We've Got News For You!

Last week Ken and I had the fun of telling our kids some exciting news.

We took them to an ice cream parlor,

then we gave them a puzzle to put together.

It says, "Where in the world will the Cecil Seven be next year?"

Then they taped the pieces together, 

and on the count of three,

they flipped the puzzle over

to reveal the answer!

Here they are reading it, and processing what it says.

The surprise and excitement starts to kick in.

Then the kids jumped up and gave their Dad big, fat hugs!

So, what did the secret message say?????!!!!!

Ken has been hired to become the new 

Principal 

at the boys' school!  

As Principal, Ken will be helping to run the school as well as play a shepherding role in the teachers', students', and parents' lives.  He will be in a position to help prepare the next generation to engage the world and face college with a solid Biblical foundation.  This is an exciting and humbling prospect.

We have decided to stay rooted here in the Midwest as we continue this busy season in our lives.  This allows us to not only recover from the rigors of seminary, but also have more energy to intentionally invest in our big kids' lives during these next few crucial years.

~ ~ ~

For those of you who have been following our family's journey through seminary, you may be wondering how this fits into our end goal of Hispanic ministry.   I thought I might walk you through a bit of how God led us to this decision.

We originally came to seminary with our grand plan decisively outlined in ink.  We were going to spend four tidy years in seminary, and after attaining the degree and training provided in seminary, head overseas to Peru as missionaries!  As our years in seminary progressed, we realized that our plan was going to need to undergo some major modifications.  First of all, God used a seminary class as well as other things to help us realize that our spiritual gifts and the way He designed our personalities do not encompass what is necessary to be successful long term on the mission field.  So we modified our grand plan to Hispanic ministry in the states.  Actually, I should say the specific state of Washington. :)

As we approached the end of seminary, we started to work on how to attain our modified grand plan.  First step, get back to Washington.  Beginning last spring, Ken started making phone calls, searching job listings, and applying for jobs, and even going through what looked like a very successful interview.  We put in the effort, but God answered our prayers by shutting those doors.  The point here is that man-made plans have to be placed at His feet.  God leads and directs, and we follow Him where He leads.

Then we figured out something as parents that all parents eventually learn.  Raising big kids is really different than raising little kids.  We hadn't really factored this into our original equation.   Add in another factor - during seminary two of our kids were diagnosed with diseases that require ongoing care from pediatric specialists.   These two things helped us realize that there is more to think about in all this than just what we want.

The sermon that was preached at our church this Sunday by J. Hatch really sums it up well.  God led the Israelites out of Egypt with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).  The Israelites knew the end destination - Canaan.  But on a day to day basis, God didn't tell the Israelites their destination.  All they had was God leading in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire.   They had to learn to trust God and follow His lead.  It was as if God was their day to day destination.  "I AM HERE," He said.

The pastor went on to say that as God led the Israelites to their end destination of Canaan, He chose a path for them other than the direct route.  "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.  For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.'  So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.  The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle"  (Exodus 13:17-18).  God was saving them from themselves.

I was really encouraged in this sermon, and felt it really helps describe where we are as a family right now.  We are still hoping for the end destination of Hispanic ministry in Washington.  Someday.  But God has us on the scenic route, and is teaching us that He is our destination on a daily basis.  We are learning to hold our plans more loosely, and lay them at His feet, praying, "not my will Lord, but Yours be done." We are trying our best to follow His lead, and has J. Hatch said, "God is vitally involved in every bit of His leading."