"Mission Arlington"

I am safely home and so thankful for an amazing week.  I was able to leave Saturday a week ago to travel to Arlington, Texas for our youth's mission trip.  There was so much that took place that I will miss blogging everything.  I am so grateful that God gave me so much grace to feel good and have a great week.  On Monday of our trip, I left for the day with my brother and we drove 2 1/2 hours to surprise our parents.  I had not seen them since February and it was good seeing them again.  We were able to spend the whole day with them.

Me and my parents

David, Me & Mike (my brothers)

We even had time for some Yahtzee

Texas heat is usually unbearable, especially in July, but God brought a lot of rain and cooler weather for most of the week.  Our group worked with Mission Arlington all week.  On Sunday we were divided into teams of 3 and 4 paired with their organization and went all over Arlington taking church to apartment complexes.  Monday through Thursday our students worked at 8 different apartments having back yard bible clubs/VBS.  I am so proud of our students and the time they invested in children and teenager's lives all week. 

Surprise trip to Medieval Times

On Friday our group had a choice to go to Hurricane Harbor or Six Flags.  It was the hottest day of the week and I knew my body wouldn't last long walking around and standing in long lines waiting to ride roller coasters.  Jordan and I love the thrill of riding roller coasters together.  My oncologist gave me a note to get a wheelchair to help make things easier for me to get around without over heating.  I took an umbrella with me to protect my body from the sun.  I have to admit, it was the best day I have ever had at Six Flags and I felt like a VIP.  I was able to take 3 people with me on the rides and Randy and Linda Cameron rode the rides with us.  I never once got hot and had plenty of energy.  I can't say the same for Jordan or the Cameron's since they were pushing me around.  We never had to wait in lines and by 3pm we had ridden all the rides that we wanted and even had about an hour to relax for lunch. 

Jordan was a trooper pushing me around all day

Jordan, Randy, Linda and me

A storm was coming in to Arlington so we left both parks an hour early to head home.  Around 8:30pm we found out a lady was killed on the Texas Giant roller coaster soon after we had left Six Flags.  The news was overwhelming and devastating to hear.  The fact that many of us had ridden that ride hours earlier and to know that something went wrong for someone to have died.  We had prayer for the family and friends.  The thrill of our day was shaken and my heart is very sad for this family.  Life is so frail and we never know what our today or tomorrow holds, but I am thankful to know Who holds it all together for me. 

God continues to carry me and show me so much grace.  I know a lot of people prayed for me to have a good week and I am thankful those prayers were answered.  I couldn't have asked for a better week to spend with our students and the bonus to see my parents when that wasn't even part of the schedule for me.  He provided great weather, gave me daily strength and all around blessed me with joy in my heart to be able to attend the trip.  The pictures below do not do justice, but they were His reminders that He was watching over me. 

A rainbow stretching over the highway

A beautiful sunset

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."