December Training at STC

This month I've had the privilege of working with Mark Swensen, a pilot/mechanic from MARC (Missionary Aviation Repair Center) in Soldotna, Alaska. He came to Spokane Turbine Center for Kodiak flight training, as MARC has access to a couple of Kodiak aircraft used in the ministry there in Alaska. You can read more about the Swensen family and the ministry of MARC at the websites hyperlinked from this post. As the Chief Pilot for MARC, Mark is developing Standard Operating Procedures and protocol for MARC's Kodiak operations. It was a privilege working with Mark, conducting about half of his training while he was here, learning about their operations and how the Lord is working through the ministries of MARC, Flying Under the Son, and Samaritan's Purse in Alaska.

I'm so thankful that the Lord has us here at Spokane Turbine Center for the time being, working with great people like Mark who are using the skills, talents and resources the Lord has entrusted to them to be the hands and feet of Christ to a lost and dark world. This Christmas season, may the Lord grant us opportunities to share His love and the Light of the world to those still lost in the darkness, as we all once were.

Mark Swensen of MARC in the STC Kodiak simulator

Conducting training from the instructor's station in the STC Kodiak simulator

Christmas

10 more days until Christmas! We feel so blessed that we are going to be able to spend time around Christmas with both sides of our family this year! The 23rd-26th we will be with my whole family in Tualatin, OR. On the 27th, we will fly down to Arizona to spend a week with Jeremy's family. We are so grateful for families that love the Lord, love each other and who enjoy being with one another!

Merry Christmas! Enjoy celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior!

(Our first Christmas tree!)

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

Provision of the Simple Things in Life

I so often forget to be thankful for the little things that the Lord has given me and the small ways He has provided for me. I have been trying to learn how to thank Him for EVERYTHING. I just wanted to share with you one way the Lord provided for me today.

Right now, I'm working on getting our next newsletter sent. Our newest prayer card is being included with the newsletter. As I was stuffing envelopes, I started noticing that my pile of prayer cards was dwindling quicker than my stack of labeled envelopes. I prayed that they would be multiplied, but, alas, soon they ran out. After calling Jeremy, we decided to print 75 more prayer cards- enough for the rest of our mailing plus some extras.

That morning in my email inbox, I had received a coupon code for pictures from Walgreens. At the time, I didn't think I would need it, so I deleted it. Sure enough, I was able to retrieve it out of the trash and read the specifics about the offer. The special offer was only for printing 75 4 x 6 photos, the exact size and amount we needed- 33% off.

Thank you, Lord, for providing that coupon this morning, knowing that we were going to run out of prayers cards and need to get more printed today. May I never take for granted the ways in which you provide for me, small or great.

How has the Lord been providing for you?

Fall Training at Spokane Turbine Center

The Spokane Turbine Center staff had a busy summer and fall (so far). During the summer, they continued building and maintaining relationships with the greater missionary community at the EAA Air Venture fly-in in Oshkosh, WI and at the Smoketown, PA fly-in. After completing these tours in September, they have been diligently tackling projects that are hard to accomplish during training cycles. This includes aircraft and facility maintenance and improvements as well as enhancing and refining course curriculum to meet the needs of their students to the best of their ability.

This Wednesday the next wave of students arrive. This training cycle there will be eight maintenance specialists coming for two weeks of turbine engine training. In addition, there are three pilots and one maintenance specialist coming for recurrency/supplemental training.

As you can imagine, with only three instructors, they will be busy from the moment they arrive at work to the time they head out the door. They would greatly appreciate your prayers. Here are a few ways in which you can be praying for them during the next four weeks:

• The instructors (Jeremy, Ken, Tyler)- communicate clearly and effectively
• The students- think clearly and understand the concepts and information
• Training equipment (plane, simulator, computers, etc.)- operate smoothly, without mechanical complications
• For the gaps left in the students' families and programs while they are in Spokane for training

Thankful Thursday- Pumpkin Scones!

I know this may sound silly, but I love fall because pumpkin is one of my favorite foods. It doesn't matter if it is pumpkin scones, cake, cookies, pies, custards, soups, seeds...Yum! My cousin Shelley sent me a pumpkin scone recipe that I tried last week. Wow! I have never had anything more pumpkinly amazing. It is one of my top favorites. So I thought that I would pass it along to you. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN SCONES

Makes 6 large or 12 small scones

Scone Ingredients:

2 cups flours

7 Tbl sugar

1 Tbl baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ginger

6 Tbl cold butter

1/2 cup canned raw pumpkin

3 Tbl half and half

1 large egg

Sugar Glaze:

1 cup and 1 Tbl powdered sugar

2 Tbl milk

Spice Glaze:

1 cup and 1 Tbl powdered sugar

2 Tbl whole milk

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 pinch ginger

1 pinch cloves

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Lightly grease cooking sheet or line with parchment paper.

3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl.

4. With a fork, or pastry cutter, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter remain. Set aside.

5. In a separate mixing bowl, mix pumpkin, half and half, and egg.

6. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.

7. Pat dough out on lightly floured surface and form into a 1" thick rectangle (about 9" long and 3" wide).

8. Use a large knife and divide the dough into three equal proportions. Cut diagonally to produce six triangular slices of dough.

9. Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

10. Place on wire rack to cool.

Glaze Instructions:

1. Sugar glaze- Mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Brush glaze over the top of each cooled scone.

2. Spice glaze- As the sugar glaze firms, combine all spiced glaze ingredients. Use a whisk to drizzle over each scone and allow to dry before serving.

**I personally think that it is too much with the spice glaze. I like it best with just the sugar glaze. If you like a strong spice flavor as well as really sweet, then use both glazes.

A Summer-y

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Thank you all for your faithful prayer as we traveled across the country! We thank the Lord for our safe, uneventful travels. The only bump in the road was a flat tire, which occurred one mile from Jeremy's uncle and aunt's house in Kansas. Uncle Ron had just changed a friend's tires and had two to spare. They just "happened" to be the exact size of our Honda. We praise the Lord for his provision! Every step of the way, we saw the Lord's hand upon us: safe travels, opportunities to share about the ministry at Spokane Turbine Center to which we've been called, hospitality and generosity of family and friends, quality time together while we were driving, wonderful conversations with everyone with whom we visited, new partners in ministry...The list could go on. As we were preparing for this road trip, our prayer was that it would be a time of encouragement and fellowship with friends and family. The Lord answered that prayer above and beyond what we could have imagined. How privileged we are to be a part of the body of Christ- to serve, encourage, worship, support and fellowship together in unity!

We weren't able to capture in pictures every highlight; such as, sharing Spokane Turbine Center's vision of missionary aviation training with supporting churches and supporters, enjoying time with friends and new friends, visiting the headquarters of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) and JAARS, helping Greeley Mennonite Church prepare corn to send to Jeremy's parents in Arizona (which is an annual event), catching up with family at BBQ's in Kansas and Virginia, and touring a little along the way (Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Niagara Falls, and the Rocky Mountains)...Here are just a few pictures:

We had a wonderful time working at the EAA Air Venture in Oshkosh. We enjoyed meeting new people, sharing what the Lord is doing in missionary aviation training at Spokane Turbine Center, and just looking at lots of planes and attending incredible air shows.

After being on the road for over a week, it was great resting at Grandma Foote's house in Michigan for a few days.

Welcome to the world, David Gene Toews! We are so glad that we had the opportunity to meet our new nephew when he was just a few days old. Congratulations, Luke and Melissa!

Good friends were also traveling in New York, and our routes overlapped in a small town. It was an encouragement and blessing to have dinner with Nathan and Jessica Cooke!

Thank you, again, for all of your prayers!

Sustainer. Friend. Provider.

Before Jeremy and I got married, people would tell me that adjusting to married life can be a challenge. Well, adjusting to married life has been a wonderful, natural process and not the big challenge like the picture people were painting. I thank the Lord for this blessing! But what I am still learning to thank the Lord for is moving to Spokane.

Moving to a completely new place is hard. Harder than I ever thought it would be. Learning how to find my way to the grocery store, constantly meeting new people, adjusting to a new church (which is a wonderful church, by the way), adapting to a new "culture," being a stay-at-home wife, just discovering where I fit in here -- I had no idea how challenging all of this would be. I would love to say that after five months I feel right at home now, but I am still struggling. During this challenging transition, the Lord has reminded me to completely rely on Him because He is the only one who can truly meet all of my needs.

The Lord has been my Sustainer. "Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul" (Psalm 54:4). Sustain means to lean, lay, rest, support, uphold. On those days that are hard for me to keep going, His strength gets me through.

The Lord is my Friend. One of the hardest parts of the move is not knowing anyone. It has been an odd experience to never be happier in my life (because being married to Jeremy is amazing!), but at the same time, I have never been lonelier. Through this, I have learned in a new way what God meant when He said in Hebrews 13:5, "...I will never leave you nor forsake you." When friends back at home seem distant and new friends here only know my name, I have come to realize how much I depended on others when I should have been solely looking to the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that You are the only friend I truly need!

The Lord is my Provider. "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). When I'm feeling down and just want to complain, I have learned the best medicine is to stop and think about what I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection, for my husband, for my family, for healthy food to eat, for a place to live....the list is endless. It is in this that I realize how blessed I am and how the Lord has provided for me. It leaves no room for complaining or dissatisfaction with where I am in life. I'm thankful for...

• Our long road trip this summer was great! Traveling went smoothly. We were blessed and encouraged by all the family and friends with which we visited. It was wonderful to not only share about where the Lord is calling us to serve but to also see how the Lord is working and using our friends and family for His glory. I'm thankful to be a part of the body of Christ!
• The Lord is continuing to provide funds for us to serve at Spokane Turbine Center as well as strength for us as we continue support raising.
• Mike, Jamie and the boys came and visited us in Spokane over Labor Day Weekend. I'm thankful for the encouraging, fun time we had together as family!!

Though these past five months have been challenging, I wouldn't trade them for anything. I love being married, and I'm thankful for the Lord using this transition time to teach me, refine me, and draw me closer to Himself.

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." (Psalm 9:1-2)

Prayer for Our Cross-Country Roadtrip

As many of you know, we have been planning a cross-country trip over the last couple of months. Wow, I had no idea how much work it would be! Though it has taken a lot of planning, I know that it is worth it. During this planning process, we kept getting confirmation that the Lord was leading us to take this trip. We have seen how He has opened up opportunities for us to share about Spokane Turbine Center’s important role in missionary aviation. He has provided places for us to stay, and we look forward to time with friends and family, and some good, quality time together on the road. Being confident that the Lord’s hand is upon this trip, we look forward to seeing what He will do. May He receive all the glory!

Would you join us in prayer? Here are a few specific areas you can be praying for us...

1. Safety as we are traveling.

July 22: Billings, MT

July 23: Casper, WY

July 24-25: Avon, SD

July 26-31: Oshkosh, WI

August 1-3: Alma/Detroit, MI

August 4: Taking the long way to PA

August 5-7: Lancaster, PA

August 7-8: Harrisonburg, VA

August 9: Waxhaw/Asheville, NC

August 10-11: Making our way to KS

August 12: Copeland, KS

August 13-16: Greeley, CO area

August 17: Beginning the trek back to the Northwest

August 18: Nampa, ID

August 19-21: Heatwole family reunion in Yakima, WA

August 21: HOME!

2. Mutually encouraging time with friends, family and ministry partners.

3. That the Lord would prepare the right people to join us in ministry- through prayer and monthly support.

If you are in any of these areas, we'd love to see you. Contact us, so we can see if we can work something out. If you aren't in one of those areas, give us a call anyway so we an at least talk. :) Here is our contact information while we are on the road...

Jeremy's cell: 509-944-6644

Jodie's cell: 503-998-9435

airmail2date@gmail.com

We plan to continually update our blog, so you can follow us on our trip. Thank you all so much for your prayers! We greatly appreciate them!

Blessings,

Jeremy and Jodie

Summer Newsletter

Blessed!

Others

Over the past three months of marriage, the Lord has taught me so many things and has stretched me, challenged me, encouraged me and grown me. One area that the Lord convicted me in was how selfish I am. A good friend once told me that marriage is like “selfishness and pride rehab.” I couldn’t agree more. I hate to admit that I tend to think to highly of myself and my needs and wants. As the Lord lovingly corrects me and refines me, He has been faithful to continue holding my hand as I learn to become more like Him. I am far from perfect but a work in progress. He has encouraged me and spurred me on with a few passages of scripture from my time with Him in the Word.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8)

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

Lord, thank you for caring and loving for me so much that you became nothing, taking the form of a servant, and for dying on the cross for my sins. May your love penetrate every part of me that I may think of others as more important than myself and love the way that you love. Give me your eyes to see, your ears to hear, and your heart to love.

Family Time in Cannon Beach

Jeremy and I were blessed with the opportunity to go on vacation with my whole family to the Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center. The conference center has been a Cherry family tradition for over 20 years. We had good Bible teaching in the mornings and evenings, yummy food, quality family time and lots of sunshine. Here are a few pictures from our time on the beautiful Oregon coast.

Our nephews, Daniel and John, spent hours playing in the sand.

The whole Cherry family

Cannon Beach is one of our favorite places.

The big boys playing a little bocce ball

Daniel and John enjoyed seeing sea stars and other creatures in the tide pools by Haystack Rock.

A family walk after breakfast

All the big kids

We are so grateful to be a part of a family that loves the Lord and loves each other! We are already looking forward to our week in Cannon Beach next year!

2 Months Already

Wow, I can’t believe that we have been married for two months already! Where does time go? I guess the old adage, “time flies when you’re having fun,” really is true. We are so blessed! Much has happened recently, so I thought I’d give you a brief update of what’s been going on in our lives…

On April 9, 2011, we were married in Tualatin, Oregon! Then we enjoyed a honeymoon in Cannon Beach, Oregon and Orcas Island, Washington.

In May, my parents, John and Yvonne Cherry, came for a visit. Along with eating at our favorite breakfast place (Frank's Diner), watching part of the Lilac Festival parade, walking around Spokane Falls and doing a lot of catching up, we also went flying around the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene area.

Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the back seat looking at the beautiful scenery and watching our boys in the front having fun flying.

Memorial Day Weekend- One year ago Jeremy and I met face-to-face for the first time when I drove up to Spokane for the Moody Aviation graduation and dinner cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene. This year it was fun going to the graduation and dinner cruise as Mrs. Jeremy Toews! Here we are with the couple that set us up. Thanks, Ian and Lela Kerrigan!

In the beginning of June, the staff at STC (Christopher, Tyler, Alycia, Ken and Jeremy) finished another training cycle. They also had to say goodbye to Christopher Clark and his family as their furlough ended, and they headed back to serve in Papua New Guinea with JAARS.

For two weeks in June, Jeremy's brother, Nathan, came and stayed with us while he took Peak 7's Wilderness First Responder course. It was great to have him here!

As Spring ends and summer begins, so also begins another exciting season. Jeremy and I will be taking a cross-country trip in order to attend a cousin's wedding, work at the Oshkosh fly-in with STC, connect with supporters and supporting churches, meet our new little niece/nephew that is due in the middle of July, and also visit family and friends. Here is our tentative schedule...

July 22: Billings, MT

July 23: Casper, WY

July 24: Avon, SD

July 25: Worthington, MN and Oshkosh, WI

July 26-31: Oshkosh, WI

Aug 1-4: Alma, MI and Detroit, MI

Aug 5-8: Lancaster, PA

Aug 9: Harrisonburg, VA

Aug 10-12: Copeland, KS

Aug. 13-17: Greeley, CO

Aug 17: Estes Park, CO

Aug 18: Nampa, ID

Aug 19-21: Yakima, WA (Heatwole Family Camp)

Aug 21: Home in Spokane!!

If we're in your area, we'd love to see you. It would be great to catch up with you and share with you what the Lord is doing in our lives and how He is leading us. Send us an email at airmail2date@gmail.com so we can put something on the calendar.

We are excited to jump right in and take this next adventure together. Thank you all for your constant encouragement, prayers and support!

Prayer for a New Training Cycle

As I contemplate prayer, I am reminded of a quote from Elizabeth Elliott’s book about the life of Amy Carmichael.

One way of laying down our lives is by praying for somebody. In prayer I am saying, in effect, “my life for yours. My time, my energy, my thought, my concern, my concentration, my faith- here they are, for you.” So it is that I participate in the work of Christ.

Thank you all for participating in the work of Christ by lifting us up in prayer. This week Jeremy began a new training cycle at Spokane Turbine Center. For this first week, they have one student from Adventist Aviation. Next week, they will add one more student who is from JAARS. Please pray for Jeremy as he teaches the G1000 course this coming week- Tuesday-Friday mornings (May 31-June 3). Here are a few things you could pray about:

- Wisdom for Jeremy as he teaches, that he will present all the information in a way that his students will understand.

- Understanding of the content for the students, that they will be able to use the information from this training back in their respective ministry locations around the world.

May the Lord be glorified in and through this training cycle. May it be used for His purposes and for the furthering of His kingdom.

Rejoice. Pray. Give Thanks.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks. Am I always rejoicing, no matter what circumstance in which I find myself? Do I pray throughout my day without stopping? Do I give thanks to the Lord in everything and not just in select areas of my life? These three questions have frequented my thoughts and meditations. I have come up short again and again. I don’t think I was rejoicing when I was missing my family and friends back at home. I know that I have not been faithful to pray continuously throughout my day. Without a doubt, I can tell you that I didn’t give thanks when I filled up my gas tank yesterday. Thankfully the Lord’s grace is abounding and in His strength He is teaching me to rejoice, pray and give thanks.

REJOICE: Rejoice means to be glad, to thrive, to be well. What makes me glad? Without a shadow of a doubt, I can say it is what Jesus Christ has done for me. He loved this sinful, imperfect human so much that He died on the cross and rose again to bring me life, not just an abundant life here on earth but, more importantly, eternity in heaven with Him. The Lord’s grace and mercy are limitless; He has forgiven my sins and has washed me white as snow. When I stop and ponder those truths, I can’t help but rejoice, no matter what is going on in my life. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

PRAY: We are given an amazing gift of communicating directly with our sovereign, all-knowing God. I will admit that prayer doesn’t come naturally for me. I have to work at it, especially to ward off distractions. When I stop and think of with who I am talking, my heart, mind and thoughts regain focus on Him. The more I pray, the more focused I become. That is only possible through His power. Prayer is our opportunity to commune with the Lord, to lift up others, to present our requests, and to listen to the Lord’s voice. We should be living in a way that enables us to be in constant communication with our heavenly Father.

GIVE THANKS. I looked up the Greek word for “everything” just to make sure there weren’t any exceptions. “Everything” literally means all, the whole, each. There are no exceptions. Rejoicing and praying are not dependent upon our circumstances. Giving thanks is dependent on our circumstances, but the Lord says that we are to do give thanks in everything. Am I living a lifestyle of thankfulness to the Lord for who He is, all He has given me, and how He is leading and directing my life? The Lord has a perfect plan for our lives. As we believe that truth, we will give thanks for everything in our lives.

Lord, make us people who rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything, for this is your will for our lives.

Thoughts on Thankful Thursday

• We so thankful for our wonderful, faithful support team who have continued to support us over the last 6 crazy busy months. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we haven’t updated the blog recently or sent out a spring newsletter yet. The blog will now be updated more frequently and the spring newsletter is in the making.
• Jeremy and I are so thankful to be married! Married life is far better than we had imagined. It is so nice not to have to say goodbye, to talk on the phone for hours, to drive long distances for short weekend visits, or to send long emails. We enjoy sharing meals together, going to bed and waking up together, and just sharing in the everyday life activities together. We are blessed!
• Now that we have been married for about five weeks, we are grateful to be settled into our home in Spokane.
• As Jeremy and I have been able to look back and reflect on our wedding day, what keeps coming up again and again in our conversations is how truly blessed we are by our family and friends. We are so thankful for your love, prayers, support, and encouragement. We thank the Lord for you all! You're a big, important part of our lives.
• During our first month of marriage, we have been reminded of the Lord’s great love for us and how His love for the church is represented in the marriage relationship. He desires what is best for us and loves us so much that He gave up His life so that we may truly have life.

17 Days!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1st Cor. 13:4-8a)

In 17 days I'm getting married! Crazy. Amazing. Wonderful. ...and ever so slightly terrifying. :) I'm of the opinion that a little apprehension in situations like this is probably healthy. I guess it's a little like flying in that respect. If a pilot has absolutely no apprehension before hurtling two tons of metal down the runway and into the sky, he probably doesn't have a healthy appreciation of what he's about to undertake. Not that I claim to fully understand what I’m getting into; don’t get me wrong. I suppose that's where the above verse comes into play. It's taken on some new meaning in my life as the wedding date draws closer. If we can love as Christ taught us to love, and deny ourselves as Christ denied Himself and gave Himself up for us, just imagine how many relational problems that would solve. Of course, the problem is that we're still human, we're still sinners, and we'll have to continually walk with each other, forgive each other, and hold each other up in prayer. I so greatly appreciate your prayers for Jodie and I as we embark on this new chapter in life. It's going to be such a huge transition for both of us. I'm sure I have no idea....

It's been an incredible year already at Spokane Turbine Center. We've had several classes of missionary pilots and mechanics come through, and I've seen my role as Associate Instructor continue to grow as I take on more and more of the instructional responsibilities. I'm now teaching a couple of the AATD (Advanced Aircraft Training Device, or motion simulator) lessons as well as the Garmin G1000 course and some of the PT6 lessons as well. It's such a privilege to work here and to serve the greater missionary aviation community in this capacity. I'm learning so much from our students than as they come through and talk about the work the Lord is doing in their respective areas of operation overseas. It's so exciting to be a part of the Lord's work! What an incredible privilege that He carries out His message to all of humanity through us! It's sobering to realize that we have the opportunity, privilege, and responsibility to demonstrate the love of Christ to the world around us. May we all strive in His strength and by His Spirit to live out the definition of love we find in 1st Cor 13 in every area of our lives and in all situations, for His glory.

2011

Coal Canyon, AZ

...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14

January, 2011. A new beginning, at least on the Roman calendar. For whatever reason, our society has decided that each time the Earth reaches a certain, arbitrarily-selected approximate location relative to the sun in the void of space, we stay up until midnight, make a bunch of noise, throw out the old calendars and declare that the "new year" has arrived! Sentimental and fond reflections of the year gone by and hopeful goals and plans for the year to come weave their way through thoughts and conversations. What will the "new year" hold? This has inspired some personal reflection on my part. Who or what defines the beginning of a "new year", particularly on an individual level. According to an old adage, a personal favorite of mine, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." This is true regardless of the Roman calendar date, regardless of confetti, staying up until midnight, or dropping a ball in Times Square. What am I saying? I guess I'm saying that every day is a good day to resolvedly "forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead". In fact, not only is every day a good day for this, but it's the attitude that should characterize every day in the life of the believer. I believe Paul in this passage is telling us that we ought to treat every day like a "new year". We ought to forget what is behind, more in the sense of learning from it and moving on rather than simply pushing it from memory. Only then are we free to strain uncompromisingly toward what is ahead, pressing on toward the eternal goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Speaking of the new year, I suppose a quick update from my last blog post is in order. As those of you who are on my newsletter mailing list are already aware, I'm engaged (see above pic)! Jodie and I are now in the process of planning and preparing as the wedding day (April 9th) draws closer. We're both excited at the prospect of a lifetime of serving as a team together, wherever the Lord leads. This past Christmas was spent with Jodie's family between Portland and Yakima, and then we both spent the following week in Arizona, where she finally met the rest of my family and got to see where I grew up. January has found us both back in the daily routine, Jodie working as a sign language interpreter in the Salem public school district, and myself as instructor at Spokane Turbine Center. Last week presented the opportunity for me to take a break from routine and enroll in a WFR (Wilderness First Responder) course. It was a great experience. I've wanted to take some basic, formal medical training at some point before heading overseas, as the airplane often doubles as the ambulance in many third world countries with poor or non-existent road systems. Our first class of the new year at Spokane Turbine Center begins a week from tomorrow (Jan. 27th).

I'm so excited about both the Roman new year and the new year starting tomorrow (and the next day, and the next...)! What a privilege to have the opportunity to live each day to the fullest, straining ahead for the glory of God.