Albuquerque NM to Amarillo TX

Nicole wanted to send out a few postcards this morning.

We stopped for an hour at the Dinosaur Museum in New Mexico.

We all get our shoes muddy every time we stop for our state line photos.

We ate good 'ol fashioned Texas style BBQ in Amarillo.

Our PODS arrived safely at NTBI today.  The dean of married students sent this to us.

We had a great day, enjoyed our time together, and are looking forwad to getting to bed early tonight.

Grace and Peace, Mike

Flagstaff to Albuquerque

The kids (and their parents) enjoyed waking up to a 1" dusting  of fresh powder.

About 5 miles off the I-40 we stopped to see the meteor Crater.

We wondered if our PODS was on this truck?  I think we creeped out the poor driver because we took so many pictures and kept passing him and then slowing down.

Our "band" photo's.  Kristi went with the traditional "look at the camera" approach, and I tried the "trying way too hard to look cool by staring off in the distance" approach.

A good friend with the initials J.L. recomended this restaurant for authentic New Mexico style food.  I had stuffed Sopapillas...bread stuffed with chicked, beans, potatoes, and an amazing fire-roasted green chili sauce.  The sauce doesn't hit too hard at first, but by the end of the meal I was burnin' up.

We're staying at La Quinta Inn tonight.  There's a little snow flurry action outside.  Looking foward to Texas tomorrow.

Mike

Roadtrip To Wisconsin

Our route to Wisconsin

We plan to take 6 days to drive the 2,204 miles to Wisconsin.  The average drive time is 6-7 hours per day. With stops we'll be on the road about 8-9 hours a day.  

Hesperia CA, to Flagstaff AZ (December 28)

392 mi - 6 hours 12 mins

Flagstaff AZ, to Albuquerque NM (December 29)

322 mi - 5 hours 3 mins

Albuquerque to Dalhart, TX (December 30)

271 mi - 5 hours 12 mins

Dalhart TX, to Tulsa OK (December 31)

450 mi - 7 hours 45 mins

Tulsa OK, to Saint Louis MO (January 1)

393 mi - 6 hours 10 mins

Saint Louis MO, to Waukesha WI (January 2)

369 mi - 5 hours 55 mins

Christmas

(Our tree 6 days before Christmas)

My first tendency is to say, "it's not the same!" As I look around my home, I see an empty living room, usually warm and cozy with lights, a tree, stockings hung by the fire and a winter Christmas village on my mantel. Our tree (the one thing we put up this Christmas) lies cold and dry, on our back patio. We took it down today...6 days before Christmas. Boxes are piling in our dining area, instead of a table adorned with poinsettias, and odds and ends scatter the counters instead of cinnamon candles and gingerbread houses. 


In case it isn't clear, we're moving!! "It's not the same" I think to myself, as I long to sit and listen to Christmas music and drink hot cider by a raging fire. Instead I listen to Christmas music while scarfing down the last remnants of edible food left in our fridge, and pack a box for dessert! Things are a mess and I miss what I know as normal... "it's not the same." 


Then in the quietness of my heart, I remember that the true meaning of Christmas is NOT the perfect winter village on my mantel, or Christmas trees, or stockings hung by the fire. If Jesus is the reason for the season, then the true celebration centers on the fact that Jesus willingly left the comforts of heaven, took the form of an infant, and eventually purchased our salvation by His death on a cross.  Jesus never changed, our focus is what changed. So as I close the doors to my home, and this chapter of my life, I will focus on what a blessing it is to be an heir to the King, and what it means to follow Him. This is a truly unique Christmas for us, but one I'll always remember. 


I love you Jesus, and I am sorry when I lose sight of what is really important. Thank you Jesus for being the same yesterday, today, and forever.


Merry Christmas,
~Kristi

Titus 3:4-7 "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He SAVED us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Down To The Wire

The following is an e-mail written to the staff of our home church.  Specifics have been generalized to protect the privacy of others.

 Dear Staff,

Hope you are all doing well.  We sure miss you all already.  We'll be leaving the desert in 3 days, and leaving the state in 11 days.

We've had a couple potential buyers, and several potential renters.  All have fallen through.  We offered to rent to a family that really needed a good deal.  We really prayed about making it work for them, but they ended up turning down our offer because the commute would be to much for them.

We've pretty much resolved to drive away even with the house unresolved, but that makes us nervous.  While God does want us to use wisdom, He also reminds us that His kingdom is "upside down".  We believe the furthering of the gospel should be the priority above our desire to maximize our possessions.

We are willing to sell for way less that we bought the house for or rent it for just above the cost of our monthly payment.  Please continue to pray for provision, wisdom, and the resolve to do whatever God calls us to whatever that may be.  If we don't hear anything soon we'll probably list with a realtor or rental agency.

Grace and peace,

Mike and Kristi Day

Unemployed In December

I have to admit that it was a little scary and surreal voluntarily resigning from a job I love during an economic meltdown.  My last day was November 30.  I never would have done that if I didn't believe that God wanted us to move in this direction.  It took a great deal of letting go and trusting God for us to finally make that step.  For Kristi and I to trust God with this is nothing short of a miracle.  To God be the glory for the great things He does.

This month has been one of the busiest and most taxing I can remember.  The details of this transition are numerous and charged with excitement, terror, joy, sorrow, peace, and turmoil.  The past few months we've been going through all our belongings trying to narrow them down by about 70%.  We had garage sales, made trips to thrift stores, and dispersed items to friends and family.  The past couple weeks have been spent packing the things we are going to move to WI.  The night before we loaded our PODS (portable on demand storage) we worked till 5:30am and got up at 7:30am.  We were so tired that we started displaying some weird behavior.  For instance, the next morning we were getting in the car to go to church and I had put a flashlight under my arm and carried it to the car for no reason.  Later that evening Kristi told me that she was going to put on a movie for Caesar (our cat)!

For me the hardest part of trusting God is not so much a question of whether He can do something.  I don't question His strength, ability, wisdom, or goodness.  I just can't stand not being in "control" and not knowing how or when He is going to provide.  I read in Isaiah recently where God's response to an unbelieving people was to say "than I will once more ASTOUND these people with wonder upon wonder".  He could have said "forget these people" instead He says "I will astound them AGAIN".  Thanks be to God for His ASTOUNDING mercy, grace, and lovingkindness.

I don't take unemployment lightly.  I know a lot of folks are struggling with legitimate financial crisis.  I know many hard-working people have lost their jobs and not been able to find new ones.  For me, I'm okay with being unemployed in December because I'm confident God will meet our needs.  Our family is ready to embark on the greatest adventure of our lives.  What a privilege it will be to play some part, whether large or small, in bringing God's Word to a people group desperately in need of a Savior.  How blessed are the feet that bring good news...and this is great news, to all people.

Grace and Peace this Christmas,  Mike

Do Not Be Anxious

There's a part of me that loves my comfort zone.  Any comfort zone.  I like to know what I'm doing, how I'm going to do it, where the ability and resources are going to come from.  I like to know what's expected of me, what I can expect from others, and what consequences will surface if those expectations aren't met.

I also love to live.  Not just exist but truly live.  There's something about rock climbing, sky diving, first dates, or other near death experiences that cause a certain feeling.  It's scary, but in a good way.  We avoid life at times.  The uncertainties just aren't worth the risk.  What if I fall, what if I hit the ground, what if I look stupid, what if I'm not happy, what if I lose all I've worked for????

Is that why we love movies so much?  The chance to participate in epic battles without the risk of getting shot at, speared, or mutilated.  The warm fuzzies of a romantic comedy without having to put our own heart on the line.  The intensity of a poker player going all-in with their life savings, while the only bet we made was that the $4.50 we paid at Hollywood video wouldn't be wasted on a lame movie.

Most things worth living for involve a level of risk.  Marriage is great, but what if it ends in divorce?  Having children is one of the best things ever, but what if they stray from the path and break our hearts?  Whether making a discovery, mastering an instrument, or earning a degree, a level of risk and sacrifice is inevitably involved.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)  That they may have life to the full.  What an invitation!  But what does it cost?  What is the risk involved in entering into life where the God of the universe is our Father, His Son is our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit is our guide?  To me the answer is both nothing and everything.  "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  (Matt. 19:29)  It's like Jesus is saying that everyone who risks everything that matters, to pursue the only thing that matters, will gain the only thing that matters.


So, we risk it all.  Because we trust what Jesus says.  And then we are anxious.  We don't need to be anxious.  Why are we anxious?  So quickly we take our eyes off Jesus.  But we are left with this command.  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6-7)  How well God knows us to predict our anxiety.  How good He is to offer peace.


Mike