Every year around this time loads of Alaskans head to Willow, AK, to watch the start of the Annual Iditarod, "The Last Great Race." We took a group of about 35 Airmen and Soldiers to see the official start (The unofficial start is a day prior in Anchorage). We had a great time with this Alaskan experience. So please check out our pictures and videos here: http://gallery.me.com/wesandelaine#100078
Friday, March 12, 2010
Iditarod 2010
Every year around this time loads of Alaskans head to Willow, AK, to watch the start of the Annual Iditarod, "The Last Great Race." We took a group of about 35 Airmen and Soldiers to see the official start (The unofficial start is a day prior in Anchorage). We had a great time with this Alaskan experience. So please check out our pictures and videos here: http://gallery.me.com/wesandelaine#100078
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Prayer Requests
I figure I'll give you all a short blog update, to see if we can keep things rolling for the next few weeks. This one will mostly fill you in on ways you can pray for us, and this ministry.
I ask that you don't read this one as a news update. Read it in preparation to intercede for us in prayer to our Father.
Sexual Purity. What a hush-hush weighted topic. The need for healthy conversation in Christian community becomes more aparent almost daily. Things related to God's design (or things outside of his design) for sex come up in conversation with singles, couples, men, and women. Pray for guidance, sensitivity, discernment, and assertiveness in exploring what it looks like to be created in the Image of God, a sexual being.
Post-deployment. It sometimes feels like walking a tightrope, trying to figure out what to talk about with our returning guys. They've been in a different world for a whole year. Some people have already asked them stupid, insensitive questions. They'll talk when they are ready, and we want to be here. Pray for healthy processing for those guys who have spent the year in Afghanistan.
Housemates. For the next 6 weeks a good friend of mine (Elaine), Lacy is living in our guest room. She is a civilian nurse and a blessing to our ministry. She'll be marrying one of our single guys in April, and to help her save a bit before the wedding we have offered her lodging. It's a simple way we can serve a friend who has served us in countless ways over the past year.
Praises and Thanks. To have the above requests we much be in relationship with the folks we're praying about. That is a praise. We have flourishing relationships, full of challenge and growth. Yay!
We are also refreshed and renewed from 2 weeks away, and are grateful for that opportunity.
God bless my friends,
Elaine
I ask that you don't read this one as a news update. Read it in preparation to intercede for us in prayer to our Father.
Sexual Purity. What a hush-hush weighted topic. The need for healthy conversation in Christian community becomes more aparent almost daily. Things related to God's design (or things outside of his design) for sex come up in conversation with singles, couples, men, and women. Pray for guidance, sensitivity, discernment, and assertiveness in exploring what it looks like to be created in the Image of God, a sexual being.
Post-deployment. It sometimes feels like walking a tightrope, trying to figure out what to talk about with our returning guys. They've been in a different world for a whole year. Some people have already asked them stupid, insensitive questions. They'll talk when they are ready, and we want to be here. Pray for healthy processing for those guys who have spent the year in Afghanistan.
Housemates. For the next 6 weeks a good friend of mine (Elaine), Lacy is living in our guest room. She is a civilian nurse and a blessing to our ministry. She'll be marrying one of our single guys in April, and to help her save a bit before the wedding we have offered her lodging. It's a simple way we can serve a friend who has served us in countless ways over the past year.
Praises and Thanks. To have the above requests we much be in relationship with the folks we're praying about. That is a praise. We have flourishing relationships, full of challenge and growth. Yay!
We are also refreshed and renewed from 2 weeks away, and are grateful for that opportunity.
God bless my friends,
Elaine
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
It's Raining Men
Families in the crowd during one of the return ceremonies on Ft. Rich(sadly, I did not take this pic, it's borrowed)
Who knew how many benefits a regular gym routine could have for my life? First I feel great, second my clothes fit better, but the most fun part is becoming a part of the routine of Army wives. Spending time at the fitness center on Ft Rich has given me a great peek into the lives, expectations, and disappointments of more military families!
Over the past two weeks most of our deployed guys have returned home, and it's obvious! There are dudes all over the place. These are some of the comments I've heard the past couple days at the gym, in reference to "all the men" being home:
"I see a group of guys, and think, where did you all come from??!"
"How can adding one more person add so much more laundry?"
"He's ok with not interrupting our routine, it's been working for a whole year."
from an instructor, "I see lots of smiles today, you can tell your husbands are home"
"Where's Jennifer today?"
"Her husband is home"
" :) "
I see far more guys at the gym, I see dad and little dude coming to meet mommy after her work-out, its just a good time.
It has been fun to watch the ladies light up as their families are reunited, yay!! And we are thanking God for a safe return of our men.
That's all for today, a look on the more serious side of "redeployment" to come later.
Elaine
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