It's a Snazzy New Do!

Check it out guys! Finally, after a long design journey I found Lara and she made my blog beautiful! I love the design and hope you do to.

Thanks Lara! I loved working with you and appreciate your persistence even through the midst of a hurricane.

Blessings everyone!

(To see Lara's other work and check out her site click on her button in my side bar.)

Breathing In

Because we found gas so cheap in America (wink, wink) we decided to do some driving while in California. You know. Economics.

We headed south towards a certain Hilltop. There were some unbelievable servants there who we needed to speak with in person.

As we waited for Sunday to roll around, we sauntered and strolled the boulevards and lanes of the Happiest Place on Earth.

Which, unfortunately, became the Rainiest place on Earth and stayed that way for the duration of our visit. But we are Cashes. When the weather turns sour, you pull out the appropriate gear (which you always have with you because one of you is in fact an Eagle Scout and Always Prepared, ahem,) and press forward. No turning back.

(I am hearing the song “Aint No Stopping Us Now” in my head).

We walked and waited in lines and enjoyed our time at the Happy Kingdom. We paid. We played. Rain or no rain!

We did have fun. The only sad issue proved to be the elusive Jedi Show. When we pulled out the maps on day one our boys immediately pointed the Jedi Show. It was, as they say, “A Must See!” for our family.

We dutifully arrived early, chose seats, waited for instructions and anticipated the great battle with Darth Vader…three times. Three times we sat in the rain and waited for a Star Wars voice to announce to all the children that the Jedi Show was cancelled due to rain for safety issues.

They are announcing this, I might add, to a bunch of parents who are allowing their children to ride roller coasters and swings and race cars in a torrential downpour. But the Happy Kingdom deems waving a light sabre on a damp floor “unsafe”. Makes you stop and think doesn’t it? It should anyway.

We did get to meet Darth Vader in person. He is lovely. A real charmer.

So is this guy.

Who scared me.

We saw some old friends who were delightful as always.





And we enjoyed being together.


A good deep breath. With a few giggles thrown in.


One brief side note...
Of all the amazing-ness that is the Happy Kingdom, you might be surprised at the things that impressed foreign missionaries the most. The ground for instance.

We sat on the ground for parades and fireworks shows. Ground that many, many feet had walked on.

And, here’s the thing…

It was so CLEAN!

In our homeplace on the Dark Continent, there is not one stretch of footpath that you can sit on without becoming filthy. Jeff and I obsessed for a solid 20 minutes on the cleanliness around us despite the masses walking,eating, drinking and celebrating on the paths.

Unbelievable.

And the electricity and lights we witnessed there. Always on.

Shocking.

As I said, our time in Anaheim was not just to see Mickey.

There were some crazy souls over on the Hilltop that we needed to hug and thank for a task that will most certainly blow your mind.

It blew ours.

California

We dreamed of this moment for many reasons.

First this:




Then this:


Then this:


Our missionary community in Uganda is a blessing to us. As we share meals made from scratch and wade through struggles in a foreign place together we often dream of what it would be like to grab a quick meal at a fast food restaurant or shop in an American store!

We were so thrilled to meet up with the Calhoon family (from our Uganda missionary community) in Sacramento for a few days and enjoy some of the amenities of the US. We delighted in our first In&Out burgers, shopped at REI (but of course!) and relaxed with Destiny's family on a Sunday afternoon.



We also held that new baby as much as possible!!!

We loved being able to see our friends and connect in person for a brief visit before going our separate ways again. Many thanks to their family for graciously sharing their last day together with us.
We parted, with prayers for safe travels and hopes of seeing them soon on the flip side, at home again in Uganda.

Next on the Cash Family agenda...

Destroy the agenda.

No schedule. No plan. Just our family. Our kids. Some laughing. Some games. Some fun. Hopefully some rest.

The responsibilities of Home Ministry Assignment were right around the corner. But we had a few breaths to take first.

American Soil

Our flight from Dubai took a mere 16 hours.

Let me just say that again for emphasis.

Sixteen hours.

Only if you are a parent of a very active preschooler can you understand the depths of fear such a time frame can instill.

We discussed our plans long and hard before buying the tickets.

Would we survive a 16 hour flight with four kids?

The answer was a very blessed "Yes!" But we do not boast arrogantly. We know it was a gift from God.

I also thank the airline personnel who arranged our seating.

Flying with four kids is pretty easy when you aren't seated by any of them. :-)

Poor Jeff. (Can you hear the depths of my compassion?)

He was on the row of seats with our three boys. Kinley was across the aisle from him. And I was seated across the aisle on the other side.

It was an innocent situation, I promise. I did nothing but walk in and take the first seat given to us.

(FYI...when you put that headset on and turn on a movie, its like no one else is around. And my arm was well out of tapping range if I leaned over to my right far enough...)

The kids did handle the flight very well. Our airline had an amazing entertainment system that kept us all occupied for a huge chunk of the time.

Nonetheless, we were thrilled to feel the plane touch down. And I was awash with emotion over the cowboy hats and Texas accents that greeted us at immigration and customs.

It was Texas, Y'all. And it felt good to be there.

We gathered bags, secured luggage and rolled our belongings through the doors to find Nana and Papa waiting. We shared weepy hugs and laughs and smiles and made our way to the hotel.

The next few days were spent recuperating from the 16 hours and the jet lag. We ate yummy food. Celebrated a birthday and Mother's Day belatedly.




We went shopping (Target!!!) and pierced some ears.






And we slept. As much as possible. Our bodies were worn out and we needed to rest.

Those first few days on American soil with Nana and Papa as back ups for child wrangling helped us get our feet back under us before we began more travels.




It was hard to hug them goodbye after only a few short days, but with the promise of a longer visit in our near future, we prepared ourselves for the West Coast.

First stop...California!

Dubai

Our physical journey began in May.

Our battle weary souls were prayed over and hugged away from our foreign home by the Longs and Martins. We checked in at the airport with blessed little fanfare. Even the expected immigration issues, (Silas passport stamp was held up and delayed) went smoothly and easily.

After months of planning and preparing we found our travel experienced selves seated on the eve of yet another furlough.

Six well packed carryons were before us and not one of them contained diapers or baby food. When our flight was called, every individual person carried their own bag to the airplane. There were no strollers and everyone would sit in their own seat. It was a moment I halted our entire family on the way to the airplane to commemorate. My children and husband smiled at Mom’s Moment, but none appreciated it as I did.

We have crossed a threshold. And I am pleased about that.

Our first flight was relatively short. Eight hours. We landed on a hot peninsula in the Middle East. Dubai.

It was a new place for us. A new experience. We were longing for the chance to just blend in with the tourist crowd for awhile. Turn off our brains and recuperate from the churning previous months.

We needed an Oasis. We looked for one in this desert.

Here is what we found:

And this:



Our oasis even had snow:




My photography skills (or lack thereof) do not do the ski resort justice. A ski resort people. In a mall. In the desert.

Pretty crazy stuff, Dubai.

One morning as the children and I slowly started the day, Jeff set out to find us some food. He began to walk across the hot dusty lot across from our hotel. The wind was whipping the sand in his face and the desert heat was bearing down on his head. He was just thinking how thirsty he felt and how hard desert life was, when he looked up through squinted eyes to see:

The Golden Arches.

Oasis indeed. His desert travails led him to the best french fries ever made. There was much rejoicing when he returned with two large bags of food from McDonalds!

Our American restaurant wonderment was not over. On an outing the next day, our family headed off to the beach. We expected it to be warm, but I was shocked at the intensity of the heat. In a word…fire. That beach was the hottest place on the planet. Seriously. I thought I would fry. My attitude went from happy, delightful tourist to cranky, grumpy white girl in about 2.2 seconds. Jeff and the kids quickly jumped into the water and cooled off while I grumbled around the beach chairs wondering why on earth I had married a camel impervious to high temperatures. I pouted on the chairs for awhile wondering how guilty my family would feel if the heat did in fact kill me on that Jumeriah Beach. Eventually, I gave up my scowl and shuffled down to the water to find such sweet, sweet relief. The water cooled me off quickly and made my attitude way more tolerable. We (meaning, me) lasted about two hours on the beach adventure. We decided to drag our overheated selves across the flaming sands in search of airconditioning. Somewhere, there had to be relief! I enticed my beach loving family with ice cream and food.

We changed into our clothes and washed sand off our shoes about 700 times with scalding hot water, then began to look for a taxi. As we stood on the street, Jeff pointed out a welcome sign across the street.

Chili’s.

I had never been so happy to see that big red chili pepper in my life! What a delightful meal. While on our little desert vacation we also enjoyed the delights of Little Caesars and Johnny Rockets.

We ordered Chinese take out. Swam. Sweltered on the beach (which I think I might have already mentioned :-). We enjoyed a water park that had eleven huge water slides that were all interconnected. You had to wait in line for quite a while to get started. But once you were on the slide it was a thrilling and long ride. Jeff ranked it as the coolest water park he had ever been to.

We shopped in a souk and bought beautiful textiles and clothes.

We learned many things about the ancient Bedouins in the Dubai museum.

And we enjoyed fresh squeezed apple juice overlooking the Dubai Creek.


We took our time and began to breathe deep again.

Dubai, is a land of contrasts. Women in full burka strolling alongside Europeans in micro mini skirts. Burning desert sands alongside indoor ski resorts where it snows every night.

A land of intrigue.

A land of welcome.

We were thankful for its open arms and very much enjoyed our sojourn there.

Home Ministry Assignment

For many years overseas missionaries have been known to take a "furlough". This is commonly understood as a time to visit one's home country, visit family, report to sending churches and perhaps rest from the strain of overseas life.

Recently, I heard "furlough" being referred to as "Home Ministry Assignment", the current mission-speak for home leave.

I appreciate what this term conveys.

We are on a break from potholed roads and bland food. I have been on a break from planning meals and cooking. We are on a break from homeschooling.

Rather than thinking of this time away from Uganda as a "break" though, it is more accurate to think of it as simply, another type of assignment. "Rest" is as allusive as it is when we are serving in Uganda. We must be deliberate about our resting and breathing deeply and stepping away from work.

I will confess to you, this is not our strength. We tend to eat, sleep and breath our occupation.

But, through our years of furloughs we have tried to create moments for our family that lend themselves to rest and regrouping.

I type today from my parents dining room. Their dining room in small town USA. I have spent the last few days/weeks visiting with family, perusing old family pictures, scrapbooking said pictures and remembering. All those little and big moments that God orchestrated to shape and form me. I'm sure that will be a blog post in itself eventually, but before we get there...

I want to go back to the start of this Home Ministry Assignment. God has granted us mercies at every turn...sometimes He has just graciously heard our cries. We have certainly offered HIm many praises. He has astounded us over and over again with His Creation and reminded us of the goodness of His Spirit at work in His people. We've been loved on, encouraged and prayed over in exact moments to reveal God's timing and continuous activity in our lives.

We've needed that and praised Him for that Grace.

Over the next few weeks, travel with me as I remember some stellar moments in a physical journey over many miles.

We will begin in a desert....

More Thanks

61. Time to "get away from it all".
62. Johnny Rockets chocolate milkshakes
63. Cool water on a hot day
64. Airconditioning
65. Organized taxi systems
66. Chinese take out
67. Naps
68. Mom and Dad waiting at the airport
69. The safe ending of a long flight
70. Blue bell ice cream
71. Blue bell ice cream
72. Blue bell ice cream :-)
73. Shopping with my Mom and my daughter
74. My boys trailing after Papa
75. My dad laughing with my boys
76. A whole night's sleep
77. Someone else making breakfast for me
78. A really good pair of jeans
79. The perfect pair of shoes
80. Playing Apples to Apples with our kiddos

One Incredible Journey

"The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made..." Psalm 145: 8

What a journey we are on.

And I don't mean the one with suitcases and different beds and borrowed cars and hotels and church reporting...

I mean The Journey.

The One with Him. Our Lord.

I have visited this Create Post screen in the last month and after some minutes of head scratching and brain searching, the screen remained blank. But recently, I was given the honor of standing before His People in a small suburb in Washington State and share of the Lord's faithfulness in our lives. As I shared with those sweet souls, I realized exactly what I needed to say here.

Look with me at some verses that are challenging my heart right now.

"Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saing "Lord save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." Matt 8: 24-26

Jesus was sleeping. What an interesting thing. Has Jesus ever been sleeping through a storm in your life?
With waves rolling and fear rising, the disciples woke Jesus up and his response to them was, "Why are you so afraid?"

Waves have been rolling around us lately. And as I've clung to the side of the boat and screamed for Someone to "wake up and do something!" the waves have kept rolling. I have longed for the Masterful Rebuke and the "completely calm"...but I'm still gasping under the waves.

One recent Sunday afternoon, following worship and lunch, our family settled in for a rest. I was exhausted and promptly fell into a deep sleep. Throughout my nap I was aware of the children shaking me on the shoulder requesting food or judgment for an erring brother :-), but Jeff valiantly deterred their requests so I could stay asleep. My body was resting. I chose not to wake up completely because their Daddy was on the scene and had things under control.

Maybe Jesus slept through the storm for the same reason. He knew Who was in control and that eventually there would be peace. Either now or later. The storm would not effect the outcome.

The squall would only serve to measure faith. "You of little faith!"

Sigh. It is my deepest heart's desire, that as waves wash over my boat, my faith will be found to be strong.

And what exactly does that look like?

Not quitting?

Not despairing?

Confident, in even a resting Savior.

He will wake up. And His Voice alone can still the storm.

"While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul was there giving approval to his death." Acts 7:59- 8:1

The stones were hitting that innocent man in the head and he spoke... forgiveness.

Just as our Lord, in the middle of deep humilation, unjust claims, and death proclaimed forgiveness, not judgment.

At the moment of attack. While feeling the pain.

In the most excruciating times of life, human nature longs to call fire down on the offender's head not speak words of mercy.

But these men, Jesus and Stephen...

Their forgiveness, their mercy coincided with their greatest physical and emotional pain.

And, friends, as if that wasn't challenging enough, the last sentence gives me much pause.

Saul was giving approval to this brutal killing.

Those who attack you or stand by in approval as others attack, may be God's next miracle. God's chosen one to carry His message far and wide. The person whose faith and submission to God will effect others for generations.

What in the world are we supposed to do with that tidbit?! Does God expect us to remember this when we are angry?

This man who vehemently opposed Christ's Beloved was pursued by Christ Himself and redeemed.

It is not difficult to think of my offenders as being pursued :-)...

But for redemption?

Forgive. God is all about that word. We cannot do any less than our Master and expect the storm to ever cease.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2 Cor 2:14

We walk with the winner. Even "as we walk thtrough the valley of the shadow of death..." Triumph. Confident. Heads held high. He has won. Therefore, we, who are His, always have won. We are a part of the triumphal procession. Whether or not the world around us recognizes Him directly, they will not escape His Aroma.

"Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chron 16:8-9

And finally, brought to this. No matter how big the "army", God is looking at the heart. My heart. Isn't that really all we have to choose about. Other peoples' actions, words or choices are far from our control or even our influence sometimes. But our own hearts. That's where we choose. His way or ours. Submitted or personally controlled and filled. Full or empty. Living for Forever or grabbing what we want for now.

As His Knowing Eyes search through the earth, what does He find here? In me.

Fear? Forgiveness? Triumph?

Himself?

Oh Father, the storms rage in our lives on many fronts. But You Never Fail.

God prevails.

Where waves often roll over our boats and stones sometimes fly at our heads and Righteous Men stand in approval of our "deaths"and armies seem mighty and overwhelming.

God calls us to rest, trust, forgive, guard our own hearts...

And believe.

Because...

He. Has. It. All. Under. Control.

He even steps up to fill us and accomplish these ongoing tasks for us when we cannot.

Father, how can You be So Good? So patient.

Receive Your Glory Mighty Jehovah.

The darkness that threatens us only serves to more fully contrast All the Goodness You are. I am so amazed by You.