Greg Loves Sarah

A couple of weeks ago, Dan Sterrett and I led a group of STEP ladies on a “Stress Hike”. This is an easy hike (2-3 hrs) made complicated by adding stresses throughout the journey. Stresses? We throw in “broken legs” and “blindness” which force the girls to work together as a team, to give of their own strength to support a needy friend, to humble themselves and receive help, and to have endurance despite unexpected obstacles. Here are some pics for you! (Click on them to see larger versions and captions – THANKS for all the work on the site, Josh!!)

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

I Peter 5:6,7

Me and Savannah :) Wowsers, I adore that little sweet girl!

I love auntie-hood :)

Just me saying Hi :)

Nothing really to post ABOUT…just posting! Life is good. God is GREAT.

Of course, there are trials and real struggles and cloudy days…but Father is STILL THE SAME.

His promises are TRUE.

I have SUCH hope for tomorrow.

Love y’all :)

Welp!! (isn’t THAT a creative way to start out a post :-P ) Let me try that again…. **clears throat**

**GRATEFUL SIGH** (ah, that’s better; now I continue…)

Last week was absolutely amazing! (ok – so maybe it was technically week before last – I am posting late :P) I won’t be able to sum up here what a truly sweet time it was; sooooo I’ll just give a glimpse! The Lord blessed me with a WHOLE NINE DAYS of true vacation. Here’s my definition of the word “BLESSED”: “a thoughtful gift straight from the heart of God to a grateful me.”

Basically, I had 9 days of nothing truly “scheduled” to just BE, to love my family, to relax, to BE some more…it was amazing. **happy sigh**

The sweetest surprise that the Lord gave me for this trip was the company of my dear friend Erin!!!! Her coming along with us was QUITE unexpected and QUITE spontaneous. Thanks, Dad, for the GREAT idea! Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Wy for sharing!!!!!

For the first couple of days, I’d just look over at Erin, or think of Erin, and it was like “Wow! I cannot believe she is actually HERE…with ME…in MY world!” Ah, God is good!

We had such a sweet together of doing NOTHING:

In Texas, we visited, roamed through Mineola, ate out, watched a movie at Cat and Chris’s, visited more, baked cookies…

Then at my house in Louisiana, we visited MORE, shopped, roamed aimlessly through our mall, sat on a quilt by a river bank eating Sonic, slept in, stayed up late, ate out, played “10,000”, visited with family, walked through the woods, laid in a hammock in my back yard, went to a family get-together…

In Mississippi, we did a lot more nothing, but added swimming and sleeping in a pop-up to the list…Cozy in a pop-up, painting nails, and watching episodes of the Cosby Show – that’s what I call doing nothing :)

The Lord knew that we both needed this time for our bodies, souls, and spirits to be refreshed…and He gave it so generously.

Erin and I had such excellent visits – we pretty much solved all of the world’s problems – twice – plus the problems of each other, and when we ran out of all that, we invented issues :)

We talked about life, and our desires for more of Christ, about frustrations with self – It was basically just sweet to find a sister, a safe-place: To have the freedom to talk it out (from “I can’t believe I’m telling you this” to “sigh” to “venting” to “saying nothing at all” to . . . just talking about Christ. It was precious, and I am so grateful!!!

I love you, Erin! So very very much . . .

Erin posted an album with lots of pics from our trip! You can view them at http://picasaweb.google.com/ewychopen

Love y’all!!!

Do The Next Thing
(A Poem Quoted by Elisabeth Elliot)

“At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, ‘Do the next thing.’

Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing.”