Summer Travels and Travelers
We welcomed friends and family into our home for close to 30 days of our summer. Folks came to visit, look for jobs, crash while finding an apartment to live in. It was so nice (really it was) to have them here to show what Austin has to offer, swim in our pool with, cook meals for...just share life with. We also traveled to a few places. We had a wonderful time in Port Aransas, TX in June (nice beach, amazing shrimp, great time with Brett's folks). In July, we took a 3 week trip to visit family in Amarillo and Denver, and friends in Glenwood Springs, CO. We went back to Glenwood to be help with a service project for RiverChurches (which is the house church network we were a part of there.) Brett put on his toolbags and helped lead a big renovation project (with dozens of volunteers). While we were there, our loved ones/co-ministers gave us a car (‘98 Toyota Corolla)! We've had only one car since moving to Austin, and now we have TWO! Very cool how God provides for us. We were overwhelmed to be blessed in that way. We were able to have nice, relaxing, sweet times with both our parents, cousins, siblings, and friends from our Colorado house church. It was so great. In early August, Tiff flew to Amarillo (alone!) for 5 days to help her parents as her Dad had prostate surgery. He is doing well; surgery a success. Brett did a fantastic job as the solo parent, and Tiff had a nice time being kid-free and spending time with her family in Amarillo. : ) In late August, Brett and Ava flew to Colorado so that Bcett could be a witness at a trial. They stayed for a week and then drove back the car given to us. They stopped in Amarillo for the night, and made it home just in time for Ava's school to start. Whew!
Kid Happenings
Josh started the summer off by getting his long flowing locks chopped off. We took him to Brett's hair dude Phoenix. (I usually say hair stylist, but Brett corrects me. I guess that doesn't sound "manly" enough. hair engineer? hair technician? hair specialist?) Let me paint a picture for you: Phoenix works at Floyd's 99 Barbershop which is a very chromed-out place that plays loud music. He is Jordanian, fit, has numerous tattoos, short spiked hair, has been on several reality TV shows, moved from L.A., and was a backup dancer for the singer “Pink”. Josh sat perfectly still for 30 minutes in the barber chair and got a haircut like Brett's. It was awesome to see...such a cute little guy, looked tough the whole time, never shed a tear! The haircut was short but looked great. Ava and Lily were cute little fish this summer, swimming in the pool almost daily (to cool off from Austin's 50+ days over 100 degrees!). Josh preferred to be on the deck in his baby pool. Ava and Lily both started school. Ava in 1st grade, Lily in Pre-Kindergarten. They both LOVE it and are learning lots. Brett and I have been helping Ava with her homework; sometimes we feel old. Lily's Pre-K is three half days a week and there are only 9 kids in the class. She has little field trips and Spanish lessons. Both schools are within walking distance from our house. Ava lost her first tooth recently. Brett and I both shed a tear as we held that tiny tooth, thinking how that was the first teeny little tooth she got as a baby. It goes too fast! It reminds me (again) to really try and relish every moment. Emmett our dog is great although he's put on a little weight; Just a little. He preferred the air conditioned house to playing out doors when it got CRAZY hot here in July and August.
House Church Flourishes
The House Church in our home is going great. We meet every Sunday night and consistently have about 20 adults and 5 kids. Brett began serving at an Inner City ministry (Mission Possible Austin) that has "Church Under the Bridge" every Sunday morning in downtown Austin. Brett led a homeless Bible Studies and helped lead weekly homeless fellowship dinner and service this summer. Through serving with Mission Possible he met several like-minded Christians (also serving there). Several of these folks are now coming to our Sunday House Church. There is also 2 other House Churches that Brett is facilitating on Saturday evenings. Things are going really great! God is really changing lives. It is amazing to be a part of. The House Church network continues to flourish and grow. Check out the website Brett has been working on.—it needs some updating and adjusting but it’s up. www.advancehim.org
New Skills for the Resume'
Lots of changes around our house...Brett started a new job in September. He works for FX Fabrication which is a custom fabrication and welding company in North Austin. "Why is he doing that?" some have asked. The simple answer is it’s seems like God’s will. 1)Brett has always wanted to learn the arts of welding and metal fabrication. 2)We are coming to the end of our year of financial support for ministry (as expected). God’s timing is so perfect always!! We were able to be full time ministers for 7 months, and it was fantastic. Now Brett is working a full time job welding for a great company and ministering when he is not working. God completely worked it out so that the week Brett started looking for a job, Joe (a guy in the house church network) felt like God wanted him to offer Brett a welding job at his company. I've been encouraged by the verses 1 Timothy 6:6-8 lately "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.....We can't take anything with us when we leave. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." When we are thankful it allows us to truly enjoy what we have. It is something God keeps reminding us about.
Same Kind of Different as Me
When I went home for my Dad's surgery, as I got on the plane I prayed for the encounter of the person I would sit by. It happened to be a sweet Christian gal from Midland. After she recommended a book that my dear friend Shannon also has been trying to get me to read, I knew I had to get the book right away! (Ok, God, I get the message.) : ) Anyway, the book is Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. I finished it recently and it was excellent. It is non-fiction, and about a rich Dallas art dealer (Ron) that befriends a homeless man (Denver) at the urging of his wife. God really spoke to me with something in the book (p. 169) Denver says something like this..."Our limitation is God's opportunity. When you get all the way to the end of your rope and there's nothing you can do, that's when God takes over." The last year has been crazy: moving, leaving a group of amazing friends in Colorado, moving from family, starting over here in Austin, dealing with family and friend's illnesses, changing how we live so dramatically, seeing so many friends hurting, etc. I am so thankful that God took over. When I try to control things, I make a mess of things and fill myself with worry and anxiety. When my Dad was about to have surgery, a friend shared this verse from Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying." That kinda sums it up, huh? I'm trying to be patient and pray when things don't go how I expect they should.
What now?
Now it's Fall here and so beautiful. It's quite a change for us to be able to get outside walk, go the park without our snow gear on. : ) We LOVE the weather now. Halloween is this weekend. We're going to a fair at Ava's school, then trick-or-treating (Ava a flapper, Lily a bee, Josh a green monster, Emmett a hot dog). I'll send pics. We're gearing up for lots of houseguests in November and December. My Dad and I get to go to a Texas Longhorn football game with a good friend (Wally) and his Dad on Nov. 21. We're so excited. My parents are coming for Thanksgiving, then cousin & his family in late Nov/early Dec, the more friends & Brett's family in December. We're truly looking forward to the guests and Holiday season!
Keep us updated on you too! Better go. Love, Tiff and Brett (& kiddos)
