Now and Then

Tonight Adrianne was running singing (to the tune of "Where is Thumpkin")

"He's my Savior (Where is Thumpkin), He's my Savior (Where is Thumpkin)

But instead of saying "Here I am", the appropriate words, she responded with, "Now and Then, Now and Then".

At first I was struck by the sad truth of that statement. The way that we use "now and then" in today's English is so flippant, so "something-I-don't-always-need". I was angry at how the simple reality touched me so truthfully.

Yesterday, I also found out that my Mom who is sick with cancer most proably had a mini-stroke in the midst of the already terrible pain that she has so bravely endured. I wonder how much longer the gates of heaven will be her hope and not her reality.

Now and then...suddenly the words comfort me. He really is my Savior now...and THEN.

Today I will bask in His goodness that will still be there on the day that my Mom is called home and released from the sickly prison that holds her captive. Today, God whispered "and then" to me.

He is my Savior...now...and then. No matter what "then" holds, the reality remains. He is busy Saving and doing all the things that come along with that package...Comforting, Keeping, Sustaining.

Goodbye Interns, Hello New School Year

Well we have now said goodbye to 4 of our 7 interns for the summer and things are winding down. Last night I picked up Dave and Bonnie from the airport and school is just around the corner.

It has been a great summer with lots of ministry events happening and relationships being built. Today we are going to the beach for the day and I am really looking forward to some of the time that I will have with students.

In a week we are having a back to school slipe and slide event to introduce new students to the ministry of Impact.

Compassion and Popsicles

So tonight, this one comes up to me and says, "Mom, you choose to have compassion on Jack and Megan, but you won't have any compassion on me."

I couldn't help it but I just busted a gut laughing. How many four year olds do you know throwing around the word compassion, much more being the judge of its recipients?

This was said in the context of the major pruning that just had taken place outside and consequently her "tent" (aka overgrown shrubery and tropical trees) was gone. I really didn't know that compassion was in order, but I took her in my arms and said, "just exactly how can I show you some compassion?"

Bluntly, she replied, "a Popsicle".

There was no way I was going to pass up such a simple solution. "You got it, let's go!"

There's gonna be a lot more problems with not quite so easy answers. You gotta strike while the irons hot.

One down...a rather lot to go, but for now, the Rathmells sleep in peace and compassion.

Student Leader Update

God has been doing some neat things in the lives of students on our student leader retreat. The days have been 16 hours long with very little free time but the students have been haning in their and tracking with what Stephen has been teaching them. It helps that much of the training is interactive. The first day they had to build boats out of driftwood and supplies that had washed up on the beach and 2 members from each team had to make it across a small inlet on the pacific ocean side of our island. While all the teams made it across only one team actually stayed on their boat from start to finish and didn't have to propel their boat by hanging off of it and kicking their way across.

The second day we went paintballing which was really fun as a group. The last game we played girls vs. guys with the guys playing shirtless to make the sting a little greater if they got stung. It ended in a draw with the guys surrounding the girls home base just as time expired. :-)

Right now the students are working on their life mission statement trying to figure out what the specific purpose the God has created them for. Stephen has taught them that God is most glorified, we experience the most joy and God's kingdom is most sigficantly advance when we fulfill the destiny that God has for us. Please pray for the students that they would have more clarity as we meet with them one on one to coach them about their life purpose.

Student Leader Retreat

Well we are almost one day into our student leader retreat. We are about to head off to the beach and have them creat boats that will hold them to travel from one point on land to the other. Then we will have a cook out on the beach and finish our teaching time for the night. Before the trip the student had to read a biography of a christian leader and tonight the first group will present what they learned to us.

Please pray that this would be a life changing week for all of the students involved and that God would give us guidance and direction for the year to come.

Our trainer is Stephen Blandino from nextled.org and he is doing a great job. Pray that God would have his annointing on him. Thanks.