What Did I Say?

Karen and I are discussing ideas for posting here to help you share in our journey as much as possible. I read many blogs and there are a lot of good ideas out there. One of my favorites is a blog that has a "Friday Is For Photos" post. This is a weekly post of a very interesting or beautiful photo from that particular bloggers world with perhaps a little story attaching some detail to it. I love that idea...but I have a problem. In Moscow there aren't any, for example, colorful and interesting little frogs sitting ever so gently on a beautiful dew stained delicate flower that is swaying amidst a spacious green yard. I do have a photo of a smashed frog stuck in between metro doors on the subway, but I'm not sure you want to see that. I'll keep thinking.

Today, let's laugh a little. A little background is in order for you to enjoy this story. The sun shines bright through our family room window and being on the 18th floor, we are very close to the sun as well. Since we don't have an AC, hanging a blanket to cover the window helps keep it a little less hot in that room. It is so heavy though, it takes 15 clothes pins to support it. Not attractive, but it works. We are learning what's important. Now, as you may know we were blessed with our landlord agreeing to purchase a new oven and refrigerator for us. They were both very, very old which would have been okay...if they had worked. They didn't and we are glad he agreed. Anyway, the downside is that in true Russian style, he still wants the old ones...but he said he can't retrieve them from our apartment, in his words, "maybe in a few weeks or a few months." In an apartment with 5 people, you really don't want a second oven and refrigerator...even if they worked! So Karen sleeps next to the old fridge and the oven keeps me warm on my side of the bed. A little exaggeration there, but not too much.

So there is the picture. Now, one day we are coming up the elevator and we receive a call that our friend Anya is dropping by to say hello. She is an awesome young Russian lady that lives about 3 hours away and is passing through Moscow for the evening. Now Karen keeps a great apartment. Everything is in order as usual and ready for our company...but then there is "the blanket" with those 15 clothes pins. It is evening and we think we can do without it. I'm thinking...let's take it down for company. Now, as most of you know, I like to joke around a little and occasionally I may say something actually funny. However, the funnier times with me are usually unplanned, spur of the moment kind of thing. This was unplanned for sure. In my most sincere, determined, matter-of-fact tone, here is exactly what I said to Falyn on the way up the elevator just as we reached our apartment...

"Falyn, Anya is coming over in a little while. When we get inside please take the blanket down from the window. Just roll all the clothes pins up inside of it and put it on top of the oven next to the refrigerator in our bedroom."

We all five looked at each other for a second in silence and then filled the entrance to our blessed home with laughter...just as it should be. Thank you Lord for reaching into Russia and giving us the blessings of laughter.

Sola Gratia~
Doyle

We Finally Made It!!!

Doyle, Karen, Falyn, Tristyn, and Daegan

Thank you all for being patient with us as we finally get our blog off the ground. We are excited about being able to share with you more often and with pictures! We hope you enjoy walking with us.

We have decided to title our blog “Our Journey of Obedience”. I like that title because, amidst all the dramatic changes in our family the last year and a half, and with all the diverting we have done away from what many might consider a “normal” life, all we are really doing is simply being obedient. Like most folks, I sometimes give myself too much credit in certain situations. I have to remind myself that God doesn’t need me. I do know that if God did need me, the Russian people would be in trouble! But instead, for reasons unknown to me, He has given us the unspeakable privilege of sharing the good news of the gospel to those who haven’t heard. Have you ever wondered why He uses the “foolishness” of preaching by a fallen man as the means by which He will prick the heart of another fallen man? I don’t know why He does. I do know that only He could do that…and I’m glad He does.

Since we plan on keeping these posts as a kind of journal of our service, we must not let the first post go by without saying how much we love our home church back in Texas. Our church family (and I do mean family) at Grace Community Church in Magnolia has supported us in so many ways that I truly wouldn’t know where to start. The love the GCC children have shown Falyn, Tristyn, and Daegan with emails, cards, and birthday surprises is right at the top of the list...and there is so much more. We are so blessed to be a part of that family (and I do mean family). We love you all! Thank you Pastor Ted and church family (and I do mean family) for taking us in and then sending us out to the people of Russia...all the while propping us up in prayer while we are on this journey. You are AWESOME!!! (and I do mean AWESOME!!!)

Well, it's already been 6 months, but perhaps over the course of the next few months (or even years) we will get a chance to go back in time and replay some of the highlights for you that may have been missed. Let me just start this journey by sharing a more recent highlight...and this one is really high. It is certainly worthy to be a part of post number one on “Our Journey of Obedience”.

I was able to attend my first “Russian” baptism service a few Saturdays ago. Although, as I write this note, I am reminded that every baptism I have ever attended in the states seemed to be “rushin”…if you know what I mean. Anyway, there were 43 people to be baptized this day and it was a great experience. A few things I noticed as I looked, listened, and learned. One was the overall "eventfulness" of the service. There was scripture reading and preaching, singing, music, testimony, prayers, and reflection. I have always understood the symbolic importance of baptism, but I was just overwhelmed with the fact that this just wasn’t a "folks who walked an aisle, signed a card, and get baptized quickly the next Sunday morning between the 2nd and 3rd praise and worship songs and if you go get a drink of water you missed it" kind of baptism. No…this was different. I kept thinking to myself, this really means something to them. This thought was really made manifest as I observed one particular lady. She was standing about 10 feet from me and we were both standing behind the crowd as they watched the baptisms from the bank of the water. She was standing next to a tent that was to be used for the folks to dry off and change clothes after being baptized. After the first one was baptized and began the climb up the bank, passing through the crowd with their white gown and very muddy white socks, the crowd continued to watch as the next one was baptized, then the next one, then the next. I felt drawn to this lady as we were both well behind the crowd and I wondered why she was just waiting for them at the entrance to the tent. Why wasn't she watching the baptisms with everyone else? As I stepped closer, it was then I realized that her "job" was to strip the muddy socks from the feet of them that were baptized and wash their feet before they entered the tent. You might be thinking as I was that she must have drawn the short straw to get this assignment. Well, as I got even closer to her, and was just beginning to feel sorry for her, I realized that this was no "job" to her. She had clearly volunteered for this work as the tears streamed down her face as she continued her task of stripping off their socks and washing their feet, one after the other, then the next, then the next. It was hard to fight the tears as this missionary prayed "Lord, continue to mold a servant’s heart in me."

Sola Gratia~

Doyle