DB, Jeni, EB, and Lorelai

Well I would like every one to know that Jeni has bought a new bag, She has carried a small pink purse for i dont even know how long, and one day Wilma, my mother said – I would like to buy you a purse. Well Jeni’s birthday was over four months ago, and on our way home from Nashville. We stoped for gas and something to drink, just outside of Bowlingreen Kentucky where she bought this new purse.

We had just a wonderful weekend, and we always enjoy a road trip, becasue we get in some good conversations.

I am working up some of the ideas that have been going through my mind the past few days after the conferance. So check out my Bible study soon for some new ideas.

Okay, we are looking on the map to see who reads our blog, and we can’t figure our who some people are-like, who do we know in Washington State? So, if you don’t mind, tell us who you are reading this and where you are located.

So as you know, DB and I went to Memphis this weekend to the Concerned Christians for Afghanistan Conference. This weekend was so wonderful I cannot even describe it, so I will try with a list of things we learned/enjoyed/etc…

• Worshipped with Afghans
• Worshipped in dari
• We think the Lord has laid a people group on our hearts!
• We road a duck/bus around Memphis
• We saw the ducks at The Peabody Hotel
• We ate dry ribs at the famous Rendezvous
• We talked to incredibly Godly men and women who have served the Lord in muslim countries for many many years
• We heard a woman speak about living in Afghanistan during Russian occupation, the Mujahadeen, the taliban, and still today. WOW! What an amazing story
• We were presented with 6 or 7 different ideas for how we could serve in Central Asia
• We saw the Parthenon in Nashville
• We had a lot of fun taking pictures and playing at the Parthenon
• We saw a display of pictures about Afghanistan inside the Parthenon in Nashville (how weird is that after the weekend we had)
• We had lots of great discussions about the future, ways to communicate better, and some funny things that would make you think we were crazy (we were in the car for a while today)

Okay, so these are the highlights-more later about the people group we think the Lord has laid on our hearts. This was one of the best weekends ever-praising the Lord for fun times, Godly people, speaking to us pretty clearly, answering prayers, and the best husband I could ever ask for!

Concerned Christians for Afghanistan – WE arrived in Memphis 4am (est) time. Jeni was very happy to discover that there was an hour time difference, which allowed her to sleep in a bit. We had taken a room one-block form the Church where our conference, is taking place.

We have found our self this day in the very place of Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness…” We have spent our day in a room full of men and woman who have served the Afghan people in so many ways. He have, heard testimony from Afghan believers we have been lead in worship, by Afghan believers. We have also heard from a panel of nine men and women who were all Americans who gave 15 to 30 years of their life to serve in teaching, building and serving the people. They thought us some amazing things:

You will discover who you are, serving others.

The things that you expect to happen will most likely not happen.

Learn from their culture, listen ask questions meet them where they are.

God is always ahead of you. Depend on Him Not YOU

Always expose what is in your heart.

Allow it to be Home.

God might call you to a place for a period of time.

The opportunity to hear from these men and women is a refreshing look at the future of the church, even as I set right now listening to the History of what took place and dream of what the future could be.

Jeni and I had an amazing opportunity to visit Afghanistan this summer. Thanks to the support of many of our friends and Family, and a local ministry here in Louisville called SOZO. While there I was able to meet several of the friends that Jeni had talked so much about and I even took in some of the sights. I have included some of my favorite pictures the one of Istalef is Jeni’s favorite place in Afghanistan. The Kids were so warm and welcoming, and we had a lot of fun just discovering the new ways we related to each other while in this culture.

This week is another important week for us as a couple, in our days of ministry. As we spend each day working toward our goal of “M” we have had the blessing of working with SOZO, because of Jeni’s previous job, and they have asked us to represent them at the annual Concerned Christians for Afghanistan Conference. We will drive to Tennessee once I get off work Wed night, catch a few hours of sleep and then spend three full days enjoying the lectures and being able to talking t0 other “M’s” that have been at this thing a lot longer than we have thought about it.

Wow – Friday some people live for the weekend. Well, Jeni and I agree, it has been such a busy week we are really looking forward to coming home tonight and just crashing.

Monday night we had a wonderful evening @ the Dabney home. The team from Afghanistan gathered around burgers and talked about the past few weeks, and enjoyed updates from Tina who had just returned from Kabul. She had some encouraging news about several of our friends.

Tuesday I did post about my mother coming to visit and the dinner we enjoyed.

Wednesday : WoW do you want to talk about a day…. I worked on an Access Data Base for Jeni’s work. It was such a hard morning I took a mid day nap… Now that is suffering for Jesus. Well I guess it was the Evening events that were the best. One of the guys that works with Jeni invited us to coming to a Rock Quarry.
We enjoyed volleyball on a floating course, and I
would venture to say that we swam a mile.

Mom always said you can’t swim on a full stomach, well sorry mom I broke that rule. They had cooked up some awesome bratwurst, corn and as all the extras. And then I discovered High Wall that was just simply perfect for Diving. Jeni and I walked around the Quarry to the side that had the High Wall and took a couple of Jumps before dark fell and we drove home.

Thursday : we decided to work…… If I have not told every one I have a Job now Working @ a local Coffee house called Java. I think that I am really going to enjoy being around all the staff and discovering new things about coffee and tea. Jeni called after I got off and asked if I could help with some of the pick ups that her work need. So I went over to Lifebridge and helped one of the volunteers. Wow it has been a busy week, a few more hours today @ the coffee shop this evening, and we plan to relax and stay at home.

Hey every one my mom was in town for work today and came over to our house for dinner – and while we were enjoying conversation and looking foward to the dinner Jeni took this Picture of us off the back Deck.

My mother thinks that it is wonderful that Jeni is such a great Cook. We are having Bruschetta ‘n Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts.

It was a good evening, with lots of converastion about work, while I worked on painting the different things Jeni wanted to use in finishing the house.

Be expecting pictures soon. ….. …….

Jeni:

Running Log: Day 3
Okay, so we ran three days in a row (Tuesday – Thursday) and we are taking a break until Monday.

This morning (Sunday) DB and I are sitting on our porch in some new, comfie lounge chairs that we bought yesterday. They are an odd green color, but we like them anyway. He is reading and I am blogging and we are sharing some trail mix for breakfast. (Much to his chagrin, I am picking out the M&Ms). The apartment is almost totally finished-pictures hung, decorations pretty settled – just a few little details to finish, then we will post pictures.

So I have been thinking alot of submission lately – what it looks like on a day to day basis. I very much agree with the idea of submission and I know what the bible says , I just don’t think I kow what it looks like. Any comments on this? How do I live out an attitude of submission?
DB and I have also been talking a good bit about what country we would like to serve in and have been thinking about Turkey. Do you think that Turkey joining the European Union will make it more open to the Gospel?

Running Log: Day 2

Nicole and I ran again today, although since it is my second day running, and it has been so long, it was not the greatest run. That’s okay-two days in a row, I was a bit stiff. Thursday’s run will be better!

By the way, I made Honey-Baked Chicken that I got the recipe from the GirlTalk Blog. It was easy and delicious! Here is the recipe:

HONEY-BAKED CHICKEN
Preheat oven to 350*. Arrange six skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or your favorite chicken pieces) in a shallow baking dish. Combine 1/3 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons prepared mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Pour over the chicken. Bake 20 to 30 minutes (or until no longer pink in the center). Baste several times while cooking.

And Our DEAR friend Jody came over for dinner – we enjoyed her company and encouragement!

Jeni:
Running Log: Day 1

Today I started running again! YEAH!!! My friend Nicole who lives in our apartment complex ran with me and we are going to run together every day! I love running! When I arrived home, I found my sweet, handsome, thoughtful, wonderful husband in the KITCHEN cooking

DB: I had a wonderful day kicking around the house today, working on some Job postings and emailing lots of friends continuing the job search. I went out of the house to run a few trips around the neighborhood, and stopped by the Library to grab a new book.
I took the computer to the kitchen and began working on the yummy dinner that Jeni would come in and just rave about.
Jeni (again):
I listened to a sermon today from Crossing Church, on how to be a Christ centered wife. It was good encouragement, and instruction. You can list to the sermon by clicking on the Crossing Link and selecting the media picture in the middle of the web page. In the media section this month there are also sermons including the topics of the Christ centered husband, Jesus changes people and Jesus in the Old Testament.

Well, this is my first time ever posting on a blog. This weekend, DB and I did an extensive amount of work in our new aprtment and we are almost completely settled. We also got a little too much sun yesterdady but enjoyed relaxing by the pool and playing in the water. Then we had some great friends over for dinner and a game of Apples to Apples (A very fun game if you have never heard of it).

Just for those of you who are cooking for your families, try out www.kraftfoods.com. You can order a free recipe magazine sent to your house four times a year – the recipes are all delicious and simple. (I found this out thanks to Julie Snipp, wife and mother extraordinaire, and it has been a huge blessing!)

Tonight we kept the babies at church, and we both enjoyed it. I am dissapointed that we missed the sermon, but we can hear it online. This week was “How to be a Christ-Centered Wife.” You can download it from the Crossing Website. You can also get it as a pod cast from itunes.

I am, much to DB’s chagrin, reading Kite Runner, a novel about Afghanistan. It is really interesting, and a bit disturbing. I read it before my first trip, but it is so different to read it through a different set of eyes-I can picture the things that are discribed and understand the culture so differently now. DB is itching for me to finish so he can read it himself.

This is a picture of my brother DK at Christmas. He is in Minnesota right now canoeing and going to amusement parks and doing a bunch of fun stuff. I miss him.

This is the end of my first blog.