Sweet Sabbath

 One of the most faith-filled decisions we can make is to intentionally create margin in our lives....Choosing not to overload our finances, energy, and time is essentially an act of faith, saying, "I know there's so much good out there that I'm going to leave space for when it gets here."

~Joel Malm, "Keep It Light: The Freedom of Priorities in Life, Work, and Love"

The Conard family has been blessing our socks off since we met them in Memphis in 2004. Gayly has visited us in the village (and is still a good friend, quite the miracle after what we put her through!). The family has helped with kitchen renovations, stateside vehicles, family pictures, and gift cards to kickstart us after trans-Pacific moves. We love to cook together and celebrate birthdays (wives in May, husbands in October) together.

So when the unexpected opportunity arose for Sean to drop by and spend some time with us in the middle of his road trip, we were honored. The Sunday afternoon felt like an extension of our church service as we drank coffee and recounted God's faithfulness in our kids' lives. And when I followed the guys out the back door as they walked to the driveway, I found Sean praying for my hubby. Humility and generousity characterize this entire family. I'm so grateful for the margin we had built into a day of rest and for the refreshing visit that resulted.