June 7, 2009

Well, I'm here to write, just before we walk out the door for a week. Tonight after church, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jonathan and I will once again make our way to Mt. Lebanon for a week of Jr. Camp with First Baptist Dallas. Last year, you will remember, Jonathan was a camper and experiencing Jr. Camp for the very first time. It was a good week for us, but very trying in many ways. The most unexpected part was how emotional that week was for Jonathan and for myself. This year, Jonathan is going as a helper instead of a camper. He will still be staying in the cabin with Mr. Buford like he did last year, but this year he will be the sidekick of his good friend Mr. Sam Peterson who takes pictures all week at the camp. Lamar and I have known Sam for many years, and he and his wife Janie have become dear and precious friends of our family over this last year. Jonathan is especially excited about getting to hang with Sam and I am so appreciative of Sam's willingness to give Jonathan the job of being his assistant. Jonathan keeps telling me that he is so excited about this week and has a good feeling that this is going to be a great week for him. He is expecting it to be different this year that it was last year...no crying every day for one reason or another because he is older and stronger, and all those things. I know he is a different person this year than he was last year at this time. He is older and stronger and doing so good at so many things. I hope you will pray for him this week that he will be able to handle all that this week will bring and that he will see that significant change in himself during this week.

We will arrive home Friday afternoon and spend the rest of that day and the weekend preparing for Jonathan and I to leave at 7:30 on Monday morning for Clarion Choir tour to Birmingham, AL. for a week. This will be another first for Jonathan, a second week of being away from home and a whole different ball game...one that he has not experienced yet. Please begin now to pray for Jonathan that this important week of Choir Tour will be a fabulous new experience for him and that he will be able to physically and emotionally handle this busy week of ministry. Pray for me as well. I know I have told you how emotional these events can be for me as I watch him struggle to experience these things and still push him to handle what I know he is capable of handling. Pray for God's blessings on both of us and on our choir and sponsors as well. We are both looking forward to these events with great excitement. I will write again when we return to share pictures and all that God has done for us. Thank you for your faithful prayers for us. We couldn't make it without you!

Ps. 100 - Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.