Beautiful feet

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? and how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? and how can they hear without someone preaching to them? and how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10: 14-15

This passage is used often, for obvious reasons, when preachers preach missions-oriented sermons. It always makes me giggle, only because of the beautiful feet reference. When Marc and I had been married about 6 months, I got the bright idea that we should face each other and tell each other everything that bothered us about the other. Marc insisted that he had no such list...he loved everything about me. I, of course, had a long and fairly detailed list. About a half hour into hearing everything that annoyed me about him, he grabbed my foot (I was sitting with crossed legs) and held it to my face and yelled, "These are hideous. Honestly, they're the ugliest things I have ever seen." In retrospect, his little outburst was completely justified--I was being awful--but at the time, I didn't see it that way. I cried for at least an hour because he thought my feet were ugly. So imagine my relief when I discovered that Jesus thinks I have beautiful feet. (Only Jesus, by the way--they really are hideous.)

Many of you know that we are getting rid of everything this weekend in preparation for our move on the 30th. We finished the shed yesterday (hallelujah!), and are pricing, etc., today. My friend, Barb, who has been an absolute Godsend, is helping. She stopped by yesterday to drop something off, and she said something fairly profound in the course of our conversation. When I thanked her for all her help, she said that while we were called to go, those around us were called to send us, and she was helping send us. (That's not a direct quote, but that was the gist of it.) She's absolutely right. I am terrible at asking for help. Really awful. If Barb had not called me, I never would have asked. It isn't even a pride issue--I just don't think about it. Thank you so much to those people in my life who come in, plop down, and ask for something to do. You are sending us. You are doing what God has called you to do. Thank you so much. I bet Jesus thinks you have beautiful feet, too. :o)

Selfishly, I am going to ask for your prayers about two things that are the only real issues we are having right now (beyond complete and total exhaustion, which is definitely taking its toll). The first is my three children, Sarah Beth, Hannah, and John-John. If Marc and I are starting to really feel the immense pressure that's on us, multiply it by 100 and that's what the kids feel. They are leaving everything they have ever known. Their house is here. Their friends are here. Their schools are here. Their grandparents and aunt and uncle are here. Suffice to say that many, many tears have been shed in our house over the last two weeks. Pray that Marc and I would be strong and stand firm under the pressure, and that we would exhibit to our children the contentedness we truly feel with what God is doing in our lives. Pray that their friends would behave wisely. (It's easier to say goodbye to someone you're mad at...you get the idea.) Pray that they would behave wisely with their friends (ditto the last parentheses). Above all, pray that they would stand up under the pressure and recognize the many, many ways God is at work, and then realize the confirmation that is of what we are doing.

If you do not have pets, the second request will seem silly. Our two cats, Scout and Beacon, do not have homes, yet. I know that God has this just like He has everything else, but I would be lying if I said this was not a source of real anxiousness. We adore our cats. We even looked into keeping them and taking them to Russia, but there is no way that's feasible. Time and again, people we thought were lined up to take them have been unable to. Please, if you know anyone who wants a cat (they're already fixed and declawed), PLEASE tell them of our situation. This is starting to weigh heavily on us--we have to be out of here in nine days, and the cats cannot go with us to the mission house. They are precious and sweet, and they adore people. Please pray about this.

Thank you for loving us. We are so blessed. I don't know when I'll get to post again, because this computer is being packed this morning to go to Baltimore tomorrow, so we won't see it again until we get to Richmond. That leaves me with Marc's laptop, which goes with him this next week he's away, and the kids' iMac, so I don't know how often I'll try to access anything. Please remember us, and know that daily, I pray for the people who read this blog. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye