Update from Odessa

Hi Mom! I need to see some pictures of Isaac! Do you have some digital that you can post? I'm thoroughly enjoying the blog, too. Our family fascinates me! I always love to hear from everyone and wish for more.

LeeAnn--I'm way impressed with you for doing the Jingle Bell Run. I thought of you (and you too, Holly!) all afternoon yesterday and hoped you were having fun with your kids! I'm sure they were thrilled to have you there. Sorry about the injury!

I didn't get around to blogging about our 2nd New Life baptism last week. Lisa and her son Joseph have been coming since the very beginning. Joseph goes to LBJ, which is how they got connected to New Life, I think. Lisa has no church background, but has been studying with my sweet friend, Lavica, for several weeks. She was very nervous about getting in the pool in front of all those people, so she asked her LifeGroup to get in with her. (I guess she doesn't know that isn't how we do things!) Last Sunday it was quite cold and VERY windy in West Texas. It was amazing to me to see love in very tangible form as those 50-60 year-olds in her group went into the water with her and surrounded her as she was baptized. Joseph is 9 and autistic and struggles to relate to people. I have to think he will remember that day as a day when he saw God's people living in community and loving his mom. We are praying that someday Lisa's husband will discover God's love in our church community too.

Joseph has also taken to Winston, a big teddy bear of a man who has a plane. Joseph heard him mention flying one Sunday and asked me the next week to help him find Winston so he could talk to him about planes. He had brought a Lego model of one he wanted to show him. Winston responded to him beautifully, and has every Sunday since. Joseph has found a place to belong--much of the reason his mom has been so faithful to come.

We are preparing for our Christmas pageant on the 18th. I'm overwhelmed in many ways--backdrops, costumes, refreshments, sound, lighting, obviously not enough delegating!..., but so excited about it. As you all know, the role of Mary is much sought-after. 3 weeks ago a girl named Molly auditioned for the part. Molly is another LBJ kid who comes by herself (6th grader) and always brings a few friends. She wasn't there for 2 weeks, so I was afraid I'd have to reassign the part. Today she was there, permission slip in hand, 2 friends by her side, ready to memorize her lines. So Molly, Morgan and Baylee are going to be in a Christmas pageant. I don't even know how they get to church! This morning as she rehearsed the lines, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said," I almost cried. I pray for that kind of willingness to follow God, no matter what He asks me to do. For some reason, God has placed in this little girl a hunger for Him. What an awesome privilege to participate in His work in her life.

Planting a church has deepened my faith and my hope. Our efforts are so feeble. We are SO not doing things perfectly. But God is doing it. He is drawing hearts, young and old, to Him. We are the waterboys--we get to be on the field and are trying to be alert to do our little job at the appropriate times, but mostly we're watching God winning victories right and left. I love being on His team! (Cheesy analogy, huh? Maybe I should say that we are the soux chefs and God is creating masterpieces? We are the ...?)