Dear friends,

He is good - His mercies are to eternity...

This year in Bible Study Fellowship we've studied the Acts of the apostles - we've become 'friends with Paul', as a woman today so beautifully put it, we've been encouraged by Peter and warned by Jude; we've been convicted of grumbling in our trials and being entitled in our happiness; we've been affirmed in our alienship and have wrestled in our plenitude.

It has been, of course, the perfect lessons at the perfect times.   

The Schei family is once again on the move... where to, we do not know!  We've spent the recent 10 months in the most beautiful of homes, on the most lovely of properties with the most wonderful of neighbors - God did it.  He did it all.  Who would have thought...

Remember when you had your child and you can't remember what your life was ever like before you had them?  Even at a mere 2 weeks old you're thinking 'I can't remember what it was like without you.'  THAT is what has happened here in this place... what did we do without Bob and Cheney and the girls?  How could we not have known Apollo and his sisters?  When was it ever not an option to go jump on the trampoline or go make forts at the park while Mom cooked dinner?  When did I not expect Lily's knock on our door to go the park?  Our life is forever enriched by this experience and this group of friends... lifelong friends.

And once again, we see as God has planted us, ignited us and let us explode -- all for the purpose of refining us and moving us along with the encouragement of knowing that He has, once again, accomplished exactly what He wanted to accomplish.  As He has promised, he is finishing the good work in us and bringing glory to Himself.  Just like He did with Paul!  What an incredible study for this year!

After days of warmth, the clouds slowed over us and became increasingly heavy.  The air smelled of the impending rain and we all, for a moment, slowed as well -- until we decided instead to dance.  Cheney and I and the kids walked outside and flinched as each drop hit our dry bodies... then began to relax under the inevitable drenching.  I grabbed my camera and captured some of the greatest moments to date... we laughed and danced and screamed as we walked under waterspouts and through puddles; we giggled and looked sadly at our now soaked new suede boots; we hugged each other and pointed out Ben's crazy antics -- we loved the moment... nothing else mattered.

I continue to revel in what God has done, is doing and will do with this experience - in our life and the lives of those around us.  When it seems the clouds have opened and let loose its rain, when it feels as though I'm surrounded by the unknown and want to crumple in not being able to plan, when I'm tempted to succumb to society's demand for explaining why we do what we do and when I'm peaceful with where we are but feel the need to justify it with anything other than Jesus' call...

I must hold tight to my plumb line - I must smile and dance without regard for the world around me.  And I must be obedient... its how I got here in the first place.

Praise be to God.

 

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere.  Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.  - Deuteronomy 13:4

"Hey, Schei kids, let's go..."

oh yeah... and we did a lot of naked.  we do a lot of naked.

i've not been good at filling you all in... but a lot's happened.

we've soiled beds, got angry at Mom, got angry at kids, got angry at Dad, asked new dog to 'COME' and he hasn't cause he only does it for Mom, squeezed out way too much toothpaste for one brush, ran out of toothpaste and cried because of it, forgot to put our shoes away, we've unpacked our backpacks a lot, asked for snacks, jumped on the trampoline, ridden without a seat belt, climbed trees and fought over which branch is ours, fallen down stairs, jumped on a bouncy house in Grandpa Berges' backyard, had slumber parties with cousins, played sudoku and...

all in all, we just keep asking Jesus to fill us up.  truthfully, all of our moments are laced with this crazy idea that God has us right here, right now and we're just supposed to trust Him - a lot is coming (nothing new with us!) and we will fill you in as we go along (hopefully!)... but just know that we're here and we're so well.

Benny and June.

Giving us something to talk about.

The Wedding

What do YOU do when it's drizzly outside? 
Not drizzly on top of bare pavement. 
Drizzly on top of 8" of snow and ice.  

My kids got married.

I could not have been more overwhelmed with pleasure at these imaginations!

Rainy Day

It rained and rained and rained and rained

The average was well maintained

And when our fields were simply bogs

It started raining cats and dogs

After a drought of half an hour

There came a most refreshing shower

And then the queerest thing of all

A gentle rain began to fall

Next day ’twas pretty fairly dry

Save for a deluge from the sky

This wetted people to the skin

But after that the rain set in

We wondered, what’s the next we’d get

As sure as fate we got more wet

But soon we’ll have a change again

And we shall have

A drop of rain.

- Anonymous

Night Sledding

I had rinsed the final supper plate and set it in the dishwasher when Cheney texted me 'bonfire and lights on the hill in a few'.  Immediately I heard Kyle's phone ring and I knew it was Cheney's husband, Bob, calling for Kyle to help him set up this elaborate neighborhood party that was about to take place.

I had just asked the kids to clear their plates, cups and such, brush teeth and put on pajamas when the whole evening was thrown up. uP. UP. in the air and riddled with a few rounds of Surprise... and it was my choice (although not a hard one considering school was canceled already for tomorrow) to either stay on track and put them to bed in a timely manner OR start giggling like a little girl and wink at them once in awhile as they watched Dad get his snow gear on and comment, 'I've got some stuff to take care of kids, I'll tell you about it later...'  They knew it was fun.  And that glee and childhood anticipation is something that should be bottled and sold.  For a lot.

We traipsed out our gate and into the street.  The bonfire was blazing bright as we followed the parameter of the park around to the open-end of the fence and into the grass.  Kids were squealing, shouting their praises to those who had gone before and announcing their impending sled, jump, dangerous attempt, etc. I couldn't be more elated with our neighborhood -- what an eclectic and wonderful group of people.  This was good.  This was so good.

Ben made his way down the slopes with various sledding partners, Mike being his favorite.  William has a newfound joy of the 'dangerous' in him and Katie has the mountain mapped... she walks around, sled tucked under her arm, black boarding pants on and a green coat; her hair is unkempt and she scans the hill as though she is analyzing the green in an Open.  

The night was perfect - the neighborhood was gathered together and if you closed your eyes, you could hear the chorus of sounds: children screaming, Dad's cheering, the fire crackling, snow hitting your jacket, sleds swooshing, Mom's laughing, dogs panting, the powder crunching under your boots and the slight breeze blowing in and around every moment being had.