Prayer Requests and Related Thoughts

I was going through my mental prayer list this morning and realized once again how we are so needy and yet so blessed!

• Last weekend, my sister SR got engaged to her boyfriend, AK. At this point, she wants to finish school before getting married. That's not until December 2009. They continue to have to deal with the challenges of a long distance relationship, while he is working in Arkansas and she's going to school in Kansas. I'm praying for God's grace and wisdom in their lives as they deal with these challenges and make plans for their future.
• This past week, my family finished wheat harvest! The harvest ended up being poorer than expected/hoped for, but better than last year. Wheat prices are now dropping. Farming is a profession that is constantly dependent upon God and factors beyond the control of man. I am exceedingly blessed that my father demonstrated and lived that out as I grew up. And I pray for him and my family as they continue to make decisions, not knowing what the future holds, but dependent upon our faithful God!
• This past week, my sister L has spent the week in New York state as part of a 4-H exchange trip. She has now seen Niagra Falls, the Statue of Liberty, and Ground Zero--all things I've never done. The group is driving back to Kansas this week. I'm praying for safe travels.
• This weekend, Gospel for Asia is hosting a major conference--Renewing Your Passion--with over 1,000 people involved. At least that's how many nametags my sister D, with help, had to make, assemble, and alphabetize before setting up for registration today. I'm praying specifically for strength and grace for D as she works with registration and information at the conference and deals with the stress with little sleep. I pray for the same for the many other coordinators and hosts. And for everyone who is at the conference--attendee, speaker, and host--that each will hear the message God has for them and will leave with their passion renewed and a vision for what God wants them to do.
• This weekend, Jer will be visiting us. This is the last weekend visit before we have him for a whole week and a visit to Kansas. He's looking forward to first grade in the fall. He did have some struggles in Kindergarten this past year. I am praying that he will continue to grow to know and love God more. And that we and he will know how to best address these struggles so that he will be come a stronger, more mature individual.
• This weekend, the clogging group is holding a couple of extra practices for an upcoming competition. I'm excited about the competition, but my clogging shoes have been hurting my feet this week. I'm looking at getting a new pair with better support and padding, but that won't be for tomorrow. I'm praying that I'll be able to focus on the practice and not on my feet. That everyone involved with the competition will be focused and energetic so that these practices will be productive and enjoyable.
• At work (or not at work), MG is scheduled to leave tomorrow and go to Nebraska(?) with her church on a mission trip for the next week. She called in sick this morning saying she had an upset stomach all night. I'm praying that she is able to spending the day resting and preparing for the trip and that the entire group is healthy for the trip. That they will have safe travels and effective ministry to the community they are sharing with.
• Also at work (or not at work), Christy, our student worker for the summer, caught a plane at 6:00 this morning to go visit her family for the next week. Safe travels to her.
• At work, I will actually be at work for the next week--on my own. I'm praying that I will be able to use the time efficiently to accomplish many of the summer goals that I have set for myself.
• At work (but not at PHC), JM's job evolves around software release--when another company releases a new version of their software, he has to repackage it so that the various pieces of the software will properly (according to government specs) install on a variety of different platforms. After a year's delay, the new version of the software has been released and he is being asked to get all of his part done in the next few weeks. When he started two years ago, doing all that work in weeks wasn't even a possible consideration--months was the norm. He (and others) have done a lot of work to automate the process and make it quicker, but getting it done in weeks still requires everything to go smoothly and for him to pull in help from people who don't normally work on this part of the project (which requires training them). The software was released on Monday and so far things aren't going terribly smoothly. I'm praying that the technology will cooperate and work properly, that others will be responsive to the needs of this project, that he and the others involved in the project will be able to identify, diagnose, and solve problems quickly and accurately, and that they will have grace and kindness toward one another as they work through this stressful time. Also looming over this project is the fact that it looks like they will be required to move office locations to a completely different building and city (just a few miles away), probably in the middle of this work.
• A friend at church who had been out of work for the last 6-9 months announced last week that he has a 6-month contract-to-hire job. At the same time, his wife also found a full-time job for the first time in years. Their two boys are experiencing more independence this week, as they are at home without direct supervision. Praying that it goes well for the whole family in new jobs and new responsibilities.