See You Soon...

Well, it's time...the suitcases are packed.  My Mom, my sweet, wonderful, gracious Mom (you know the one) her house does not look like we are packed. But we are BECAUSE all suitcases are at 50 lbs and that's that...guess we'll make do without the permanent markers, bath robe and various oddities that were in the "take" pile and are now in the "take not" pile! 

All silliness aside, I have to be quite honest in saying that the whole "see you soon" thing AIN'T no fun. 

You can tell I mean that by the fact I used a word I do not appreciate: ain't. 

So a few of our recent "see you soons"...

We were able to go home to Henderson and see our Carey Church family.  They are having VBS this week and we miss being a part of that adventure.  It's always a joy to go and see the faces of friends, Sunday school teachers, pastor, secretary old and new and enjoy their company. 

Last night we said "see you soon" to the Steele Magnolias (it's a long story how we got the name, but we let me sum it up with who we are: four families, now 3 generations, who recognize the importance of loving, learning and leaning on the people God puts in your life!).  Not everyone was able to come but it's always a beautiful thing to be with people who you love and who love you through every stage of life.  Thankful, thankful, thankful...pictures to come...once I find the camera cord.

This afternoon one of the dearest ladies in my life brought me cookies.  Mrs. Null has been my across the street neighbor since my family moved to Albemarle almost 25 years ago.  She has been like a grandmother to me in many ways and I have learned so much from her.  Her cookies, and everything else, are always perfection...I watched her walk back across the street, thankful but yet another "see you soon".
 
And then tonight...Aunt Jenny does not have favorites.  I love all nieces and nephews equally and I take the pictures to prove it!  However saying "see you soon" to my Ariana was so very hard.  We both ranked in the sincerely sad.  Please pray with me that God will use these times of "see you soon" to draw Ariana and all of our nieces and nephews, friends (old and young), brothers, sisters, parents, in-laws (I prefer "in-loves") and grandparents to Him and not allow satan to trick them into bitterness! 

 I heard this song on the radio just as I was about to sink into a state of discouragement (and that is so eloquently put it almost sounds like it would be slightly lovely, but believe me, it was not lovely!) and I'm going to share this song with you now...

Next time you hear from me I'll be across the pond...Lord willing!  See you soon!

May Newsletter

May Stewart Chronicles 2013

When Leaving becomes Going...

I'm not sure exactly when it happened. 

It could have been when I bought the airline tickets.

 It could have been when we went to have pictures taken for our residency cards. 

It could have been when I watched my boys tell their cousin, Riley, "see you soon" as they held hands and danced about in a circle being silly for a few moments longer all together. 

It could have been when Alex told me I could take whatever I can fit into 100 cubit feet of box and I crazily started sorting books, clothes and toys. 

It might have been when I realized the 18th marked one month until we drive to NY, the 19th made one month to fly out to Iceland, the 20th would be our arrival to the Netherlands...in one month. 

Suddenly we are "leaving" has become we are "going"...

We are excited, we have worked hard, traveled much, packed little, prayed a lot, been blessed by God's people and their excitement to see His kingdom expand by sending our family to Holland to share His love!

We are sad and grieving the distance that will soon exist between parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces, nephews, friends, Church Family, and Chic-fil-a :0)

We have many new things ahead of us...life without a car, lots of rain and walking, new language to acquire and the list could go on for a mighty long time!  And still  I cling to what has become my answer to it all:  Rejoice in Hope (and it's not just any hope it's the hope that God gives Romans 12). 

So, please hope alongside of us as we say "see you soon", as we get on the plane, as we walk into a new place and people!

A picture of what the front of our apartment will look like, though this is not it, they all look the same ;0)

Mother's Dayish Thoughts...

I really do think that Mother's Day is all that and a bag of chips (make mine jalapeno!) especially when 4 little men with the help of one big Daddy man try to make it so very special!  And they made it special not just for me but for Meme (my Mom) too!  Can we just say Jenny and Karen is "spoilt" by the Stewart boys?!  If it sounds like I'm bragging it's because I am; in a very thankful for what I've been given kind of way!

 

We were spoiled with good picture taking.

We were spoiled with going to McAlister's Deli for lunch (one of our favorite places, and not just because we love the name).

We were spoiled with our all time favorite: a trip to Target and then to 

Old Navy all just for the fun of it!

It was a wonderful day complete with seeing our van, Bessie, hit a fun milestone of 202020 on her odometer (I mean really, how often does that happen?)

So, this random post if from me to you to say I am thankful for my lovely Mother's Day and I just wanted you to know it!

Your Love Never Fails...

So, there's this song.  The kind of song you hear and realize that if you were clever enough you would have written it because it's what your heart, soul, mind is aching to sing.  You want to know what that song is for me these days?  Okay here it is...

Just in case you don't want to listen to the whole 5 minutes here are the words...


"One Thing Remains" by Jesus Culture

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant in the trial and the change
One thing... Remains (repeat)

On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains

Your love never fails, never gives up
Never runs out on me (3x)

In death, In life, I'm confident and
covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid, there's nothing that can
separate my heart from Your great love


This time last year I felt like I was facing a mountain as we had just finished packing our van and the U-haul said good bye one more time to friends we loved and the house we called "home" for 4 years.  Of course, while it felt life threatening at the time, it wasn't and while the constant trial of change has followed us (but let's be real when doesn't it?) "one thing remains"!  God's love has not failed us, given up or run out and it's by His grace we have survived this far and are able to face the next mountain.

THE U-haul...

"home"

"Bessie" the van with bikes on top!

There is still a lot of change ahead for our family.  We start packing, start facing all the "see you soons" we need to say before we go for awhile, start planning for the ministry God has called us to be a part of at Tyndale.  I'm a mix of emotions but I know one thing remains!  His love NEVER fails, gives up or runs out!

Taken just a day or two before we moved.  We kept our tradition of sitting in the yard and reading books until Daddy got home from work!  We also waved at the school buses that went by (waiting for Mrs. Pat's bus even when she wasn't driving one anymore), talking to the neighbors (Jordan family and Anna we miss you!) and hoping the mailman was going to bring a package!

Our April Newsletter

April Stewart Chronicles

Joy in the Journey

I want to share some comments by Chris Bower, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tallassee, Alabama. Chris was Jenny's youth pastor when she was a teenager. When Jenny and I started dating I met with Chris for several long theological conversations. I didn't know much about Presbyterians at the time and I was making sure he was biblical just as he was checking me out to make sure I was orthodox enough to date Jenny :-) I guess we both passed the test because I eventually married Jenny and Chris and I have been good friends over the years. He recently wrote:

"So much of our lives are lived from one goal to the next. When I was in high school I couldn't wait to get out of high school. When I was in college I couldn't wait to graduate. When I graduated from college I couldn't wait to get a job. Once I got a job I couldn't wait to get married. And so on and so forth. C.S. Lewis discovered that the only real destination is not a goal or a place or a dream. It's a person. In his book "Surprised by Joy" he explains that we all seek joy (or happiness). However, once the thing we thought would bring it to us is finally in our grasp the joy is gone. He finally realized that he could not find joy or happiness by seeking it. But in seeking God through Christ, he found the very thing he had been seeking all along... joy. Joy is not a goal. It is a by-product. Life is for journeys... journeys that continually lead us to our Lord. And the destination is far beyond this life. It is the hope of heaven. "Instead, they (people of faith) were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:16)"

Jenny and I really resonate with these comments. We have been on the move from one goal and degree to another since we were married over 10 years ago. The fulfillment of each stage of the journey brings a sense of accomplishment, but not joy. Joy is found in and through Christ each step along the road. May you find joy in Christ and his presence this week!