My heart is full, and mind is overflowing with learning this past season. I haven’t time to post. I’m in my final stretch with Fuller. I’m currently in a New Testament class and Vocational Formation course. The reading has been by far the most intense of my journey. Reading through the NT in 10 weeks along with dense, thick books, videos, online interaction with classmates tackling chapters, ideas, contexts. It’s wonderful learning, and unlearning, but a bit like standing in a dust-storm at the moment!

For posterity, I do want to share a few personal notes, as I’ve invested +13 yrs into this blog! Gracious, what will I think looking back, if I get a chance to read it over again. I think I will see mercy, God’s deep patience and love over our family as we journey in this thing called calling, vocation, the narrowing focused life towards a race run. Imperfect, forming, and at times pretty fun! I’m reading this book now on vocation through history , through the lens of the first 4 centuries, the middle ages, reformation, and to present. Each context had widely different views on what a calling was, what it looked like, and how we navigate hearing the voice of God and living out our faith in context. History is so wonderful, it truly grids us.

So its snowy, winter decided to slam us here in February with several weeks of white beauty. We weren’t sure if we would get winter this year. Our skate rink has sat without ice for two years now – it’s hard to judge if making it is worth it when its only now in Feb that we have decent ice making weather. Will it warm up next week and all our work is for naught? I think so, therefor we’ll wait for next year. We need at least a solid month of sub zero to make the work worth it – plus I’m getting old!

Our cafe is open, but business is slow. Quarantine measures are still sort of in play, but not really. Sometimes I stop in and the cafe is full of life, so it’s a joy to keep it warm just in case folks do venture out into the slippery roads. Vanya, our staff-orphan grad is doing well, he’s learning english now and paying for lessons himself. Anya is managing the cafe more, we’re down to just two full time staff and Natasha oversees them and the logistics. We have more folks using the studio, Dima is actually making some money now each month providing extra lessons, and also some folks coming from outside Rz (and within) to record. He wants to expand this, we’re thinking the basement of the mission building could have better space for recording and generally making a lot of noise!

We are expecting our first grandbaby next month, or April, I don’t know the dates exactly. It’s a boy, Broderic and Kristin are pretty nervous, excited and all those things that come with having your first child! Deb will be planning to go, I am planning to stay and watch the kids. It’s hard to think I won’t get to hold him, but I don’t really feel great about leaving our little girls here without a parent just yet. Perhaps if the weather was all nice – we still have the house electricity go out sometimes, and our gas as well, I want to keep them all cozy and fed.

Bron is in a new college course for design. She is doing some really amazing illustrations and 3D prep work for folks. Brent is now trying to figure out what his next steps are in Florida. He wants college, but also needs to pay the bills. Real life yeah? Proud of them all. Tucker is researching Art courses as well, he’s very good with logo/art stuff, and doing a lot for me personally and for our ministries (razomGo at the moment).

Battery dying, thanks for checking in. Whomever that may be:)