"Time is fleeting!"

 Anybody out there recognize the line I used for my title? Its from a famous midnight movie? Tim Curry's movie debut? Yep! Rocky Horror Picture Show! When I was in my teens this was a movie my friends and I used to go see every night for an entire summer. I remember the butler explaining how do the dance callled the "Time Warp" and one of the lines in the song (by the same name) was the one above, "time is fleeting." Back then time seemed to last forever. But as I have gotten older (I would say "more mature" but my wife might have something to say about that!) time seems to move ahead at a much greater pace. And now that we have raised 85% of our support and have set June as our departure date for Italy time definitely feels as if it is fleeting! They say the last 20% of support raising tends to go the fastest so I guess we'll just have to trust whoever "they" are! No, on second thought I think we'll stick to the one person we have found to be the most trustful so far and thats Jesus Christ, he's gotten us this far so even if time is fleeting I know where we'll end up...eventually. Now, how'd that dance from the movie go again, "a jump to the left..."

...So close yet just far enough!

I know the saying is, "so close yet so far" but I modified it just a little and it has everything to do with God's timing, I'll explain. We in the west plan out everything. Our days are sometimes planned down to the minute! This type of planning leaves little wiggle room for God and that is the point of my modified saying, I relish when God has room in my life to be God! As missionaries we are always on the look out for ways to meet people and then take advantage of those opportunities to talk about our ministry. But sometimes we plan so much that we really never give God the chance to show us that no matter the amount of planning we do he always has something better for us. Lately we have backed off just a bit from all our planning and instead of being anxious about whether or not we have a full calendar we are just allowing ourselves to go "just far enough" and then letting God do what he does best...be God! And the results have been amazing! Which is kind of funny when you think about it. Why is it we are so amazed when we take the time to allow Gods plan to rule in our lives but anxious when we do it the other way around? We are close to our goal of being 100% funded to go to Italy but I am finding more and more that with God in the midst of our planning we are just far enough and thats a good place to be! Ciao.

A "milestone" has been reached...

   I (Jamie) turned fifty today. We in the west see this as a point in life where we stand at a crossroads. A point in life where we reflect on our lives thus far. For me personally I see this not as a point for reflection but a time to look ahead and wonder what God may have in store for me and my family as we move toward our goal of missions to Naples Italy. There have been crossroads in my life - going off to college, joining the military, getting married etc...but I believe there is one crossroad that is significant and worth reflecting on and that is the day I gave my life to Christ. That day stands out more then any other and that includes today. Because on that day I was given a new life, I went from death to eternal life! So in essence today is not a milestone or a crossroad its really just another point along the way to a greater reward of eternal life with our heavenly father and for me thats worth looking forward to. Blessings.

Buon Nuovo Anno! Happy New Year!

...We are happy to ring in a new year here with our church family but sad that we are still in the states and not in Naples Italy celebrating with our church family there. But we know God is sovereign and we will get there in his timing. Such is the life of missionaries, we want so much to be doing the work we believe God has called us to do, but in order to get there we must wait on the Lord to provide those with the funds to help us get to our perspective fields! We are excited though we are between 70 and 80% of our goal! We are very close and soon begins the journey of the "lasts."The last time my girls will be attending an American school (high school). Our last visits with family and friends. But there will also be a "first"It will be the first time we have to say good-bye to our oldest who will be staying behind and beginning his life journey here in the states. That "first" will be harder then all the "lasts" combine. Happy New Year and may God bless you in the coming year.