Green Flag Day

We finally got a couple green flag days at the beach. This means calm waters, no rip tides and a wonderful day of swimming!! It's like being at the pool with a few rolling waves! We could see our feet in neck deep water it was so clear! There were a few sea creatures to watch for: baby sharks feeding around us every so often, and yesterday there were a few sting rays around. Just enough to remind us that the ocean really doesn't belong to us! We just kept our eyes open and stayed away from them and we were fine. I did have a remora fish (or sucker fish) attach itself to my leg. I didn't like that too much. It reminded me of the leaches you watch out for in lakes/ponds in the midwest. After a few seconds of yelling for Lance to get it off, it transferred to Lance's leg. He wacked it in the head with the paddle he was using (we were playing paddle ball) and the fish finally left us alone. Otherwise, we've enjoyed a great weekend at the beach! I'd have to say that the green flag days are my favorite!!

The line up

We are getting some visitors!! Stephen (from KY)is meeting us for breakfast tomorrow and then Stephanie & Paul and family are coming to the area for vacation next week. We are so very excited for some friendly faces from KY!! Lance's mom, stepdad & grandmother are visiting in the end of August. We feel very blessed to have them visit as they are traveling all the way from Missouri and grandma is in her mid-80s!! I think some friendly faces will help with the homesickness we've felt this week & so does Jordan. Stephanie's little boy has been saying, "I want to go to Laurie's house." Brings tears to my eyes (he's only 2). Can't wait to see everyone!!!!!

Up, down, up, down...

That's what transition feels like...up high one day, feeling down the next. I was getting some pictures ready to be printed to send out today and that's all it took. Jordan & I are feeling a little homesick. Looking at pictures of our friends that are now far away dredged up that all to unfamiliar feeling. UGH!! I'm thankful these days are far and few between, but they are horrible just the same. I'm now trying to desperately figure out ways to go back to KY or drive to Myrtle Beach. I know, I know...not gonna happen. It was worth a try. So for now we'll hold onto memories and pictures. This too shall pass...

Humble thyself...

That's how I am feeling right now...simply humbled at God's grace and mercy. If I had any idea 4 years ago that God had this plan for us. To bring us here to this beautiful place to serve at this church, I would not have believed him. I still have to pinch myself to think that we live less than 4 miles from the beach! And yet, the people at SPUMC are some of the nicest, most loving people I've met! They have such hope in what Lance is going to do for them and the church. It scares him that their expectations are too high, but I know God has a purpose and has put him, us, right where we are supposed to be. And I know it is not going to be easy, but these people have brought us in and are loving us with a godly love that cannot be explained. I hold fast to the hope that God has a plan for us to prosper and to not fail. God will lead Lance and this church and good things will flow. It's neat on a Sunday morning to watch how 4 years of seminary and a life of growth in our Lord are flowing through Lance and leading a flock. Thank you God for your unfailing grace and mercy!!!

Our Beach

Yes, we're already calling this beach "ours". It feels like it is already our home and we have a sense of ownership here. We woke up early this morning...5:45 to be exact to go out on the pier. We were hoping to see some neat sea life. It was a slow day in the water, but we did get to see a pod of about 5 dolpins!! SO COOL! What we did get was a relaxing morning on the pier, eating breakfast and talking to local fishermen. We then took a nice walk on the beach until it started to get hot. It was a nice morning on "our beach".

A good laugh

You know, sometimes you just need a night of laughing. That's what we had tonight. One of the retired pastor's wives had us and a few other pastor couples over for dinner. She has a mission of helping us meet other pastor couples. As a matter of fact, we already have dinner scheduled for next month. This group of people is funny! Two of us couples are currently in ministry and the other two are retired. The two retired couples have so many years of wisdom, experience and funny stories to tell. They wanted to know about how we got here, and also told us many stories about being in the ministry. Jordan was able to meet the couple's grand-daughter (yes, they even had someone there here age). It was fun and a good time out from the normal duties of the week! It was a good night of laughing, connecting and meeting some new friends.

This life as a pastor's wife

Someone in Wilmore said that life as a missionary looks a whole lot better from Wilmore, KY. (In so many words.) They may be right. Don't get me wrong, life in ministry is going to be rich and full of many blessings, but it is not at all what I expected before leaving our little bubble in Kentucky. I knew to expect some wierd hours, some stressful times, some fatigue...I just didn't expect it in the first 2 weeks in ministry. Lance has essentially been Baptized by fire already and we've not even been here a month. He's had hospital visits, counseling, a church issue and his first funeral. That happened around the usual pastoral duties, such as writing sermons and running a church in general. Some days we only see him for about an hour between the day's work and a nightly meeting. We've learned to really enjoy the time we have with him and know that this too shall pass.

As for me and Jordan, we have the house unpacked and looking like home. We've been busy keeping up with mowing the lawn and trying to get me cleared to work. There are times during the day that I miss our friends and family so much, but those times are not long and are usually fixed by a phone call, e-mail or facebook post. (Gotta love this information age we are in.)

Florida continues to be true to it's form. It is really HOT!! (Not unlike most of the US right now, I've heard.) The spot storms are fast and the rain comes down in buckets!!! We really like going to the beach!! And...I now have affirmation that we have snakes. Oh, yes...BIG, BLACK snake in the yard when I went to finish mowing today. (It moved in the direction of the mower that I was heading to.) YIKES!! At least it wasn't poisonous. Needless to say, Lance finished mowing today.

Sorry for the long post. For those of you that made it through this, bless you! There has been so much going on. Lots of activity here!

Our church family is wonderful and all 3 of us feel extremely blessed to be here!! (Though, I could do without the snakes)