Six Weeks in PA. . .

We made it to Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania and moved into our new rental home. . . Now that it's six weeks later, I'm still wondering when we'll finally feel "moved in"?! Funny how things take longer when you've got three little ones 5 and under and both parents working. . . But, even though we may still be living out of boxes (which we've kind of been doing for the past 5 years!), we feel at home and the place is even starting to look homey!
This has been a pretty incredible transition in regards to work, lifestyle, and even education for my daughter. . . But with this transition comes not only change, but a sense of renewed hope!
A renewed sense of parenting on our own (without the help of Meme & Papa), a renewed sense of mission in our family and social lives, and a renewed sense of calling. It was a difficult journey over the past several years especially within ministry. It's tough to be hanging in the wind of ambiguity in several arenas of life: family health, loss of job, children's education, loss of home, and what we felt to be a closed door on our supposed calling in intercultural ministries. YET . . . with a journey such as this we kept hoping for a sense of clarity.
What seems amazing to us is how sometimes clarity takes time to come into focus but when it does, things just seem really clear and somehow there's this renewed sense of HOPE that comes within as well. It's been said that "hope is a gift" and I'll have to be honest that our recent hope gift has renewed us so much that even during our new season of ambiguity, changes, and uncertainties, it's filled with one certainty - a hope that amazing things are afoot here in the Pittsburgh area for us little Whetstone's... and it's already begun!

Speaking of beginning... Here's what's happened thus far and a few things we're extremely looking forward to in the near future:

• We arrived and there was a crew from the church Tim's now pastor of (Chartiers Creek Church) that showed up to help us unload...

• A few days later there was another crew who helped us pick up some new furniture that we received through an incredible gift certificate donation...

• And still a few days after that yet a third crew came and helped us repaint nearly our entire home...

• We even trekked it back east to New Jersey for Tim's cousin (and new cousin) Obed & Sharlene's wedding. Natalie was one of their precious flower girls. For a fairly shy four year old, I think she did tremendous - but then again, I'm extremely bias! Pics coming soon!
  
  
  

• Tim's had five weeks of consistent preaching where Danielle needs to keep reminding him that he's here for the long haul and therefore, "you've got time to tell them everything, so why don't ya save a little!"

Funny and not so funny side note: I was reading the other day about a young Methodist pastor fresh out of seminary who had just received a new pastoral assignment in Georgia. Well, he arrived one afternoon and pulled up to the church with his wife and noticed an incredibly large tree blocking a portion of the  view of the church and even some side doors, which he thought should be visible. He leaned over to his wife and said, "I'm going to show these people how determined and ambitious I am. I'll cut that tree down." Well, he did not even last a week and was removed as pastor. What he did not know was that that tree had been planted by John Wesley (founder of the Methodist church) back in the 1730's.
Well, I've managed to not cut down any trees - which would be a pretty tragic thing too for the owners of the house we meet in on Sundays - and we're still being accepted after six weeks! :-)

• Natalie's back in school and she's doing great even after spending nearly a year being quasi-home schooled by some incredibly inconsistent parents! Her year in the Singaporean school system at 3 years old allowed her to cover everything that she's doing as a 4 year old in the US system. Hmmm.... She's now become one of the official "helpers" for the teacher. Thank goodness for a teacher who's keen to Natalie's needs and is nipping her boredom in the bottom!

• Jer will be starting school the first of November!

• D's kickin' it Starbucks style once more. . . Just this time, she's a bit older than the average worker! Yet, truthfully, she's been an incredible wife as I know this was not her dream - especially after three kids and a couple other careers. However, I have confidence that God is going to reward her significantly for her service. . . And in the meantime, we are getting a whole lot of FREE coffee!

• We've made some really incredibly serendipitous encounters with people already wanting to visit our church: One couple we met through our local garage shopping. They were even freelance writers/photographers with Focus on the Family and in areas of disaster response as well. . .  The other came about through Tim's search for a possible location to hold a day retreat. It just so happened that the lady who helped him had actually visited the church several years ago and had fond memories of her visit. 

• We've been doing as much driving through the hills as possible on our few and far between sunny days! But it is a gorgeous place to live and we're looking forward to some great outdoor (and indoor) activities just as soon as we can finalize the purchase of a few more neccesities. . .

Thank you again to everyone who has been supporting and encouraging us all these years (and or days). We are definitely "made complete" as the writer of Hebrews says together in community!

And finally, if there are still any of you out there who would like to help us this new ministry and life change there are several ways in which you can give. Here are a few specifics that we still need:

1. A reliable second car to get Danielle to and from work.
2. A second bookshelf (for the hundreds of books we've (a.k.a. Tim's) been totting around the globe to finally have a home)
3. "Logos" (ministry resource) for Tim's work . . .
4. A new computer. As our family expands we're realizing that three people trying to use just one MacBook is getting more and more difficult... Especially with Tim's constant social networking... :-)
5. Prayer for Tim's dad and mom. His father is still recuperating and needs a special rehab which is in negotiation with the insurance company. They are also in immediate need of help financially and numerically with Life Now Nazarene. 
6. Prayer for Tim's pastoral role. Our new church family - Chartiers Creek Church and finding our place (including Danielle) as missionaries in a new place!

So, you can always give on-line here through our PayPal account or email us for other options. AND, if you have yet to "like" us on Facebook, don't hesitate any longer - join the movement to help us get Chartiers Creek Church of the Nazarene more involved in what God is doing here in Western PA!  

Until next time. . . Grace and peace!