Summer is almost here!  Of course, here is Texas we are already beginning to feel its warmth upon us. I wanted to update you on our going-ons and up-comings.

Alyssa is condensing (cramming) the last of her school assignments in order to be free for summer. She is really close to finishing 7th grade! She has also been spending time improving her drawing skills.  She often doesn’t disclose her work, but I got permission to share this one.  She created this character years ago and redraws her every so often to see how she has improved. 

Ethan is relieved to have finished his writing co-op class.  He is learning how to balance his different responsibilities. So this summer he has to catch up on the homeschool work that got pushed to the side and he is hoping to have more time to practice driving.

My ankle has been s-l-o-w-l-y healing from its high ankle sprain.  (Way too slow for me.)  It has been a month and there is still some light bruising and it still swells slightly.  I walk with silly limp, but I have starting doing some gentle exercises to strengthen it.

Wes and I are just starting a study of Philippians in one of our Bible Studies.  The Wednesday morning study is in the middle of 1 John.  And we are still making our way through Romans 5-8 with our students at church till the end of this month.  (I’m sure we will pick it back up again next semester.) Then the whole youth department will be going through Ephesians this summer and has asked Wes to teach a couple of times.

This summer the whole family will be going to youth camp together for the first time!  Whoo-ho!  I’m looking forward to it, but not to the planning and preparing all of our food beforehand.  We have been able to expand several different foods back into our diet, but there are still some common foods that cause us problems, thus the joy of being awkward and bringing our own food to camp.

As you might recall Wes and I both started working part-time last year in August.  We had to half our paycheck from the ministry and in order to make ends meet we have continued to work the part-time job.  This summer we would really like to focus more on the ministry, additionally our part-time work available is slowing down.  This summer we are looking into stepping out and increasing our ministry paycheck.  Our heart’s desire is to be fully funded.  We would love it if you would to join us in prayer for this.

Last night I was thrilled to come across this verse, “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Philippians 2:15b-16a)  It seems to encompass a lot of what I have been writing and thinking.  Believers being stars in the sky.  Holding firmly to the word of life.  I love it.  Shine on!