This amazing experience is coming to an end. During my sabbatical, I have enjoyed my book readings, spending time with family and friends, lake time (photos are from this past weekend at our lake home), getting settled in to our new home, volunteering in all of the communities I serve, and most of all, drawing closer to my Lord and Savior! I have memories from this sabbatical that will last a lifetime!  I think I have spent more time with my husband and three boys in the last 30 days, than I have in the last year!  I feel extremely rested and blessed.  I am looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow and helping families!

Well it’s been a fun week!

Tuesday night, the 4th, we went to watch the fireworks. Even my brother came with us. The kids jumped on bouncy houses and then we had Italian Ice. That stuff is delicious!

Wednesday we needed to start the quilt. The hardest part is just picking the pattern and then the colors. My mom is very much a follow the pattern kind of person where I like to make things my own. I think I made her a little nervous with my design but I’ll admit, I’m proud of it. For being my 1st quilt it doesnt look too horrible. Of course, I had a great teacher. I want to make another one for me haha! My mom is hoping that I’ve “caught the sewing bug” now. I just hope the little girl loves it!

Most of Thursday and Friday I spent sewing. Friday was Kaleb’s 4th birthday. I can’t believe my baby is 4!!! We had a small cake and a few presents for him. That night, after the kids were in bed, I got to spend some great quality time with my brother. I really do miss him. We stayed up until 3am talking. I feel like we reconnected.

Saturday morning came WAY too early haha! But the kids dont care what time I went to bed. Ryan slept all day, lucky dog haha! After dinner, while it poured, we played Rummikub, a family favorite game. I’m happy to say that I kicked everybody’s behind! 🙂

Sunday we went to the Marbles Children’s Museum in Raleigh. The kids had the best day ever! Im hoping this will be a day they’ll always remember. Ryan was witn us today too. Since he has to go back to work tomorrow we all hugged him goodbye. I’m so glad that the kids got to know their uncle.

Now I’m stitching the quilt to the batting. All I have left is the binding. Whew!

We only have 2 whole days left here so I’m going to try and soak up every last second with my family. Hopefully it’s not another 5 years before we are back. I wish Fellicia were here too. I know Nathan is always with us….just in a different way.

I was blessed with being able to visit the sick and visit with my cousin five years older in the hospital  who has had a life lone  battle with Lupus.  I appreciated the time spent with her and being able to help her. I also spent time with my grandmother at the Rose Park Senior Health Center.  She is 88 years old and still walks one mile a day!  The time has flown by so fast and my sabbatical is coming to an end. I am forever humble to have been able to experience it.

I wanted to share an update of our recent trip to Manaus, Brazil from June 22—July 4^th 2017.

The entire team met bright and early at Riverside Community Church Thursday morning June 22^nd around 4:30am.
By 5:30am, we were headed to Chicago.

Almost daily, we had a team devotion.  Here is the team in the hotel rec room where we held devotions.  It was nice hearing / seeing almost every person share a devotion.

We stayed at the Lider Hotel.  They offer us a discounted rate because they know Gloria Reynolds (who is in charge of Ray of Hope that we work with).  I believe the rooms are around $ 35.00 per night.  Not bad!  Here is the view from my room.
The hotel is located centrally in the city, allowing the team to walk to some of the important places that we needed to go.

One morning, we were able to visit “Seeds”.  “Seeds” was named that because the coaches + ministry teams are trying to plant seeds of hope into the students.   This is a ministry event where the children come to get a Bible lesson and also learn how to play soccer.   These children are from the very poorest of areas in the city.  A few years ago, the city did build some apartment buildings for them to live in.  Prior to that, they lived in shanty’s, shacks, or just totally homeless.   Houses made out of scraps and garbage.  IF you ever feel led to help these kids out, one way to help them is with a donation to provide shoes for them.  They play indoor soccer here and shoes are an expense that most families can’t cover.  The church helps them with their uniforms.                                                                     

We spent a day with Gloria Reynolds ministering in a small village called San Sabation.  Their story is very disturbing to me.  They lived in the city (in the very poor area) in shanty’s, shacks, etc.  The city decided to tear it all down and clear it all out because of the (at that time) upcoming World Cup + Olympics.  The city didn’t want the world to see the living conditions of the very poor.  These families were taken out into the jungle about 1 hour from Manaus and placed into an area that is so remote, they have very little
opportunity for jobs.  They do now trust Gloria, but it has been a long process trying to help / minister to them.

In this community, I didn’t see 1 family that owned a car.  I did see 1 family that owned a motorcycle.  I can’t imagine being in a situation where I couldn’t provide for my family.  The day we showed, there was a lady thanking us because as of earlier that day, she was totally out of food.  We brought food care packages for each family.  This community is one that Gloria has been ministering very much to.  There is so much hurt in them due to the government forcing them to relocate.  Their homes were bulldozed with their belongings in them.  Please keep San Sebation in your prayers.  They are so loved by the Lord.  They do not have a church there.  They are a people with very little hope.  They are coming to know Jesus as Lord, but it’s a slow process.   They DO have electricity….and some of them even have a tv.  But, it’s a way of escape.  Imagine sitting in a shanty with a tv watching the lives of others knowing that you don’t even have running water or a toilet.  Electricity is a good thing though and I’m glad they at least have that.

That night, the entire team met the Youth Group from Central Church and did a little street witnessing.
Here is a picture of a time of worship.  The river front has been turned into a very beautiful place to go and hang out.  This is where the poor people used to live in shanty’s.   It’s now a park with fountains and food carts.

Here is the boat that we ALL lived on for 5 days.  (I think there were about 35 people total)

Exiting Manaus by water, you are eventually greeted by “The Meeting of the Waters”.  This is where the Negro River and the Amazon River run side by side for about 3 miles without mixing together.  It’s quite a sight!   You’ll notice the Amazon River is a lighter color than the Negro.

The hammocks were loaded up and everyone  settled in.  It was a little bit of a maze trying to get around at night.  During the day, we’d unhook a few of them which were on the outer border.

Our first night on the river, we visited a church and had a service.  It was actually pretty neat seeing the families pull up in their boats wearing their Sunday finest.   Dads, moms, and kids of all ages travel by river.  When we were having service, Pastor Aurino called us up to sing a song for them.  (we didn’t know that we were going to sing until that moment!! He totally surprised us!!  Hehehehe……but, it went just fine! On the way up, it was decided that we’d sing “Good, Good Father”)

Here is a sunset picture with us in it.

Breakfast in the jungle!  Eggs, cooked banana on bread with jelly!  Juice….and Tapioca with banana in it.

The next morning, we arrived where the church was at that we were to build.  They had already started on the frame and the roof was on.  Our task was to finish hanging the exterior boards and also paint in / out.  As you can see, there is very little land there.  Day one, this was all mud.  The new church is quite a bit higher than the old one.  The old one was flooded a few years ago and hasn’t been able to be used since.  They will tear down the old one and salvage what they can.

Our team worked for 5 days to get this project as completed as possible.  A few things will still need to be done,  but we’ve given them a MASSIVE head start.  They will still screen in the windows, add the front steps,  and route some electricity in there.
Here is the church upon our completion.

Our time in the Amazon was certainly not short of challenges.  But, at each challenge, we continued to pray and seek the Lord for strength and wisdom.  He never fails!!

The pastor who is over this church is Pastor Adema.  His story is quite heartbreaking.  Their family lost a baby about 1 ½ years ago.  Due to the very high waters, they were unable to use the bathroom at their home (which was not actually “in” the home….just outside and the small bathroom building ended up under water.  Since they needed a bathroom, Pastor removed a couple of boards from the floor in one of the bedrooms.  They always kept the door shut to that room.  A horrible tragedy took place one day when their son was watching the baby—-but thought his mom was watching the baby.  Pastor Adema had only been out of the room for a few minutes and upon returning realized that the baby was gone.  Someone had left the door unlatched and the baby crawled into the bedroom falling into the raging water below.   Their son was found a few miles away, but not living.  Losing their son was horrible, but the stresses that followed made it almost too much for them to bear.  Because of the baby dying, a judge in the city called for an investigation.  Pastor Adema was brought by authorities to the city and faced jail time.  For about a year, he didn’t know if whether or not he’d have to go to jail.  After going through so much, Pastor Adema almost left the ministry.  He was so heart broken.  So hurt.  So broken.  He felt so horrible for their son’s death and the thought of jail time made it all even so much worse.  Pastor Aurino and Grace ministered to him and knew that this was THE church that RCC was going to build.  He now is so full of hope and excitement again.  Robyn and I brought gifts for them.  Here is a picture of us together with them.  All charges have been dropped and they are moving forward in ministry.

The team headed back to the city (8 hours by boat), and settled back into the hotel.  Sunday evening, we attended Central Church where our team sang a song for them and I preached a message.
   

Pastor Aurino and his wife Grace have been friends of ours for 19 years!  He is the Senior Pastor at Central Church in Manaus.

The next morning, we visited a very small village called Rouxinol. There are only a few (4 families)  families that live here.  They were very kind and welcoming.  They shared with us stories, song, and dance of how their ancestors gave thanks.

From what I could tell, this small community is now followers/believers in Jesus Christ.  Robyn brought a small “Polaroid” type camera and gave all of them pictures of their families.  They LOVED getting a picture of themselves.  The kids really thought that was neat!

I was asked to teach a lesson and had a few minutes to prepare.   So, I grabbed a stick out of the jungle and taught in the dirt.
The Holy Spirit reminded me of a teaching about “Jesus being the bridge to God”.

We left the village and their chief stood by the river bank waving goodbye.  I really think he enjoyed our time together.  We brought them food, fun, and a time of true fellowship.  I think they get lonely in the jungle.  People come and go, but other than the few families there, they live in a very small world.

The Amazon is a very beautiful and dangerous place.  The waters have strong currents that will carry you away and are filled with fish that will devour you.  But, the presence of the Lord is so evident.  The Holy Spirit is there to comfort, guide, and encourage.   In Manaus, there are over 800 Assemblies of God churches.  There are also many in the interior.  The interior pastors fight the loneliness.  They are miles and miles from the city.   Supplies are sparse and money is even more sparse.

That night, we said our goodbyes and headed to the airport.

We eventually loaded up on the jet after a 2 hour delay.  We departed around 2:30am.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to invest into the lives of families in the interior of the Amazon.  There are SO many stories to share.  It would take a novel to capture all of them.  This is just a short overview of the trip.  I hope you enjoy this update!!!

I made it. My Thursday morning flight out of O’Hare, that is with some time to spare. Don’t sweat the small stuff right? Just stay the course.

I am in new surroundings. Miles from home. Where there are plenty of mosquitoes and sounds which are foreign to me. Birds and insects are my current companions. No cars. No traffic. No sirens. No trains. No planes over head. It’s peaceful. Well, it will be more peaceful once I combat the mosquitoes. I can’t even imagine why GOD created them, haha! Yet, I’m certain they serve some purpose? Yet, I digress.

I really wish I could identify these birds by sound, however, that just might remove me too far from my urban roots. I never quite identified as a city girl until I landed here. But all of the years in Chicago have framed the person I have become. Hmm…For better or worse. But I’m not married to Chicago. I may be able to get used to this seclusion. Ill certainly keep you posted.

The beauty of my current space is that it allows me to think. Too often the hustle and bustle of life prevent real thinking. We, well I have become so reactionary. Quick decisions are often the order of my day. But here I can think without needing an answer. I can contemplate and consider or just be still. Honestly, there really are no questions I need to answer today. Nothing pressing. All is as it should be.

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to really think, hear the birds, smell the dampness in the air, this light breeze, and all of the people who smiled at me today. I can think on the beauty that surrounds me.

Urban Girl Trails

It’s almost time for my walk. It has cooled down enough. I think. Darn, if I could only see this bird who seems to be talking to me. Well, not today. Until…My friends!

This first week has gone by fast. Overall, it has been a good week of seeing family that we have not seen in a while.

It started out with somewhat of an adventurous trip to northwest New Mexico.  We were traveling with two cats and a kitten. The kitten, Lil Bit, decided it was time to use the bathroom in his cage not far after we got out of Lubbock.  We had to pull to the side of the road, and my wife, Joyce, cleaned off the cat bed on the shoulder of the road. The older two cats smelled it and stood up with a surprised look on their face as if saying, “It wasn’t me”. We then got stuck in a traffic jam between Santa Rosa and Clines Corners. It would normally take about 45 min to get from Santa Rosa and Clines Corners, but this time it took over 2 hours. We ended up staying the night with my in-laws in Cuba, NM.  We traveled the rest of the way to my parents in Bloomfield the next day.

Once we got to Bloomfield, it was a good time with my parents and siblings. We have not been all together since my younger brother got married in March 2016. My parents’ house was full. There were 11 people and 6 animals! My older brother, his wife, two of their kids and a dog came in from Las Vegas, NV. My younger sister and brother live in Grand Junction, CO. Both of them came along with my younger brother’s wife, and they each brought their dog. Our cats hid under the bed most of the week. It was a little crowded, but we had lots of fun playing cards and other board games.

My Parents, Siblings and family

Wednesday morning, my older brother went back home to Las Vegas.  For dinner, we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Si Senor. I got my usual stuffed sopapillas with ground beef in one and chicken in the other topped with green chili. It was good to have some real Mexican food. 🙂

Stuffed Sopapillas                                                      Dessert Sopapilla with honey
 

Thursday, one of my cousins and his family came to town for the day.  They are teachers in China and are here in the US for the next couple of months visiting various family and places.  I have not seen my cousin in about 11 years.  We went to see my Grandma who is in a rehab facility recovering from getting a pace-maker put in and some other health issues. My cousin’s wife and kids had never met Grandma. It was neat hearing all the stories about my grandparents and about my cousin’s experiences in China.

On Friday, Joyce and I went to Durango, CO, and my younger brother and his wife rode with us.  It is about an hour north of Bloomfield.  Joyce and I got a massage and spent some time at the hot springs relaxing.  Daniel and Melissa did some shopping and got lunch. After getting back from Durango, Joyce and I got some more good Mexican food at Taco Box. Later that evening, we all went to one of those escape rooms.  It was a lot of fun, and we figured out all the clues and escaped with over 3 min left on the clock.

Escape Room

Saturday, Joyce and I went and had breakfast with her grandparents who also live in Bloomfield. It was good to see them again. We don’t always get the chance to see them when we visit, so it was nice to have the extra time to spend catching up with them. Later this afternoon, we will head to Cuba, NM where we will help with VBS at my in-law’s church next week.

This week, I also started doing devotionals from the book, “The Man God Uses” by Henry and Tom Blackaby, and started reading the book, “The Divine Mentor” by Wayne Cordeiro.  They have both been very good. The common theme that has stuck out to me is the need to be teachable. Blackaby mentioned that the common thread in the people God used throughout the Bible was that they had a responsive heart ready to hear God and a life available to obey God.  Cordeiro talked about two ways of growing in wisdom. One way is through life experiences, which can be costly in the long run.  The other way is by learning from others’ experiences, which can cost some up front but better for you in the long run.  The whole book is about listening to the lessons of the various people in the Bible and allowing them to mentor you and learn from their mistakes.

It has been a good week spending time with lots of different family members.

A man lives on the top floor of a 12 story building. When it rains, he can ride the elevator all the way to the top floor to get to his apartment.
When it doesn’t rain, he can only ride the elevator up half way and has to use the stairs the rest of the way. Can you figure out why?

The fourth day after the Cindy left the area and we walked along the beach to see  what shore was left behind.   Much to my amazement God had his creatures “helpers ” already cleaning up the mess! There were several fish washed up along the shore and the seagulls were very busy eating up the fish.  Lots of Jelly fish even a Man of War Jelly Fish which were being washed back into the see by the Tide.  Many people were walking along the shore picking up plastic and pieces of trash.  No flyers were out saying “please help clean the mess”.  It was like a chain reaction and it was understood, not spoken.   Picking up little pieces of trash was a big deal.  It made me realize that we do this without even being told.  Its instinct.  We have to take care of what God blesses us with when it gets damaged.  We can help renew by simple acts of kindness such as picking up trash so it does not harm our animals in our environment!  We are all helpers of God.

This third week was full of time spent with my family and at home working on our own projects!

Since the wedding was in Dallas over the weekend, Brandon and I made plans to stay with my oldest sister Jen for a few days after that. We enjoyed some time at the pool together, Top Golf, and some ice cream dates. I really enjoyed the time I had with Jen catching up on life and watching as her and Brandon got to know each other better. Being on sabbatical has helped our family connect since we are generally so busy. It is a sad realization when I start hearing things about my sister’s life that I had no idea about. This was an emotional point for me as I began to realize I need to slow down a little bit and not allow the “busyness” to disconnect me from those I love.

During our down time, I was able to read more of my book and start connecting some of the realizations I was having to my own daily life. One of the recent chapters discusses the curse that we have as women from Eve. Quite honestly besides childbearing, I never put much thought into this. As I continue though, I am beginning to see some changes that need to be made in my life to not only grow in my faith, but also to be more of the woman God created me to be. More on this later!

My nephews were also in Dallas over the week while their parents went on vacation. We were able to enjoy pool time and dinner together out at Jen’s house. As always we had lot of fun playing together and just being silly. Below is a picture from our pool day with the nephews.

As we headed home, we randomly stopped by Brandon’s best friends house to ride on the jet skis and let them spend some quality “bro time” together. Nothing says love like throwing people off the tube right? Here is a picture before all the bruises!

After we got back to Abilene, I was able to start working around my house to get things back into order since before our wedding in March. With both of us working two jobs, it seemed as if every time we make it home, we were too tired to do anything. Perhaps motivation was my problem, but again I am thankful for this Sabbatical time to work on a few personal things that need to be taken care of. This helps with some of the disagreements that occur in a new marriage and I will gladly work to minimize those! The first big task is getting our guest room back in order so that we can have people over. The room is currently my wedding room, so it is safe to say it is time for that to change. This will also allow some space for my patient husband to have his own closet.

This second week was full of traveling, lots of friendships, and building new relationships!

My husband’s family celebrated the 85^th family reunion out in Buffalo Gap. It is unique to see a family come together like this every year and it serves as a great reminder of family history and culture. The Jennings family (yes this includes Waylon Jennings) gets together every year for their unique event out at the Presbyterian Encampment. The full Saturday event includes a family meeting, knife auction, another silent auction of blankets or random items, a potluck meal, and swimming! Brandon and I enjoyed our time connecting with those who we were unable to see in March at our wedding. We could personally hug necks and thank those who sent gifts which was very nice to put faces with names. One thing I appreciated was being able to hear the stories of past family reunions and stories about Brandon’s grandparents. It was a wonderful day! Below is a picture of a few of us in the pool.

The next few days I was able to go to San Angelo to spend time with my dad. Since he is currently without a job and facing some hard times in his life, my visit was different than the usual visit. This time there was more laughter, more time spent together, and an overall sense of peace. We spent several days together cutting up, talking about old memories, watching some good old hallmark movies and just enjoying each other’s company. In the 23 years that my dad worked for his previous company – I have never seen him without stress or full of so much joy as he was this time around. I know the Lord has a plan in all of this and am very thankful that my Sabbatical fell during this time. I was encouraged by my dad’s positive outlook and approach to this stage of life. We had deep conversations about life and we could catch up on the day to day things that slip by when you no longer live in the same town. I also had fun going through some old photo albums and looking at family portraits. You can see one of my favorite pictures of my dad below:

While I was relaxing in San Angelo, I also started my book “Captivating” that I chose to read over Sabbatical. So far, I am enjoying the perspective that the author has given me in the first few chapters – more on this later!

The finale of this week and going into the new weekend was the celebration of a friend’s wedding in Dallas. Serving as the Matron of Honor, I was able to complete a lot of behind the scenes work to help the bride not get so worked up. Weddings are always stressful in some way, so I am thankful everything went well and it was beautiful! Brandon and I enjoyed our time together as we reminisced on our own day not too long ago. With the busy wedding weekend, it was nice to have a great time on the dance floor together! Below is a picture of my sweet husband and I at the wedding.

During our stay in Fort Walton we arrived on a Saturday and Sunday I enjoyed yoga on the beach and early morning prayer and meditation.  I listened as God spoke to me thru the waves coming in, the peacefulness and early morning seagulls.  This was one moment in my life I wish I could freeze forever! I felt like had my own call line directly to God because I could not see where the water ended.  I felt like I was at the edge of the world and God was everywhere talking to me thru the sparkles on the water glistening, so calming and soothing.   Any anxiety or worries I have in my life just melted away.  I thought to myself if God created this and its this beautiful Heaven must be an amazing place.  I guess I will just have to wait until I get there to see what it is like.

Two days into our trip Tropical Storm Cindy hit with winds up to 70 miles and hour, hard winds, hail,  waterspouts, and a Tornado hit within the City of Fort Walton.  I remember waking up at 4 am with the sound of a shrill high pitch screeching sound and the Door to my bedroom shaking as if were a thin piece of glass about to fly off.  You could not see the beach it was pitch black the only time we saw the beach was when lightning struck the sea.  It seemed like hours although it was about 30 minutes.  I prayed quietly for God to keep us safe.  It reminds me that some of the natural wonders of the world can also be dangerous.  I can’t explain it but I knew in my heart and mind that we were going to be ok. The next morning was monday and the  beach was half the size it was the previous day.  The storms continued and flooding became a problem all around us.  Little did I know God has his own plan for me to get closer to my family by being indoors over the next three days.  You might think this was horrible but, I think this was a time for rekindling our family time.  I had planned nightly devotionals on the beach  so instead in the mornings we cooked breakfast together and before we ate breakfast we prayed for God to help the others who were less fortunate that were suffering from damage from the storm or lost a loved one related to effects of the storm and read the daily devotional. We would talk about what the reading meant to each of us and how it applied to our lives. We cooked together, and ate and prayed together over the next three days.  The bad storms ended after three days although we did have rain after that it was no where near as intense.   I am forever grateful for God keeping my family safe.

My last week, I didn’t plan for anything except for some rest and relaxation with Shelby and Emery. We took Emery swimming and to the park a few more times. I love watching her experience things with such joy. I love making these precious memories as a family. She’s teaching me to treasure all of the little moments in life more.

This week I also finished the book of Mark and my 30 day devotional that I was going through. Having time to relax and meditate on a lot of the truths and verses that I read was amazing. It allowed me to go deeper into these readings than I might have outside of a sabbatical.

I want to thank Kris, the executives, the board, and everyone who covered for me at work while I was gone for this sabbatical and allowing me to spend time with my family.

I would like to start off by Thanking God for the opportunities he places before us daily that we do not see or want to see.  This is my 2nd Sabbatical and time off is worth every penny.   Never ever thought I would leave Texas but I finally made it out of Abilene and to my new home and a very loving husband.   I do love it here…not sure still about living in town but I will get use to it.

Resting has played a big part this time for me, I have never watched more TV in my life than I have over the last 30 days just laying around catching up on all the TV shows I have missed out on.  Normally, I go through spirts where I want to read and can’t get enough then I don’t want to read for months.  I was really not in the reading mood but picked up the power of humility and began reading and would find I had read several chapters before I would put it down.   After reading this book, the power of humility I would love to hand it out to certain people (not work family but others on the outside)…although I look back upon the reading and realize I needed that myself there were a few chapters that kinda hurt and sure makes you stop and think about how you need to change your way of life or way of thinking.  Our 6 days working for the Salvation Army has really opened our eyes and hearts to the work they do for our school aged children as well as the homeless.  We plan to continue to work for them as we can…we did have a great praise come out of it all…Abby’s dad (Sandy) finally got a job and he was pretty excited. We saw him on Friday (our last day) he was tired because he works the 11pm shift and got up to bring Abby to eat so that she gets a meal and he told us all about his new job.  I could tell he was relieved to finally get some decent income that will soon be coming to him and his family. One day after cleaning up to leave a donation of eggs was brought in and as they were deciding what needing to be done the refrigerators where completely full with no place for the over abundance of eggs…I walked to the kitchen to ask what I could do and they had decided to freeze the eggs, what how in the world do you freeze eggs…well you crack them and whip (like your going to scramble them) and put into a baggie in the freeze and they can be frozen for up to 6 months.  Jeff counted and I believe we had somewhere around 60 dozen eggs.  We stayed to get this done so that the workers could continue on with their day.  Donate or give to the Salvation Army everything they do is incredible for our homeless and children.

Relaxing at the pool for several hours daily with hardly anyone around made for a wonderful time to enjoy the beauty God places before us each and every day and quiet time to spend reflecting on all that He has done for us. God placed Jeff and his family in my life 4 years ago and what a true blessing they have been.  I struggled one day and cried most all day missing my kids more than anything, Jeff left me alone to paint and cry just needed to let it all go.  I am ready to see my kids thank goodness for face time although it is not quite the same but it will do.  Kaylee is doing great she has already been to orientation and gotten her schedule put together for fall semester, I am very proud of her. Dillon is working hard every day but is starting his vacation  this weekend by taking a week long cruise with friends.

Honestly, I am ready to get back to work, I have enjoyed my time off with Jeff and all that we were able to do together.  There are never enough words to say Thank you but  Thank you Kris and board for allowing each of us to take this wonderful opportunity to get back on track.

I guess the old saying is true “Time flies when you are on Sabbatical”.

The final 10 days.  Melissa and I finished our service project and said goodbye to everyone at the Salvation Army, at least for now.  It was an eye opening experience for me to learn just how many people in my community need the assistance that is provided by the Salvation Army as well as others.  I was impressed with the level of care that is provided on a daily basis for those who need it.  It was a blessing to be able to do what we could and get to know some of the families who came every day for the lunch we provided.  The only time it felt like work was the day that an unexpected delivery of donated eggs arrived just as we finished cleaning up and were leaving.  They cook breakfast for 60-100 every Sunday prior to their church service which would mean eggs for several weeks.  We volunteered to put them away but found there was no room in the refrigerator for 60 dozen eggs.  After some brainstorming with the staff and a google search, we learned that if we cracked and scrambled them, and put them in the freezer, they would last up to six months.  So, for the next two hours Melissa and I did just that and filled a freezer with 720 eggs, two dozen at a time in ziplock bags.  Needless to say, we won’t be cooking eggs for a while.

We spent more time at the pool relaxing,  went out to dinner with friends, went to a movie, and enjoyed the 4th at a cookout with my family.  We pretty much just spent our time together doing as little as possible, trying to avoid anything that would be classified as physical labor for the last few days before heading back into the real world.  I finished my book “Wild at Heart”.  It was a different and interesting look at how God created us for adventure.  The quote from John Eldredge that sums it up for me is “Life is not a problem to be solved, it is an adventure to be lived”.

Hard to believe it’s over. As of 7:30 am tomorrow I am back in work mode with my East Region (BMR) team monthly skype.  After that it’s the task of sorting thru a ridiculous number of emails and making phone calls to as many customers as possible in my one day back before flying to Abilene on Monday. It’s going to be difficult to flip the switch back to work mode after 30 days of occupying my mind and my time with so many things other than my job.  I look forward to getting back to the work God has called me to do, and the daily conversations I have with my customers and everyone I work with.  I will however, miss spending all day everyday with Melissa.  Not many couples get to spend their first 30 days of living together in the way we were blessed to experience it.  I will always be grateful to work for a company that made that possible.  Thanks Kris

Can you believe, I actually forgot when I was to begin Sabbatical? I did! I was supposed to begin my Sabbatical on July 5th. I actually worked yesterday. Until, I remembered, ‘Serene you’re on Sabbatical’!

Well, I got it right this morning. July, 6th. Yes! I am on Sabbatical. I’m on my way to O’Hare. In a traffic jam. That may or may not allow me to catch my flight on time. BIG SIGH. But, hey…there are more flights, right? Right?! Anyway, there’s nothing like the lovely view of 294-N this time of day, haha!

I’m not going to sweat it. There are no real delays. I’ll arrive at the appointed time. And, so my journey begins. Two hours in traffic, but at least I remembered today my Sabbatical begins. Happy Thursday everyone.

I’ll let you know when I arrive.

Today was Day One of my sabbatical. First I just want to express my appreciation to work for a company that would allow me this opportunity. It’s truly incredible, and I’m so looking forward to the next 30 days!

Starting Out

Kimba and I enjoyed the beautiful morning!

I started my first day off with a walk down my street where I took time to allow God to speak to me about what he wants to do in me during this time. My biggest impression today was that these next few weeks are very different from a vacation. For me, when I’m on a vacation, I spend my time mostly passively; my main goal is to kind of escape my normal routine and thought patterns and block it all out. But then I go back to work and life just resumes as usual.

What I feel God wants to do with my sabbatical, by contrast, is to speak very purposefully into my life, so that when I go back to my regular routine a few weeks from now, my “normal” actually looks different. I’m hoping that during this time, God will give me a fresh sense of identity and purpose as well as fill me up emotionally and spiritually so I can pour back out into others.

Heading Off

Despite all this, what’s really at the forefront of my mind is that this time tomorrow I’ll be on a plane headed for Kenya! Laura and I are going with our church to Kenya to work with a missionary family who moved there from Abilene. We haven’t even left yet and this trip has already been eventful, so please be praying for our team as we go. Internet access will be hard to come by, but I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and post when I get back on the 15th!

I hate to disappoint, no balls of fun this time around; but someone secret hid a prize that’s waiting to be found. You’ll need to find out who he is if you’re hoping to succeed; he’s left some clues for how to reach him, for without him your search will be tough indeed. He keeps quite the tight schedule, so he’ll have to fit you in; but if you know just what to tell him, his answers will begin..

June 16th my family traveled to Florida and stayed at the beach. The drive was 14 hours long.   We started the morning off with prayer and as we traveled observing Gods creations and it was so incredible to for our family to see the tall trees, the greenery, and the plantations along the way.  We drove thru Lousiana, Missisippi, Alabama, and then finally Florida.  The fields of crops were just amazing.  I love garden fresh vegetables and it was a privilege to see the hundreds of acres of  natural grown, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, Gigantic watermelons, blue berries, cantaloupe and every fruit or vegetable imaginable that are so healthy and nourishing made for our bodies.  There were several fresh farmers markets along the side of the interstate.  As we passed these areas I couldn’t help but think WOW God has really provided for the perfect environment for growth of fruits and vegetables and without these we would parish!  It humbles me to think the farmers have put in hard work and endless hours of labor for me to enjoy this orange I hold in my hand.  This reminds me that God provides for thousands every day and I have taken it for granted!  I have a refreshed out look on being thankful for Gods creations, which starts with the air that feeds the plants ,the soil that nourishes the seed,  the rain that makes the plant grow, the climate for the plants to grow vegetation, and the people who maintain the crops who make it possible for me to eat to sustain life.  Not such a simple process that I have taken for granted.  So convenient going to the supermarket and picking out that perfect fruit that I miss the concept of how that piece of fruit or vegetable got there! Mathew 14:13-21 speaks of Jesus performing the miracle when he provided food the crowd of followers with only a few loafs of bread and two fish.  God provides and continues to provide daily with the fruits and vegetables that nourish my body and I am humbled and thankful.

Well, I am thankful and refreshed and a bit anxious to get back to work.  (Thirty days is A LOT of time off in a difficult sales year—a $2,500,000 account selling to SCI, and $1,400,000 producer quitting on December 28th is the start of the issues TX03 has been addressing,)  so tomorrow back to work I go!

These last thirty days have been wonderful!  I’ve developed some new good habits, and feel as though I have strengthened my relationship with Jesus.  In addition, I was able to spend REAL quality time with my husband and kids, which is priceless.  I look forward to seeing my extended family next week and get back to helping families and funeral homes!

As for service work, I think this story best exemplifies what I have learned and been reminded of:

The last week of my sabbatical can be best described as restful, peaceful, and full of joy. Garrett and I spent some time with our friend Tripp and his daughter Tara. Garrett and I got to have some much needed socializing in and Tara and Odin got to play with each other. I took some pictures of the two little boogers with Snapchat filter, which made them even more adorable.

I also got spend some time with my great friend, Jaclyn, on her birthday. We had not seen each other in several months since she lives in Dallas and it was great to see her and catch up.

I wrapped up my sabbatical readings, The 360 Degree Leader and the Just Like Jesus Devotional. Both had a lot of powerful insights that I hope to apply in my life. I’m not perfect but I hope to bring what I learned from these books into daily activities.

I also finished my application to the MBA program at Strayer University and applied for several scholarships.

In wedding news, our rings came in the mail. And yes, my ring is a Wonder Woman ring. I will be Mrs. Robertson in just one week.  It was on March 1, 2013 that my life changed forever. Garrett and I had our first date and I knew then that this was the guy I wanted.

This sabbatical has been such a blessing and has opened my eyes to what is important in my life. I pray that continue to bring what I have learned during this time with me every day.

Well, we made it to NC. I was worried about several things: the kids getting car sick, getting to the airport by 530am, getting into the airport with just me handling 3 suitcases, 1 carry on, 2 kids with backbacks, and 2 booster seats, then switching planes with a 30 minute window, the kids getting sick in the plane, or in my mom’s car on the way to her house……but Ray prayed for all of these things to go smoothly and they did! It warmed my heart to see my kids yell “Nana!!!!!” and run to hug my mom as soon as they spotted her in the airport despite the miles between them. Our first full day here was great! The kids actually slept in. I drank my coffee out of the deck with this beautiful view. My mom lives in a beautiful log cabin tucked back in the woods against a little pond. This is my happy place. The kids swam while my mom and I just relaxed. After a great dinner (that I didn’t have to cook, yay!) we picked out what fabric I want to use in the quilt I’m going to make for Project Linus. Now we just have to decide on a pattern. The only thing that was disappointing was my brother, Ryan, was supposed to be here at 1 but kept pushing the time back stating he “didn’t feel well”. This is code for his depression. I was really disappointed because I’ve been looking forward to spending time with him. I was concerned that this would also be the case for today but he’s here!!!! We went out on the paddle boat before it got too hot. Then I took a peaceful walk by myself around the property. I’m grateful for the time with my family. It’s been 5 years. I love that my children are getting to know their grandparents and uncle. Tonight is fireworks!

Karin

As I’m winding down my Sabbatical, I’m can’t help but think about how thankful I am to have had this opportunity. 

Often times I find myself asking God, “God, where are you in my life?” or “God, will you make it known you are the guiding light in my life.” or “God, I can’t see you…I can’t hear you…”

As I’ve been pondering where God is in my life, the following thoughts raced through my mind.

• It just so happens I was undecided on a career path while a junior in high school.
• It just so happens my cousin (who is a funeral director) moved to my home town when I was a junior.
• It just so happens I hung out with him to learn what funeral service was all about.
• It just so happens I began working at the funeral home.
• It just so happens I realized funeral service was the career for me.
• It just so happens I went to mortuary school or the University of Minnesota.
• It just so happens the Minnesota Funeral Director’s Association had the vision to start Camp Amanda (Children’s Grief Connection) at the same time I was in mortuary school.
• It just so happens Todd Carlson (and others) visited our mortuary science class looking for camp volunteers.
• It just so happens I was moved to tears as they spoke of the vision.
• It just so happens I volunteered for the first, second, third, fourth, fifth… camps.
• It just so happens Todd and I learned we are related.
• It just so happens I met Kris and Melinda Seale, Pat Baxter, Elaine Edward, and a couple others FDLICers at camp.
• It just so happens Kris liked me…I think.
• It just so happens upon graduating mortuary school I reached out to Todd who helped me obtain my first funeral directing job.
• It just so happens that funeral home was an FDLIC client.
• It just so happens that funeral home needed a website.
• It just so happens Chris Baber and I became very close friends through the website venture.
• It just so happens Baber and I had a dream of working together someday.
• It just so happens I was invited to be a guest on a VIP trip several years ago.
• It just so happens I was moved and stirred at what I saw and experienced on that VIP trip and deeply desired to be a part of such a company some day.
• It just so happens Todd moved to Abilene to take an executive position with the company.
• It just so happens Todd began reaching out to me with potential positions with the company.
• It just so happens my wife didn’t want to move (by the way, that was not a God thing).
• It just so happens I left funeral service and took a position as the Director of IT at the Christian school my children attend.
• It just so happens that job was a time of healing for me after a decade of burning the candle at both ends for far too long.
• It just so happens this Passare thing came along and my name came to the table.
• It just so happens Todd reached out to me once again.
• It just so happens I wouldn’t be required to move my family to take the position at Passare.
• It just so happens Kelly Gilgenbach and I connected like brothers.
• It just so happens that I have been with Passare for over two years now!
• It just so happens, it just so happens, it just so happens!  Only God!

Above the surface this story sounds like a lot of coincidental happenings.  But under the surface all you can say is “Only God!”

Friends, I urge you to look under the surface to see God’s providence and see how God is orchestrating, moving, and stirring opportunities for each of us.  It’s not just happening, but rather, God is in all of this, and many steps ahead of you.

Thank you, Kris, the DIG board, and the entire team for allowing me to have this amazing and unique opportunity.

– Nick

As my sabbatical draws to a close, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible experience. I can’t explain how perfect the timing of everything was. The Lord sure knew what He was doing to line everything up like He did. I ended my sabbatical with a last minute trip to DFW and one last time of play. Exploring, eating, movie, shopping, even stopping in a pet store to love on some puppies. It was whimsical and adventurous.

During my time off I read the book “Jesus>Religion: Why he is so much better than trying harder, doing more, and being good enough.” It really challenged me to think about choosing Jesus and relationship versus just having a religion and doing things for the purpose of checking boxes or following rules. I really loved how it solidified several things the Lord and I have been talking about over the last several months. I challenge you to read it also, especially if his resonates with you.

Now that I am fully rested I am ready to get back to work and allow others the opportunity to do the same. My mind has already begun to wonder about what awaits me at the office, but I’m sure it is all manageable because of the capable hands in which I left things. I’ll conclude by sharing a photo of the latest puppy addition to my family, Molly.

June 12,2017 I traveled with my mother to San Angelo, Texas to volunteer at the San Angelo Diocese helping her in her office.  We stayed overnight at the Retreat Center.  I was so nice to see how she works to  help others thru the Church.  She helps people who are seeking U.S. citizenship.  I quickly was reminded  that I am blessed to have been born in the to the U.S.  We are very privileged to be here in a country with freedom to be educated, choose our careers, and have a right to access to healthcare.  My mothers only Brother who passed last year was a Colonel in the Army. He taught me responsibility, dedication, and accountability. I will take what he taught me and pass it to my children.   I am thankful and will never take Freedom for granted.  If you know or have anyone who has served in our military or armed forces please take the time to thank them for what they do. It is because of them that we live in a free Nation.   I am so thankful for all the service men who have served in the U.S. Forces and made it  possible for me to live in a country where I have the right to choose my religion, obtain education, receive access to healthcare and be a part of making decisions by voting.  I am thankful to be a U.S. Citizen and live in the USA!

The past few days have really been a blur. It all started with a Wednesday afternoon phone call from Kaela (my wife). I answered the phone like I would any other call only to have her inform me that her water had broken and my son was on the way.

“Everything is fine,” I told myself. “You’ve spent the last 9 months preparing for this and you’ve done this once before.” Trust me…I know how easy I have it. Aside from having my hand squeezed to an almost numb state, I’m in charge of making sure that Kaela has everything she needs, being her “rock” during this time.

As prepared as I was, I wasn’t at all. I’d forgotten how much it hurts me to see the woman I love in pain. All I could do was remind her that it was temporary and that the greatest reward on earth was at the finish line.

After about 4 hours of heavy contractions, a nurse poked her head through the door to our room and said, “It’s time to start pushing.”

At 12:09pm on 6.29.17, I met my son.

Rogan Noel Keene

Overwhelmed with emotion, I met Kaela’s eyes with mine and told her I loved her.

Once everything was settled down and Kaela was feeling up to it, i went out to the waiting room and got my daughter, the infamous Harper Rose Keene. When I called her name and told her to come with me, she hopped off her grandmothers lap and strutted out in front of the full waiting room, “My baby is here, I’m gonna go see him now.” She walked into the room and stayed calm, cool, and collected. She’s a big sister now. My little girl.

I stared at them from across the room and the reality of the situation sank in. At this moment everything is perfect. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life.

My sabbatical may have started a little earlier than I expected, but it won’t make it any less special. I’m so grateful to be in the position I am and to have this opportunity. Thank you all for reading.

-Zack

***side note…our Dr. For this pregnancy was Dr. Tadvick…he was out of town on a planned trip and wouldn’t be back until Sunday evening…so our delivery Dr. ended up being the on-call physician at Hendricks when Kaela went in to labor…the Dr. who delivered my son was Dr. Moscaro…she and the nursing staff were an absolute blessing***

First of all, I am very grateful to work for such a great company that allowed me to take a Sabbatical and take time to rest and renew.  I went back to work this past Friday and was very happy to see all my peeps. I sure do love them all! 😍 Here is my last post to blog.

For my service work, my kids and I went to Love and Care Ministries and helped in “His clothing”. That’s where all donations are received and clothing is separated.  They have a warehouse full of bags that they call “the mountain” and it’s literally a mountain of bags with clothing that need to be sorted through, separated and hung up to have ready to be put out for people that go in to get clothing either for themselves or for their family.  They can also take a shower there and receive a change of clothes.  Everyone there was so nice and happy that we were there helping.

The most amazing part was when we were invited to prayer the next morning. So before starting work the next morning, we went to “His Quiet Place”.  Workers and volunteers were there for some quiet time with my Jesus.  We walked in and music was on softly playing, the lights were dim and it felt very peaceful.  Then for a couple of seconds they stop the music and the next song that came on was “Flawless” by Mercy Me now this song is very special to me and let me tell you why.  When I first started getting to know my Jesus, I was having a difficult time believing that my Jesus could actually forgive my sins. I felt like I had failed Him and there was no way I could ever be close to Him because of my sins.  Then one day I was washing dishes and listening to music on youtube and this song came on and I quickly stopped what I was doing, listened to it, replayed it again (by this time I was shaking) and when the song was over I just dropped to my knees and cried.  At that moment I realized that my Jesus does love me unconditionally and does forgive me and that He will always be there for me….now  fast forward to the present. The past couple of months I had been stressing and feeling like I haven’t been doing enough and trying to catch up with everyday life. So when my song came on that day, my Jesus was there letting me know that I am exactly where He wants me to be and that I am doing exactly what He wants me to do and to keep going.  It was such an incredible moment that I still get emotional just thinking about it!

After that I went to Dallas to spend some time with my mom and sister.  I came back home, rested, and spent quality time with my kiddos before going back to work.  I am so thankful to have been able to spend time with my family and it has also been an amazing experience that has taught me to slow down and enjoy every single day and to slow down and spend time with my Jesus in prayer.

And so here’s another song I would like to share with you all, “Hard Love” by NeedToBreathe, I also heard it when I needed it most, hope you all like it as much as I do – 🎶It’s not enough to just feel the flame, You’ve gotta burn your old self away, Hold on tight a little longer, What don’t kill you makes you stronger, Get back up ’cause it’s a hard love🎶

God bless!!

June 12, 2017 was my first official day of Sabbatical and that weekend I struggled with how to prepare not sleeping much and feeling overwhelmed by emotions.  No one can explain what you feel when your starting a Sabbatical its like you are excited, nervous, anxious, and afraid all emotions are mixed into one and after hours of meditating and thinking I realized  I have to just give up control and TRUST in the Lord. That’s just what I have done.   I trusted and he answered by rekindling a relationship with my great niece.  I was blessed to be able to take her out and visit with her.  I have cared for her since she was 4 months old.  She has been in our lives for almost 4 years.  She recently has gone back to live with her mother. When I pulled up in the drive she recognized my vehicle and left my mom behind running as fast as she could with her big smile.  We took her for an ice cream and spent time talking to her. We told her we missed her to make sure she did not think that we did not want her in our lives anymore.   We returned her to my mother’s house.  As I left her at my mothers and we walked to the door she began to cry.  I gave her a big hug and told her we needed her to be a big girl and stay so we could visit again.  As I walked turned away I began to cry but I have to TRUST in the Lord and know that he is going to take care of her when we are apart.  It was so hard for me to leave her but  I have prayed every day for her and this is where I have to trust in the Lord. I have helped her the best I can, teaching her right from wrong and  how to care for herself.  I know now that she and I have a special bond and I am ever so thankful for her being in my life.  I hope to see her again soon. Proverbs: 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

My last day of sabbatical was yesterday, June 30th.  Today, I’ve had some time to reflect on the past 30 days and they were AMAZING!  During the last week of my sabbatical, there were 33 Welch family members who reunited at North Myrtle Beach in SC.  Sounds like a big crowd but it was our smallest gathering in nearly 20 years.  However, it gave me some quality time with sisters, cousins, uncle & aunt, Dad, stepmother and of course, my wife & kids.  Lots of fun, sun, and a big Welch family devotion on Sunday morning which was one of the highlights of the trip.  All of the children under 12 performed a play out of the Bible.  Very sweet and entertaining!

As I think back on the early days of the month until now, my heart swells with gratitude.  People all around me are speechless when I tell them about the opportunity that my company gives its employees.  I want to thank Kris Seale and all the executives who allow the employees of this great, Christian company to spend 30 consecutive days solely focused on our mind, body, and soul.  My mind is strengthened, my body is rested, and my spiritual relationship with the Lord is solid.  THANK YOU!!!

As my sabbatical comes to the end, I would like to give thanks to Kris, FDLIC, and everyone who covered my job while I was gone. I am looking forward to getting back to work at FDLIC.

Have you ever had a whole week to your self with nothing to do? Me either. Well until this past week that is. My game plan for week 3 was to do my spring cleaning, but I ended up doing that in week 2. We are traveling to Colorado for week 4, so what is there to do in week 3? NOTHING. At first I was nervous because I don’t do well with nothing to do. But I survived. I went to the gym a lot, I did some window shopping, I caught up on my favorite YouTube channel. That’s about it. I’m calling this The Week of Nothing. And it was awesome.