We love you all!
Blessed and Refreshed,
Evans family

PS. This donation today made 7,140.00 given to us by vacation Bible schools....never consider ANYTHING that God is invited to as a small possiblity.

We're still here! ...and still blogging.

okay... I give up ! I'm trying to post pictures of our house remodeling but can't get the photos to post... so I'll to try again later. I have mentioned in our newsletter for everyone to check out our house here because it really is amazing.. However, for the last 2 weeks I have tried to upload my photos with no luck. Meanwhile, we've had a TON of awesome things going on and need to updated everyone.
1. We LOVE our small space! What started as a "what are we doin?" has ended with a "why didn't we do this sooner?" Our children LOVE their "little brown house". I LOVE to clean our little brown house, the older guys and David LOVE to work on projects at our little brown house,etc... That saying,big things come in small packages is really true!
2.our church had VBS last week and we all had a blast! Somehow, they (our church) managed to be sooo sneaky that they surprised us by collecting $1326.52 to go towards our ministry funds. The children brought in their money all week that they had collected and I was completely SHOCKED ! ( David was in on it the night before) I could only cry tears ... I was so humbled by the moment. All week I had been watching the children stuffing money into their classes jar. When the church presented us with the gift I honestly could see the little faces that I had sat and watched that week carefully putting in their change. WOW!
3.Another church called and said that they were having a mission challenge presented to their kids and we were the ministry that they were going to help out. WOW again!
4.I met the mother of a friend who travels with her husband to do ministry in Guatemala twice a year! She was amazing! One of her daughters is serving the Lord in Guatemala and I was able to have lunch with her. She was able to give me LOTS of info that will be great to have as we get settled in. The more wonderful news is that she will only be living about 10-30 minutes away from us!
Lastly, we are up to 30 % on our support raising endeavors! This is wonderful to us and we are grateful to our team mates who are sending us out! If you think that you might be interested in sending us off or keeping us on the field with a monthly pledge you can find us at www.fh.hcstaff.org. Just look for us by last name ...EVANS FAMILY.
One last thing, I was challenged by a thought today and wanted to pass this challenge on to you ( whoever "you" are)... Are you procrastinating about acting on something God has spoken to you ? .... forgiveness, confession, acceptance, encouragement.... What if your procrastination ended today?
Hmmmmm..... it got me thinking.

Getting busy,
the Evans

God So Desires to Love On You Today!

It's interesting the way that God strokes our shoulders, rubs our heads, holds us to his chest .... all of the things that we do as parents to physically comfort our children... I am finding that God does the same to comfort this child (me) as well.

We have moved into our wonderful home that God has provided. We have been loaned a car to use the remainder of our time here in Rome while we clean, park and sell our van. We have been given meals unexpectedly(thank you !!!) which come perfectly in timeing. We have been given plants for our yard. We are reviving sickly sod( my husband is sooo talented) ...it is truely AMAZING! All of this and somehow I still felt a little twitch in my heart. What is this I wondered? How could a much loved child of Gods' have a twitch in her heart that needed something else after ALL that we'd been given ?! ... Prayer.... that was the twitch! Thank you to all of the girls who included me in a precious time of fellowship , bizarre "book talk" ( which was only bizarre because I didn't know about the SHACK before getting together...heehee) and encouragment to share the very different road we're on which is not really different ... it's just a journey in Spanish(smile). I arrived with a twitch and left with an encouraged spirit . As I type this I have to say that although it's June and almost 100 degrees somehow that makes me sound like the Grinch! (opps!) I hope that if you have a little "twitch " in your heart, a little "ping" of an empty love tank .. that you'll take this truth and share with those around you ... ask for prayer... God so desires to love on you today... and since we ( the believers in Jesus )are to be his hands and feet.... get movin' .... get talkin' ... just hang out ! After all, it is summer!!! whoo-hooo!

If April Showers bring May flowers......

If April Showers bring May flowers then what do May flowers bring? For our family it has brought a season of wonderful changes, adjustments and tidings of great joy! In just a manner of a few weeks we have sold our family business, moved into our "mission house" and therefore left a home that has great marks of Gods work in our lives inside it ( a little sad to leave for mom),seen our support for Guatemala continue to grow ( we are at 10% as I type this ) and are beginning to see that we can make plans to be in Nicaragua for field training in Sept. Our organization wants to see us at about 50% and we have great hopes in arriving at that and attending. We will be in Nicaragua for 3 weeks with the WHOLE family. This will be a hard trip in some ways. The poverty in this country is sooo extreme. Cooper and I traveled there last year and I can still smell even the stench in the communities where they have NOTHING! This awful truth also drives my heart to return and to seek out change there. I KNOW that Gods plan is not to leave it tomorrow as it was today just as he desires for our own lives. What a great question to end this post with... Am I different today than yesterday? If not, what am I going to do with Gods invitation for change?

Just a little note on the end as well.... I have just heard of Steven Curtis Chapmans family losing their 5 yr old daughter in a horrible car accident which also involved their teenage son. Please join our family in prayer as this wonderful family of God has to walk through such a horrific tragedy.

By faith I believe,
the May flowers (Evans)

First Day in the First Grade

Just a quick update on our support numbers. We are at 7.5% as of yesterday! How exciting to see this number grow. We are certain that 100% will be here before we know it since life seems to only be speeding up while raising support instead of slowing down. We are occasionally having those "last time" moments such as ... the last time that Grayson and Sarah Joy will be in their spring recital , the last summer that we will enjoy our grandparents pool, our last move to a "home " here in America, etc... The list could go on. Everything that God is doing is a gift to us and these "last times" are not always sad but do find you going .. wow... this is really going to happen... we're really leaving this place for now. It's all kind of like that day that you dropped your children off for 1st grade.... it was very weird ( for me) and yet a great day at the same time. We want our children to grow and flourish to advance God's kingdom. In the same way, all of theses "last times" could be chalked up to the first day of the first grade.... we'll never be the same!

Also, there are no photos posted because I am having trouble uploading them. So, when I figure the snag out you will be bombarded with them...hee hee... I know that we're all on the edge of our seats.

First grade butterflies in our stomachs,
the Evans

Amazing Grace!!!

Thanks for checking back in with us. It is so difficult to keep this current and I am very grateful for those of you who read and are patient with us to update every week.



Our efforts to move towards getting to Guatemala are continuing to move forward with a life of its own. Weekly, our post box will bring us a new supporter or financial gift! What great joy it is to know that God is growing the increase.



We were able to speak at our home church this past Wednesday night and had a wonderful time. We are blessed to be SURROUNDED by believers who are ALSO eager to see us off. Our home here that is being "transformed" is almost ready for us. We should be living in it around 2 weeks from now. David has sold his company as of last Thursday and is employed by some wonderful people who are so supportive of our future plans in full time ministry. And lastly, David and I attended our areas home school conference. By the grace of the Lord we have been able to purchase our children's curriculum for next year and are prepared in that area if God would see fit to send us overseas during the fall.



We are up to 5% on our monthly budget. I am trying to be so excited about this number that at first seems so small. However, I must remember that 2 months ago we had nothing! God is busy and we are trying to pace our excitement and yet stay very busy regarding raising support at the same time.



Amazing Grace... How sweet the sound....that saved a wretch like me...I once was lost but now I'm found... was blind and now I see. What an incredible message that was delivered for the believers at FPC Sunday. YES! Gods grace is AMAZING!



Saved by amazing grace,

The 8 Evans

Scattered and Smothered

We received WONDERFUL news today from our flooring helper. We have been officially declared as having NOT 800 square feet but 971 sq. feet !!!! Hallelujah!!! That's 171 sq. ft. more than we were preparing for. God is so good ! I have to say that I told David that I was going to title this weeks entry as "Scattered and Smothered" because we are becoming very (to much so) accustom to the whole living behind the Waffle House thing. They ( the WH employees) are incredibly gracious and have allowed all 8 of us and whoever is around being busy to use their restrooms, we give directions using their name and have gotten to meet some wonderful employees and customers of theirs. Therefore, scattered and smothered came into my mind as I thought about what God is doing with our casa (house). We are a bit "scattered" in ourselves and our own efforts to pull all of what we are doing off and are starting to see so clearly how "smothered " we are in God's love and grace. We continue to learn and see that we are not to wish these days away but to discover the onions, mushrooms, peppers and even the cheese that God is gracing us with. They are appearing in our lives looking like free lights, donated flooring and doors , donated windows, labor, and an entire family that came and painted the inside of our home for us... The dad took 2 days off of his job to do this for us and the have 7 children !!! What gracious love we are seeing!





He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4





Having a lovely brown and yellow day, (WH colors)


The 8 Evans

We're Makin' Progress

Whew! We have now officially had our final yard sale (Saturday) and 90% of our "things" are gone. We're makin' progress! Yes, it does feel good to have gotten rid of the extra. No, we don't miss anything... well, okay, almost nothing. David and I really miss our king size bed but that sounds a little like pouting so I'll move on.

Praises: We have rid ourselves of the "extra" . We realize how much extra we had that we didn't really need. We have sheet rock and all of our vinyl siding on the house as of today. We have a fence that encloses the back yard( this is not to keep others out but instead to keep ours in). We had a precious family volunteer to prime the entire house. And lastly, my father in law was able to get away for the week for some much earned and needed R&R . We LOVE our new home and neighborhood.

Prayer Request: for good health while maintaining twice the busy schedule as normal. Our ministry preparation even at this stage in the game is like having a full time job for both David and I. (David obviously already has a full time job). We will be speaking at a school this Thursday and are praying that God will use us to cast a vision to these high school students for God's work in missions overseas. We are praying to show them a clear, honest approach to preparing for the field. Two of our children will be going to speak with Melinda. Please pray for much success in getting the last things done to our home. This week we are priming, painting , moving cabinets into place and getting toilets ready to be set. It's ALL very exciting!

We love you all,

David , Melinda and the "painting crew"

Lima Beans and Waiting

Wow... the reality of "becoming" missionaries is really starting to take a little root in my heart. I can't imagine what that must sound like to anyone else. Let me try to clarify with a little picture. Do you remember in VBS or Kindergarten planting Lima beans? ... For what seems like so long you have a little Dixie cup with the dirt and the bean in it... you know the bean is in the cup because you drove it down in there with your finger and covered it back up, watered it, watched it, watered, watched.... finally, something green begins to show and there is no question of "what's that"? ..it's the LIMA BEAN! finally!... okay, now to make since of that illustration... we've been holding our Dixie cup of dirt for sooo long. We KNOW that God put a seed for international missions in there and covered it with Guatemalan soil and here we are... starting to see what the root has been busy doing. We are beginning to have support coming in and random things happening to bring us partners to join us in this GOD size endeavor! We are watching our little home in the west side of town being transformed , we have had yard sales( the last one tomorrow ) where we have sold 90% of our "things", we have been able to share our heart for Guatemala with several groups and lastly (my personal favorite) we have mailed out our FIRST NEWSLETTER. What mom doesn't enjoy sending info and photos of her family to 100 + of her closest friends every month? I LOVE IT!!! Thank you all for receiving the info and praying so faithfully for us ! WE FEEL IT!!!!!

My intention with this blog spot is to try to post on Sundays our praises , prayer request and just general news as we live out this crazy life of being transformed into international residents doing the very same sorta thing there as here... Loving Jesus and praying that our love for him draws others to an interest of knowing ,loving and serving him too! ( only in Spanish - hopefully sooner than later)

I hope that you enjoy the photos that I posted. They are pretty random but will catch you up to speed with what we've been up to and then things should make sense from here on out.

We love you all-

Livin' like Lima's

The Evans