Here are a few pictures from our recent trip out west (to the other side of town).

Old MacDonald…..

Jeff

Here it is the middle of August and Jeff, Tad and I have been in the States for two months. The time has flown by amazingly fast. To be honest, there are certain aspects of life here that have been challenging. Jeff and I gained an appreciation of life overseas that in some ways I don’t think we even realized until we hit American soil again. We experienced almost immediate amazement at the excess that is part of American culture. Even though you find excess in the culture we just came from for some reason it doesn’t seem as pervasive as it does here in the States. I also found that it was easier in many ways to be intentional in our relationships in Bahrain…to daily look for the purpose God had for us there and try to be obedient to it. It feels like there are many distractions here that cause us to quickly lose that focus. That may say a lot about my own weakness in being disciplined here, but I’ve definitely found it harder to be intentional in the States. God is also stretching me in the area of not having a “home”. We are technically homeless right now, and have “lived” in three homes already this summer, not to mention all the homes we’ve been housed in temporarily as we’ve visited family. The other night we were having dinner with a couple that lived in Egypt for 10 years and the wife offered Becky and I this verse and I think it brought encouragement for both of us:

Psalm 84:5-7

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

After all that talk about hard things, can I just tell you how much we’ve been blessed in our time here? I’m not sure I can even do it justice in my description here, but I’ll try. We’ve visited countless numbers of homes and enjoyed numerous home cooked meals. This in and of itself would be enough for me to feel blessed. But our friends and family are so generous and giving that it goes so much further beyond that. It goes even beyond the loaned toys for Tad, the donated clothes for Tad, the purchased clothes and toys for Tad, a place to stay for 2 ½ weeks, the loaned camping gear, and the loaned vehicles. It goes to a place of deep Christ-like character in the lives of those around us. We have received love that is not explainable. Even just in conversations with people, in their willingness to provide for any need we have, in their friendship with me, I have felt loved. And it’s been slightly overwhelming to be honest. The hard part of it is that I have felt so completely inept and unable to give back to them.

But I do have this to offer to all of you that have given of yourselves to us this summer:

Hebrews 6:10

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

So, many thanks to all of you, and may it be of some blessing to you just to know what a blessing you’ve been.

A few pictures from our walk in the park in L.A.

Tad in the park

Jeff

Here are a few pictures from the end of July and the first part of August.

August Pictures

Jeff