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!