Hairy Subject

I have been letting my hair grow for a while now. Basically what that means is I have a lot of hair and I don't really know what to do with it much of the time. About week ago I decided that I wasn't 16 (major revelation) and that I did not have the right kind of face to wear my hair without bangs. So, I snipped them, and have been ever so happy that I did. I also realized that I hate my hair permed. In the east Texas humidity what it means is that I have long strands of fuzz going down my back. Thanks to some terrific hair products, I can blow dry and smooth my hair out and I almost have the hair I like - although admittedly much of the time at home it is in one of those clips the size of the jaws of life or a ponytail. I am not sure that the long hair would be do-able in Texas with the heat we have here. We already had the AC on in the car yesterday and you can smell the ocean! For better or worse here is a picture -my kids hate it cause I'm not smiling, but I was trying to take it of myself - ergo the remote!
I just want to say that I took these pictures yesterday morning, so I am not snagging Kate's hair posting idea! ha ha Her haircut is so awesome!

Prayer Request - the McKenzies

If mainly for our entertainment, these blogs can indeed have a higher purpose at least some of the time as I have seen this past week. As an update, the prayer request earlier this week for my friend's mom is being answered in a big way.
This morning I saw on my friend Kate's blog this request for her daughter and family. Please check out the link, and pray specifically. I don't want to attempt to articulate their needs better than she did.
Lord, please.

Missions

My friend Kate posted this morning about her daughter's family leaving for Chad on a long-term mission assignment very soon from where they are currently in France. I don't even know how a mother does that unless her heart is submitted to the Lord. She ended her post very poignantly with this from I Corinthians 7:29-31 (from my "candy" Bible as Kate's husband James calls it - a/k/a The Message):

I do not want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is not time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple - in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things - your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

On that note, an opportunity has come up for the kids and me to take a mission trip with the geography class from the co-op that we are attending. The group is going to Arizona to work on a Hopi Indian Reservation with an organization called YWAM (Youth With a Mission) which just so happens is where Kirsten & Steve - the couple I mentioned above that are going to Chad started out. Kendra had planned with all her heart to take a foreign missions trip this summer that didn't work out for quite a number of reasons. I want so badly for us to be able to go on this trip because

1. we love missions trips and being with people serving and loving them for Jesus
   
2. it is an excellent opportunity to bond with some of the families at this new co-op
   
3. lately I have felt like we are floundering a bit while we learn how to live outside of a specific congregation and I know how missions trips can be a faith lift (I know a missions trip is not for us or about us - but it is definitely a benefit!)

So, if you are interested in supporting us on this trip, I have set up a donate button in the sidebar on the right where you can donate money to support us as we plan this trip. We are leaving on November 2nd and have to quickly get our support together. Most importantly please pray for us. I am trying not to do the math - and just keeping my focus on the Lord.
Thanks so much. Blessings to you ~ Julie