Seasons....

Hello!

Hope you all had a wonderful summer.  We always enjoy the sunny, gorgeous Montana summers.  This one was a bit of a blur with a new baby!  We had a great time visiting in Houston and introducing Beckett to our family and friends there.  Jason spent part of his summer staffing our Summer of Service school....this is like a DTS, but only one month here and one month of overseas outreach.  It is also open to high school and college age students.  It was wonderful to see the students learn how to use interests in music, dance, and sports in missions.  Jason also did quite a bit of soccer coaching with students in the local community this summer.  

For me, it was honestly a pretty sleepless and difficult summer.  While I was so enjoying my sweet boy,  I never imagined all the emotions that would accompany the transition to parenthood.  Jason and I both felt the ups and downs of all this transition - and I think it is all intensified when one is so sleep deprived.  I often have felt like my days and weeks go by and I don't know what happened or what I got done.  I'm sure many feel this way when going from a packed schedule full of more tangible accomplishments to caring for a sweet infant that is full of demands.  This was one of those things that was really hard for me, and as I shared my heart with the Lord one day, he encouraged me so much with something I want to share with you.  He reminded me of Psalm 1, particularly the part that talks about the righteous being "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season."  I felt that he was reminding me that fruit comes in seasons - sometimes, we are in a season where the fruit we are bearing is very visible, and other times, it is winter and it looks like nothing is happening.  We can't measure what we are "producing" and we may not see results, even though we may feel like we couldn't possibly give any more.   This can feel so frustrating, and can feel like we are not good enough.  But I was comforted in that moment to trust him in the process, and to trust that the investment I am making is so worth it, and will "produce fruit in season."  He even reminded me that trying times produce valuable fruit in my own heart, and that I am never alone as I walk through those times.  

Beckett just turned 6 months old....I can't believe how he has grown and how fast that went!  He is full of energy and such an inquisitive, aware little guy.  We are having a lot of fun with him these days as he gets more and more interactive and seems to do something new each week.  I hope some of you can meet him!  We love visitors and welcome you to come anytime if you can make the long trek out here!

Thanks again for all the love and gifts you all have poured out on us as our family has expanded this year.  We are so grateful for you all and feel blessed to be supported and cared for even though we are far away.

Beckett is growing up so fast!

Summer went by way too fast.....does this tempt you to come visit?  :)

Our family at a wedding this summer.