ETA... unknown! :) but we're all smiles!

So we are sitting on the plane right now... EVERYONE must be sleeping, but me. Love it! I feel sorry for CT b/c he keeps waking up trying to get me comfortable so that I can catch a few Z's. But I'm like a little kid right now i guess...

Where to begin catching you all up! I'll start with all the little servants that popped in to help "fluff" our house Saturday. I mean- these people were NOT messing around! We had youth getting up early to show up only to have their hands stained with furniture polish (sorry CB- we blame naivety), and their fingertips eaten by a poor ratio of Clorox to water. THey have no idea what a difference they made. You all made it so much easier to "go"...

Everyone has been asking me for about 2 weeks now "Are you excited?" I never knew how to answer that b/c I hadn't really had time to figure out what I was! Well, to answer your questions... THE EXCITEMENT HIT! It hit the minute Jana and Richie walked in the door. I knew at that moment that whatever wasn't done... just didn't matter! Most of you know, I said "I don't want anyone at the airport- we are not making a scene!" We chose Jana and Richie because we are pretty used to going long times without seeing one another. I knew there wouldn't be tears. :) Some people like to be rebels (Special K) and show up anyway... but I decided he and Skyler were a God send b/c our luggage was over 2-3 pounds on all 4 pieces (I thought I had just lost weight on our home scales- to my disappointment they were off) so we had to take some stuff out to give them to take back home. But I did manage to keep my ice cream scoop! We got through security and sat down. I was so relieved to sit down knowing that those things that didn't get done we actually going to get done by precious friends. (BTW, didn't know they were going to do it like... RIGHT THEN- Gez!) So we got on the plane with fellow servants at home cleaning and tending to paperwork and turning in modems etc. We couldn't be more rich...

Sunday-
Whew what a doozy! We cried a whole lot. We went to bed about 1:30am with massive headaches from our sobs.
I loved Michael's sermon last Sunday (he hasn't been messin' around either. Go on brotha! He tells it like it is and I LOVE IT). I'll give you guys a tid but, but you really need to go to the website and just listen to it. He was using scripture out of Luke (14:25-27) about the cost of being a Disciple. I didn't recognize it or really get it at first. In this scripture Jesus, being Jesus, had a big fan club following and traveling with him- he turns to the crowd and says this "If anyone does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes, even life itself- such person cannot be my disciple." Bottom Line: We have to expect there is a cost to follow Jesus Christ. If you don't give anything up, how can you sacrifice anything for the kingdom? [He also made a comment about how it would be hard selling stuff and getting rid of alot- Let us assure you THAT was NOT the hard part of leaving. The hard part was leaving YOU...reading this blog]

The scripture goes on to say "And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Let's think about carrying a physical cross.. I mean that would be tough, right? It would be heavy, painful, there would be splinters, cuts, sweat, maybe even tears: sacrifice, right? Now figuratively, to bear the cross means to support it, take responsibility for it- but you have to know and expect there is some cost involved. I rest in knowing that any sacrifice I ever attempt to make will never touch the sacrifice of our Savior. Didn't Jesus walk around teaching and preaching EXPECTING THE COST and sacrifice of his body to be broken in two so that we could truly live. So why shouldn't be give all we can so that we have to Him so that we can be completely free?

(several hours later...)
okay- so we missed our connecting flight in Amsterdam, yet again. So we have a pretty big layover now here in lovely Amsterdam (chuckle). CT was able to check our carry on baggage all the way through to Nairobi at the beginning of the last flight which was a great idea, except I had some stuff in it that I really needed. So looks like I'm gonna be wearing the same clothes and have morning breath forever! It's all good though, I just keep reminding myself that William Cary (first missionary to India) went in a boat and it took him 3 months. Yikes! How blessed are we?!

Love you guys and we'll let ya know when we get there!