Brain Dead

Have you ever felt brain dead? I mean, have you ever had times in your life when it seemed you could not remember anything? That is how I feel these days. I think homeschooling this year is trying to do me in.

I have come to the realization that the Lord has given me two main mission fields. The first is my family. How would the Lord have me to minister to my husband and my children? Now, I know I said "my" and technically they are HIS, but you know what I mean... I often find this mission field the most challenging. Some things in life you can walk away from at the end of the day. Family is still there. For that, I am thankful and also exhausted.

The second mission field is the world around me and right now that is in Haiti. Now I could say the Haitian people, but I don't believe it stops there. It is anyone and everyone I come in contact with at any given time. I am to be open to minister to that person or persons as God sees fit. Now this seems to be the part where I have trouble. "God what would you have me to do, what would you have me to say, how would you have me to act or react?" These are the questions I need to be continually seeking the answer to.

Back to my family...

Home schooling my children this year has been a challenge. First, we struggled with being able to connect to the internet and stay connected. We got that worked out. Then we struggled with the new curriculum. It seems to be harder than last year's curriculum. "Taking notes...what's that...how do I do that...what do you mean I'm not working up to my potential?" These were all questions coming from my crew.

This year we have a 9th grader - Skyla, an 8th grader - Kali, a 6th grader - Jessica, and a 5th grader - Josiah. Most of the kinks are worked out for right now as far as their curriculum goes. We were blessed earlier in the year with donated laptops for the family and this has helped in the schooling process. As I walk into our home after clinic each morning, I see four computers up and running...except this past Friday.

Here were the events of last Friday...

I wake up, fall into my morning routine, eventually get in the shower and work toward getting to the clinic by 7:30 a.m. While in the shower, the power goes out...time to switch the generator over. This is done every 4 or 5 days - perks to living in Haiti with no public electricity. I finish getting ready for the day and I head out to check the computer, you see, they weren't turned off before we lost power and computers don't like the sudden loss of electricity. Jessi's laptop usually has trouble coming back on after an experience like that, so I head to hers first. It comes on nicely - PTL. Josiah has our old desktop and his was next. I try to turn it on and it won't work...I try several times with no luck. I stop and pray about it, try it one more time and have to run out the door to clinic without his computer working.

Clinic went well. Finished up there around 9:15 a.m. and headed home. I walk into the house, get bombarded with questions, take off my shoes, wash my hands, pet the dog, all while trying to answer the questions of the moment. Then, without a second thought, I head to Josiah's computer and push the button. Josiah is steadily talking in my ear, follows me over to his computer and after I try to turn it on he say, "Mom - I got it working already." So now the computer is shutting down - can't stop it at this point, so I bow my head in frustration.

After the computer shuts down, I turn it back on after giving it a rest. It comes back on, but won't connect to the internet. Live and learn - always check to see if the computer is working before you push a button. Needless to say, the computer never would connect to the internet, so Josiah was not able to complete his online classes for the day. Good for him - bad for me/us - cause now he is behind. Gotta love it. I just checked his computer and tried to reset the internet (today is Sunday) - still not working.

Thank God Pump Springs Baptist Church is coming soon. They will be here October 20th and there are multiple reasons I am glad they are coming. The first reason is because I am excited to expand the ministry here in Haiti to new hearts. It always amazes me as to who and how Haiti touches the lives of those who come. Second, I am excited to see old friends and make new friends. God has placed each person in our lives for a reason - may we bring HIM glory. There are many more reasons, but the last reason would be that they are able to bring needed supplies to Haiti and one of those supplies is a wireless adapter for Josiah's computer. Yippee!

I do have a prayer request that I have not shared publicly yet...

I feel a deep desire to go back to school to get more training. I would like to get my Masters in Nursing and Nurse Practitioner's license. I have been looking at both some online programs and programs that we would have to return to the states to attend. I am praying for direction. I am asking that you join with us as we pray. I want the Lord's will. I love serving here in Haiti and this is why it makes this decision more difficult to make. What would HE have us to do? Pray for discernment and obedience.

By the way, Kevin recovered from his week of injuries and mayhem (see past blog for this). Thanks for the prayers.