Garbage Eggs

On Saturday mornings when I was a kid my Dad used to dice up leftovers from the fridge and scramble them in eggs. He dubbed this concoction--which was never the same twice, but always quite yummy--Garbage Eggs.

This post is just a scrambled mix of "leftovers" from our week. I hope its yummy!

Wild West Day
As part of their American History class, Graham and Chandler had to research a famous person from the late 1800s, make a presentation board, and then become that person for a Wild West Day. They dressed in costume and gave monologues in character for younger grades.

Here you see Graham as Poncho Villa--the Robin Hood of Mexico, and Chandler as Buffalo Bill--the expert marksman and showman.

I LOVE their school, and the many creative ways that learning happens there.

Black Tie
Just down the street from the boys' school is a little family-owned espresso bar called Black Tie. Black Tie is our favorite place to hang out and meet friends because 1.) they make GREAT coffee, and 2.) the owners are Christians who view their business as a ministry.

Black Tie is a beacon of hope on the South Hill of Spokane, proclaiming the goodness of God in everything from their premiere level of customer service to their excellence in baking scones to their lending library of Christian books.

The owners of Black Tie recently started a blog, and on it they want to feature a Missionary of the Month. Guess what? We were asked to be the first missionaries that they feature! How cool is that? So click here to visit the Black Tie Blog, and you'll see a familiar face on the sidebar.

SparkPeople
In January of 2008 I had my thyroid removed. It took over a year for my endocrinologist to pinpoint the dosage of Synthroid that I needed to compensate for no longer having a thyroid gland, during which time I gained a very unwanted 10 pounds. The weight came on because my thyroid levels were so horribly low, but when my thyroid levels finally reached the "normal" range, the weight did not automatically come off. So when I returned home from CIT at the end of July, I was convicted (gently, of course) that it was time to wave goodbye to the extra pounds.

First of all, let me say that I do not really believe in dieting. I believe in healthy living because my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is not about a size or a shape or a look. For me, healthy living is about being a good steward. I have never been one who could eat anything and not gain weight. Since I was 18 years old I have had to be mindful of what I eat and how often I exercise. And even though bad habits did not cause me to gain this weight--it was really the result of low thyroid levels--I did have to make some changes to shed those unwanted pounds and get back to what I believe to be my ideal body weight.

So I used a website called SparkPeople to help me on my way. SparkPeople is a totally free web-based tool that allows one to track calorie intake and exercise. It will calculate, based on age, sex, and height, an ideal body-weight range, and then figure the amount of calories one must consume to move from a starting weight to an ideal weight over a reasonable period of time. It took me 8 weeks to lose 10 pounds, eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. I did input my consumption and exercise every day during that time, because for me, the accountability of having to "write it down" is very helpful.

This week I reached my goal weight! Hooray! I would highly recommend SparkPeople for anyone who feels called to lose weight, but know this: unless God is prompting and empowering the change, your efforts will probably be futile. It worked for me because I was responding to a nudge from the Holy Spirit, and He is the one who made it possible for me to succeed. Apart from Him I can do nothing.

David's "NEW" Job
This week David took his first stipend from GEM, which means that we are in full-time missionary mode. His job, for now, is to finish up our fundraising. To that end, David is networking, facebooking, phone-calling, and e-mailing to set up appointments with individuals and churches that the Lord might lead to become a part of our support team.

He is doing an awesome job, and we are continually blessed by the people with whom we have the privilege of sharing the vision for France.

In this picture David is speaking to an adult Sunday School class as St. John's Lutheran Church--an amazing fellowship of believers that is currently building a new church in the Latah Valley. With each meeting and speaking opportunity we are reminded of how God called us to France, and re-inspired for the mission ahead of us. There is truly joy in this journey!

Sunday night at 7 p.m. we will be one of five missionary families speaking at Eastpoint Church in the Spokane Valley. Feel free to stop by if you want to hear more or see us in person. We'd love to give you a hug!

Well, that about sums up our week. I hope yours was just as chocked full of delicious moments and savory tidbits.

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