Some people just got "IT"

Does she have "IT" or what?

This little girl is growing fast. She has a serious case of Jekyll and Hyde. Danae pulls this trick in which she is an absolute angel, laughing, smiling, snugly. And then, if you cross her, she can unleash this whiny, "poor me" shtick that will send shivers up your spine. This whole act wasnt helped by her recent 12 day hiatus from pooping. The constipation magnified this charade as she was dealing with the pain and discomfort. But, we are happy to report to the entire world through this the internets, that her bowels are moving again. Hello Angel!

Potty Party!

My wife is a genius. Daisha was "successfully" potty trained in November. She was doing great. Then, our trip to the states led to a full relapse. So, once back in Jamaica, the potty training was again in full swing. Enter the genius of the chart. Not just any chart. But, a chart of kitty stickers on a winding road to a party with a "birthday cake." Each successful trip to the bathroom added another kitty towards the cake. Daisha loves birthday cake and the thought of getting a "potty party" was enough motivation for her to do her thing. While still not batting .1000, she has been doing great and got her kitties all the way to the cake. The potty party was a great success. The festivities even involved a game of "pin the kitty on the potty." Great job Daisha!

State of the Union

Tuesday night, we watched the State of the Union Address. Drew has been learning about the presidents and so it fit perfectly into his curriculum. He loved it. After it was over, we laughed about how interested he was in all the pomp and circumstance. But, for us, we saw the speech differently with our 6 year old watching. The whole speech was about the profound potential of Americans and how this potential needs to be maximized for the sake of our future. More specifically, we know that the ideas, policies, and principles being discussed are the groundwork for the society in which our 6 year old will live. In some ways it was encouraging and exciting, in many ways it was depressing and scary. And, the ultimate reality is that no matter how we feel as we consider the future of our country, it doesnt change our simple responsibility to "Trust and Obey."

Happy Birthday Truitt!!!

5 YEARS OLD!!!

Sanctification Defined?

Sanctification is the art of getting used to justification. -- Gerhard Forde

I am not sure exactly what that means or if it is entirely true. But, it is profoundly memorable and provoking enough to bear fruit. Here are my initial reactions:
1 - It paints a picture of sanctification as a process primarily driven by the work already completed in us through the cross.
2 - The words "getting used to" describe well the feeling in me of my fleshing rising up in rebellion against the Spirit.
3 - And, the word "art" presupposes a joy in the journey that is invaluable.
I read this quote for the first time this evening and I am guessing that I will be ruminating on it over the coming days. I hope that it similarly provokes you.

Covenant Team

This team is from Little Rock, Arkansas. We have hosted them several times before and the fun never stops with this crew. The team has some real characters. They focus on good fellowship and great work. Thanks Covenant!

A few Holiday Pics

We didnt post anything through the holidays. We primarily blog for Grandma. We were with Grandma alot through the holidays and therefore we didnt need to post. Anyways, we know that Grandmas love pictures and so here are a few from our time in the states. Click here for the pics.

Let the fun begin

We are picking up our first team today. As we have said a million times before, teams are an absolute paradox in our lives. We love teams. There is some powerful blessings that come from a community of people going on a trip to work together. It is exciting to be able to watch those blessings come and get to experience that alongside the teams with whom we work. And then, there is the other side. The grind. The hellos and goodbyes. Too much free stuff. The ups and downs. The influence. And the list goes on. We are ready. Prayerfully, we hope we are more ready than we have ever been to deal with and manage both the blessings and the struggle. Here we go!

We are crazy!

When our heads hit our pillows Monday evening, we had one thought clamoring through our brains. "We are crazy!" We had just finished a grueling session of packing. We had chosen a budget airline which limited us to 40lbs/bag instead of 50lbs and this curveball had struck us out. Our alarm was set for 4 hours later to wake up and hit the road to arrive in Chicago by 4am. Is that enough justification for our "crazy" certification? The early morning wake up and trip actually went very well. After arriving, we entered phase 2 of the trip towards crazy. We had 5 checked, 5 carry-ons, and 4 kids and the only effective way to navigate the lines at the airport was to go the way of the inchworm. Again, slow and steady won the race and we made it to our airplane with no time to spare. It was all "sailing" from there. The kids actually did great on the airplanes and the flights went smooth. After arriving in Jamaica completely sane, we made it through a long wait at immigration and went to collect our bags only to find one missing. While walking over to the baggage desk, I saw a bag near the desk that looked like ours. I walked up to check it out and the baggage person said, "I dont think that is your bag." I said, "you are right, but I have one that looks very similar and I cant find it." Then, the light bulb went off in his head, the lady whose bag remained had taken my bag. He was able to get her number and call her. He asked her to turn around back to the airport to return our bag for hers. So, we still dont know where she was when she turned around, but we waited for more than an hour. But, we finally got our bag, made the 2 hour drive home, and celebrated a day of answered prayer. Smooth and safe travels. Amen! And, the cherry on top was our teammates having a meal prepared for us in our fridge. Praise the Lord.

Back to Work!!!

We are flying today. Doing that "4 kids on the airplane" routine. Back to work. Our time in the states is a critical part of our work. It is simply a very different part of the work. Connecting with family and friends is critically important and a real blessing to us. But, it generally requires us living an unusual lifestyle. Its a doubled edged sword. We wouldnt trade it, but it is not sustainable. Therefore, we are ready to get back to work. We are excited to connect again with our team and friends in Jamaica. Please join us in praying for safe and smooth travels.