safe

we made it to beijing. touring today.  we have no internet.
sorry this post is short writing on kindle with 3g.
keep praying for us
when we get to province internet should be better
until then love to all from JR for all

Cleared for Take-Off

In just a few hours from now we will head to the airport to begin the journey to the Far East (by heading west).  Follow us on www.flightview.com as we take to the air Wednesday morning.  Enter the following Delta flight numbers for the three legs of the trip: BHM-ATL (#1203), ATL-NRT (#295), and NRT-PEK (#617). Thanks for praying us there--our next post will be in a couple of days, with pictures of us in Beijing! (PR)

Travel Map

Countdown

  The paper chain on the door is getting very short.  This is good.  This is sobering.  This is exhilerating!  We have yet to weigh the suitcases.  Life has kind of gotten in the way of taking preparations too seriously -- or at least as diligently as last time.  In fact, tonight, I just started tossing things into the suitcases willy nilly -- which, for those of you who know me well, is so not me.  I figured that things would look like that AFTER the voyage, so why fight it now?

I still need to get through two more days of work, yet at the same time prepping for my absence there -- which is no small feat, given that I will even miss my final exam.  My superiors have been nothing less than supportive, for which I'm very grateful.

While we're talking countdowns, another countdown is 7 days until our "Gotcha Day" for Jack.  As a song says, "We're counting down the days until we hold you close and say, "I love you!" (Steven Curtis Chapman, "When Love Takes You In")

Lastly, it's been a week of ups and downs in various ways around the house and with trip details.  Who really needs a 911 call at T minus 6?  But through it all we have been reminded of the faithful advocacy of our God.  We can embrace the words He spoke to one of His own many years ago: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee. Be not dismayed; for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)

Look for one more post before take off! (PR)

Our help

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth....The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. (Psalm 121:1, 8)

This verse has been meaningful to me this past week in particular.  I'm so grateful for His faithful help as we're in this stage of preparation for the journey. There is much to do, and at times this past week, I have felt as though I am in slow motion when I should be moving much more quickly! I am stocking our portable "pharmacy" and gathering our "7-Eleven" provisions :).  So far, most of the stuff in our basement loading dock is for Jack.  The rest of us had better get busy!  We will attempt to make some headway this weekend.  Thanks for your prayers for us, as always. (CR)