The cure for what ails you

All along this journey we meet people. People of all shapes, sizes, colors, nationalities, backgrounds, beliefs... you get the picture. Everyone we meet is different and no conversation is ever the same. Except what we expect to get out of that conversation.
Every conversation we hope to, in some way, share Him. Share His love. Share His truth.
Some conversations naturally transition. Others we have to work hard to do that.
Likewise, some conversations end with positive responses and we rejoice and follow up.
Others end without any sign of understanding or desire to go deeper. We deal with that and lift them up to Dad for His intervention.
Tonight we were having dinner with a bunch of colleagues - all of whom share the same convictions, calling and training. We had concluded a small work project and decided to patronize a local restaurant.
It was a delightful dinner even with a table of 13 including kids. Our waiter was great. He served our table with ease despite the many calls for refills and split checks and the like.
When I told him he was doing a great job he replied with a smile, "This is not my first rodeo."
At the end of the night, it was our waiter who initiated the conversation.
Maybe he was hoping for a bigger tip. Maybe he was just interested in who we were (we're all obviously not from Canada.) Whatever the reason, he started it.
As he spoke of his life, my heart just broke for him.
No. He didn't have any sad story. He was just lost. Completely lost.
I think all of us at that table tried in someway to turn that conversation.
We tried to get him to realize his "lostness" hoping that we could point to the right direction.
CJ even tried to simply tell him that we'd talk to Father for him if that was ok.
But he didn't want it. He was completely closed to the concept.
And that's ok. Except, it just wasn't ok.
I honestly wanted to cry. And that doesn't happen to me often.
We've experienced multitudes of this kind of closed response throughout our time in Vancouver, so I'm not sure why this particular conversation hit me so hard.
Even our trainer who is in town from Southeast Asia and having dinner with us shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's in His hands." And he is right.
I sat there as everyone else at our table got up and started putting on coats and scarves, preparing to leave. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.
This very nice waiter who seems to know how to do everything right is dying. You know what I mean, right?
He's dying, lost.

Let me ask you a question. If you knew someone was dying of a disease, but you had the perfect cure that would save their life, wouldn't you give it to them?
The more and more time we spend in this city, the more my heart breaks for those who are dying. And even though we hold out to them in our hands the cure to save their life, they reject it.
"No thanks" they say.
I wonder how He must feel when they reject Him.

So we put on our happy faces and walk on. All the while we're lifting the lost up to Dad for His intervention.
I would have a page full of names if I listed every person in Vancouver who has said "no thanks" to the cure we offer them, but for some reason tonight, I feel convicted to share his name - the waiter who is lost.
His name is Shane.
Would you please talk to Dad on Shane's behalf? Ask that Shane would continue to be offered the cure for lostness and that when it's His will, Shane would accept.

It is my hope that you, also, will share the cure your carry in your heart with those who need it.

"He is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." The ninth verse of the third chapter of the second book of Peter.

Attention Partners!

We officially have confirmed flights to our new city! Yippee! Departing here at 2am (PST) - Yes, A.M. - Tuesday, Jan. 24 arriving around 1:30pm Jan. 25 in that time zone (they're 14.5 hours ahead of us here, I think?)

As I was preparing to post this as a Facebook comment, I realized this time zone, date line, flight schedule thing can be kinda complicated. And because we need you to be lifting us up, I'm going to try to explain this in a little more detail.
So here it is broken down:

We will begin our journey late on Monday night, January 23. We'll probably try to get to the airport around 11pm our time - that's like 1am (early Tuesday) for our friends in Mississippi or 2am for (EST) Tennessee & Florida folk.
Our flight is supposed to be 10 hours and 43 minutes, give or take a few.
We'll have a two and a half layover in Beijing.
From Beijing we fly directly to our final destination, arriving in our beloved city around 1:30pm on Wednesday, Jan. 25. That will be around 1am in Mississippi or 2am in the Eastern U.S. on the same day. (Central Time friends will be behind us 12 1/2 hours. EST partners will be behind us 11 1/2 hours. - Remember this for future reference as well.)

I know by the general appearance of the schedule, it looks like we're in the air for 36 hours. Actually between two flights, our airtime is really only about 14 hours. We cross over the international dateline as we fly west from Vancouver towards China.

So I know you're asking, what does this mean to me?
This means that from the time you wake up on Tuesday morning (Jan. 24) until the wee hours of the next day (Jan. 25) we'll be flying, and we desperately covet your petitions to Father on our behalf during this time.
If you've read any of my blog posts in the past, you know I'm not crazy about flying. Never have been. Also little Mia has a tendency to throw up on air planes - even short flights. I'm sorry to be so plain about that, but there's just no other way to say it. (Can you say, dramamine?)
In addition to those challenges, there's our 18 pieces of luggage, connections, jet lag, immigration/customs on the other side and so much more for you to be lifting up.
So right now, go to your calendar and circle Jan. 24 in red. Highlight the date on your iCalendar. Set an alarm on your mobile phone. Whatever! Just please be talking to Dad throughout the day for us on that special day.

We are so excited to finally be going where we feel called to be. Our training has been rigorous and challenging, yet fitting for our task.
Like a basketball player just waiting on the starting whistle to blow so that he can grab the ball and start the game, we are ready and waiting...
LET'S GO!

Happy New Year!

From our family in Vancouver to yours, where ever you are...
Happy New Year!

Another day, another video

Another day out in the city. The morning started off clear and mild. It wouldn't get cold and rainy til the afternoon.
We took the skytrain and a bus to Granville Island. Then another bus and skytrain ride over to Robson Street for ice skating. Multiple stops at coffee shops were sprinkled throughout the day.
We crashed at the end and ordered in pizza.
Family, food and fun... that's what I call a great day!

Christmas in Canada

I've discovered a new hobby... I'm sure there will be many more of these to come.

This is my family celebrating Christmas in Vancouver:

Prince - Welcome to Canada (on our 16th anniversary)

He came on stage wearing solid gold sequins from head to toe. You probably could’ve seen him from a mile away, but our tickets were upgraded to a section right down front. I’m so glad we didn’t pay the $250 price tag for those same seats when they were sold online. (Our tickets were in the neighborhood of $65 each.)

We arrived about an hour early and the show started around 8:45, nearly an hour after its scheduled start. It was so worth the wait.

Prince delivered and then some. I was smiling from ear to ear for the entire show. It was just so much fun!

I had forgotten some of his older music, but when it started playing I instantly reverted back to my days at the roller skating rink in Rivergate in the suburbs of Nashville. Trucking around the rink with a hairbrush in my back pocket. I had a rat tail back in those days, yes, I admit it. My jeans were tight-rolled and my girl friends and I thought we ruled the place.

For a few minutes I was 14 all over again...

Prince performed like he was in his early years too. You would’ve never known he’s actually 53. And for a man so small in stature, he lit up the stage and the whole, packed-out arena.

CJ and I celebrated our 16th anniversary on December the 16th, and it was a night neither one of us will soon forget.

This where we were before getting upgraded :)

This was during one of his encores - he's standing on the piano, dancing.

Have a holly, jolly Christmas...

Christmas has settled in the city. We have enjoyed having fun opportunities to be out and about in the city. We're also thankful for opportunities to share the true meaning of Christmas with all those we come in contact with.
We started the week by braving the freezing temperatures downtown near the waterfront to watch the Vancouver Christmas parade.

Later in the week, we celebrated the season at an outdoor ice skating rink.

We ended the week at the Vancouver Christmas market. Dancing, eating, riding and playing... it was fun.

That's actually soap they're smelling. Soap that looks
and smells like fruit :)

That's a chocolate covered banana
with whipped cream, of course!

We finished the night with some Thai food. Yummy!

What amazes me most are the random opportunities we've had to share with people about our Father. He is truly the reason for the season - all year long. :)
Merry Christmas!