Kathy,

Glad you had a refreshing time in Florida. I pray for safety on your trip to
Connecticut and that Chris will work on the things God yould have him learn
there.

Love,
JulieMelton
visit me at
www.heart-and-music.com
Keep smiling!


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 12:10 PM
Subject: Life in Maine.


> Hi Guys,
>         Well, to quote the governor of California, "I'm baaaack!"  Wow,
> you guys
> covered some good ground discussion wise while I was gone.  And, as you
> can
> see from my other posts, my shy quiet self just couldn't wait to give you
> a
> proper meeting before jumping into the fray!  Oh, will I ever learn to be
> still.  Probably not, but please be assured, God is working on me!
>         Florida was amazing!  Do you remember that it was 23 below last
> Saturday
> here in Maine?  Well, when we did finally manage to fly out on Tuesday
> morning, it was 15 above, but Florida was 70!  I got spring fever in the
> worst way and had to force myself to go inside every time there was
> another
> meeting to attend.  It was almost painful.  Yesterday, as I stood by curb
> side to check in my luggage and savor my last few breaths of warm air
> until
> May here in Maine, I almost began to cry and begged God to give me the
> strength to go back to the frozen tundra.  It was amazing that the weather
> could have such  an effect on me.  But, I was a good girl and borded my
> plane and landed in Bangor last night to a thrilling 11 below again with a
> smile on my face.  I had no idea what I was going to be walking into at
> home, but the break from the stress was very appreciated.
>         Greg and I stayed in communication about twice a day so I was kept
> informed on the home front.  The only day that Chris skipped school was
> Tuesday, the day that I left and, of course, since I was in the air, Greg
> couldn't let me know, but I"m sure that our heavenly Father thought that
> that was best.  Oh, just to let you know, the reason that I left on
> Tuesday
> is because Boston received three feet of snow last Sunday and the airport
> was really messed up.  My connecting flight was supposed to be in Boston,
> but even Tuesday, I was re-routed to New York and put on a different
> flight
> than originally intended because of all the confusion.  NO matter, I made
> it and that is what is important.  I walked into the conference about a
> half hour late, but that's not bad.
>         The conference was entitled, "Free to Soar," but it didnt affect
> me that
> way.  There were a lot of excellent speakers, mostly pastor's wives, a few
> men, bot everyone addressed the issue of the role of the pastor's wife and
> responsibility of the pastor's wife for and toward the congregation.  I
> have a lot to think about.
>         While at the convention, I was thrilled to meet so many people
> that are
> working as combined Jewish, Christian organizations.  The Jewish people
> are
> beginning to turn to Christ as Messiah and I think that a large part of
> that is because the Christians are the one group of people who are
> sticking
> with them, keeping their economy going and encouraging and praying for
> them.  I'm just so psyched about all that is happening!    I came across
> one booth that had products made in Israel, to be sold around the world to
> help provide bullet proof vests for all the teachers, meddle detectors for
> the buses and all sorts of other things that the Israely society  needs
> so  that the people can   stay safe in their home land. One of the
> products
> that they were selling were different cented  annointing oils from
> Jerusalem and they let me smell them all.  I had never smelled myrrh or
> spiknard before.  To be truthful, I don't think that myrrh smells all that
> great and it wouldn't make that much of an improvement on a dead body, but
> oh well.  anyway, quiet me, stood there chatting away and I told them
> about
> the fact that our church does a sadar every few years using the materials
> from Jews for Jesus and I asked them questions about how to make the
> experience more Jewish and I asked their advice about what brand of wine
> to
> serve and so forth.  It was so cool!  Anyway, I actually bought the oils
> just because I want to share them and after we were done there, I, and the
> ladey that I was with, went over and just sat down.  Actually we were kind
> of playing hooky from a work shop at the time and I cannot tell you why in
> the world it didn't dawn on us to go outside and enjoy the weather, but,
> there we were, sitting there, yacking away and I heard the people from the
> booth that I had just been visiting, begin to pack up there wears for the
> day.  Then, one of the ladies from the booth came over and said, we would
> like to give you a present.  Then, They gave Brenda, the other lady, and
> me
> a table runner for our homes and a really cool key chain, but then, she
> handed me another table runner that looked different and she said, "This
> is
> for ;your church, for the sadar."  Wow, how awesome is that!  Our church
> will have a table runner from Israel this year for the sadar.  Isn't that
> amazing.
>         Then, two of the nights that we were  there, we were blessed to
> have
> brother Christians as cab drivers, to take us back to the hotel.  In fact,
> the second night, we were enjoying talking to the cabby so much that he
> missed our turn and had to turn off the meter while he turned around and
> went back.  It was just too funny.
>         Unfortunately, Chris has used this week as a kind of, get all the
> partying
> in I can before I leave for Connecticut, time.  I think that I told you
> guys about how he hooked up with some friends last Sunday and came home
> stoned out of his mind.  Well, he got together with those same characters
> two more times this week.  Greg reported all of it, along with the skipped
> school to the probation officer, but with us leaving for Cromwell
> tomorrow,
> they are suspending punishment and just taking a wait and see
> approach.    I think that everyone is hoping andpraying for positive
> results from what happens these next 45 days for Chris, but so much of
> that
> is up to him and what he is willing to give, or give up, in this case I
> guess.  So, it looks like I won't be contributing much again for the next
> few days.  Hopefully, we will be back home Tuesday evening, but that too
> is
> an unknown at this point.
>         I'm glad to be home and glad to be back with you guys.  Please
> pray for
> travel mercies for our family these next few days and please also pray
> that
> God will be able to connect with Chris.  He could be such a great man of
> God if he would just be willing to surrender   to Him.
> God bless,
> Kathy, always, for His glory!
>