Losing Jim

It has been such a long time since I posted and so much has happened since Sept when we moved Rob's parents back out to Midland. So interesting to see God's hand in all of it. It was such a crazy move and we did not quite know what all we were in for with it. The way it happened was shocking and sudden. All the while, our Lord knew what was coming and knew that we needed to get them out here ASAP. Last week, while on the youth ski trip in Colorado, we got a call from Rob's daddy's (Jim's) doctor. He wanted us to bring Jim and Wanda in the next day because the scan they took showed that he has ADVANCED cancer of the liver, pancreas, adrenal glands, lymphoma, etc.....They are only giving him a week from now to maybe a month. I will be surprised if he is with us even for a few days. Each day we are seeing such a downslide. It is horrifying to watch. Today, after not being able to make it down the hall and having to sit on a stool two x to get down the hallway of a two bedroom apt, Jim just cried out, "How Long???" I said, "for what" He said, "Til I die. How much longer do I live like this?" It is hard to let someone go that you love. We do love him. Rob had a sweet time with him on Monday night. Jim played with Tom Landry for the University of Texas in football. Rob went over and joined him for his last Texas game. Sad to think that he won't be there to do that anymore.
We are, however, thankful that we know that Jim's salvation is secure and we will see him again in heaven.
For a very competitive football family, LOSING is never easy....whether it is football or your life. Pray that this comes without pain. As believers, our loss is Christ's gain and Jim will gain eternity with Jesus......no losing matter there......but it is still hard. God is faithful and carries us in these times.

Others First

Sometimes God has to teach us things that are HARD. We are THERE. After a sad event in which my mother in law felt the need to use her walking utensil to discipline the woman that she, in her very mixed up mind, thinks is stealing things from her....(go ahead..it's okay. laugh.......we are laughing to keep from crying...and we've done quite a bit of that, too.....it's funny until you have to clean up the mess it leaves......) ....We now have three weeks to move them from Ft. Worth to Midland. Looking at this overwhelming task is humbling, to say the least. Still, we know it will work....why? Because this is one of those God sized tasks that is IMPOSSIBLE to do in our own strength. In the past month we have had FOUR DIFFERENT MAJOR events with them.....including ........law suits, canings, car repairs, evictions, drama, Jim's cancer, EEEEETTTTCCCCC.
We had really been trying to set some boundaries. We had said that we would get us settled first (we are still in the church house) and THEN work on moving them next year.......NOT!!!!! God said, "Others first." That simple childhood lesson - ironically - taught to us BY our parents - is now needing to be put into place FOR Rob's parents. ...and it will.....God provided an apartment today. Good part of town, lower level, two bedroom. Two people were waiting in line for it after me. I prayed for wisdom....with that quick decision, I hope it was HIS will and wisdom at work. After calling around for days, touring places all Sat., etc.....I KNOW that this was our only option. ...Here's the tough part....Wanda's response, "I really wanted a condo" and "Did you get to see the caret? Is it as bad as this place?" Such gratitude. Thankfully, I determined a long time ago that these things are done "for the Lord and not for man."
Pray for continued wisdom, and for LOTS Of patience, mercy and grace. We are going to need an extra measure! My happy birthday will be on MOVING DAY....YEA!!!! What did you get??????I am getting my INLAWS!!!!! =0)
God is sovereign. Even in this....I WILL TRUST HIM! His faithfulness endures.
Love you all!
d

Ministry or Madness???

We are still learning. Yes, after 15 years in youth ministry, still learning. We overbooked the summer. pure and simple. It is so great to be home. Rob will be home from Creel, Mex on the 8th. In spite of our exhaustion and overbooked schedule, God has graciously demonstrated his LOVE, POWER and WORK in our lives and in the lives of others. What a blessing to be able to serve HIM. Between Community Rehab in Commanche, Super Summer sessions 2 & 4, DFW Dive, Camp Red Cloud and Creel, MEx mission trip, God HAS our attention. We want to make sure that our ministry is one of "BEING" not just "DOING" - Since this was our first summer in Midland, the summer was a combination of the "old" meets the "new". Next summer we will pare it down and listen for what the Lord wants us to cut/add.....We pray that our ministry will become more family friendly, as well, where we are ministering to the family instead of robbing students from their families. Look this year for our ministry to reflect more of the Deuteronomy model of family ministry. Parents will be called up to serve, lead and teach - especially in their own homes. Plan to see Crestview's student ministry as more of an EQUIPPING ministry for the families of students to redirect to the model that God set before us.
We are looking forward to what God is going to do through this commitment to a truly BIBLICAL model of ministry!!!! His revelation is real and our family is the one who will first feel the freedom in this commitment. Sometimes having an "OLD" youth pastor has its perks....we see how you, the parents are feeling and what you are dealing with. We miss our family time. We want time to BE what God calls us to BE as parents - and we know that you agree!
It is going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!

Home? Where is Home?

Monday we arrived at our house in Keller for the last stay. It is so weird how excited we always got as we drove into the neighborhood. Even the dogs were up and wagging with apparent doggie smiles.....Brock would say "we're home, we're home" - Tori would be texting every DFW friend in high anticipation of reuniting.....Rob and I both get a warm fuzzy feeling when we drive in to see the pretty landscape lights on the house and the manicured yard.....But, the question is...."Is it home?" - we then got out of the car and rushed in to find an empty shell where memories are the only richness that still exist. It's not 'home' any more....morein...it is just a house. God has new things for us. New adventures, new walls to paint and curtains to sew. New memories to create...all of them in a new place. It is so hard to make a temporary location feel like home for me. I need to refresh my understanding of what makes it a 'home'. It is the laughter and smiles, the sturggles and tears. It is the family time playing games and jumping on the trampoline. the early morning coffee and Bible reading, the late night times when Rob and I pray together. It is the things, as the cliche' says...'of the heart'......Home IS where the heart is.......It's true. ...and I am the most blessed of all homemakers!
"He who started a good work will be faithful to complete it....." amen

Summer CRAZE for the Watson Family

We have SOLD the HOUSE!!!!! Praise JESUS! Our closing date is July 17. Pray that it all goes as planned. We are learning to trust and walk in God's timing and provision. He is good....ALWAYS.

As for my daughter...wow...she is growing up! Tori got braces on Monday. Her smile is so beautiful. She just gives me such JOY! Sometimes I can't believe that she is turning 13 already on the 18th....then again...sometimes I can't believe she is only 13. She is so much fun. So mature in her thinking. So kind. What a blessing!

The Brock man....we've had a great summer so far together. He cracks me up. Tori is off and about in her already way to busy social life....and Rob is working - so Brock and I are getting some quality time together this summer. He's a reading machine and - of course - loves his video games. I feel horrible that I did not get him in tennis camp this summer. We've made up for it, though, in plenty of west Texas fun in the sun.

Rob is loving his job. He is spending more time than ever there - which is a challenge sometimes - but it is such a joy to see him being about to work with vision and have such a team of visionary leaders to work with. He loves the staff. They meet for coffee several mornings each week and just enjoy one another.

The coming weeks will be quite eventful for the Watsons.....to Brady for July 3-5, Rob preaches on July 6th, then To DFW to pick up vans and settle things on the 6th-7th, back to pick up students and drive them BACK to DFW for the Rangers and Six Flags on the 8-9, then returning vans to DFW on the 10th.....I fly out to Austin on the following Monday for the PALS conference then I fly to meet the family in DFW on the 16th so we can close on the house on the 17th. We will celebrate Tori's birthday on the 18th in DFW then back to Midland to pack and leave for camp on midnight the next night on the 19th.....We will be at camp Red Cloud in Colorado for a week, return for 5 days then Rob and Tori leave for Creele, Mexico onAug. the 1st (our 16th anniversary) for a week long mission trip. We have a couple of days down before I return to school on the 15th......Man...summer is flying by!

Well, I lost my cell phone for 5 days last week. At first it was weird....I found myself feeling strangely isolated. ....by the 4th day, I noticed that I was so peaceful. I wasn't checking for it unconsciously anymore. My drive time was quiet - even worshipful. I was on task more. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Although, I must admit that I was ecstatic when it turned up lodged down in between the seat in my car! On that note, I want to follow with a little thought that Rob shared at church tonight with the students. He is doing a study on simplicity - vs the chaos. This one really made me think:

Cell Phone vs. Bible
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text daily?
What if we treated it like we could not live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go, "Hmmm, where is my Bible?"
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
Makes you stop and think "where are my priorities"....
and by the way, No dropped calls!!!!

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you." Matt. 6:33

2008 FADE Disciple Now Weekend - AWESOME!!!

God is SO Good! It was so much fun to see our group leaders 'do their thing' ...These are all students that we have seen grow up....in age as well as spiritual depth. What a blessing to see them share with our students the love of Jesus in such a passionate way!