25 cents a minute...

Ric has been in Ecuador since Thursday evening. Their plane landed and they checked into their hotel and then we had the chance to skype. I have never skyped before, and oh my soul, that is seriously the coolest thing EVER!! He used his iPad and I sat in front of our desktop with my Garth Brooks looking headset on...we don't have a microphone on our desktop. We laughed...he told me about his trips...he caught a glimpse of a naked 3 year old running behind me...he talked with the kids. It was priceless! On Friday they were heading up the mountain to the town where they are staying for the duration of their trip. It was a four hour bus ride through some pretty rough terrain...but they got there.

He chatted with me on facebook last night for a few minutes from an Internet cafe, but we couldn't talk. I have been busy today...going to ball practice...doing chores...playing with kids. I had to drop my two bigs off with a friend for some time with their buddies and the littles and I headed to run a few errands. We were finishing up and sweet little Shelby told me she wanted to hit up the Sonic...it wasn't happy hour, but I took her anyway. We had just ordered our drinks when the call came in...it said Unknown! My heart lept...could it be him?? I answered, and then I heard the sweetest sound...it was my man! He was calling from a phone place where they charge you 25 cents a minute.

He told me how things were going...that they really liked the perspective pastor...that they got to see Inca ruins that he described as "beautiful"..he asked how we all were...gave a shout out to the kids in the car...and then he had to go. I felt like a new woman...I heard his voice it made things seem so much better. Yes, I am a big baby when it comes to being away from my husband. I don't think there has been a day, since we met 11 years ago, that has gone by that I haven't talked to him...that I haven't heard his voice. This has been harder than I thought...and I feel so completely guilty for having such a hard time when I know wives are away from their husbands for months and months as their men fight in the war. There are newly widowed wives at my church that my heart has broken for...I know how much I miss my husband right now...I can't even fathom how much they are missing theirs. But I do. I do miss him...like crazy.

I thought about how my heart lept when that call came in...how I had a peace after I hung up, just because of four minutes on the phone. How I had been dying to talk to him all day...and then my gut felt like I had been punched. Sometimes, if I am being real, I don't anticipate hearing from God the way I did hearing from Ric. Sometimes I don't cling to every word of scripture I read like I did every word Ric spoke.  I sat in my kitchen...ashamed.   Not ashamed at my love for my husband...my excitement for the call or even the fact that I felt soo much better after talking to him.  My shame was in the mere fact that I don't treat God like that EVERY day.  I should have a peace when I am done talking to Him...I should anticipate, with excitement,  hearing from Him everyday...I should cling to every last word of scripture I read.  I had a little bit of a reality check sitting there in the Sonic drive up...and I hope my husband knows it was worth  25 cents a minute.  Thankful for that dollar for oh so many reasons....may God be honored in my life...may I love Him the way I should...may I adore Him...adore His word...adore hearing from Him!

Things are going great in Ecuador!  They have met with the perspective pastor...have met with their translator...they have seen the city where we will be planting the church...they will be preaching the next 3 days to the town.  Ric said they asked Lucas and Manuel if there was any way to get the word out that they will be having services...did they have a radio they could go on and tell them...their response was that word had been out...the town knew that they were coming...they would be there.  Would you pray tonight for our men as they preach to this town, Zhud (I hope that's right..I heard him trying to tell me, but I could barely hear him)...that the gospel would be so clear, regardless of the language barrier...and that God would change lives.  Thankful it's not up to our men or the translators...grateful it's all up to Him!

I will go to bed tonight...$1 poorer...but it was so worth the price for four minutes of my husbands voice and a grand wake up call!

Psalm 119:33-40

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;

and I will keep it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.

 Confirm to your servant your promise,

that you may be feared.

Turn away the reproach that I dread,

for your rules are good.

Behold, I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life!