99 days to takeoff!

It is hard to believe that in 99 days, we will be on our way to Uganda! That translates to 14 weeks until takeoff and 12 weeks until we move out of our house into the missionary guest house. It is exciting and a bit overwhelming at the same time. We have much to do in that time! We still need about 30% of our monthly support, we need to clear out of our house and get it ready for renters, we need to get all the curriculum for our MK school in Uganda, we need to pack up everything we are taking to Uganda, we need a place to live in Uganda, and we need to wrap up and hand off our responsibilities here to others. Yesterday as I was starting to panic when I realized that there was only 100 days, my sweet, wise friend, Meredith, gently reminded me to think of all God has accomplished for us in the last 100 days. As I look back I am so thankful! I have often recounted on this blog the many ways God has provided for us, financially, spiritually and emotionally. And I know that He will continue to do so! Even as I was discussing my most recent blog post, "The Last 3 Days" I was reminded about Ebenezers. One of the hymns I love is "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." Here are the lyrics:

"Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; praise the mount I'm fixed upon it, mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by thy help I'm come; and I hope by thy good pleasure safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God: he, to rescue me from danger interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be; let that grace now like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love: here's my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."

For me, the best antidote to anxiety and worry is worship, thanksgiving and praise! So today, I am remembering God's unchanging love, the Ebenezers of His provision both in material things and more importantly in eternal salvation through Jesus. And if you are wondering about what in the world is an Ebenezer, here is a brief explanation. The people of Israel put some stones in a pile to remind themselves of God's provision. They called it an Ebenezer saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." I Sam. 7:12