and the Lord was with

there's a suitcase on the floor,
open
there's a suitcase on the floor,
ghana-bound
and
i
am
to
go
with it
to meet a land and church i've met
in
picture
and
scripture
but not with my eyes
but not with my heart
there's a suitcase on the floor,
open
and
i'm packing
toiletries-for-give-away
little people cars for a little man
four pairs of shoes for justincase
three pounds of oreos
my journal-by-jenny (with joseph talking points)
and
when i close that suitcase
i'll leave out
anxiety
because God's word-living-and-active
says
and the Lord was with
enough times for
me
to
believe

My husband, Chris, my son, Jack, and I are headed to Ghana for ten days of teaching, sharing and playing. We covet your prayers!

How is your summer shaping up?

linking with holley and missional women

the family missions thank you

writing for five minutes on thank you -

like the men in white asked the disciples

why do you stand looking

i heard a

 months-ago whisper

go, take the boys

and the whisper became a shout 

so we ordered passports

but this trip to our dominican friends

didn't make financial sense

at.all.

and so the thanks -

to

our family

my faculty

my readers

who donated money, sports equipment, books, paper, crayons

who bought cd's and books and cookies and cake

so our boys could

paint
lead music
love

and learn sacrifice

god raised you up to bring forth the harvest

thank you



linking with -

the gypsy mama for five-minute-friday

michelle for caffeinated randomness

studio jru for sneak peek friday
grace for FYBF
beholding glory for faith-filled friday

rooster spanish

in azua, dominican republic

the
roosters are calling kikirikí
from south
and very soon
the
holas
pina
plaintains
liminada
ninos y ninas
and
love and work and play
will be
reality
and
we covet your prayers

how can i pray for you?

linking with -

jen for god bumps, joy for life:unmasked, emily for imperfect prose, grace for FYBF, michelle for caffeinated randomness and studio jru for sneak peek friday

on dirty socks and family missions

these boys?
they're mine
sure, they leave dirty socks on the floor
and
kind of never put away clean clothes
and, yeah, they leave the cap off the toothpaste
but
they make music like this
it's what matters
and
we're taking them to the
dominican republic soon
to build a library
to teach english
to share jesus
this week marks the last of middle school soccer
this week marks the last of high school football
my boys are moving on
but their music
but their hearts
these matter most
and
i
am
proud

would you consider participating in our trip? keep reading....

my older son wrote, composed, rehearsed and recorded ten songs with a friend for his senior project this year. you can listen to a sample here. my younger provided percussion while the older is on guitar and vocals. if you find it enjoyable, and if you want to contribute to our trip, please consider emailing me. we're selling the cd's to raise money for this venture. i'm asking $10, which will cover shipping and a donation of $6. my email is kendalprivette@yahoo.com. thank you, friends.

linking with -

jen for god bumps, joy for life:unmasked, emily for imperfect prose, grace for FYBF, michelle for caffeinated randomness and studio jru for sneak peek friday

on freedom and my sons' cd

this hint
this family missions experience
has legs....
our dominican experience
will find us
teaching
visiting
working in a library
and with church youth
i will admit that my
worldly self
feels afraid and weary
reading the itinerary
but
isaiah reminds us
that the almighty
will not grow weary
and my son hank sings
these words....
i wanna run in your
freedom
so even though
this stepping out is scary
and
even though
this stepping out is exhausting
the mighty one
is never
afraid
and
never
weary
and i'll run in that freedom!

my older son wrote, composed, rehearsed and recorded ten songs with a friend for his senior project this year. you can listen to a sample here. my younger provided percussion while the older is on guitar and vocals. if you find it enjoyable, and if you want to contribute to our trip, please consider emailing me. we're selling the cd's to raise money for this venture. i'm asking $10, which will cover shipping and a donation of $6. my email is kendalprivette@yahoo.com. thank you, friends.

continuing to count his gifts to 1000 -

791. breakfast three times in one day
792. shenandoah valley road trip
793. lemon brownies (a happy accident)
794. heat pump running
795. birds' song on their flight south
796. my girl, the one i mentor, home for fall break!
797. husband taking care of me on headache days

linking with -

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays

joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, elaine for miss elaine-ous monday, jen for soli deo gloria shanda for on your heart tuesdays and kat for titus 2 tuesdays

grace for FYBF, carina for i am thankful, beki at the rusted chain, michelle for caffeinated randomness and studio jru for sneak peek friday

a hint

an idea
a hope
is taking shape
and it looks like
my little family
will be on mission
in the dominican republic
for a few fall days
and it doesn't make sense
the timing
the finances
and panic sneaks around
and i read and read again
isaiah's words
have you not known?
have you not heard?
the lord is the everlasting God,
the creator of the ends of the earth
the end.

how about you? what lies ahead? what is your antidote to panic?

continuing to count his gifts to 1000 -

771. reading time
772. preserving food for the winter (more tomatoes!)
773. teaching. all of it. even the frustrations.
774. my girl, the one i mentor, positively proud of her
775. my husband who is organizing thousands of photographs
776. my son jack who is helping
777. safe travel for hank
778. new people, new smiles

linking with -

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays

joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, elaine for miss elaine-ous monday, jen for soli deo gloria shanda for on your heart tuesdays and kat for titus 2 tuesdays