~Waiting on God!~

Have you ever had to W.A.I.T. for something?  Waiting it has been said is harder than working.  
 I’m a go-getter.  God has made me to be like the Energizer Bunny and when I’m not pregnant , I’m not one to lie around very often. =)  (Although, I learned from my Sweet Moma years ago to try to take a daily afternoon nap, so that my “Mommy nerves” can be rested for the evening/nightly activities of a busy family. =D) 

So, right now, as God has our family WAITING to see what all His plan is for us (concerning what all HE will do in Argentina)…that is not easy for me.  We KNOW that God called us to come to Argentina, even for these 5 months before baby comes. 
Let me share 3 of the miracles that God has done in helping us get here...for which our family is excited and Thankful to Jesus!

MIRACLE # 1. Phillip was praying and telling God (after we found out about baby #6) that He still felt that we should go to Argentina for the next 5 months.  Phillip asked God to send in the money for us to purchase our airplane tickets to go to Argentina if He wanted us to go.  He contacted our travel agent (which is a dear lady who bends over backwards to help our family) and she wrote back with prices for one-way tickets to Argentina, and round trip tickets to Argentina and back to the USA.  That day we didn’t have the money to buy the round trip tickets.  Phillip was thinking of writing her back and telling her to go ahead and purchase the one-way tickets to Argentina…but He hated to do that KNOWING that we have to come back in June for baby.  It seemed a waste of God’s money to purchase one-way tickets when we Knew we needed ROUND TRIP tickets! 
When Phillip went to email our travel agent, he felt God check him to NOT respond to her yet!  
 He waited and the very next day a sizeable gift came in that more than covered the ROUND-TRIP tickets for all 7 of us.  

 (That doesn’t happen every day, folks! =)

 Like I told you earlier when we left Argentina last time, we left a few boxes of our things with our friends Leo and Caro.  They gave them back to us the other day.
It was like CHRISTMAS getting to see our things that we left here 2 years ago.
~Walking by and seeing my Fun Black and white tray and set of white cups and saucers makes my heart smile every time! =) ~

MIRACLE #2. Has been the provision of this beautiful house that our Chinese friends Uncle Charlie and Aunt Jolie and Charlie’s brother are allowing us to live in.  As you may or may not know, last time we were here we rented a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom furnished apt. which had NO YARD  (but that price did include utilities and internet) for a whopping $1,450 US Dollars a month! 
YES!  It was WAY too expensive compared to what we were used to paying, but our Argentine friends agreed that it was the going rate here for furnished apts. =( 
So, a few months ago Phillip was talking to Jesus and telling Him to please increase his faith as to HOW we would have the money to pay rent/live in Argentina and travel to continue serving the congregations in Colombia as well.  

Shortly thereafter Charlie’s brother contacted us offering us the Privilege of living in their parents nice home here in Argentina.  This house is probably the nicest house we have lived in in South America.  It has 4 bedrooms, 2 ½ bath.  It also has 3 places where our kids can play: a nice back yard, a big patio, and a garage.   :-)
 It is completely furnished with furniture, towels, sheets, and in the ample kitchen there are lots of dishes, silverware, glasses etc. for us to use.  There’s even a special thing like A KITCHEN TIMER… which as a Mommy of 5 and “1/2” kids =) is my SECOND BRAIN!!!  
 I use a kitchen timer to remind me of what I’m baking, so I don’t burn it to a crispy critter, and for our kids schoolwork. =)
There is also a blender, a mixer, a coffee maker, lots of nice skillets and pans, etc.  We will hardly have to purchase anything!

MIRACLE #3. Pastor Jimmy from Colombia has a cousin that has lived in Argentina for years now.  Years ago when he heard that we were coming to Argentina, he told Jimmy that there were 2 neighborhoods that he would recommend that would be safe for we as Americans to live in.  Wouldn’t you know, when God found us our first apt. back in 2011, that apt. was in the FIRST neighborhood He recommended. 
This house we are living in now that God opened up, is in the SECOND neighborhood!  
 Those 2 neighborhoods are 45 minutes from each other. 
Coincidence?  I don’t think so, It appears to be the hand of God in directing exactly WHERE He wanted us to live! =)

Isn’t God beyond awesome?!!!

My devotional book Streams in the Dessert…told me the other day to “Fret Not!”  In thinking of the "WAITING GAME"…it dawned on me that MY DUTIES have not changed!  =)
So, while we PRAY and WAIT on God to reveal the doors He wants Phillip/our family to walk through here in Argentina…I’m just doing the same "jobs" I have been doing for YEARS now!  I’m doing my best to be the Best Wife and Mommy/Home school teacher that I can be.   =)

Our 3 oldest children are WORKING VERY HARD to try to get L.O.T.S. of schoolwork done in these months before we return back to the States to have our 6^th baby, Lord willing. 
So, I’m working right beside K, S, and N to encourage them and try to make sure they finish their HIGH goals they’ve set for each day.  I try to think of little treats throughout the day to make their hearts “smile” or a walk to the park after schoolwork is put away to give them some fresh air and exercise. 
I’m actually enjoying the more LAID BACK life we have here which gives me lots more time to focus on helping our children more with their Homeschooling, etc.  =)

This is not meant to be a “brag on Heather moment” just a little reminder that sometimes we Wives/Mommies can get our focus on “Where is our ministry?” when God planned for us to minister to our husbands by being Loving…cheer-leading type wives (seeing the great points in our husband and accepting him for WHO he is, not for Who we might WISH he were ;-), and to our children by being Godly loving Mommies.  
A lot of times we can’t see how making scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast can be MINISTRY…but we are ministering by making yummy healthy meals for our family! 
And as you know that never-ending pile of laundry and dirty dishes do not get done by themselves, so SOMEONE has to do them. =) 
May Jesus give us the strength to shine for Him in our very own home as we take great care of the loved ones Jesus has “loaned us!” =)

(And of course…As our family waits and PRAYS here in Argentina…
we are trying to touch lives by: 
smiling everywhere we go, 
showing a Christ-like Spirit in the bus, 
as we walk everywhere we go, 
as we shop in the Chinese grocery stores, etc., 
and witnessing to those where God opens up that door.  =)  
We make quite the SCENE as all 7 "1/2" of us trapz down the road, so TRUST ME...we get NOTICED!  =)
Phillip is spending lots of time praying and waiting on God.
We see God opening up a few possible doors.  
In time we will share those with you, Lord willing.  
In the meantime, Thank you for your prayers!