We're home! But, through the years, we've learned the valuble lesson that "home" truly is where the heart is..."home" is where God wants us, wherever that may be...and "home," for us this summer, was from coast to coast.
Today in the morning service, (we're visiting another dear place called "home" to us - Creston, IA) we sang a song about God's love and one of the verses said "proclaiming (God's love) from shore to shore..." and I pray that God's Love was the message, along with our burden for Germany, we shared this summer...from shore to shore.
We just got back from moving Jim's mom to Maryland. We spent Jim's birthday touring DC. It was a beautiful day! The whole week was full of fun family time. I haven't met Jim's brother Garry and his wife, Amber and kids yet, so I was especially excited! Jim was able to use his handy-dandy handyman skills by helping them with plumbing, electrical work and so on and so forth. This trip may have marked the last time the family (all 3 brothers, etc.) might be together in the same place before we go to Germany! It was a special time. I will introduce you to them all at the end of this post.
Since Jim is no longer working at Faith Baptist Bible College, we're spending more time securing meetings and filling up the calendar with conferences and such. Another blessing is that I can use my photography as a source of support, as we take donations for my work. It's worked wonderfully and we are so blessed! We have 2 weddings coming up in September, one in October and one in December, not to mention families and couples interested in photos as well. It's nice that we can schedule those sessions between our traveling time, which seems to be getting more and more, praise the Lord!
Continue to pray for us as we make some finishing touches on the house as well. When we got home from our summer travels, we were welcomed by a basement full of water! We were thankful that we didn't store anything in the basement, but the water heater and furnace did need replacing. And because the air was left off all summer and the humidity level was high (especially with the flooding), we have found that a lot of what was stored upstairs accumulated some mold. Jim's asthma flares up with mold, so it's important to get that cleaned up as soon as possible. A blessing about the molding is that it will make purging much easier as we plan to leave for Germany, Lord willing, next summer! :)
Our car is in good condition it seems. When we turn the key, we say a prayer of thanks for how God has taken care of us! Thank you all for your prayers on our behalf concerning our car troubles this summer!
Well, it sounds like I've covered most of the details and now, for a few pictures. :)
Love,
The Engles
This is the whole clan!
All the cousins!
Mom and her boys! Jim, Garry, and Ben.
