How many are living the life on mission?

Today, I heard God again speaking to me through my pastor.  Yes, God speaks to me through many different ways.  He gives he a word or thought about things that I have been praying about or struggling with.  No, I am not crazy, even though I act that way sometimes.
Today, my word was mission.  I have been praying about my trip that is coming up in 3 months and for our team to be blessed and to be prepared.  Not everyone can go on mission whether it is a short term trip like mine or to go and spend their life in the mission field like some people I know that have done this.
If I had the passion for mission early in my life, I wonder what my life would be like.  Would I have gone and followed this way or would my life be like it is now.  I love going on mission and going to help people and show and tell them about Jesus' love.
Don't be a bystander. I learned about the bystander affect today.  This is: everyone assumes that the other person will do something, believes that there is nothing that you can do, and being afraid to get involved.
I couldn't do these trips without the support of my family and friends.  It's hard being separated from Robby and the kids for those 2-3 weeks.  I sometimes feel that this is a break for them too so they can get refreshed when I come back!  But not everyone can go.  All I ask is:
1. Pray.  pray for me and our team.  Pray that we raise enough money, that our team is big enough, and that God will use us for his plan.  Pray that if you have this on your heart to go, that you have the courage to follow through with it.  If you do not feel the calling to go, pray to have the courage to SEND someone that is called.
2. Send.  It takes money for us to go and to get our supplies.  So if you do not feel the calling, send someone.
3. GO.  If you feel that God has placed this on your heart, then go.  Take that leap of faith and GO.

Jesus taught about going out on mission to the disciples, "The harvest is great but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields." Matthew 9: 37-38. I take that leap of faith every year and I have never regretted the decision to follow God's calling.

Love to all,

Where did I go?

Over the last week, Robby and I have been putting our old videos of the kids onto the computer.  It has been fun watching all of these memories.  It has brought so many smiles to our faces and laughter of the memories we have placed in the back of our minds.  But as I watch these videos, I ask myself, where did I go?  I have changed over the coarse of my children's life.  I feel I am a totally different person.  Yes, I am older, so I have experienced more which can change me.  But I see myself in those videos so happy, so full of energy, so much patience and laughter.  What happened?  If I had a wish right now, I wish to get that back. It makes me sad to think that I have put some things before what should be more important here lately.  A lot has happened in the last 20 years, a lot of wonderful and a few things not so wonderful.  Robby and I and the kids have survived and I just pray that I continue to be the mother and wife they love and remember. 
So how do I get back to how I was in those memories?  Not sure, but I am going to work on it.  Work on smiling more, having more laughter in my life, giving more love and positivity in my life.  Just as God has blessed me, I hope to bless others.
For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord. Habakkuk 2:14.

Love to all,